Starmer, Scholz seek reset in British-EU ties with bilateral treaty
Starmer meets Scholz, business leaders in Berlin
Agree to work on cooperation treaty to help reset relations
Starmer due later in France, will meet Macron
Adds analyst comment in paragraph 11
By Andrew MacAskill and Sarah Marsh
BERLIN, Aug 28 (Reuters) -Britain and Germany's leaders agreed in Berlin on Wednesday to work on an ambitious treaty covering issues from defence to trade that would be part of a reset of British relations with the European Union.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's trip to the EU's top powers, Germany and France, aims to help Britain move beyond the previous Conservative government's fractious relations with European allies. Starmer, who took office last month, has put improved ties at the heart of his efforts to boost Britain's economic growth.
He billed the new cooperation treaty as a "once-in-a-generation chance to deliver for working people in Britain and in Germany" as it would deepen collaboration in science, technology, business and culture while increasing trade.
Starmer said thatgrowth was his government's "number one mission".
"And what we understand clearly is that building relationships with our partners here in Germany and across Europe is vital to achieving it," he said.
Starmer, addressing a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said a reset would not mean reversing Britain's 2020 exit from the EU under the Conservatives, or re-entering the bloc's single market or customs union.
"But it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts, including the economy, including defence, including exchanges," he said.
Scholz said Germany wanted to take this outstretched hand.
"The United Kingdom has always been an indispensable part of solving the big issues that affect the whole of Europe," he said. "This has not changed since it left the EU."
In a joint declaration, Britain and Germany said they hoped to sign the cooperation treaty at government consultations "by early next year". Defence ministers were also working on a new defence agreement, they said, which would follow the signing of a joint defence declaration in July.
Stephen Hunsaker, a trade researcher at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, said however that any efforts to properly improve trade would risk encroaching on EU rules and could only happen at the periphery.
TRUMP FACTOR
Britain and Germany, NATO allies and western Europe's biggest defence spenders, are looking for ways to deepen defence cooperation ahead of a possible scaling back of U.S. military support for Ukraine if former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
The Republican presidential candidate has warned that if elected, he would fundamentally rethink "NATO's purpose and NATO's mission". He has also not committed to sending further aid to Ukraine and said he would not defend allies that do not increase their defence budgets. Trump is locked in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election.
Concerns that the U.S. could curb support for Ukraine have increased since Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate. Vance has stressed his opposition to the U.S. writing "blank checks" to help Ukraine fight Russia.
An Anglo-German defence partnership could resemble the Lancaster House pact between Britain and France agreed in 2010, according to officials, with pledges to create a joint force and share equipment and nuclear missile research centres.
Starmer also said the two countries would deepen cooperation on shared social challenges like people smugglers, agreeing to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration.
Starmer will head to Paris for the Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday night and meet on Thursday with executives from companies including Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi. He will also have talks with President Emmanuel Macron.
Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Sarah Marsh, Miranda Murray and Andreas Rinke in Berlin; Additional Reporting by Kate Holton in London; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Bernadette Baum
Ativos relacionados
Últimas notícias
Isenção de Responsabilidade: As entidades do XM Group proporcionam serviço de apenas-execução e acesso à nossa plataforma online de negociação, permitindo a visualização e/ou uso do conteúdo disponível no website ou através deste, o que não se destina a alterar ou a expandir o supracitado. Tal acesso e uso estão sempre sujeitos a: (i) Termos e Condições; (ii) Avisos de Risco; e (iii) Termos de Responsabilidade. Este, é desta forma, fornecido como informação generalizada. Particularmente, por favor esteja ciente que os conteúdos da nossa plataforma online de negociação não constituem solicitação ou oferta para iniciar qualquer transação nos mercados financeiros. Negociar em qualquer mercado financeiro envolve um nível de risco significativo de perda do capital.
Todo o material publicado na nossa plataforma de negociação online tem apenas objetivos educacionais/informativos e não contém — e não deve ser considerado conter — conselhos e recomendações financeiras, de negociação ou fiscalidade de investimentos, registo de preços de negociação, oferta e solicitação de transação em qualquer instrumento financeiro ou promoção financeira não solicitada direcionadas a si.
Qual conteúdo obtido por uma terceira parte, assim como o conteúdo preparado pela XM, tais como, opiniões, pesquisa, análises, preços, outra informação ou links para websites de terceiras partes contidos neste website são prestados "no estado em que se encontram", como um comentário de mercado generalizado e não constitui conselho de investimento. Na medida em que qualquer conteúdo é construído como pesquisa de investimento, deve considerar e aceitar que este não tem como objetivo e nem foi preparado de acordo com os requisitos legais concebidos para promover a independência da pesquisa de investimento, desta forma, deve ser considerado material de marketing sob as leis e regulações relevantes. Por favor, certifique-se que leu e compreendeu a nossa Notificação sobre Pesquisa de Investimento não-independente e o Aviso de Risco, relativos à informação supracitada, os quais podem ser acedidos aqui.