Brexit discussion thread XIV (Please read OP before posting)

ancapailldorcha

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

This is ridiculous. The UK abandoned their manufacturing sector instead of adapting and supporting it. The Germans did the opposite but they manufacturing high technology goods. Goods are produced in China because they have to be to keep costs down. According to this, a US-produced iPhone would cost $2,000 and that was in 2014.

Globalisation is here to stay. There's been too much regional specialisation and benefit from it for it to change. The EU is attempting to manage it which is what successive British governments should have done in their own backyard. Trying to turn back the clock now would just destroy the British economy and turn it into a third world state.

If you want localism, go to Cuba.

Neglecting their local manufacturing base has proven to be one of the biggest mistakes of the 20th century, hopefully they will learn from it and reinvest in manufacturing.
The risks caused by globalisation are clear to see to anyone that looks.

ancapailldorcha

Deleted User wrote: »

Neglecting their local manufacturing base has proven to be one of the biggest mistakes of the 20th century, hopefully they will learn from it and reinvest in manufacturing.

As I said, globalisation needs to be managed. They didn't neglect their manufacturing sector, they abandoned it. There is a difference. I might forget my desk drawer key in the morning. You can't forget millions of people who have elected representatives.

Deleted User wrote: »

The risks caused by globalisation are clear to see to anyone that looks.

In short, you don't have an argument so you expect other people to research it for you.

tubercolossus

Deleted User wrote: »

UK relearns how to make stuff, localisation instead of globalisation, then the requirements for "frictionless" trade become less important.
Too many traders have taken the easy option of getting it cheaper from China or the from the EU rather than looking closer to home, they may now need to reconsider those choices.

That's all very glibly tripped off the tongue, but there's a reason stuff gets made in China or wherever, instead of western Europe. COST. Think of all those local industries that withered and died in the face of cheaper foreign competition. Think of the formerly thriving clothing businesses here. All gone. The Brits may 'relearn how to make stuff', but their local workers will expect Brit-standard wages. A pair of British-made jeans might be double, or triple the price of a pair of River Island skinny jobs made in Bangladesh.
Edit: Also the physical costs of production will be much higher. Factories, fit out costs, machinery, rents, light & electricity etc etc. It was a no-brainer economically for local firms all over the world to shift production overseas. Why is Dyson in Singapore? Why is the knock-off Land Rover guy moving to Europe?

tubercolossus

J Mysterio wrote: »

Bunch of articles in the Irish Times for you to read.

Brexit protocol-driven scarcities drive North towards discontent
NI stability at risk as empty shelves, VAT and red tape stir up constitutional anxieties

Amazon stops alcohol sales in the North due to Brexit rules – report
Online retailer said to be preparing to delist more products

Credit analysts say UK economy will shrink as Brexit deal ‘lacks substance’

Jim Allister says NI protocol points towards push for united Ireland

More articles there still. All saying UK economy shrinking amid increased trading difficulties, NI/ GB, EU/ GB trading difficulties as a result of Brexit.

NI moving towards UI. Scotland moving to independence.

UK sure laughing their socks off alright. What a success.

They are all extremely useful sources, and no doubt many of us will follow some or all of the links, but I rather think that the opening line in the OP's post "I did say I was skimming the surface of all this" means that your sterling (pun intended) efforts will be wasted on him/her.

tubercolossus

Just as an aside, and apols for slightly off-topic post, the pro-brexiters arguments on here have all been curiously alike: vague, airy hand-waving reassurances that 'things will be alright/not so bad/we'll cope', light on detail, devoid of concrete evidence etc. I'm NOT throwing around the 'T' or the 'B' word, but the modes of debate are strikingly similar in many cases. Just a certain level of pot-stirring, throwing in red herrings and distractions every now and again. Assertions unsupported by facts or evidence, and when they're easily refuted no debate ensues. Just move on to the next strawman or specious statement. Back on topic.

dogbert27

tubercolossus wrote: »

That's all very glibly tripped off the tongue, but there's a reason stuff gets made in China or wherever, instead of western Europe. COST. Think of all those local industries that withered and died in the face of cheaper foreign competition. Think of the formerly thriving clothing businesses here. All gone. The Brits may 'relearn how to make stuff', but their local workers will expect Brit-standard wages. A pair of British-made jeans might be double, or triple the price of a pair of River Island skinny jobs made in Bangladesh.
Edit: Also the physical costs of production will be much higher. Factories, fit out costs, machinery, rents, light & electricity etc etc. It was a no-brainer economically for local firms all over the world to shift production overseas. Why is Dyson in Singapore? Why is the knock-off Land Rover guy moving to Europe?

