Ratification

The EU now says there is no time for ratification on even a simple trade deal, even if one is struck in the days ahead, and so member states should prepare for a period of no deal even in the event of a deal.

With me so far?

A spokesperson fr the EU Parliament also said that the Westminster might be happy to rubber stamp a deal through, but that's not the way they do things in Brussels. They would need to scrutinise.

Which is why the EU wanted several months at the end of the process for scrutiny and ratification.

There can be two kinds of ratification: one of a deal is based purely on EU competencies, then a straightforward ratification could take place, but anything above that is a "mixed" deal, and that would require ratification of the EU27 Parliaments, and some seven regional bodies too. And that takes a lot of time, and any one could stop the ratification process.

Previous trade deals have floundered at a regional Parliament, and only passed when pressure has been added. But with a time limit on proceedings, a Parliament might use that to try to obtain extra concessions for them. And anyway, something like fishing is more important to France, Spain, Belgium, Hilland, etc, any country with a coast, and even if a deal were to be struck on fishing, the EU could not be certain that the 27 would all agree.

It seems that the 27 member states have the freedome to use their constutional rights to demand what they see as important to each country, and yet Brexiteers say that we had to leave to regain our sovereignty.

So, even with a deal, there might be no deal in the short term, or long term.

Which is nice.

I have written this shit before, but then I didn't vote for this shitshow or Johnson or May of Cameron.