The United Kingdom is finally ready to “examine proposals” for customs rapprochement with the European Union

The new Prime Minister Keir Starmer is trying to get closer to the EU, without joining the single market.

Published the 26/01/2025 15:49

Updated the 26/01/2025 16:23

Reading time: 1min

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The Minister of Finance Rachel Reeves on the BBC set in London (United Kingdom) on January 26, 2025. (Jeff Overs / BBC / AFP)
The Minister of Finance Rachel Reeves on the BBC set in London (United Kingdom) on January 26, 2025. (JEFF OVERS / BBC / AFP)

A first step towards Brussels? The United Kingdom's Labor Government, which had rejected in the week a suggestion of customs agreement with member states of the European Union, said on Sunday January 26 “Examine proposals”. A way of timidly opening the door to a post-Brexit commercial rapprochement.

Since coming to power, Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer has continued to try to warm up relations with the EU after years of tensions between Brussels and conservative governments, but without returning to the divorce, nor join the Single market. The rupture complicated exchanges with the EU, which remains the main trading partner of the United Kingdom, despite a free trade agreement.

The European Commerce Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, said the EU at the start of the week that the EU was ready to “consider” to integrate the United Kingdom into this customs agreement. The latter brings together certain member countries, Mediterranean States and the Balkan countries. The United Kingdom “has no plan to join” Such an agreement, the Minister of Post-Brexit relations with the EU, Nick Thomas-Symonds on Thursday.

On Sunday on the Sky News channel, the Minister of Finance Rachel Reeves, one of the main faces of the executive, nuanced the words of her colleague. “It was very interesting to see Maros Sefcovic suggest this week that the United Kingdom could be welcome in this customs setting”she said first. “We are absolutely delighted to examine these different proposals”she added, without advancing more.

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