Britain should look to “go further” at each UK-EU summit, Sir Keir Starmer has said ahead of talks with the bloc.
The Prime Minister has consistently ruled out rejoining the EU’s customs union, but said aligning with the single market was “the place to look” in future negotiations.
Speaking to reporters during his trip to China, Sir Keir said there had already been “progress on the single market”, including a deal on food and agriculture standards, and suggested further progress could be made in other areas.
His comments come as ministers prepare for another round of talks with EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic next week.
A second UK-EU summit is expected to take place later this year, following the first such summit in May 2025.
Sir Keir told reporters each summit with the EU should bring new agreements.
He said: “I think we should not just follow through on what we’ve already agreed.
“I think the relationship with the EU, and every summit, should be iterative.
“We should be seeking to go further.”
But Sir Keir reiterated that he would not seek to rejoin the customs union, arguing this would mean having to “unpick” post-Brexit trade deals with countries such as the US and India.
One area currently under discussion is the possibility of a youth mobility scheme, making it easier for young people from Britain to work in the EU for a period, and vice versa.
The EU is reported to be pushing for a scheme with no cap on numbers, but Sir Keir insisted that any deal would have to include a cap.
He told reporters he was “pleased” that a scheme was being negotiated, adding: “The principals are that there has got to be a cap and there has got to be a duration agreed.
“It will be a visa-led scheme.
“All of our schemes are similar to that.”
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