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"The ECB has no particular expertise in structural reforms but it can certainly contribute to the debate as economic growth and the supply side of the economy matter for achieving its mandate," said Christian Odendahl, chief economist of the London-based Centre for European Reform. "It should place emphasis on what kind of macro-economic impact reforms may have - that's what it can do best."

After Brexit, millions of British people traveling to the EU for vacations or business trips will also have to pay and register with Etias. The same goes for people from Turkey or Ukraine, in the event that the EU grants them visa-free travel. According to Camino Mortera-Martinez of the Centre for European Reform, it's a bad deal. "It would be damaging for British business," she told Britain's "Guardian" newspaper.

"Free movement is the only way that most such services – in construction, retail, and so forth – can be traded, as construction workers and baristas cannot provide their services remotely," John Springford, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, wrote in a report.

But, as Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform notes, that will be just one of six tough negotiations. The others will be: an ultimate trade pact with the EU; an interim agreement with the bloc, to cover the period between exit and the longer-term deal; re-entry into the World Trade Organisation as a full member; new arrangements with the 50 or so countries that now have an accord with the EU and, presumably, with additional countries, too, such as the US and China; and, finally, UK-EU ties in foreign and defence policy, police and judicial co-operation and counter-terrorism.

But Sophia Besch, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform (CER), said that none of the key players - including France and Germany - have mentioned the concept.

Simon Tilford writes that Brexit will sap the UK’s economic dynamism and aggravate regional disparities without public policy reform.

"The idea that Britain could just leave and have complete regulatory autonomy is fanciful," said John Springford, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, a pro-European think-tank. "The reason for that should be obvious: London is the EU's principal wholesale financial center. And there is no way the EU will allow for its financial center to be outside the EU."