Britain hopes to reach deal with EU on Made in Europe rules — Politico Europe
The United Kingdom hopes to reach an agreement with the European Union that will protect British companies from possible restrictions due to the new Made in Europe trade rules. Minister for European Relations Hamish Falconer said this in an interview with Politico Europe.
London's concerns
Brussels is updating trade rules to give preference to manufacturers from EU countries. London fears that this could leave some British businesses without access to the European market.
The British side called on the EU to guarantee that the new requirements would not affect manufacturers from the United Kingdom. Brussels replied that it is currently impossible to provide such guarantees because the rules are still undergoing the legislative procedure in the European Union.
Falconer said that the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU concluded after Brexit contains protection mechanisms for both sides. According to him, European competitiveness will not be strengthened by creating additional barriers for the United Kingdom's industrial base.
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Terms for British goods
The minister noted that London seeks a simple mechanism under which British goods would be considered goods of EU origin within the future Industrial Acceleration Act.
According to the publication, lawyers for the Council of the EU warned member states that provisions of the future act could conflict with the European Union's international trade agreements. At the same time, Falconer declined to say whether an agreement on Made in Europe is a necessary condition for the success of the next UK-EU summit.
The summit is to approve the results of negotiations on agri-food trade, youth visas and emissions trading, as well as mark the start of further negotiations. Falconer also dismissed reports that the EU had demanded Britain raise tariffs on Chinese cars in exchange for guarantees regarding the application of the new industrial act.
