A report is being drawn up on the implications on the Isle of Man of the UK voting to leave the European Union.
Chief Minister Allan Bell told the House of Keys: ‘Work is in hand on a report for the Council of Ministers on the impact for the island if the UK leaves the EU and the options for the Isle of Man under any new relationship that the UK establishes with the EU going forward.
‘It is my intention to hold a presentation for members of Tynwald on this report once it is finalised and to then seek Tynwald members’ views in a debate at a future sitting of Tynwald on this most important issue.’
VOXPOP: Should the UK leave European Union?
Mr Bell was in London on Wednesday to meet Alan Johnson, who is leading the ‘Remain’ campaign, Ken Clarke and Angus Robertson, the leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, to gauge their views. ‘This consultation at a political level will continue and probably be stepped up over the next few weeks,’ he said.
Mr Bell, replying to a question from LibVan leader Kate Beecroft (Douglas South), pointed out that as a Crown Dependency and not a sovereign state, the Isle of Man cannot have a relationship with the EU in its own right.
Our limited relationship with the EU is set out in Protocol 3 to the UK’s Treaty of Accession. If the UK votes to remain in the EU, Protocol 3 will stand – but if the vote is for ‘Brexit’, then Protocol 3 will fall, as it is dependent upon the UK being an EU member state, explained Mr Bell.
The Chief Minister said that if the UK does vote to leave the EU, it is ‘inconceivable’ that the UK will not seek out a new relationship with the EU, possibly in the form of a free trade agreement or customs union.
‘If that situation arises, the Isle of Man will be part of that discussion to ensure that the scope of its own relationship with the EU is considered and reflected under this new agreement,’ Mr Bell said.
Mr Beecroft asked whether, if the UK did vote to leave the EU, there would be a referendum here on whether to try to renegotiate some other way of staying in the EU.
Mr Bell replied that we would not be in a position to have a separate relationship with the EU to that of the UK. He added: ‘This is very early stages and we are doing our best at the moment to understand all the possible consequences.
‘But if an “out” vote comes along there would be a huge amount of work to be done to identify what future roles and relationships might exist between the Isle of Man and the EU.’
Peter Karran (LibVan, Onchan) suggested it was a ‘golden opportunity’ to be part of a European free trade zone like Norway. Mr Bell said this was not possible as we are not a sovereign state.