As I have said, the Government of the United Kingdom wants to agree a
deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU, taking in both
economic and security cooperation. At a time when the growth of global
trade is slowing and there are signs that protectionist instincts are on
the rise in many parts of the world, Europe has a responsibility to
stand up for free trade in the interest of all our citizens. Likewise,
Europe’s security is more fragile today than at any time since the end
of the Cold War. Weakening our cooperation for the prosperity and
protection of our citizens would be a costly mistake. The United
Kingdom’s objectives for our future partnership remain those set out in
my Lancaster House speech of 17 January and the subsequent White Paper
published on 2 February.
We recognise that it will be a challenge to reach such a
comprehensive agreement within the two-year period set out for
withdrawal discussions in the Treaty. But we believe it is necessary to
agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our
withdrawal from the EU. We start from a unique position in these
discussions – close regulatory alignment, trust in one another’s
institutions, and a spirit of cooperation stretching back decades. It
is for these reasons, and because the future partnership between the UK
and the EU is of such importance to both sides, that I am sure it can be
agreed in the time period set out by the Treaty.
The task before us is momentous but it should not be beyond us.
After all, the institutions and the leaders of the European Union have
succeeded in bringing together a continent blighted by war into a union
of peaceful nations, and supported the transition of dictatorships to
democracy. Together, I know we are capable of reaching an agreement
about the UK’s rights and obligations as a departing member state, while
establishing a deep and special partnership that contributes towards
the prosperity, security and global power of our continent.