I guess that's why they're ripping up the employee protections as enjoyed by EU legislation.

Brexit can bring them back to the good old days of industrial revolution with sweat shops populated by a British work force!

Professor Moriarty

dogbert27 wrote: »

I guess that's why they're ripping up the employee protections as enjoyed by EU legislation.

Brexit can bring them back to the good old days of industrial revolution with sweat shops populated by a British work force!

If they do that, the EU will make life much worse for the UK than it already is and will be.

Enzokk

dogbert27 wrote: »

I guess that's why they're ripping up the employee protections as enjoyed by EU legislation.

Brexit can bring them back to the good old days of industrial revolution with sweat shops populated by a British work force!

Apparently they are not,

Review of UK workers' rights post-Brexit is axed in sudden U-turn

A controversial review into how EU employment rights protections could be changed after Brexit is no longer going ahead, the business secretary has announced.

In an interview with ITV’s Peston, Kwasi Kwarteng said: “So the review is no longer happening within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). I made it very very clear to officials in the department that we’re not interested in watering down workers’ rights.”

He added: “I can’t have been more clear about this on a number of occasions. I’ve said repeatedly that Brexit gives us the opportunity to have higher standards and a higher growth economy and that’s what officials in the department are 100% focused on.”

The Guardian understands the consultation on employment rights was signed off by Kwasi Kwarteng’s predecessor Alok Sharma, who left after being given a full-time role leading preparations for the Cop26 climate conference.

So for the moment they will not water down workers rights. I have to wonder though, why would you not agree with the EU standard of rights if it means less friction if you are going to have higher standards? It just make absolutely no sense that this is the line they are taking.

Spanish Eyes

I seem to have hit a nerve in this echo chamber.

I totally supported the remain side, but that’s over now. So time for analysis of the effect of Brexit on everyone.

No need to hurl insults either, it is quite distasteful. I will agree that media in UK is suppressing a lot of real news.

listermint

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Difficulties exporting from the UK are no laughing matter for them. Barriers to trade means less trade means less money.

EU customers will adapt, start sourcing from other EU countries. UK customers will just have to pay more since the UK cannot make all its own stuff. UK exporters will go broke.

Myself I'm pretty average consumer , would probably make several UK based purchased both Amazon and non Amazon purchases also UK based.

I've completely stopped. Since start of January. Only making several really small under twenty purchases from Amazon due to the free shipping.

I'm in no doubt I'm not alone. Amplified across all Irish consumers I'd say there's a massive hole there. Would love to see the transaction drop off forward Ireland.

Zubeneschamali

tubercolossus wrote: »

there's a reason stuff gets made in China or wherever, instead of western Europe. COST.

Notice that powerhouses of manufacturing in Europe like Germany do not try to make their own stuff in competition with low cost countries. They focus on making high value, top end stuff that they can trade, like making machinery to equip factories in China, or premium cars years ahead of what China can build using cheap labour.

A policy of shrinking trade and trying to be self sufficient would impoverish the UK even faster than whatever their current policy is supposed to be.

Enzokk

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I seem to have hit a nerve in this echo chamber.

I totally supported the remain side, but that’s over now. So time for analysis of the effect of Brexit on everyone.

No need to hurl insults either, it is quite distasteful. I will agree that media in UK is suppressing a lot of real news.

I believe you said you haven't seen any negatives to Brexit yet, what about this?

South Yorkshire and Derbyshire bosses brand Brexit deal a 'total disaster' set to cost jobs and close companies

South Yorkshire bosses have branded the UK’s Brexit deal a ‘total disaster’ and say it could cost jobs or force some firms to close.

Some have already lost customers after the UK left the EU, bringing new inspections, delays and swaithe of declarations, tariffs, fees and VAT payments.

Chris Cox, managing director at Mollart Cox Engineering, on Chesterfield Trading Estate, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, said: “It’s a total disaster and the most ill-prepared situation I’ve ever come across. They only had four years to prepare for it and it’s a total embarrassment. It will cause job losses and have a detrimental effect on our ability to export.”

