Burnham to warn EU chief of 'damage' posed by Made in Europe scheme
The prime minister, Andy Burnham, was speaking to reporters en route to New York for a meeting of the UN General Assembly. He expressed concerns about the "collateral damage" that the EU's Made In Europe rules could cause to British manufacturing.
These proposals aim to limit Chinese companies' influence within the EU by giving preferential treatment to domestic manufacturers when awarding public contracts and subsidies.
Burnham, on his flight to the US, declined to specify whether committing to rejoining the EU would feature in Labour's next manifesto, stating it was a matter for "another day". His immediate priority, he said, is to rebuild relations with the EU and reach agreements beneficial to the British economy.
The Made In Europe scheme, formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), is still under development but has raised concerns in the UK over potential harm to British industry and supply chains. Burnham plans to discuss these worries with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a meeting scheduled for Tuesday at the UN summit.
He emphasized that Europe's arguments are not with the UK, highlighting shared struggles, especially within the steel industry. "We are making the argument that 'let's avoid collateral damage'," he said.
Tensions surrounding Made In Europe have reportedly contributed to delays in this year's planned EU-UK summit, already postponed due to Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as prime minister in July.
In his address to the UN General Assembly later, Burnham intends to reflect on the past decade since the Brexit vote, criticizing outside actors' attempts to "manipulate, distort facts, and influence the British democratic process". He stressed the need for clarity and stronger defense against such interference as the UK enters its next decade.