Re: You can't blame the government...
ibmalone,
Thank you for the link.
A detailed, well presented and informative opinion, which does strongly suggest that the whole '10 year' issue is irrelevant.
Though it is also clear that the WTO rules are in fact not clear.
It also seems that there are no WTO rules covering one of the largest world economies leaving a customs union but then seeking to immediately continue with the free trade elements of the union but without the protectionist Common External Tariff. So whether anything the UK/EU do is compliant with WTO rules will likely only be decided by trying it and seeing who if anyone complains. But that in itself will take a month or two to resolve. Given the original article to which we are responding, any time gained would be of value, and the penalty for being found in breach of WTO rules is in the first case, as I understand it, having to stop what you are doing.