It's not the new processes or the cost that is causing the problem, its that this deal was only signed a week before it was implemented. It gave nobody time to prepare to ensure there is minimal disruption. But because of this now it will force companies to either disregard the UK as a potential export destination or ignore suppliers from the UK. This will lead to closures that wasn't really going to happen had a competent government been in charge.

But yeah, we are the echo chamber that has been warning at this car crash that is happening and not the people that is either not seeing or listening to what companies is telling them is happening. Funny that the echo chamber is only here and not to the people trying to say there isn't anything too bad going on right now.

dogbert27

Enzokk wrote: »

Apparently they are not,

Review of UK workers' rights post-Brexit is axed in sudden U-turn



So for the moment they will not water down workers rights. I have to wonder though, why would you not agree with the EU standard of rights if it means less friction if you are going to have higher standards? It just make absolutely no sense that this is the line they are taking.

Because they are EU standards and not labelled British Standards! :rolleyes:

It looks like there will be months of trying to water down rights and standards and when they get called out on it do another u-turn and say "of course that's not what we were doing, we're going to have even higher standards but until we figure out what that means we'll just postpone that for now and distract ourselves with something else"

Professor Moriarty

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I seem to have hit a nerve in this echo chamber.

I totally supported the remain side, but that’s over now. So time for analysis of the effect of Brexit on everyone.

No need to hurl insults either, it is quite distasteful. I will agree that media in UK is suppressing a lot of real news.

It's not an echo chamber. The problem is that there is a dearth of pro-Brexit posters and factual pro-Brexit argument. Feel free to fill the gap with meaningful pro-Brexit posts.

Spanish Eyes

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

It's not an echo chamber. The problem is that there is a dearth of pro-Brexit posters and factual pro-Brexit argument. Feel free to fill the gap with meaningful pro-Brexit posts.

I am totally anti Brexit. I agree with you that Brexit supporters have very few positive arguments, and / or cannot express themselves apart from hubristic soundbytes about sovereignty and making their own laws etc. Woolly and rarely challenged views.

tubercolossus

What insults were 'hurled' in any case? I don't believe there were any, unless you think being labelled 'naive' is insulting.

tubercolossus

tubercolossus wrote: »

That's all very glibly tripped off the tongue, but there's a reason stuff gets made in China or wherever, instead of western Europe. COST. Think of all those local industries that withered and died in the face of cheaper foreign competition. Think of the formerly thriving clothing businesses here. All gone. The Brits may 'relearn how to make stuff', but their local workers will expect Brit-standard wages. A pair of British-made jeans might be double, or triple the price of a pair of River Island skinny jobs made in Bangladesh.
Edit: Also the physical costs of production will be much higher. Factories, fit out costs, machinery, rents, light & electricity etc etc. It was a no-brainer economically for local firms all over the world to shift production overseas. Why is Dyson in Singapore? Why is the knock-off Land Rover guy moving to Europe?

The main point that is in favour of localisation is quite simply the point that you're paying people a wage and not the dole and you're retaining skills that would otherwise be lost( already lost) you are not dependent on the whims of the leadership in foreign countries that could at some point in the future decide to stop or restrict trade to squeeze concessions from you.


Plus of course the environmental impact of importing stuff from far away places that have scant regards to their local environments and the welfare of their workers.

Akrasia

Deleted User wrote: »

UK relearns how to make stuff, localisation instead of globalisation, then the requirements for "frictionless" trade become less important.
Too many traders have taken the easy option of getting it cheaper from China or the from the EU rather than looking closer to home, they may now need to reconsider those choices.

Isolationism is indeed possible, but the UK doesn't have the natural resources to be completely self sufficient, they barely have enough farmland to feed their own population without embracing 21st century vertical farming techniques

And while it's possible to survive without international trade, you're unlikely to prosper as there will be a constant drain of capital from your economy as your citizens, and businesses spend or invest outside of your economy without much coming in from outside to offset it

I do agree that a lot of international trade doesn't actually add value because a lot of the costs are 'externalised'
The traders pay for the fuel and time to transport their widget to the furthest corners of the planet, but they are not paying for the environmental and social cost of emitting pollution and driving down wages and conditions

The solution isn't to stop trading, it is to take account of the true costs of production through taxation and regulation.

