Reeves wants ‘reset’ with EU to boost growth

At a press conference after the meeting, Reeves declined to say exactly which parts of the UK’s relationship with the EU she wanted to change – such as a food standards agreement or greater travel freedoms for younger people.
“Today was not about starting a negotiation… today was about rebuilding relations,” she said, adding that negotiations would begin “in the New Year”.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents about 50,000 businesses, said that in order for the economy to grow “we must export more” but UK firms “are struggling under huge regulatory and paperwork burdens”.
At the Eurogroup finance ministers meeting in Brussels, Reeves proposed building a “mature, business-like relationship” between Britain and the EU.
Ahead of the meeting, Reeves told journalists that she would be fighting for the “British national interest”, but that “means having closer relationships, particularly trading relationships”.
Growth is not a “zero sum game”, she added, saying that both the UK and EU countries have struggled over the past decade.
“We all want to see our economies grow faster and be more competitive globally.”
While this speech is not expected to result in any changes on Labour’s manifesto promise not to re-join the EU’s single market or customs union, it is likely to mean an agreement on food and farm exports, with the UK having said it is seeking a veterinary agreement.
It could also mean less red tape on more complex pan-European supply chains in manufacturing and textiles, but big trade-offs may be necessary.
The EU would like to see a scheme for young Europeans to live and work both there and in the UK – something Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out in the past.
Closer alignment to European food standards could also complicate any attempt by the UK to forge closer relations with the US on Donald Trump’s re-entry into the White House in January.