France Says EU's "Made in Europe" Law Should Exclude the UK

France is leading a push to exclude the UK from the European Union's "Made in Europe" policy, a measure designed to curb Chinese competition in low-carbon technology and other strategic sectors, according to a report from The Guardian.

A French minister said that countries outside the EU's internal market should not receive the same protections as member states, arguing "if you're not in the internal market, you don't get the same protection."

Stakes for British Companies

The policy, if it excludes the UK, could result in British companies losing out in the race to supply European countries with low-carbon technologies and related equipment, according to the report. The exact scope of the "Made in Europe" law and which sectors it covers beyond low-carbon technology were not fully detailed in the available summary.

The push reflects the complexities in UK-EU trade relations following Britain's departure from the European Union, with British companies now facing different rules of access to EU markets and programs compared to before Brexit.

The report did not specify a timeline for when the "Made in Europe" policy might be finalized or how other EU member states have responded to France's position on excluding the UK from its protections.