The EU has the power to insist that anyone who wants to sell into Europe needs to have minimum standards of employment law, environmental protection, enforcing a requirements that the goods are properly recycled/responsibly disposed of at the end of their useful life, and things like carbon taxes to more accurately reflect the actual cost of production when externalities are included

Rather than bemoaning globalisation, what we need to do is use the power of globalisation to force positive changes the global economy rather than go down a race to the bottom caused by 200 independent countries competing against each other for investment and trade in the wild west

dogbert27

Akrasia wrote: »

Isolationism is indeed possible, but the UK doesn't have the natural resources to be completely self sufficient, they barely have enough farmland to feed their own population without embracing 21st century vertical farming techniques

And while it's possible to survive without international trade, you're unlikely to prosper as there will be a constant drain of capital from your economy as your citizens, and businesses spend or invest outside of your economy without much coming in from outside to offset it

I do agree that a lot of international trade doesn't actually add value because a lot of the costs are 'externalised'
The traders pay for the fuel and time to transport their widget to the furthest corners of the planet, but they are not paying for the environmental and social cost of emitting pollution and driving down wages and conditions

The solution isn't to stop trading, it is to take account of the true costs of production through taxation and regulation.

The EU has the power to insist that anyone who wants to sell into Europe needs to have minimum standards of employment law, environmental protection, enforcing a requirements that the goods are properly recycled/responsibly disposed of at the end of their useful life, and things like carbon taxes to more accurately reflect the actual cost of production when externalities are included

Rather than bemoaning globalisation, what we need to do is use the power of globalisation to force positive changes the global economy rather than go down a race to the bottom caused by 200 independent countries competing against each other for investment and trade in the wild west

One of the reasons that people immigrated to the UK from for example Poland was to fill the gaps in the workforce because the attitude was that locals were too expensive as labourers for example in construction or didn't want to do the work for example in McDonalds.

That attitude is still there among the locals irrespective of Brexit. To keep things "local" they will have to accept a lowering of the living standards and job expectations.

The government will also have to make it more appealing to take these jobs instead of claiming benefits so they will have to reduce social supports that are enjoyed while the UK were part of the EU.

Akrasia

Akrasia wrote: »

Isolationism is indeed possible, but the UK doesn't have the natural resources to be completely self sufficient, they barely have enough farmland to feed their own population without embracing 21st century vertical farming techniques

And while it's possible to survive without international trade, you're unlikely to prosper as there will be a constant drain of capital from your economy as your citizens, and businesses spend or invest outside of your economy without much coming in from outside to offset it

I do agree that a lot of international trade doesn't actually add value because a lot of the costs are 'externalised'
The traders pay for the fuel and time to transport their widget to the furthest corners of the planet, but they are not paying for the environmental and social cost of emitting pollution and driving down wages and conditions

The solution isn't to stop trading, it is to take account of the true costs of production through taxation and regulation.

The EU has the power to insist that anyone who wants to sell into Europe needs to have minimum standards of employment law, environmental protection, enforcing a requirements that the goods are properly recycled/responsibly disposed of at the end of their useful life, and things like carbon taxes to more accurately reflect the actual cost of production when externalities are included

Rather than bemoaning globalisation, what we need to do is use the power of globalisation to force positive changes the global economy rather than go down a race to the bottom caused by 200 independent countries competing against each other for investment and trade in the wild west

not once did I mention isolation!
Don't erect strawmen!
localisation is simply producing stuff that can be produced locally without the unnecessary need to bring it in from far away,

Trade is in reality exchanging goods you can make with goods you need.
If you can make it locally, then there is no need to get it made elsewhere, same goes for raw materials, if they're locally available, why bring them in from far away.
If you have a local market for fish for example, sell it there rather than trying to sell it to a foreign country that is now harder to deal with, this has the knock on affect of reducing fish imports as the market has realigned.

Nody

Enzokk wrote: »

Apparently they are not,

Review of UK workers' rights post-Brexit is axed in sudden U-turn



So for the moment they will not water down workers rights. I have to wonder though, why would you not agree with the EU standard of rights if it means less friction if you are going to have higher standards? It just make absolutely no sense that this is the line they are taking.

Of course they will have higher standards; just not for the whole population. After all the masters do need a break from all their hard work while the plebians voters will get a chance to be more competitive. After all if poor people in the USA have to hold two or three jobs to put food on the table and pay rent there's no reason why British people can't do the same; all they need is to "encourage" it with suitable legislation.

Akrasia

listermint wrote: »

Myself I'm pretty average consumer , would probably make several UK based purchased both Amazon and non Amazon purchases also UK based.

