Chamber News
Starmer: Reset with EU will not reverse Brexit
29 August 2024 • Sarah Medcraf
The government's desire to reset relations with the European Union does not mean reversing Brexit, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The prime minister said he wanted a closer relationship with Europe, but the UK had no plans for a youth mobility scheme, which could give young people in the EU the right to live and work in the UK, and vice versa.
Sir Keir was speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, after the pair began talks on a new co-operation agreement between the two nations.
The PM said the agreement aimed to boost trade, create jobs and deliver economic growth in both countries.
The two leaders hope to sign a treaty, covering areas including defence, energy security, science and technology, by early next year.
During the visit, they also agreed a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration and smuggling gangs by sharing intelligence and data.
Sir Keir has previously said he will seek a better deal on trade with the EU than the one negotiated by Boris Johnson in late 2020.
However, it remains unclear whether Brussels would entertain major changes to the UK's existing Brexit trade deal, which is due to be reviewed in 2026.