EU trade chief says UK must fund scheme to narrow EU regional gaps
EU trade commissioner Maros Šefčovič told MEPs that the United Kingdom should contribute financially to reduce economic and social disparities across the EU ahead of a summit with UK leader Andy Burnham.
Maros Šefčovič, the EU’s trade commissioner, warned that the United Kingdom must make a financial contribution to help lessen economic, social and territorial disparities among EU member states. He presented this demand alongside other priorities for the upcoming summit with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, including a youth "experience" scheme that would allow people under 30 to live and work across the bloc. Šefčovič highlighted recent advances in fisheries, energy cooperation and the Erasmus+ student exchange, and said talks will also cover common sanitary and phytosanitary rules, a link between emissions-trading systems and the UK's participation in the EU internal electricity market.
The commissioner stressed the strategic importance of the UK-EU partnership amid global turmoil and called for full implementation of the Windsor Framework to safeguard six million EU nationals in the UK and one million Britons in the EU. He added that negotiations will continue beyond the November 20 summit in Brussels.
Why it matters
The UK's financial role could shape future EU-UK relations and affect millions of cross-border workers and students.
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