05 Dec 2024
Question
Trade Barriers with the EU
  1. ANALYSIS

Structure and Main Content:

  • The debate primarily revolves around the ongoing efforts, strategies, and policy considerations concerning the reduction of trade barriers between the UK and EU.
  • Focus areas include high animal welfare standards, trade policy priorities, dynamic alignment issues, and youth mobility schemes.
  • A notable discussion point is whether policies compromising British standards, such as foie gras, should be embraced or avoided.

Policy Terms and Technical Terminology:

  • Trade Barriers, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement, Dynamic Alignment, Youth Mobility Scheme.

Named Entities:

  • Prime Minister, President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, UK Government, EU.

Numerical Data and Statistics:

  • Reference to the meeting date: 2 October.

Related Parliamentary Business:

  • Reference to recent meetings and agreements between UK and EU leaders.

Political Positions and Policy Stances:

  • The Liberal Democrats emphasize high animal welfare standards and desire for reduced trade barriers.
  • Labour Party insists on maintaining UK’s agricultural integrity while exploring trade agreements without reverting to past EU associations.
  • Conservative highlights areas where compromise is non-negotiable.

Departmental Names and Governmental Bodies:

  • Department for International Trade, Cabinet.

Key Dates and Timeframes:

  • Meeting date, 2 October 2023.
  1. SPEAKER POINTS

  • Dr Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrats) - Winchester:
    • Main Arguments: Advocates for maintenance of the UK's high animal welfare standards while negotiating trade agreements; queries about eliminating products like foie gras to maintain UK standards.
    • Positions Taken: Supports reducing barriers but not at the cost of lowering welfare standards; highlights specific sectoral concerns like agriculture.
  • Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour) - Torfaen:
    • Main Arguments: Prioritizes animal welfare and criticizes Conservative legislation for undermining agriculture; reaffirms Labour’s position on maintaining distance from previous EU structures.
    • Positions Taken: Labor opposes returning to the Single Market/Customs Union/freedom of movement; supports enhanced cooperation and trade barrier reduction.
  • Mike Wood (Conservative) - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire:
    • Main Arguments: Voiced support for removing unnecessary barriers but emphasized clear boundaries in negotiations with the EU.
    • Positions Taken: Skeptical of compromises that may undermine British interests particularly around dynamic alignment and fishing rights.
  • Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrats) - Richmond Park:
    • Main Arguments: Praises government efforts to reset relations with the EU; advocates for youth mobility schemes to foster closer UK-EU connection.
    • Positions Taken: Posits potential benefits from schemes similar to those with non-EU countries for revitalized external relations and trust-building.
    • Questions Raised: Queries potential government steps towards establishing a youth mobility scheme akin to other bilateral agreements.

Key Contributions

Original Transcript
Dr Danny Chambers
Winchester
LD
Question
UIN: 901632

3. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce trade barriers with the EU.

The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Nick Thomas-Symonds
09:45

The Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission met on 2 October in Brussels and agreed to strengthen the relationship between the UK and the EU. Maroš Šefčovič, on behalf of the European Union, and I, on behalf of the UK Government, will now take forward that important work.

We are committed to reducing barriers to trade, including negotiating a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to reduce checks on food and put food on people’s tables more cheaply.

Dr Chambers
09:45

We are very proud that UK agriculture has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. It is for this reason that the production of foie gras was banned in 2007, as it is considered to be too cruel.

While we are desperate to reduce trade barriers with the EU, are there any steps to ban products like foie gras to ensure that all animal products sold in the UK are produced to at least the same animal welfare standards as those in the UK?

Nick Thomas-Symonds
09:45

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise the issue of very high standards of animal welfare in food production.

This Government will prioritise that in trade policy, unlike the Conservatives who, when they were in government, negotiated free trade agreements that consistently undermined agriculture in the UK.

Mike Wood
Kingswinford and South Staffordshire
Con
09:45

We all support efforts to remove unnecessary trade barriers, but we must also be clear with our European partners on what we cannot accept. What is the Paymaster General prepared to say is off the table: dynamic alignment, British fishing rights, or maybe asylum burden-sharing?

Nick Thomas-Symonds
09:45

The Labour party manifesto set out our red lines in this negotiation. We will not go back to the battles of the past. We will not return to the single market. We will not return to the customs union. We will not return to freedom of movement.

What we will do is negotiate with the European Union to make the British people safer and more secure, so we have closer law enforcement co-operation. We will negotiate to reduce trade barriers to make the British people more prosperous.

Mr Speaker

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Sarah Olney
Richmond Park
LD

The Liberal Democrats are glad that the Government have committed to resetting our relationship with the EU, and that the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary are actively engaging to rebuild trust and our relationships with our European neighbours through meetings with the European Commission and the Foreign Affairs Council.

Establishing a UK-EU youth mobility scheme would mirror existing capped arrangements that the UK already has with 13 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Delivering such a scheme would provide a return on investment in the form of soft power that was never seemingly factored into the approach of the previous Conservative Government.

Will the Minister confirm that he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of a youth mobility scheme between the United Kingdom and the European Union?

Nick Thomas-Symonds

The hon. Lady is right to highlight the importance of the Foreign Secretary’s attendance at the Foreign Affairs Council. It is hugely important that we work together with our European partners on security, particularly in the dangerous world environment we find ourselves in at the moment.

On youth mobility, we have of course listened to what the EU has to say, but we have no plans for a youth mobility scheme and we will not return to freedom of movement.

All content derived from official parliamentary records