Sir Nick Harvey, CEO of European Movement UK, outlines the European Movement's view of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first meeting with European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday (October 2nd) for their first bilateral.
The European Movement welcomes the outcome of the Prime Minister's visit to Brussels. It was clear throughout that there is now a new, positive tone in EU-UK relations and a platform for much closer cooperation.
It is especially reassuring that there will now be regular summits. We are encouraged that the Prime Minister and the European Commission President resolved to be ambitious in strengthening cooperation, based on the UK and the EU having a unique relationship and shared values.
Their joint commitment to the ECHR is also to be welcomed. It has been a news story this week following the video posted by Tory leadership candidate, Robert Jenrick, in which the MP threatens to leave the ECHR and the robust response by European Movement Vice President, Dominic Grieve.
Reaffirming a shared commitment to the ECHR was clearly right and proper. Furthermore, given the upheaval in the Middle East and the continuing illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was inevitable - and appropriate - that these short initial meetings in Brussels would focus primarily on defence and security.
That said, we at European Movement UK would argue forcefully that defence and security - and the geopolitical interests that the EU and the UK share - are ultimately inseparable from economic and trade issues. A closer trading relationship, with the UK in time returning to the customs union and the single market and ultimately to our rightful place around the EU table, would make the UK - but also the EU - more prosperous and stronger.
The closer the relationship between the EU and the UK is, the more economically self-reliant and able to stand up to authoritarian states we will both be.
What is more, the Prime Minister and President von der Leyen rightly emphasised our shared values. If we want those shared values to flourish and to underpin ever closer cooperation, it is crucial that we repair the cultural exchanges and links that have been damaged by Brexit. That means - as a start - the UK returning to Erasmus + so that our young people from all backgrounds can experience life in the rest of Europe and we can once again welcome Europeans to the UK. These exchanges build understanding, widen horizons and create lasting ties.
We also urge the government to negotiate a wider youth mobility agreement with the EU, pending the day when we can take the step of restoring free movement for everyone.
We believe that the Prime Minister's visit to Brussels has demonstrated that there is now genuine goodwill between the UK government and the EU institutions.
We hope and demand that both sides nurture the seeds sown and bring the EU and the UK closer together, so that we can start to repair the damage done by (former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's) Brexit.
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