Burnham and von der Leyen meet amid concerns over ‘Made in Europe’ plan

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned Brussels that protectionist EU trade measures could inflict collateral damage on British industry. According to The Standard Politics, the Prime Minister raised concerns during talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York.

Mr Burnham held talks with Brussels’ top official on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. Ahead of the discussions, the Prime Minister cautioned that the ‘Made in Europe’ scheme could hit British companies tightly linked to supply chains across the continent.

The EU proposal, formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act, is intended to protect clean tech firms and electric vehicle manufacturers from cheap Chinese competition by focusing public contracts and subsidies on manufacturers based inside the bloc. However, Downing Street confirmed the leaders also used the meeting to discuss global market overcapacity and unfair competition.

We do have concerns about Made in Europe, which is something that could affect British industry and British supply chains.

— Andy Burnham, Prime Minister, The Standard Politics

Mr Burnham claimed there is considerable support among EU member states for the UK position, arguing that Europe’s trade argument is not with Britain. Both sides face identical pressures concerning the steel industry, prompting the Prime Minister to emphasize that the UK is not the enemy.

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Ursula von der Leyen in New York.
• Discussions focused on the ‘Made in Europe’ industrial accelerator act.
• Downing Street confirmed a rescheduled UK-EU summit will take place later this year.
• Leaders also addressed security threats, illegal migration, and AI safety.

Downing Street stated that the leaders discussed working toward a successful outcome for the upcoming UK-EU summit, alongside addressing regional security threats, hybrid warfare, illegal migration, and AI initiatives ahead of the UK G20 presidency in 2027.

Original source: Read the full report at The Standard Politics