Yes, but it's not true. We accept the supremacy of international law on a host of issues; when we sign agreements with other countries we - like most developed nations - accept that this are binding agreements on us. Leaving the EU may (or may not, depending on the post-Brexit deal) cause us not to be bound by some EU laws but it will not make us suddenly supreme in matters of international law.
There's an important difference, we can
choose to be bound by international treaties and agreements and make them part of UK law, but EU law by definition
will always override UK law. That's the whole basis of the Supremacy of EU Law and why so people (me included) have a problem with that concept. Our signing up to international treaties doesn't mean we're giving the power to create supreme law to a foreign body, but that's exactly what we've done by being in the EU.
This article in the FT is an example of what I mean, and quotes:
FT said:
Dominic Raab, a justice minister, said the decisions of the ECJ “affect everything from the price of beer to the cost of home insulation” and “undermine the basic principle of our democracy — that the British people can hold to account those who write the laws of our land”.
FT said:
Dominic Grieve, a former attorney-general, the British government’s chief legal adviser, accuses the ECJ of expanding its area of competence for ideological reasons. “It sees itself as bringing about ever-closer union,”
FT said:
While European law has had primacy over British legislation since the day Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973, senior British judges have also been outspoken on the ECJ’s growing role. “We should be under no illusions: the jurisdiction of the Luxembourg court covers far more than economic matters,” said Lord Dyson, one of the most senior judges in England and Wales, in a 2014 speech. “It affects many parts of our national life.”
Also, EU laws are our laws. We're part of the EU and we play a big role in EU law making. If we end up with some "Norway" arrangement then we really will be bound by laws other people are making.
EU law is not UK law, they are different legal frameworks. You may argue we influence EU law (and I and many leave supporters would have course see that differently), but that doesn't change the concept that EU law will always be supreme to our own laws.
Norway have retained most importantly their sovereignty, but also don't have to listen to the European Court of Justice (whereas the UK is currently forced to), they can adjust VAT (we currently can't), they're outside of CAP/CFP (we have to adhere to it), they can negotiate trade deals globally (we can't), and the list goes on.
It's funny how often the remain camp go on about what a terrible deal Norway/Switzerland have, when opinion polls say roughly 70%+ of Norwegians/Swiss people do not want to join the EU. Stop trying to tell us they've got a terrible deal!