I've completely stopped. Since start of January. Only making several really small under twenty purchases from Amazon due to the free shipping.

I'm in no doubt I'm not alone. Amplified across all Irish consumers I'd say there's a massive hole there. Would love to see the transaction drop off forward Ireland.

I ordered a book from the book depository 3 weeks ago, it came today

I ordered a guitar from Slovakia 3 weeks ago, it got to Hungary got turned around and sent back to Slovakia because the courier didn't feel like going through the landbridge, It's only now that they've been able to figure out a new route that avoids the UK entirely and have shipped it again

These delays and costs are causing pretty much every EU distributor to redesign any logistics that would have had any route through the UK to find alternatives that completely exclude any business with the UK

It's not just trade directly with the UK that is being affected, it is any kind of trade that used any UK links along the supply chain that are being affected.

Once they're gone, the UK companies will find it very very difficult to get that business back, so what is their plan to replace that income with something new?

They can either try to increase their income, or reduce their costs, and those cost will be reduced domestically, further deflating the UK economy. It snowballs very quickly.

dogbert27

dogbert27 wrote: »

One of the reasons that people immigrated to the UK from for example Poland was to fill the gaps in the workforce because the attitude was that locals were too expensive as labourers for example in construction or didn't want to do the work for example in McDonalds.

That attitude is still there among the locals irrespective of Brexit. To keep things "local" they will have to accept a lowering of the living standards and job expectations.

The government will also have to make it more appealing to take these jobs instead of claiming benefits so they will have to reduce social supports that are enjoyed while the UK were part of the EU.

Paying loving wages should always be high on the agenda for any employer, followed by governments being realistic with welfare payments, are they going to subsidise low paying jobs with a better tax regime or reduce dole payments to force people to take these jobs.
I don't believe the EU had any part in supporting the UK social supports, being in the EU just made it easier for employers to import cheap labour.

Lemming

Enzokk wrote: »

Apparently they are not,

Review of UK workers' rights post-Brexit is axed in sudden U-turn

So for the moment they will not water down workers rights. I have to wonder though, why would you not agree with the EU standard of rights if it means less friction if you are going to have higher standards? It just make absolutely no sense that this is the line they are taking.

The important bit quoted by the Guardian is (bold and underlined is my emphasis)

In an interview with ITV’s Peston, Kwasi Kwarteng said: “So the review is no longer happening within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). I made it very very clear to officials in the department that we’re not interested in watering down workers’ rights.”

That "within" clause sticks out like a sore thumb at amateur hour. Kwarteng doesn't say it's not happening, just that it is not happening under the auspices of the Dept. of BEIS. Given that this is the guy who wrote some fairly wild sh1te about British workers a couple of years ago and when challenged on it gave a fairly limp-wristed denial, I'll have my cup of salt with an extra helping of salt please where this deceitful cretin is involved.

ancapailldorcha

Deleted User wrote: »

not once did I mention isolation!
Don't erect strawmen!
localisation is simply producing stuff that can be produced locally without the unnecessary need to bring it in from far away,

Trade is in reality exchanging goods you can make with goods you need.
If you can make it locally, then there is no need to get it made elsewhere, same goes for raw materials, if they're locally available, why bring them in from far away.
If you have a local market for fish for example, sell it there rather than trying to sell it to a foreign country that is now harder to deal with, this has the knock on affect of reducing fish imports as the market has realigned.

You might not have mentioned it but it's what your argument is ultimately for.

Virtually every Brexiter I've interacted with has understood the importance of trade. As abysmal as the standard of political debate in this country was at times on the subject of Brexit, this simple fact was understood.

Markets prioritise efficiency. If it's inefficient to produce something locally then it will be sourced from farther away. The converse of that statement is also true. Inefficiency buoyed by political intervention on behalf of vested interests will only negatively affect people's quality of life.

looksee

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

This is ridiculous. The UK abandoned their manufacturing sector instead of adapting and supporting it. The Germans did the opposite but they manufacturing high technology goods. Goods are produced in China because they have to be to keep costs down. According to this, a US-produced iPhone would cost $2,000 and that was in 2014.

Globalisation is here to stay. There's been too much regional specialisation and benefit from it for it to change. The EU is attempting to manage it which is what successive British governments should have done in their own backyard. Trying to turn back the clock now would just destroy the British economy and turn it into a third world state.

If you want localism, go to Cuba.

