European Union: Trade
Debate between Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Baroness Twycross
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
A youth mobility scheme is absolutely not a return to freedom of movement. If the noble Lord wishes to have a longer discussion about the youth mobility scheme, there will be a longer debate on this issue later today. We will obviously be looking at EU proposals on a range of issues, but there are no plans for a Europe-wide youth mobility scheme.
Lord Hannay of Chiswick (CB)
My Lords, will the Minister recognise that the remarks made by Commissioner Šefčovič do not involve the UK joining a customs union? They were about rules of origin, mainly for Mediterranean countries, of whom only one, Turkey, is in a customs union—the others are not. Will she therefore confirm that the Government will give urgent and positive consideration to this proposal?
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
The pan-Euro-Mediterranean convention is, as the noble Lord makes clear, not a customs union, nor is it an EU scheme. We are always looking at ways to reduce barriers to trade within our clear red lines, because having a smooth trading relationship with the EU is absolutely essential to driving growth at home. This is one of the options, and it is right and responsible that we are looking at it to determine what is in the UK’s national interest. But nothing has been agreed yet and, as ever, I am not going to give a running commentary on these talks.