Oral Answers to Questions

James Asser Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

8. What steps he is taking to increase trade ties with Europe.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

14. What steps he is taking to increase trade ties with Europe.

[The Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Peter Kyle)]

UK-EU collaboration is vital for growth and security, with 46% of the UK’s total trade, after all, with the EU. In recent weeks, I have gone to Brussels and signed a new competition co-operation agreement, furthering the partnership between our two territories in the interests of businesses. I had constructive meetings with Commissioners Ribera, Mînzatu and Virkkunen.

[Peter Kyle]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour down in sunny Sussex for that question. The reset relationship with the EU has been fundamental and has delivered for businesses right across Britain, including Hobgoblin in Worthing on the sunny south coast of England. We are tackling the barriers to trade. The dialogue we have with the EU on business mobility and recognition of professional services will unlock opportunities into the future. Where working with the EU delivers for Britain, we will do so enthusiastically.

[James Asser]

I put on record my role as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Bulgaria. The APPG recently visited Sofia, where we met businesses that are keen to build their trade relationships with this country, particularly in the energy and tech sectors. We also saw the good work being done by our embassy in partnership with the UK-Bulgarian chamber of commerce. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need to look at trading with many of the newer markets in eastern Europe, which are keen to create trade, particularly when we have active business communities from those countries in the UK that are keen to build a partnership that will benefit both our country and theirs?

[Peter Kyle]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and his work in this area is incredibly important. Our trade with every one of the newer EU member states has increased over the 12 months to September 2025, and I can give some examples of the kind of work we are engaged in. We are supporting Rolls-Royce, which is planning to build up to six small modular reactor units in the Czech Republic. One of the EU’s fastest growing economies in Europe is, in fact, Poland, and we won Polish Airlines’ first order of 40 Airbus aircrafts, which will benefit the British economy. We have also agreed to start trade policy dialogue with Norway, and we are negotiating a trade agreement with Switzerland to boost trade services. Non-EU countries of course play a vital role in that tapestry as well.