From a negotiations POV - it is quite pleasing to see all these overt statements from EU sources.I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s decent. Equivalence is ok but it is in the gift of the EU and can be rescinded as well as granted. It also means we will not be able to trade freely cross border if these moves prove necessary which ultimately means we will have created barriers to trade which will inhibit trade growth.
Essentially we are seeking to create a more complicated and costly infrastructure and interaction with the countries that surround us with duplication of functions, non recognition of qualifications and friction in goods. This is decent news for lawyers, custom agents and anyone else employed to navigate a more complex system and its attendant bureaucracy. On the other hand how likely this is in practice remains to be seen given the hostility of the devolved Govts, business sectors and the financial cost in doing all of this only to spend the next decade or so trying to negotiate away the very barriers we have created. Given our self imposed compressed timeframe to sort all this I guess we will find out in 6 to 8 months time which route we really intend to take.
It evidences their recognition that they are facing a genuine negotiation process and that they are establishing their realistic and fallback positions - rather that just having the utter dominance that Robbins was handing to them as a given.
You are right - the right specification of equivalence - from the EU POV will give the EU significant control. This is especially the case if they can establish the unilateral right to rescind and the ECJ as the arbitration body.
The UK - hopefully being led by professionals this time - should equally have their target positions and a plan to achieve a better outcome.
You post what the EU would like as if it was a given. That may have been true under May/Robbins - let's hope those days are gone.
Of course this is another example/area where all UK citizens should be hoping that the UK secure their target outcome and not be cheerleading the EU.