Still told to 'get over it, it's done.

Mollygo

Allira

I wondered how costs of living compared, for instance.

I agree, the referendum should have been more advisory with a box to tick for those wishing for an intermediate, less political membership, retaining trade agreements.

Too late now, water under the bridge and we must move on and make the best of it.

The cost of living is high in Switzerland.
It's one of the most expensive countries in the world, where modest taxes are offset by high costs for insurance, travel, services, and food.

I like your box to tick idea, but I’m not sure the EU was prepared to give any leeway at that time.

No, it could have been advisory only then negotiations could have taken place.

Anyway - no good crying over spilt milk. Mop it up and start again.

Allira

I wondered how costs of living compared, for instance.

I agree, the referendum should have been more advisory with a box to tick for those wishing for an intermediate, less political membership, retaining trade agreements.

Too late now, water under the bridge and we must move on and make the best of it.

The cost of living is high in Switzerland.
It's one of the most expensive countries in the world, where modest taxes are offset by high costs for insurance, travel, services, and food.

I like your box to tick idea, but I’m not sure the EU was prepared to give any leeway at that time.

You obviously don't read my posts, so no point in replying.

''Well Switzerland has a truly unique position, and are very lucky not to have had to make the choice, so far, and more or less have 'cake and eat it'. They are part of Schengen, and they do have excellent trading deal with the EU. But they do not sit at the top table and do not have MEPs.

The UK also had excellent conditions not available to others, but chose to get rid. Not a very clever move, on all fronts.

It has full access to the EU markets for everything, with ease and without all the red tape. In times of shortages, it is in an enviable position.''

Barleyfields

But, Mollygo, as I understand it Claremont lives in and broadcasts to us from Switzerland which is outside the EU.

Well Switzerland didn’t do so well during Covid. We, along with several local people caught Covid there, probably because none of the locals work masks or kept at a distance. The locals we were staying weren’t in raptures about their medical system either, but I don’t know if any of them went to Madagascar and contributed to the habitat issues there.

It also produces a lot of the medicines the UK relies on.
So according to what Claremont avers above we shouldn’t see any difference re medicines from Switzerland, with not being in the EU, since Switzerland is not in the EU either.

I wondered how costs of living compared, for instance.

I agree, the referendum should have been more advisory with a box to tick for those wishing for an intermediate, less political membership, retaining trade agreements.

Too late now, water under the bridge and we must move on and make the best of it.

Well Switzerland has a truly unique position, and are very lucky not to have had to make the choice, so far, and more or less have 'cake and eat it'. They are part of Schengen, and they do have excellent trading deal with the EU. But they do not sit at the top table and do not have MEPs.

The UK also had excellent conditions not available to others, but chose to get rid. Not a very clever move, on all fronts.

It has full access to the EU markets for everything, with ease and without all the red tape. In times of shortages, it is in an enviable position.

But I do know a bit about Switzerland- not in the EU but probably the only country ever to have managed to have a very strong agreement with the EU, be part of Schengen, and yet keep their Sovereignty and currency. It also produces a lot of the medicines the UK relies on, and with a very strong currency value.

Oh good, a start to answering my questions 🙂
Thank you.

So - would Switzerland be better as part of the EU, do you think?

I do know that many pharmaceutical companies have their HQs in Switzerland and carry out research there.
The drugs are expensive until they come off licence, the research costs do have to be recovered first but the profits are huge.

In fact, profits in pharmaceuticals worldwide is enormous.

Where I am is totally irrelevant to this discussion, 100%.

But I do know a bit about Switzerland- not in the EU but probably the only country ever to have managed to have a very strong agreement with the EU, be part of Schengen, and yet keep their Sovereignty and currency. It also produces a lot of the medicines the UK relies on, and with a very strong currency value.

We are talking here about the UK, and it's isolation from the EU markets and Big Pharm Producers.

Indeed Barleyfields but she has family (grandchildren too) living in the UK and she worries about their future on this decimated island terribly.

But, Mollygo, as I understand it Claremont lives in and broadcasts to us from Switzerland which is outside the EU.

Not at all. No-one is arguing that the shortages are not global. Which makes being 'isolated' so much worse because of Brexit.

Why isolated?

Trade agreements in force
As an independent trading nation, the UK now has 39 trade agreements in place with 73 partners. These agreements are in force for 72 partners. The UK signed an agreement with Comoros (12 April 2022) under the economic partnership agreement with Eastern and Southern African countries (ESA), and will be covered by this agreement when they bring it into effect domestically.

