British Brexit Minister considers adopting the Norwegian model

David Davis, Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, speaks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in Washington, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

British Brexit minister, David Davis, said that Britain is considering becoming a temporary European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member.

 

Following a meeting at the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington on Friday, Davis said that such membership could help keep Britain from sliding into a potentially dangerous financial situation after Brexit becomes a reality’, reported the Politico website.

The remark has been seen as an unusually conclusive concession that British authorities are considering adopting a Norwegian model after March 2019, but the minister added that this is not the UK’s preferred transitional regime.

At the meeting in the United States, Iceland’s ambassador to Washington, Geir Haarde, asked if Davis had considered joining the EFTA to maintain market access.

‘That’s something we’ve been thinking about, but it’s not at the top of our priority list,’ answered Davis, adding that EFTA membership would involve two sets of negotiations that could lead to a transitional agreement to give the country some more time.

The British authorities have emphasised that they’d prefer a tailor made agreement, while EU officials look at the EFTA as a solution that has already been established.

The EFTA includes Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, all of whom have wide access to the single EU market.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today