The Conservative European Forum (CEF) welcomes that progress has been made in updating the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) between the UK and EU in so far as it goes. The Conservative Party must support business, abhor pointless red tape, and seek the best trade opportunities for our country. The CEF notes that there is wide support from UK business for these new arrangements and urges a constructive rather than emotive and irrational approach to this reset.
Last year the CEF held an extensive investigation into the TCA. The original TCA was a transitional arrangement and experience has shown shortcomings, particularly in the area of cross-border trade. These were made clear to us by numerous business organisations during CEF’s year-long TCA Inquiry, where UK business called for reductions in red tape to ease trade frictions. The proposals for an SPS deal are a step to reversing barriers for UK trade.
The agreement to come on security and defence is in the UK national security interest, and our defence industries business interest. In our TCA report we listed numerous opportunities of existing co-operation between the EU and non-EU NATO members which the UK currently does not utilise but can be implemented between the UK and EU. With changes in global security these are only now more urgent.
It is extremely disappointing that there is little of substance on mutual recognition of professional qualifications, nor helping musicians to tour and work in the EU. We would urge that this now be a priority.
It is also disappointing that a youth mobility scheme has not been finalised. CEF has been a long-term supporter of a UK-EU youth mobility scheme delivered in a way which does not create a route to long term migration. We believe it would be highly beneficial to young people and UK businesses and hope the government will progress this scheme quickly. Neither MRPQ nor Youth Mobility break the “red line “of no return to freedom of movement but are pragmatic solutions to benefit UK citizens.
If the Government is serious about promoting trade and supporting business it should urgently resume work on the Single Trade Window (STW) — a Conservative initiative designed to modernise Britain’s borders, cut red tape for business, and deliver faster, cheaper trade. Over £100 million has already been invested in the STW, with Government estimates projecting £1.9 billion in savings over the next decade. Business and trade bodies overwhelmingly back its completion. Labour’s decision to pause the rollout risks wasting that investment, delaying vital savings for British firms, and weakening the UK’s competitiveness — just as the EU powers ahead with its own Single Window Environment for Customs.