"The European Commission would be open-minded to discussing closer trade ties with the UK, including a customs union, a senior EU official has said. The EU economy commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, told the BBC that the European bloc was ready to engage with an open mind when asked about a customs union."
"Keir Starmer is looking for deeper economic links with the EU single market, having said the customs union doesn't now serve our purpose very well. A customs union with the EU would call into question UK trade deals with countries such as India, Australia and Japan, which add little to economic growth, but are potent symbols of Brexit."
"Speaking after talks with ministers including Rachel Reeves in London on Monday, Dombrovskis implied the UK would not be able to pick and choose areas of the single market for closer alignment. He said single market membership was the most mutually beneficial arrangement, but that would require the four freedoms including freedom of movement. Since the Brexit referendum of June 2016 the EU has maintained that the four freedoms of the single market goods, services, capital and movement cannot be split."
The European Commission signalled openness to exploring closer trade ties with the UK, including the possibility of a customs union. The EU economy commissioner said the bloc was ready to engage with an open mind, while Labour leader Keir Starmer seeks deeper links to the single market. A customs union could complicate existing and prospective UK trade deals with countries such as India, Australia and Japan and would in theory place the UK under the EU's trade agreements. EU officials emphasised that meaningful single market alignment typically requires acceptance of the four freedoms, including freedom of movement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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