The EU has concluded over 40 agreements with over 70 countries and regions

Unfortunately for some people Claremont included the EU has been elevated so high that they cannot see over it.

Of course there is life after leaving the trading block, the U.K. was a member for many years we are still processing living outside of the block whilst dealing with President Putin in Ukraine, the aftermath of Covid, POTUS Trump along with then Europe wide immigration problem.

We have relatives in three EU countries, and I can assure you that everything is not rosey, the grass isn’t greener and they are struggling with similar issues to that of us here in the U.K.

Claremont

We are here talking about the UK, and the fact that Brexit has isolated it from EU markets, at a real time of shortages.

Do you mean that the EU would be better off if the UK was still a member?
I posted above about the shortages of medicines which is worldwide and the EU is suffering too.

I know there is a lot of medical research goes on in Switzerland, thankfully a medicine I take was developed there, but when they come off licence they can be manufactured anywhere and the price drops considerably when the cost of research has been covered.

Barleyfields

^The EU is suffering from critical medicine shortages^ - see above. So how would still being part of the EU help us in this respect?

It would make Claremont feel better if we were sharing ours with the EU.
I wonder if Brexit caused the shortage of medical staff in France?
Or did Brexit cause German people to go to Madagascar and contribute to the devastation of animal habitats?

The EU is suffering from critical medicine shortages - see above. So how would still being part of the EU help us in this respect?

We are here talking about the UK, and the fact that Brexit has isolated it from EU markets, at a real time of shortages.

Oreo

I know you think all is terrible here Claremont and all in France is wonderful ( or is it Switzerland?) but really you know, it isn’t.The pandemic affected everything but as time goes by things get better and easier, and for most people in the UK life goes on much as it did before we left the EU trading bloc.😃

Yes, it’s a bit weird. Maybe I should be constantly going on about the shortage of doctors and medical staff in France.
Or repeatedly reporting about the desecration of wild life habitats in Madagascar.

I know you think all is terrible here Claremont and all in France is wonderful ( or is it Switzerland?) but really you know, it isn’t.The pandemic affected everything but as time goes by things get better and easier, and for most people in the UK life goes on much as it did before we left the EU trading bloc.😃

Things are easing ( shortages) and in fact here in the UK is maybe not so bad as in some other countries.Most prescriptions for most people are being filled as normal.

Oreo

This argument about medicine shortages, which is actually a global problem, being all about the UK no longer being in the EU bloc, is IMO like cutting off bits off a jigsaw piece in order to make it fit the puzzle.

Not at all. No-one is arguing that the shortages are not global. Which makes being 'isolated' so much worse because of Brexit.

Simple supply and demands, and ease of Trade and Trade Agreeements, and to some extent, currency value and perception.

Why would companies choose to sell any goods, when there are shortages, to those who are not in your 'Trading Block'. Especially if it is costly to do all the paperwork and checks, + transport, and currency which is low in value and not stable.

In times of shortages, the shortest and easiest route, with the least red tape, and to your cooperative Trading Partners that will provide other goods- makes total sense.

Refusing to see this is IMO, just putting head in the sand.

This argument about medicine shortages, which is actually a global problem, being all about the UK no longer being in the EU bloc, is IMO like cutting off bits off a jigsaw piece in order to make it fit the puzzle.

Losing the Medicines Agency to Amsterdam can’t have helped, though. Pre referendum we spoke to some people from the Conservatives party who worked for a pharmaceutical company who told us that the first thing the country would lose would be the Medicines Agency. And they were right.

The EU obviously isn’t the answer to the UK’s problems.

Perhaps he thinks the UK is the answer to all the EU's problems?

Allira

^The EU’s endless drug shortage, its fragile supply chains and the bizarre crab connection^
ING 2023

Despite a renewed focus on health in a post-pandemic world, the European Union is still suffering from critical medicine shortages.
This exposes a glaring inefficiency in the single market, but it also presents an opportunity. The bloc must become stronger, more resilient, and boost its public health systems.
The Parliament
February 2025

Medicines shortages have become a complex global issue, putting lives at risk and creating difficulties for health care professionals. There is evidence that these shortages are worsening with time and have been reported in countries of all income levels. They occur across all healthcare settings and involve essential life-saving medicines, very commonly used medicines and both high- and low-price medicines
FIP 2024 (International Pharmaceutical Association)

It seems to be an ongoing problem.

So given that the EU is ‘suffering from critical medicine shortages’ why does Danzig conclude that the UK must rejoin the EU?