EU warns UK not to put itself in a corner on Brexit reset
European officials warn the U.K. would be playing a high-risk game if it delays an upcoming summit over Brussels’ protectionist push.
European capitals are warning the UK against linking its Brexit reset to guarantees under the EU's Made in Europe legislation, as negotiations over the new industrial act remain unresolved. The EU's protectionist push has caused concern in London, with the UK fearing its businesses will be negatively impacted. Brussels states that the Made in Europe legislation is still in the process of being finalized through the bloc's laborious legislative procedure, and cannot be linked to the summit aimed at wrapping up the rest of the Brexit "reset".
The EU says it cannot negotiate on legislation that has not been completed, and that the UK's treatment under Made in Europe is just one small aspect of a larger, ongoing debate among EU countries. The planned Brexit reset summit, initially planned for July, has been postponed due to the collapse of Keir Starmer's government. A new date has yet to be set, despite expectations that a date in November would be announced.
High-risk game diplomacy is playing out as EU diplomats urge the UK not to tie progress on Made in Europe to the summit's outcome, warning that doing so would be counterproductive and risky. The UK, on the other hand, maintains that it wants a guarantee that its existing trade agreements are respected, and is not seeking an exemption.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called on Burnham's government to drop its red lines and to participate in shaping Europe's future, suggesting that the UK must be part of the EU's 10-year reform plan.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
