The Chancellor said that the government was “absolutely happy” to consider joining a pan -European customs area after the EU declared himself open to British membership.
Earlier this week, the European Commerce Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, said that Brussels “could consider” authorizing the United Kingdom to join the Pan-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) as part of a “reset” of discussions between the United Kingdom and the EU.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Sunday morning of Sky News with Trevor Phillips: “It was really interesting to see Maros Sefcovic suggest this week that the United Kingdom could be welcome in this pan-mediterranean customs framework.
“We are absolutely delighted to examine these different proposals, because we know that the agreement obtained by the previous government does not work well enough, neither for small businesses that try to export, nor for large companies either.
“We are big enough to admit it, while the previous government said there was no problem.”
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She said they would examine “constructive ideas”, but only if they respected the government’s red lines set out in the manifesto.
The ghost minister for foreign affairs and Brexit leader, Dame Priti Patel, accused Labor at trying to join the EU “through the stolen door”.
In response to the comments of Ms. Reeves, she posted on X: “Labor attacks Brexit and will do everything to bring back Great Britain in the EU by the stolen door. »»
Maros Sefcovic said the EU was open to British membership in the pan-Mediterranean convention. Photo: PA
The position of Ms. Reeves differs from that of the Minister of European Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds who declared earlier in the week: “We do not currently intend to join the PEM. »»
However, the spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer and The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has not excluded future membership And said their red lines were that “we will never join a single market, freedom of traffic”.
PEM was launched in 2012 and aims to allow 25 countries, mainly in Europe and North Africa, to trade more easily between them according to common rules by signing free trade agreements aimed at reducing or lifting rights customs on each other’s products.
A business conservative ghost secretary Andrew Griffith said that membership in PEM “is not the miracle solution for growth as the government thinks.”
“Whenever Labor negotiates, Great Britain loses. We must therefore make sure that they do not give up important assets such as our fishing rights, “he added.
“We must avoid defeating Brexit through the back door, lining up with the EU’s weak growth model.”
Dame Pri Patel accused Laborists of trying to join the EU “through the stolen door”. Photo: PA
Tax change for non-Domins
Reeves said that she was “determined to be the Chancellor who will bring growth to the British economy”.
This week she also defended the modification of her October budget in order to give non-residents more time to repatriate money from abroad to the United Kingdom on a reduced tax base after the exodus of the millionaires of the millionaires United Kingdom.
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She made this announcement at the Davos World Economic Forum and said that she had listened to the concerns raised by the “non-dom”.
The Chancellor defended the decision of Trevor PhillipsAffirming that it “does not cost taxpayers a single penny”.
She added: “We delete the concept of non-domicile in the tax system, so that if you make Great Britain your home, you pay your taxes here.
“But we also want to be a welcoming place.”
Ms. Reeves also argued that modifying the rules for non-Domins was different from the introduction of inheritance tax for farmers, because she declared that this would affect only a small number of farms.
Farmers said government analysis on the number of farms that are affected was incorrect, but Ms. Reeves maintained her declaration.