Euro Myths - America and NAFTA (Andrew Duff MEP)

Andrew Duff MEP <info@andrewduffmep.org.uk>

America and NAFTA

Britain does not have to leave the EU to join the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This is untrue. The conditions of signing up to NAFTA would oblige us to leave the EU.
American investors would prefer it if the UK left the EU and joined NAFTA. This is untrue. Willard A. Workman, Vice-President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC has said: "If the UK pulled out of the EU, a lot of US investors would say: 'Have you been smoking funny tobacco - why would you want to do that?' US investment in the UK would become less attractive because companies would not have preferential access to the European market. The UK would go from being a first tier player in global capital markets to being a second tier player." A National Institute for Economic and Social research (NIESR) study concluded that if Britain left the EU, US inward investment would fall by two-thirds.
Britain's special relationship with America is undermined by our EU membership. This is untrue. In fact the opposite is the case. Instead, our 'special relationship' with the USA is underpinned by our influence within the EU. In the words of former US Ambassador to Britain, Ray Seitz: "If Britain's voice is less influential in Paris or Bonn, it is likely to be less influential in Washington."