"It has been ten years since the Brexit. We are not the Great Britain of the Brexit years." What did British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mean when he uttered those words at the Munich Security Conference last Saturday?
For some, it was a turning point in British policy towards the EU, and a new sign of the growing enthusiasm that Starmer is showing in relations with the EU, which increasingly distances itself from the very cautious pro-European gradualism with which he arrived at Downing Street in July 2024. Some even see it as a turning point. However, the government insists that nothing has changed. Starmer promised to 'reset' - more or less, 'restart' - the relations between London and Brussels during the campaign, and began that process at the 'summit' he held with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London in May. The latest steps in that process have been the UK's entry into the EU-agreed Ukraine Government financing system in December, although the details of its contribution have not yet been finalized.
From his position as Minister (equivalent to a State Secretary in Spain) for Relations with the EU, albeit with Cabinet rank, Nick Thomas-Symonds is the person in charge of the day-to-day 'reset'. With the aftermath of Starmer's statements, particularly relevant in a country where the EU exit is still seen as nothing short of a national trauma and a wound that has yet to heal, Thomas-Symonds arrived in Spain last night for a two-day visit to hold a roundtable at CEOE and meetings with senior government officials. Bilateral trade between Spain and the UK amounts to ¤65 billion, with both countries being each other's seventh largest trading partner, and 400,000 Britons live in Spain and the same number of Spaniards in the UK.
To what extent has Starmer's speech in Munich been a turning point?
What the Prime Minister came to say was: "Look, we have achieved a lot." We talk a lot about the 'reset' of the relationship between the UK and the EU. As far as I am concerned, the 'reset' [the 'refoundation'] has already been achieved. You can see it in the tone of the relationship, in how we are working together. As the Prime Minister said, we are not at a crossroads: we are very clear that progressing in that direction is the only way forward, whether in terms of cooperation, the security of our citizens, law enforcement, prosperity... That is the ambition we have in our relations with the EU. In the last 19 months, we have achieved a general understanding with the EU, a partnership in security and defense, and we have agreed to work together towards a system to enhance the experience of young people [including the UK's re-entry into the Erasmus program], as well as an agreement on phytosanitary standards in food and beverages and another connecting our emissions trading systems [for gases that cause climate change].Yes, but this approach to the EU is very technical, cautious, and focused on very specific areas.
Where do you see the relationship in 2029, when the next British elections are scheduled to take place?
The Government's objective, outlined in our 2024 election manifesto, was to build a close relationship with the EU. We said we were not going to rehash past battles over the single market, the customs union, or free movement of people. And we are not. But what we can do is build a new relationship based on the realities we face today. That is what we have done: build a new relationship.
When will the UK be part of SAFE [the EU mechanism to finance ¤150 billion in military equipment purchases by member countries]?
The door has always been open, but it was disappointing for us not to gain access in the negotiations last November. However, this does not limit our deep commitment for the UK to play its role in European defense. We also signed a security and defense agreement with the EU in May, and there are the billions of pounds we have spent on defending Ukraine, which is critical for our continent, and more broadly the role we have played in the 'volunteer coalition' aiding that country in the war.
Did you detect protectionism from some European countries [to protect their defense industries from the competition posed by the British] during the failed SAFE negotiations?
You should ask those countries that question. What I can say is that we are all part of a collective effort. We are all providing security to our continent in an environment that has changed significantly in this decade. For me, this is not a matter of market access, but of solidarity and collective effort. That is the message I am conveying to European capitals.
Spanish companies in the UK fear that the country's regulations may change, especially regarding EU standards that still exist in the country.
This Government does not have an ideological approach regarding retaining EU laws in our legal system. Our approach is much more pragmatic. Both investors already present - like Iberdrola, which has made a significant investment in East Anglia - and those considering coming to the UK, know that this Government is pro-business and we will not revert to past ideological approaches.