Starmer has warned that he cannot avoid Brussels if he wants to reset UK-EU relations.

Following the British prime minister's visit to Berlin and Paris, EU officials have warned Sir Keir Starmer will not be able to avoid Brussels as he seeks to improve post-Brexit relations between the UK and the EU.

Starmer has met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron in recent days as part of a diplomatic tour of EU leaders since moving into Downing Street last month.

During his two-day visit, he made proposals to reset relations between Britain and the EU and stressed his desire for closer ties across a range of areas including the economy, defence and trade.

But he also reiterated his strict rules on Brexit, which include not rejoining the EU single market or customs union and not restoring free movement.

EU diplomats say there is little room for improving relations with Britain amid such strict regulations.

One diplomat said EU member states had given themselves some leeway to allow easier access for British workers, students and industry to collaborate.

But only when we get to Brussels can we reset. The red line has not changed. They added that the British side will have to give something up to restore relations.

Britain plans to negotiate a new bilateral treaty with Germany by early 2025. Clemens Bilan/EPA/Shutterstock

Britain this week sought to expand the scope and depth of a new bilateral treaty it is negotiating with Germany, which both sides hope to conclude by early 2025. That has raised eyebrows within the EU.

German officials dismissed suggestions from Downing Street that the two countries would discuss market access as part of a treaty, stressing that the single market and trade were the prerogatives of the EU, not of national states.

One said the treaty would not change the content of the EU-UK agreement after Brexit.

An EU official said a visit to Germany was not a game changer, adding: “A lot of focus is on the bilateral relationship between Britain and Germany or France, but the EU is made up of 27 member states and if you want to reset relations the only person you have to talk to is not Berlin, Paris, Rome or Tallinn, it's Brussels.”

The official said it was very good news that Britain was renewing ties with the EU, but reiterated the bloc's position that any British proposals that could jeopardise the single market would be difficult to push through.

The EU's main demand from the UK is a youth mobility plan. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Alamy

Starmer is expected to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before the end of the year.

The EU's main ambition for Britain is a youth mobility scheme, which the bloc proposed in April. It also wants Britain to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange programme, which would make it cheaper for British citizens to study in the UK.

The EU proposal this spring drew a cold response from then-opposition Labour officials, who said they saw youth mobility as synonymous with free movement. But some Labour figures, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, are pushing for a deal.

This week Starmer said he had no plans to negotiate a formal youth mobility scheme, but did not explicitly rule out starting talks on one in the future.

The previous British Conservative government proposed bilateral mobility agreements with several countries, including Germany, which led the Commission to hold off on EU-wide proposals. Officials do not rule out the possibility of some member states going it alone if progress cannot be made EU-wide.

One of the Starmer government's priorities is a new UK-EU security deal to strengthen cooperation on the threats we face.

The EU sees current informal cooperation between the bloc and Britain in the area of ​​defence and security as progressing well, along with coordination on sanctions against Ukraine and China through the G7, NATO and other forums.

But EU officials said the bloc, like the United States, would be receptive to formalizing more structured talks.

After years of tensions under Conservative rule, the new Starmer government believes a comprehensive overhaul of Britain's relationship with the EU is the way to go, and has criticised the failed Brexit deal negotiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Starmer said after meeting Macron on Thursday that the two discussed a broad reset with the EU, the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, bilateral trade, irregular migration and security issues.

The British Prime Minister has described economic growth as the most important mission of the UK-EU restart.

Anand Menon, director of Changing Europe, a British think tank, said Starmer's warm rhetoric on UK-EU relations was welcome and would make it easier for politicians and civil servants on both sides to work together, making diplomacy go smoothly.

But he added that Britain and the EU were adopting a defensive strategy and that it was too early to predict how this would lead to any substantive changes in relations.

Ahead of the UK general election, Labour made specific demands on the EU for a veterinary agreement, an agreement on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and making it easier for British artists to tour under the bloc's proposals, which were criticised as falling short of expectations.

Menon said the workers' demands were not very ambitious and were not economically feasible, but he added that meeting them would be quite difficult.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos