Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - British Defense Minister Wes Streeting on Monday warned the European Union against excluding Britain from the "Made in Europe" initiative to support industry, weeks before an expected summit between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 13:27

The European Union seeks to strengthen domestic sectors such as automobiles and defense by requiring companies to buy European products if they want to receive public funds, but these efforts have raised concerns in London that the United Kingdom may be excluded.

"We have to be careful" to avoid the Made in Europe initiative turning into "self-harming protectionist" measures, Streeting said alongside EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas ahead of their talks in Brussels.

The British minister will also meet with European Union Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.

Monday's talks come more than two weeks before a summit to be held in Brussels on November 20, bringing together European Union leaders and British Prime Minister Andy Burnum.

Burnam said the long-awaited meeting would be an opportunity to start a "serious dialogue" about long-term relations between the United Kingdom and the European bloc, a decade after the British voted to leave the European Union.

The “Made in Europe” file will be one of the most prominent issues raised, even though it is not officially included on the summit’s agenda.

With the European Union's efforts to reduce dependence on non-European companies in terms of developing artificial intelligence and cloud computing, London fears that the new digital rules being prepared will also lead to the exclusion of British companies.

London and Brussels hope to reach agreements on food and drink trade, youth mobility and avoiding European taxes on carbon emissions during the November 20 talks.

The European Union, in particular, hopes to make progress on reducing the fees paid by students from EU countries to enroll in British universities.

The bloc's capitals are scheduled to discuss the summit's draft joint statement during a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday.

Streeting will also meet later Monday with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Berlin.

© 2026 AFP

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