UK-EU Reset Needs Bolder Vision, Trade Minister Urges

UK Trade Minister Chris Bryant is urging both sides to think much bigger in resetting the country's relationship with the European Union. Bryant says the current approach of doing policy agreements in bits and pieces lacks the greater vision needed by both the UK and EU.

The comments come as Maroš Šefčovič, the EU's Brexit negotiator, and Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK's minister for EU relations, met in Brussels this week in an effort to show the cross-Channel relationship is in a good place after years of rancor. However, Bryant believes the two sides need to aim higher in their negotiations.

"We need to think much bigger about what the future relationship between the UK and EU is going to look like," Bryant said in an exclusive interview. "It can't just be done in bits and pieces, we need to have a greater vision and ambition from both sides."

The trade minister acknowledged that policy agreements are being made, but argued a more comprehensive approach is necessary to truly reset the UK-EU relationship. He stressed the need for bold leadership and a clear long-term strategy from both London and Brussels.

"It's not enough to just do little agreements here and there," Bryant said. "We need to be thinking big about the kind of partnership we want to have - whether that's on trade, security, or other areas. That's the kind of ambition I'd like to see from both sides."

The UK and EU have been working to repair their relationship since the UK's acrimonious departure from the bloc in 2020. While progress has been made on specific issues, Bryant believes a more transformative vision is needed to truly reset the partnership.

"We have to move beyond just tinkering around the edges," he said. "The future relationship has to be ambitious and comprehensive - and that's going to take leadership and bold thinking from both the UK and EU."