Norway could veto UK plans

Therefore further propaganda on the subject is unnecessary.

So, I suspect, it was genuine ignorance of the EU rules and regulations which prompted Kay Rowham to recently accuse the EU of blackmail.

She alleged it would refuse the UK entry into the free market unless we accept unlimited immigration.

Kay should know this is a long standing EU policy which is applied currently to a number of countries outside the EU.

In May, on this page, I explained how Norway (non EU) sent 80% of its exports to the EU. For that privilege it must abide by all EU laws, including immigration.

In fact, never mind Kay’s trade war, Norway is just one of the non EU countries who could scuttle any effort by the UK to rejoin the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a small group of nations who have access to the single market without being part of the EU.

Norway has entry to Europe’s lucrative single market via its membership of the European Economic Area (EEA), which groups all EU members and the three EFTA non-members.

EEA membership requires adherence to free movement of workers, services, goods and capital.

Norway, through EFTA, has trade agreements with 38 nations, including Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Morocco, Kuwait and Qatar.

Norway’s European Affairs Minister said, “If the UK were allowed to join, trade agreements might have to be negotiated”.

The Minister said he was not certain it would be a good idea to let the UK into the organisation.

“It would shift the balance and not necessarily in Norways favour” he claimed.

Norway could veto the UK request for membership of the EFTA.

W Quinn