Andy Burnham Seeks Trusted UK Partnership in EU's Made in Europe Scheme
UK's Approach to the European Union's 'Made in Europe' Initiative
Burnham's Message of Partnership
NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his government would argue for Britain to be a "trusted partner" to the European Union's 'Made in Europe' scheme, saying the nation was no enemy of the bloc but rather a neighbour suffering similar problems.
Britain's Position on the Scheme
Seeking Access and Addressing Common Challenges
Travelling to New York for his first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly as prime minister, Burnham told reporters he believed there was support for Britain's desire to have access to the scheme, which is aimed at curbing reliance on Chinese components by prioritising European-made goods.
Shared Economic Concerns
"Europe's argument is not with us. We both suffer the same effects as other countries, particularly (in) steel," he said on the flight to New York on Monday.
"We are making the argument: we are not your enemies here... we are not the problem. Made in Europe is dealing with a different problem. We are making the argument that: let's avoid collateral damage."
Potential Impact on Trade and Supply Chains
Risks of New Trade Barriers
Britain has argued that the EU's "Made in Europe" plan could impact supply chains and create unnecessary trade barriers between London and some member countries, and Burnham is anxious not to miss out on another scheme after talks to join the EU's SAFE defence fund broke down.
Strengthening UK-EU Relations
Building on Improved Ties
Burnham has pledged to further his predecessor's drive to deepen ties with the EU, which improved under Keir Starmer after years of distrust triggered by Britain's vote to leave the bloc in 2016.
Future UK-EU Summit
Burnham's Vision for Collaboration
But Burnham said he wants to go further and faster, adding his focus was on a UK-EU summit which was delayed by Britain's change in leader in July but he said he hoped would still take place this year.
"Lets work towards a trusted partner approach that doesn't cause a problem where there wasn't a problem and where we have common cause," he said.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Alistair Smout)
