BREXIT MEANS WE CONTROL OUR OWN BORDERS
Summary:
Leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union, allowed for the UK to implement and roll out freeports across the country – not just in name only as they had been before – providing various tax and customs reliefs, simplified import and export procedures, enhanced trade promotion, and additional support for innovation. Increasing the attractiveness to both domestic and international businesses. Again not possible from within the EU.
Explanation:
The topic of freeports, and the ability for them to exist within the EU, has been one of regular confusion within the debate regarding Brexit.
There are indeed ports that are considered to be freeports within the EU – by which we mean that they are considered to be freeports by the EU, not by the wider world. As the Institute for Government (IfG) stated in their explainer on freeports: “EU freeports are governed by the Union Customs Code as well as by EU rules on state aid, which stop member states using selective tax exemptions and financial incentives”.
Leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union, allowed for the UK to implement and roll out freeports across the country – not just in name only as they had been before – providing various tax and customs reliefs, simplified import and export procedures, enhanced trade promotion, and additional support for innovation.
Increasing the attractiveness to both domestic and international businesses. Again not possible from within the EU.
Reference: https://fullfact.org/europe/free-ports/
Reference: https://great.gov.uk/international/content/investment/how-we-can-help/freeports-in-the-uk/
Reference: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/explainer/trade-freeports-and-free-zones