Select committee: European Affairs Committee
Conclusion 2
4th Report - The future UK-EU relationship
Published 29 Apr 2023
Paragraph 11
European Affairs Committee The future UK-EU relationship All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Many of our recommendations focus on actions that we believe should be taken within the next few months, as part of a systematic effort at developing a more cooperative relationship following the agreement on the Windsor Framework. We also hope that this report will help to inform the forthcoming review of the TCA, due to take place in 2025, which will be a focus for the Committee. It will be important to identify policy areas where there is genuine mutual benefit in strengthened UK-EU cooperation and in expanding the scope of the TCA in order to avoid characterisation as cherry picking. We have acted in that spirit in the recommendations we have made in this report.
From: European Affairs Committee, 4th Report - The future UK-EU relationship, paragraph 11, 29 April 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 June 2023 (deadline 29 June 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees with the Committee on the importance of regular UK-EU dialogue and cooperation, while declining or only noting several recommendations on institutional reform, defence, education and mobility.
- On Horizon Europe, it is in discussions and hopes they "will be successful", but says participation "must" be "fair for UK researchers, businesses and taxpayers"; it will implement its alternative, Pioneer, "if we are not able to secure association on fair and appropriate terms".
- On the Partnership Council meeting at least twice a year, it notes the TCA says 'at least once a year' and is "open to it meeting more often where business requires it".
- On education, it says it is "not exploring" adding a reciprocal element to the Turing Scheme, and "does not intend to negotiate resuming participation in any aspect of Erasmus+", citing value for money and the taxpayer.
- On linking emissions trading schemes, it "partially agrees"; "no decision on linking has been made" but it remains "open to cooperating with the EU on carbon pricing".