The U.K. government has indicated a willingness to go even further in its relationship with the EU, with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he wanted the U.K. to seek \u201ceven closer alignment\u201d with the single market.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond plans outlined in the Common Understanding last May, \u201cthere are other areas where we should consider if it\u2019s in our interests to \u2026 align with the single market,\u201d he told the BBC in a recent interview. \u201cNow that needs to be considered on an issue-by-issue, sector-by-sector basis, but we\u2019ve already done it with food and agriculture, and that will be implemented this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Race to the bottom\u2019<\/p>\n
The U.S. operates a decentralized standards system in which accreditation is carried out by a competitive network of organizations, most of which are commercial. This is in direct contrast to the U.K.\u2019s current model of accreditation, whereby a single, non-profit accreditation body, UKAS, oversees certification and product testing in the public interest.<\/p>\n
The UK Trade Policy Observatory\u2019s Peter Holmes warned that adopting the U.S. system could lead to a \u201crace to the bottom\u201d, with UKAS pitted against American accreditation bodies. \u201cThey might have to cut corners and give up their legally-required public service obligations,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Accepting U.S. accreditation bodies would make the U.K. a \u201cwild west market where you can\u2019t trust anything that\u2019s on sale in the U.K.,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The U.K. government has repeatedly rejected the possibility of changes to British standards, including the possibility of accepting American chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef.\u00a0<\/p>\n