Theresa May’s Brexit options

Disagreement over the EU’s so-called Irish backstop – a guarantee by both sides that there will be no hard border in Ireland – is the biggest obstacle to the UK’s orderly departure from the bloc in March 2019


British Prime Minister Theresa May 
EU leaders rejected her “Chequers”free trade deal. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier (right) says that Northern Ireland should stay in EU Customs Union

Norway option
Leave Customs Union but stay in EU
Single Market for both goods and services.
Must accept freedom of movement, pay into EU budget, abide by European Court of Justice judgements

Turkey option
Leave both Single Market and Customs Union. Create new customs union with EU for tariff-free
trade for goods, excluding financial services. Apply EU tariffs on imports from non-EU countries. No UK trade deals with third countries

Canada option: Deal removes 99% of customs duties on exports between Canada and EU. Does not guarantee Canadian financial services “passport” to trade freely with Europe

Swiss option
Leave Single Market and Customs Union, negotiate bilateral trade agreements. Restricted
access for UK banking sector

No deal: Leave Single Market and Customs Union, revert to trading with EU on World Trade Organization rules.
Tariffs on EU/UK trade and hard border in Northern Ireland.
UK free to strike trade agreements with anyone


Norway 
UK
Switzerland 
Turkey


Source: Institute for Government analysis 
Pictures: Associated Press
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