‘We wish EU every success’ says Davis
BRITAIN has “selfish” reasons for wanting the EU to succeed after it leaves the bloc and intends to remain “a European citizen”, Brexit Secretary David Davis said yesterday after talks in Estonia.
He said Britain was looking for the broadest possible free trade deal with the EU and would seek cooperation on justice and crime policy that was as close as possible to today’s arrangements.
Tacitly acknowledging the Baltic state’s fear of Russian aggression, he also forecast Britain would continue playing “a large part” in maintaining Europe’s security.
Speaking in Tallinn after talks with Estonia’s chief Brexit negotiator Matti Maasikas, Mr Davis said: “When we leave the EU, both for altruistic reasons but also selfish reasons, we want the EU to continue to be a success. We want to see it prosper economically and politically, we want to see it be a strong force in world affairs in these days of various sources of instability over the world.
“It is to our advantage in the UK to have a strong, stable and effective neighbour in the form of the union, so everything we do will be aimed at that, as well as of course our own interests too.”
Confident
As the House of Lords began their debate on the legislation to let Theresa May trigger formal talks with the EU, Mr Davis said he was “confident” her deadline of March 31 to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty would be met.
On justice, he said that “although we have issues about the European court’s jurisdiction, we see that we can maintain the same sort of relationship that we currently have..
“Clearly we can’t be in the single market, but we want to have the most comprehensive free trade agreement possible and we want to have a customs agreement to go with it. That we think is to everyone’s advantage. Britain is a market for £290billion a year of European exports. Those are very important to Europe, just as our trade with Europe is important to us.
“But most important of all... we want to see a constructive negotiation leading to a long-term constructive partnership.”
Stressing hopes that Britain and Estonia would remain allies, he added: “Although we are leaving the EU we entirely intend to continue to be a good European citizen, a good global citizen.
“We have long taken a strong stance on matters of defence and security, justice, home affairs, counter-terrorism, all of these matters where we have played a large part in Europe’s safety and stability. Our departure does not mean we expect to undermine that at all.”
He spoke after reports that MEPs from other countries think Britain is trying to divide the EU ahead of formal Brexit talks, by targeting a charm offensive at potential allies among its smaller members.