The reason so many things have to be made with the costs kept down is because they are made to be disposable. Perhaps 2k would not be an unreasonable price for an iphone (given they are already half that) or pro rata for other electronics if they were adaptable to new (for example) operating systems and repairable. If you could expect to get 10 years out of a piece of equipment/iphone you would be prepared to pay more for it.

Maybe this is a direction the UK could look at, though the vested interests in marketing, software production etc would be very resistant to it, including retraining consumers to be happy with an item that would last long.

dogbert27

Deleted User wrote: »

Paying loving wages should always be high on the agenda for any employer, followed by governments being realistic with welfare payments, are they going to subsidise low paying jobs with a better tax regime or reduce dole payments to force people to take these jobs.
I don't believe the EU had any part in supporting the UK social supports, being in the EU just made it easier for employers to import cheap labour.

I didn't mean that the EU contributed to the UK social supports but that a UK economy as part of the EU did.

ancapailldorcha

looksee wrote: »

The reason so many things have to be made with the costs kept down is because they are made to be disposable. Perhaps 2k would not be an unreasonable price for an iphone (given they are already half that) or pro rata for other electronics if they were adaptable to new (for example) operating systems and repairable. If you could expect to get 10 years out of a piece of equipment/iphone you would be prepared to pay more for it.

Maybe this is a direction the UK could look at, though the vested interests in marketing, software production etc would be very resistant to it, including retraining consumers to be happy with an item that would last long.

Well, the EU in November voted for "right to repair" rules (Source). Vested interests are of course hostile but this is a huge benefit to the consumer and the environment.

That said, manufacturing is not coming back. It simply isn't going to happen as those jobs are more likely to be automated than anything else.

The UK is pursuing aggressively an ideology of market libertarianism so I don't think they have any interest in doing anything positive for anyone other than lobbyists. It's why the EU had to insist on a level playing field.

prawnsambo

Deleted User wrote: »

not once did I mention isolation!
Don't erect strawmen!
localisation is simply producing stuff that can be produced locally without the unnecessary need to bring it in from far away,

Trade is in reality exchanging goods you can make with goods you need.
If you can make it locally, then there is no need to get it made elsewhere, same goes for raw materials, if they're locally available, why bring them in from far away.
If you have a local market for fish for example, sell it there rather than trying to sell it to a foreign country that is now harder to deal with, this has the knock on affect of reducing fish imports as the market has realigned.

But the reality is that the UK has been running a trade deficit in goods since the early 1980s and before that were basically neutral. You can't turn around a dependence on imports in any kind of a short or medium term. You mentioned fish. 70% of UK fish catch is exported because there's no market for those varieties in the UK. Now that could be turned around over time, but not quickly. And in the meantime the fishing industry collapses.

Nody

looksee wrote: »

The reason so many things have to be made with the costs kept down is because they are made to be disposable. Perhaps 2k would not be an unreasonable price for an iphone (given they are already half that) or pro rata for other electronics if they were adaptable to new (for example) operating systems and repairable. If you could expect to get 10 years out of a piece of equipment/iphone you would be prepared to pay more for it.

Maybe this is a direction the UK could look at, though the vested interests in marketing, software production etc would be very resistant to it, including retraining consumers to be happy with an item that would last long.

Well that's the cost of production; sales price would be at least double if not more so you'd take 4k+ for the consumer. I don't know anyone who'd spend 4k on a phone even if it lasts a decade; esp. as the newer phones would get new features etc. That aside iPhones are actually being designed to not be repairable by anyone but Apple as well; the latest models are set up that if anyone but Apple replaces certain parts the phone will refuse to start.

The problem with foreign import is actually very simple; it's the consumers. Simply look at how Walmart was rolled out in the states ensuring local mom & pops stores were closed by the handful in every location they popped up as Walmart worked as a one stop shop for everything. The consumers bemoaned the deaths of their city centers etc. but happily went off to Walmart to do all the shopping they needed. If consumers want that to change then consumers have to change their behavior; everything else is honestly simply talking effects and trying to catch smoke. If the consumers actively accepted and paid more for less by going local over imported the problem would quickly start to go away; but that would mean consumers actually would do something but moan about a problem and well, we know which one is more likely. Here's an example of this btw from the USA:


Sure you can have more local stuff but it comes at a cost (literally!) as well as lowering standards/spending money what ever you want to call it accordingly as well and good luck selling that one in to voters.