Firms urged to reap new EU trade opportunities

The British government was today launching a high profile drive to encourage British firms to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the European Union’s 10 new member states.

British Chancellor Gordon Brown was delivering the opening address at the conference organised by the Foreign Office and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) aimed at ensuring “UK plc” reaps the benefits of the enlargement of the EU to 25 states.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will tonight make the keynote speech at a celebratory dinner at London’s Guildhall attended by ministers and business leaders from the 10 accession states.

CBI director general Digby Jones said that it was essential that Britain won the backing of the new member states for the so-called “Lisbon agenda” of economic reform of the EU.

“Enlargement of the single market provides a crucial opportunity for the EU to take up the challenge and reform,” he said.

“We have got to get all the countries on side and backing the Lisbon agenda if we are to achieve improved competitiveness, productivity and employment.

“Government and business must continue to build on the existing dialogue between the UK and all the new member states.”

Europe minister Denis MacShane said that the accession of the new member states meant that the European single market now contained 450 million people.

“The new EU countries have been responsible for a wealth of inventions, ideas and creative talent from the Rubik cube to the car seatbelt to Chopin. By tapping into these new markets, all Britain’s professions stand to benefit,” he said.