Relaxing Britain’s borders could be the price for closer trading and security ties with the European Union, Germany‘s ambassador to the UK has suggested.
Miguel Berger said the bloc would prefer a post-Brexit ‘mega deal’ which would restore freedom of movement for younger people and certain professionals.
It will raise fresh concerns about whether Sir Keir Starmer, who campaigned for a second referendum to reverse the Leave vote, will gradually unpick Brexit in his bid to ‘reset’ relations with Brussels.
The Prime Minister has said he wants to renegotiate the UK-EU post-Brexit treaty, including on security.
He also wants to forge closer economic ties in areas such as agriculture, chemicals and professional qualifications.
Sir Keir Starmer (pictured at Hutchinson Engineering in Widnes) is set to slowly unpick Brexit in his bid to re-build closer relations with Brussels
However Miguel Berger (pictured) the German ambassador in the UK has suggested relaxing Britain’s borders may be the price for closer security ties
The PM has stressed he will not take Britain back into the bloc’s single market or customs union.
But critics accuse him of being unrealistic, saying the EU will demand something in return for closer access to its markets.
This could include Britain once again effectively becoming subject to EU laws and judges.
Mr Berger said greater freedom of movement will be a priority for the EU as he revealed Berlin wanted a much ‘broader’ deal than the one being talked about by Sir Keir.
‘We have a headline, which is security and cooperation.
‘And beneath that, we think we should look for areas which are in the common interest,’ he told the Politico website.
He suggested a working title of the Security and Cooperation Agreement for a new treaty.
Mr Berger said greater freedom of movement will be a priority for the EU as he revealed Berlin wanted a much ‘broader’ deal (stock image)
However he has insisted it has nothing to do with the ‘migration dossier’ as ‘people come here to study, work, do internships, whatever, and then they would leave’ (pictured: migrants in a dingy off the coast of England)
Insisting his proposals did not amount to a return to the freedom of movement seen when Britain was in the EU, Mr Berger added: ‘I think it’s very important that people understand this has nothing to do with the migration dossier, because people come here to study, work, do internships, whatever, and then they would leave. So this is not about migration.’
But he added: ‘That would include a youth mobility scheme. It would include the Erasmus [student exchange] programme, school trips, youth exchanges, the question of visa costs.
‘So I would say there are many, many things which affect the day-to-day mobility, especially for young people, and I would really like to see some progress there.’
During a European summit at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire last week, Sir Keir wooed EU leaders by telling them he wanted to reboot relations.
