Brussels, 15/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - In light of the renegotiation process for the UK's membership of the EU, British Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed the new trade strategy proposed by the European Commission on Wednesday 14 October.
“One of the biggest benefits of our EU membership is the free trade deals between the EU and the rest of the world, which tear down barriers to business and open up markets. That's why 60% of the UK's exports go to the single market and the countries with which the EU has trade deals”, Cameron stated in a press release published the same day as the Commission's proposed new trade strategy.
“These agreements open up huge opportunities for British businesses - for example our exports to South Korea have doubled since the trade deal was done [Ed: which entered into force in July 2011]. And we achieve much more in these trade agreements with third countries by negotiating as part of a market of 500 million consumers than we would if the UK went it alone”, Cameron underlined.
“We already benefit from more than 50 trade agreements between the EU and third countries, and today's strategy from the European Commission shows the huge prize still on offer - if the EU completed all the agreements on the table, it could add £20 billion each year to the UK economy”, he continued.
“That's one of the benefits I've been pushing for as part of the UK renegotiations and so I'm delighted that the European Commission has committed today to push ahead with ambitious agreements with China, Australia, New Zealand and countries in South East Asia and to do more to ensure that SMEs and consumers across Europe can benefit from these trade agreements”, Cameron added. He concluded: “This is firmly in Britain's interests and it's proof of how we can persuade the European Commission to focus on actions that will create growth and jobs here at home”. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)