The United Kingdom has left the possibility of following the EU rules in terms of food and agricultural products in order to find access without friction to European markets, said the Secretary of Commerce.
Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC that such an agreement – which lowers all trade barriers in exchange for compliance with EU rules and standards – would not cross the government’s red lines.
His comments come after that the European Commerce Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, told the BBC that a new agreement, including a so-called dynamic alignment with standards, was possible in parallel to other areas of pan-European cooperation in customs matters .
Reynolds met Sefcovic Thursday at the Davos World Economic Forum.
He thanked his European counterpart for his “incredibly positive” and “useful” comments. Reynolds adds that Sefcovic’s tone was in accordance with what the government had already said about a “double -track commercial strategy”.
“We can improve the terms of the exchange with the EU without going back to customs unions, unique markets or Brexit arguments, and we can do it while pursuing closer business links around the world,” said declared Reynolds.
Labor fought in the British general elections of last year with a manifesto committing to reducing barriers linked to Brexit and administrative formalities for the export of food and agricultural products to the European Union.
The question has always been to know what the depth of such an agreement would be. The problem could be resolved in the coming weeks, even if firm decisions have not yet been made.
On Thursday, the EU suggested to the BBC that a complete eradication of barriers in the sector would be possible if the United Kingdom followed the relevant European rules and standards as they evolve, a process known as ” dynamic alignment “.
Addressing the BBC in Davos, Reynolds said that the two ideas put forward by Sefcovic – a veterinary agreement in its own right with a dynamic alignment – and a pan -friend planner planned the government’s red lines.
Regarding the pan-mediterranean convention, he said that it did not cross red lines because “it is not a customs union”.
When asked if a “full veterinary agreement with dynamic alignment” crossed the red lines, he replied: “No, that is part of our manifesto, a SPS agreement, a veterinary agreement”.
The conservatives expressed their anger at the information of a possible new trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU, the Gestale Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Dame Priti Patel, declaring to the deputies that the government ” put on his knees in front of the EU ”.
“These last reports according to which the government could chain us to the European Union are deeply worrying and show once again that Keir Starmer and his friends are only too happy to pass their ideology before our national interest, whatever be the price, “she said. said.
But the Liberal Democrats said that the government was not enough to facilitate exchanges with the EU.
The party leader, Sir Ed Davey, told the House of Commons: “It is time to reach an appropriate customs agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU so that we can strengthen our negotiations with Donald Trump, reduce the Administrative formalities for our companies and develop the economy. »»
Reynolds told the BBC that he was preparing the United Kingdom’s file to avoid possible American customs duties on exports, after President Donald Trump suggested that the world may have to pay billions of dollars to access the US markets.