The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) has said that The Scottish Government must lobby the UK Government to scrap the controversial UK Internal Market Act.
The call comes as EMiS lodges its response to a Holyrood committee examining how effectively The Scottish Government is at aligning new Scottish laws with EU regulations.
The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee has invited interested parties to submit views on how the Scottish Government is responding to its promise to align Scottish legislation with EU law, whenever possible.
David Clarke, chair of EMiS said: “Prior to Brexit we had seamless trade with the world’s biggest free market for goods and services. That was possible only because UK and Scottish legislation was fully aligned with EU regulations. The introduction of the UK Internal Market Act was motivated for narrow political reasons. It gets in the way of rebuilding our trading ties with the EU.
“Keir Starmer has said he wants to reset the UK’s relations with the EU. Abolishing the Internal Market Act would send a signal to Europe that the UK is serious about that. The Act is a symbol of the narrowness and insularity of the Brexit project. It would not be missed.”
EMiS argues that the existence of the Internal Market Act, which was introduced by the Conservative government in 2020, makes divergence from EU trading standards and regulations more likely, at a time when the need for closer alignment with the EU is urgent and economically imperative.
The UK Office of Budget Responsibility has reported that the UK’s long-term productivity will reduce by 4% because of Brexit. It forecasts that imports from and exports to the EU will be 15% lower in the long run.
The response to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee was made on behalf of The Executive Committee of the European Movement in Scotland and endorsed by its President, former Labour MEP David Martin and Vice-President, former SNP MEP and MP, Alyn Smith.
