Towards a Meta Cost-benefit Analysis: The Case of Brexit

Doubtless Brexit is one of the most important regulatory challenges for an entire country since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Equally important are the implications, in terms of costs and benefits, of this democratic decision for the UK’s economy and for its regulatory environment. So far, some cost-benefit analyses have attempted to measure the post-Brexit situation. Few studies have proposed a ‘meta cost-benefit analysis’, which would encompass current studies into one aggregated study. No study has provided for a meta cost-benefit analysis as the Brexit negotiations unfold and which provides for a comprehensive discussion of the regulatory issues at stake. This article intends to fill this gap. The originality of this article lies in both its content and its timing. The content is original because it discusses the scientific possibility of a meta cost-benefit analysis of Brexit together with the inherent limits associated with such an endeavour. The timing is appropriate as we are in the critical halfway point of the two-year negotiation period (2017-2019) during which the EU and the UK must secure the relevant deals to ensure a smooth and frictionless Brexit for both sides of the Channel.