EU ‘open minded’ about Britain rejoining customs union, bloc’s finance chief says
EU’s finance chief drops major hint on UK rejoining the customs union
- The European Union's finance commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, stated the bloc is "open-minded" and "ready to engage" if the UK wishes to explore a customs union.
- This stance contrasts with the UK government's repeated rejection of a customs union as a "red line", while Sir Keir Starmer advocates for closer ties and further agreements with the EU.
- Dombrovskis also suggested the UK and EU could remove most food checks and that Britain could potentially join the EU's €150bn defence loans scheme.
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves emphasised the growing importance of stronger EU ties amid global instability, referencing threats from Donald Trump regarding tariffs.
- Discussions are also underway for a youth mobility scheme, with the EU reportedly pushing for no cap on numbers, while Sir Keir Starmer insists on a cap and duration.
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks