He was ruled out because he didn`t tick Theresa May`s box for the kind of Brexit she wants: she promised to pull the UK out of both the internal market and the customs union. British MPs are advancing the idea of a short-term deal with Norway, including some form of temporary customs union with the EU, as a kind of hold-in deal until Britain and the EU conclude their own trade deal and avoid a chaotic no-deal scenario if the current draft deal is shot down by Parliament. However, it is not clear whether other EEA members or the EU will consider such a transitional solution or what could be negotiated before the UK`s withdrawal date. “Norway” was presented as a possible “plan B” for Brexit because the British Parliament opposed the draft agreement signed by the EU and Britain. It is envisaged because Norway`s relations are as close as a country can join the European Union without actually being a member. It could also be used as a model to keep trade relations as close as they are now. It is also useful because it is an existing standard model and is seen as a kind of soft Brexit that could easily be used to avoid a messy no-deal scenario if the UK Parliament votes as planned on the draft divorce deal. The intention to move in this direction could be reflected in the political declaration of the UK and the EU, which will set out the views of both sides on their future relationship. After the result of the referendum, Norway concluded a trade agreement with the Community. This Agreement remained in force until Norway`s accession to the European Economic Area on 1 January 1994. [20] The EEA Agreement provides that Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are equal partners in the internal market, under the same conditions as the EU Member States.

These include access to the four freedoms of the internal market, the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. The agreement also covers cooperation in other important areas such as research and development, education, social policy, the environment, consumer protection, tourism and culture. Although EFTA is not a customs union and Member States have every right to conclude bilateral trade agreements with third countries, it has a coordinated trade policy. [3] As a result, their Member States have concluded free trade agreements with the EU and a number of other countries. [3] In order to participate in the internal market of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are contracting parties to the Agreement on a European Economic Area (EEA), with compliance being governed by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA Court of Justice. . . .