Select committee: European Affairs Committee
Recommendation 4
4th Report - The future UK-EU relationship
Published 29 Apr 2023
Paragraph 37
European Affairs Committee The future UK-EU relationship All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the change in the mood around UK-EU relations since autumn 2022, and especially since the agreement on the Windsor Framework was concluded in February 2023. We urge the Government and the EU to seize the opportunities that these developments present to prioritise a systematic and lasting effort at developing a more cooperative relationship and rebuilding mutual trust. This should include concluding specific cooperation agreements as soon as possible where these had previously been blocked due to the dispute over the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, for example on UK association to Horizon Europe, electricity trading and financial services.
From: European Affairs Committee, 4th Report - The future UK-EU relationship, paragraph 37, 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".