Europe, UK (Commonwealth Union) – Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK’s new Minister for European Union Relations, is set to travel to Brussels today for his first in-person meeting with EU Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
This visit follows their positive introductory call on Sunday, and Minister Thomas-Symonds’ trip to Brussels on Monday, July 8th, which was his first full day in the role. During this trip, he met with the UK Ambassador to the EU and addressed the staff at the UK Mission to the EU.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Minister Thomas-Symonds to lead future discussions with the EU and to revitalize the UK-EU relationship.
Additionally, other UK Ministers have also seen engagements with introductory calls with their EU counterparts. Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke with High Representative Josep Borrell, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper spoke with Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, and Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds spoke with Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.
Minister for European Union Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds says “Our Government is committed to resetting the relationship with the European Union, to strengthen ties, reinforce our security and tackle barriers to trade.”
The United Kingdom, a prominent country in Europe, has had a complex relationship with the European Union. This relationship has been shaped by various historical and political factors, including the UK’s decision to leave the EU, with Brexit. In 2016, the UK held a referendum in which a majority of the population voted to leave the European Union. Many Brexit supporters feel the certain members of the EU are bitter over Brexit and are attempting sabotage the UK economy with fears other EU members may follow suite, however many EU MPs have also stated the need to respect the British voter’s decision and work closely with the UK taking into account the prominence of the UK alone on the global stage.
