Jose Angel Gurria Quotes

Most British people are keen to remain in a European free trade zone; and most EU states are keen to keep us there, because we buy from them more than we sell to them to the tune of £40 million per day.

We were right to make the case for the U.K. to negotiate a comprehensive customs union with the E.U. And we are right to argue for a strong single market deal, based on common standards, protections and regulations: the right balance of rights and obligation.

You don't need to be a John Maynard Keynes to understand that if Britain leaves the European market, a border will have to be put in place - and that would break U.K. obligations in a treaty lodged at the United Nations.

I am an optimist about the UK. We have been involved in trade with our European partners, which we will always be doing whatever this relationship is. We are a member of the EU. That gives us benefits. But we have to figure out where that is going. In the world, we are a global trader already.

I believed and hoped that we would be able to secure a deal with Europe which would enable us to amend free movement.

Theresa May has made a decision that we want our economic future to remain close to Europe: it's the biggest single market in the world; it's right on our doorstep.

Our idea is to make the U.K. a privileged partner of the E.U.

The most difficult part of Brexit will be to figure out the trade regime between the U.K. and the rest of the E.U. because the level of trade integration between the members of the E.U. is the deepest in the world and integrates regulations that govern how products and services are produced and sold within the E.U.

Leaving the E.U. without a preferential trade arrangement in place would make the U.K. significantly poorer.

We should advocate that the North should stay in the customs union and the single market and that any customs checks should be in the ports and airports, not on land borders.

Brexit is not ideal. I'm famously not a Brexit negotiator, but relations between Ireland and the U.K. have been getting stronger, and a big part of that has been trade and feeling like sister countries within the E.U. I don't think it will affect the 'vibe' of relations, but it will have a significant effect on trade and business.

One of the reasons people voted to leave the E.U. is so that we could have the freedom to strike trade deals with countries outside the E.U. Staying locked into the customs union prevents this.

I made my position clear to the people of Broxtowe: that I would continue to make the case for the single market.

I do not doubt that there are many countries that will wish to trade with the U.K. post-Brexit, but understandably they will wait to see what the U.K.'s ultimate relationship with Europe will be.

As the U.K. prepares to leave the E.U., we have an opportunity to leverage our reputation for integrity and fair play as we establish new trading relationships.

What I would rather see, what I think would be the best outcome, is a very close relationship between the United Kingdom and the E.U.

If Northern Ireland is in one customs regime and the Republic of Ireland is in another, why won't a customs border be necessary, just as happens with every other land border of this type?

There are lots of jobs and investment in Scotland dependent on our membership of the E.U. single market.

The U.S. - E.U. economic relationship dwarfs America's economic ties with China.

I would wish for more British involvement in Europe, not less.

I do not share the half-in, half-out attitude to the EU of some in Britain. Britain's place is in Europe.

I think the U.K. would be perfectly successful as a standalone country, part of the European marketplace like Norway and Switzerland but without the expensive E.U. bureaucracy.

If the Chinese can't buy U.S. products, they'll buy them from European countries and then develop stronger economic ties with France and Germany and perhaps side more with those countries when international issues flare up.

If we leave the E.U., we will regain control of our own money.

The next leader of this country needs to be someone who believes heart and soul that Britain should be outside the European Union.