º£½ÇÊÓƵ

Plans to create a new internal market across all nations of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ following the ending of the EU transition period have been revealed, with the Welsh Government saying while supportive its framework had to agreed by all four governments.

This will see Wales from January 1, 2021, getting 70 new powers, currently overseen in Brussels, including for carbon, storage and capture, environmental legislation covering energy companies, bus franchising rules, waste management, air quality and organic farming (full list below by moving arrow at the bottom).

With the º£½ÇÊÓƵ leaving the EU at the end of this year, whether with a new trading deal or falling on WTO rules, the proposals set out in out in a º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government white paper, now out for a four week consultation, sets out a new internal market between the four nations of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to support the inter-flow of trade.

The proposals highlight the principle of “mutual recognition,” so regulations from one part of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ will be recognised across the country to ensure the devolved administrations can set their own rules and standards, but “still welcome the trade of businesses based anywhere the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.”

An internal market should make it easier for the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to strike new trade deals, but with concerns they could be achieved at the expense of the wishes of devolved administrations, with Scotland and Wales looking at closer regulatory alignment with the EU.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We support having rules across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to regulate the internal market, but these rules must be agreed between the four governments in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, each of which has their own responsibility for economic development. Any new system must have independent oversight and dispute resolution.

“Unfortunately, the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government has not managed to share the paper with us, and Welsh ministers have had no recent discussions with the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government on these issues. Any attempt to unilaterally impose a system will be deeply damaging."