4th Feb 2025 14:07
(Alliance News) - Improving the UK-EU trade deal could kick-start ailing economies across the Continent, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has said.
Thomas-Symonds, the minister responsible for leading Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to "reset" the relationship with Brussels, promised a "ruthlessly pragmatic" approach to boosting trade, defence and border security co-operation.
His comments came as the UK and EU grappled with the security challenges posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine and the economic threats from US President Donald Trump, who could slap tariffs on EU exports to address a trade deficit.
Speaking at the EU-UK Forum in Brussels, Thomas-Symonds said: "At a time of such intense global change, the UK and the EU have many mutually aligned interests and challenges."
Since taking office, the prime minister has pushed for closer ties with the EU to repair some of the damage in relations caused by the Brexit vote and the diplomatic wrangles that followed.
Starmer addressed a meeting of the 27 EU leaders on Monday night and a full UK-EU summit is planned for May 19.
Downing Street said the prime minister will host European Council president Antonio Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for the meeting in the UK, which is the first in a planned series of annual summits.
Thomas-Symonds promised a relationship built on trust, rather than "ideologically-driven division".
With sluggish growth in the main economies in Europe, Thomas-Symonds pointed to a study showing EU exports to the UK were down 32% between 2021 and 2023, while the flow from the UK to the EU was down 27%.
"That is not good for British or European businesses, especially at a time when our economies need a kick-start," he said.
"Reducing trade barriers is of mutual benefit to the UK and the EU."
He said both sides have spoken about the need to cut red tape, boost productivity and invest in research and innovation.
"This government will always work in the UK's national interest. And, for me, that means being a ruthlessly pragmatic negotiator," he said.
"That means making the case for closer working with our allies in the EU to make people across the UK and the EU safer, more secure and more prosperous."
He said the UK wants agreements on plant and animal health to remove barriers to agricultural and food trade, and a deal on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
He added: "We can go much further on energy and the green transition. Our Government's commitment is to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030, and together we need to deliver energy security so that we are never again left exposed as we were when Russia illegally invaded Ukraine.
"These challenges all span borders, and we must work together to seize the opportunities that lie ahead."
He added: "The time for ideologically-driven division is over. The time for ruthless pragmatism is now.
"It is through a new partnership between the UK and the EU that we will deliver for the people of the UK and for people across the Continent.
"The future of the EU and the UK lies beyond the status quo, reaching forward to deliver benefits for all our people to share."
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who is leading the reset talks for Brussels, will meet Thomas-Symonds on Wednesday.
Sefcovic told the EU-UK Forum event: "We are closely aligned on many paramount issues, such as supporting Ukraine amidst Russia's war of aggression, or in our fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
"And even if the headlines over past few years have tended to focus on areas where we might not fully see eye to eye, the reality is that our bilateral EU-UK relationship remains strong."
The EU has pushed for a new youth mobility scheme, allowing under-30s from EU countries to live, work and study in the UK and vice versa.
But this has been publicly resisted by the government, which is wary of anything that could be seen as allowing the return of free movement.
Starmer's red lines in the negotiations include not rejoining the single market – which would require free movement of people – or the EU's customs union.
Sefcovic insisted that Brussels will "remain fully respectful of the limits the UK has set, in particular when it comes to economic co-operation" in the reset talks.
By David Hughes, PA Political Editor
Press Association: Finance
source: PA
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