7th March 2014
On Tuesday 11 March a group of officials from different British government departments will be in Rome to meet their Italian opposite numbers, to explain how our benefits system has changed and how it will work for those coming into the UK. On this topic, it is important to underline that we are not trying […]
20th February 2014 Madrid, Spain
The British government strongly supports a new Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement between the European Union and the United States. It would break down trade barriers, unlock new growth and create a huge number of jobs. Ian Livingston, British Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Jaime García-Legaz Ponce, Spanish Secretary of State […]
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24th December 2013 London, UK
A little over a year ago, the Economist wrote a piece analysing Britain’s place in Europe. There wasn’t a lot of good news. Efforts to reform the way Brussels works were simply “making things worse” as “other countries are tiring of British demands”. The best we could hope for, it was argued, was to “rediscover […]
10th December 2013 London, UK
As we mark Human Rights Day and celebrate the UK’s re-election to the UN Human Rights Council, it is worth reflecting upon how regional organisations can reinforce and complement the UN’s role in promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Last week I attended the annual Ministerial Council of the Organisation […]
29th November 2013 London, UK
The EU’s eastern neighbours are an integral part of Europe. They share our European history and culture, and seek to build an independent and prosperous future as sovereign nations free from outside pressure and influence. Their importance to the EU is unmistakable. Eastern Europe has seen many fundamental shifts since 1991. The spread of democracy, […]
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5th November 2013 London, UK
I recently launched the third round of consultations in the Balance of Competences Review, the most extensive analysis of our relationship with the EU ever undertaken. The first six reports were published in July this year, with the next nine due this winter. Marking the launch, I spoke to businesses and civil society organisations about the contribution the reports are making to the wider debate on European reform.
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31st October 2013 Ottawa, Canada
Although Halloween is a night for goblins and ghosts, it is a good example of how Canada-EU Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA) could offer a few more treats for revellers in the future…
18th October 2013 Washington DC, USA
Tom Hanks and I fell out back in the early 1990’s. I’m not sure if he noticed. The problem was, first, that he won the Oscar for Philadelphia when I wanted Daniel Day-Lewis to get it for In the Name of the Father. Then, to rub salt in my movie-nerd wounds, the awful Forrest Gump […]
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18th October 2013
Guest blog by the Embassy’s Economic Attaché. One thing we hear a lot about these days is regulation. Regulation this, regulation that, it can be good or bad, national or international, too much or not enough. Views may depend on where you stand: employer or employee, big multinational or local SME, left or right or […]
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24th July 2013
Many people hold strong views about the Europe Union based on different perspectives about its role , but perhaps we don’t think enough, in the round, about the impact of EU membership and current EU rules and laws on the UK as a whole. Therefore in July 2012 the UK Government launched the so-called “Balance […]