As global uncertainty looms, Britain’s biggest unions are calling for a strengthened economic integration with Europe to secure quality jobs and reduce trade barriers.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling for a much-needed closer relationship with the European Union, citing an increasingly ‘volatile and unpredictable’ global economy. In a joint statement with European counterparts, the union umbrella body will argue that negotiations must cover new opportunities for quality jobs for UK workers in the EU and for EU workers in the UK.
The UK's economic integration with the EU dates back to 1973, when it joined the European Economic Community (EEC).
The EEC later evolved into the EU.
The UK played a significant role in shaping EU policies and regulations.
In 2020, the UK officially left the EU, ending its membership of over four decades.
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) established new trade terms between the two parties.
Key areas include customs procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and services.
The TCA also addresses issues like data protection and intellectual property rights.
The TUC‘s intervention comes as Keir Starmer‘s government appears to be moving closer to Europe than under the Conservatives. The prime minister has spent his first six months in power laying the groundwork for a better relationship with Brussels, with the UK hoping for better defence cooperation and smoother trade, and the EU seeking a mobility scheme allowing for greater travel by young people.
The TUC will call on political leaders in London and Brussels to renegotiate the 2020 trade and cooperation agreement, describing it as ‘botched’ under the Conservatives. Any new deal should support opportunities for workers in Europe and the UK, reduce trade barriers and border checks, and bring closer alignment of chemical and food standards.
The Brexit deal renegotiation refers to the process of revising and re-evaluating the terms of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the 'European Union.'
Following the UK's vote to leave the 'EU' in 2016, negotiations began between the UK government and the 'EU' to establish a new relationship.
The initial agreement was met with opposition in Parliament, leading to a request for renegotiation.
Key aspects of the renegotiation include trade agreements, customs arrangements, and the 'Irish border issue.'
The process is complex, involving multiple stakeholders and requiring careful consideration of economic, political, and social implications.
The TUC has recently undertaken polling and focus group exercises to understand developing views on Brexit among union members. The majority of those polled said they were interested in renegotiating the Brexit deal, with some leave voters expressing regret over their decision. A strong majority across all groups endorsed doing a deal.
It’s time for a commonsense trade deal that works for workers and business in the UK and EU, ‘said Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary. After years of muddling through, we need a new approach that honours the referendum result while giving us a much-needed closer trading relationship with the EU.
The campaign for closer ties with Europe will be discussed among British trade union leaders at a meeting next week. Starmer has often spoken of his hopes for a reset of relations with the EU, and will host ‘von der Leyen and Costa‘ on 19 May to kick off more formal talks at the first UK-EU leaders’ summit. Nowak said it was vital that trade unions were involved in those talks from the beginning.
The UK-EU Leaders' Summit brought together top officials from the United Kingdom and European Union to discuss post-Brexit relations.
Key outcomes included agreements on trade, security cooperation, and fisheries quotas.
The summit also addressed the Northern Ireland Protocol, a contentious issue in Brexit negotiations.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen led the talks, aiming to strengthen ties between the two parties.
The summit's success marked a significant step towards stabilizing the UK-EU relationship.
The TUC‘s call for a closer relationship with Europe comes as European leaders agree to higher military spending to counter the threat of Russia, and cooperation between the UK and the rest of Europe has intensified after the return to power of ‘Donald Trump‘ in the US. With an increasingly volatile global economy, it’s more important than ever that we secure our trading relationship with our closest neighbours.
