According to the research paper published by UK think tank Migration Watch, no other Free Trade Agreement is facilitated with the movement of people other than the ones who are trading as per the agreement.
The paper has been released as Brexit Secretary David Davis is about to meet French politician and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier today. It is anticipated that the paper is targeted to define the ‘future relationship’ guidelines.
The UK has envisaged striking an agreement for the phase after Brexit Day on March 29, 2019. Theresa May said: “We will be setting out our immigration rules. We will negotiate with the EU.”
The research paper says: “It is normal in trade agreements to allow the movement of staff essential for the purpose of facilitating the flow of goods and services. However, the EU has never previously insisted upon liberalised border regimes or freedom of movement as a condition of a trade agreement.
“If they were to do so in the negotiations that are pending with the UK it would clearly be driven by political, rather than economic, considerations. The UK government must maintain a distinct separation between its trade negotiations and establishing a post-Brexit immigration policy.”
Chairman of Migration Watch UK Lord Green of Deddington, stated: “A sharp reduction in immigration from the EU must be a red line in these negotiations, not a bargaining chip.
“The Government has already caved in on rights for those arriving in the implementation period. They must not capitulate on longer term immigration arrangements. That would be a betrayal of the 17mn who voted for Brexit.”