Britain faces the risk of jeopardizing the Brexit review if it links the issue to guarantees regarding European products. This is a message that European capitals want London to pay attention to.
Britain's Concerns Over Europe's Protectionist Approach
Europe's protectionist approach has raised concerns for the British government, which seeks assurance that British businesses will not be adversely affected. The EU's "Made in Europe" law is still not finalized and is currently undergoing complex legal processes within the bloc.
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An EU official, speaking for unknown reasons, said: "Trying to link [the industrial acceleration law] to the review meeting and delaying it is really unhelpful."
Challenges Facing Britain and the EU
The industrial acceleration law and the overall "Made in Europe" approach are designed to support and rebuild the European industry against heavy foreign competition, much of which is perceived as unfair. European leaders agree on this principle, but there are unresolved questions about what this means in practice and who is involved in this process.
The EU emphasizes that it cannot negotiate over a law that is not yet finalized, and how the "Made in Europe" laws interact with Britain is only a small part of a larger ongoing discussion among EU member states.
In the meantime, the scheduled meeting between Britain and the EU to finalize the remaining Brexit review still remains without a specific date. This meeting, initiated by Keir Starmer, was supposed to take place in July and was meant to conclude negotiations on agricultural agreements, a visa program for youth, and the linkage of trade to greenhouse gas emissions.
However, this meeting was postponed due to the collapse of Starmer's government, and no new date has been set yet. The last opportunity to set a date was missed during a meeting between Andy Burnham, the new Prime Minister of Britain, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, and despite widespread expectations, no announcement regarding a new meeting date was made.
These delays are beginning to attract the attention of diplomats, who are concerned that both sides may be playing a hard game on this issue and jeopardizing the entire "review" process.
An EU diplomat from one of the member states that supports including Britain in the "Made in Europe" program warned: "My advice to Britain is not to corner itself and not to tie progress in the close relationship to the industrial acceleration law."
This official added: "This issue is still unresolved, and there is a lively discussion among member states and institutions ongoing. This matter is much bigger than Britain. A group of countries is trying to keep the possibility of including Britain open, but they may not succeed."
Another EU official stated that if Britain delays the meeting due to this issue, it will be playing a high-risk game and explicitly stated: "Britain needs 'Made in Europe' more than 'Made in Europe' needs Britain."
The final shape of this law is still unclear. The European Commission's proposal for the industrial acceleration law generally includes the inclusion of Britain in most sectors, while only the automotive industry is affected. However, this law is undergoing the "trilogue" process among member states, the EU executive, and its parliament - with some countries calling for a tougher stance on countries outside the bloc.
The EU diplomat noted that France, Poland, Italy, and Greece are the main countries pushing for a tougher line. He added: "I think Britain should lobby these countries and the parliament."
Britain claims that this trade agreement program violates its Brexit deal by creating new trade barriers and is not seeking an exemption - rather, it is looking for assurance that its existing agreements will be honored.
The Prime Minister's spokesperson, in response to the question of whether Britain is delaying the meeting due to "Made in Europe," told reporters: "We are not currently providing details about these ongoing negotiations, but no date has been set for the meeting yet."
He added: "We are engaging closely with the EU regarding the 'Made in Europe' program. Britain is committed to playing its role as a close and trusted European partner focused on economic and security cooperation. Britain and Europe face common pressures from security threats to overproduction of steel. The best response to these pressures is a collective response."
In a report published on Thursday, a prominent Labour Party figure stated that Britain must be present in the future decision-making room of Europe. He wrote: "We must make it clear that we want to return to a formal relationship with the EU, but this must be a Europe that is on a path of reasonable reform and capable of becoming a real global power."
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