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Approach to our Future Relationship with the European Union

Today the UK Government has published a Command Paper “The Future Relationship with the European Union: the UK’s approach to negotiations”. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the both Houses.

This paper sets out our vision of the future relationship with the EU. This is based on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, or FTA, plus separate agreements on fisheries, law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, aviation, energy, and others.

We are seeking the type of trade agreement which the EU has already concluded in recent years with Canada and other friendly countries.

Our approach is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals. It represents our clear and unwavering view that the UK will always have control of its own laws and political life, legal autonomy, and the right to manage its own borders, immigration policy and taxes.

This Government is committed to establishing the future relationship in ways that benefit the whole of the UK and strengthen our Union. We believe that this overall approach is a fair and reasonable one.