The former prime minister Boris Johnson rejected<\/a> the idea of a Swiss-style relationship with the EU because it involved free movement and regulatory alignment, but it is often considered a halfway house to full membership of the bloc.<\/p>\n A Swiss-style relationship with the EU, which is often considered a halfway house to full membership of the bloc, was rejected by the former prime minister Boris Johnson. Photograph: Neil Hall\/EPA<\/p>\n Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it struck a deal last year cementing its \u201cfrictionless access\u201d to the single market across more than 100 agreements with a new framework deal.<\/p>\n This gives it access to the EU\u2019s electricity market, space programmes, Erasmus and the Digital Europe research programme, and participation in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.<\/p>\n In exchange, Switzerland agreed to the free movement of people and to pay \u20ac375m (\u00a3326m) a year into the EU\u2019s economic and cohesion funds.<\/p>\n Lange, a German MEP who has an important role in the European legislative process as chair of the European parliament\u2019s trade committee, said the Switzerland framework could be a model for the UK, but it was a \u201cpassive\u201d agreement that would not involve the country in EU decision-making.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a step by step [process], of course, there are a lot of possibilities, but I would love to have the UK come back also in the political decision-making process and politically be engaged. So we have the model of Switzerland \u2026 Switzerland plus, I would say, as that has some kinds of engagement but not the full membership.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the decision about what relationship the UK wanted with the EU was entirely \u201cin the hands of the UK\u201d, but if it opted for something like Switzerland plus, an agreement could be achieved quickly, notwithstanding political hiccups.<\/p>\n He was speaking in London, where his schedule includes a meeting with the trade minister, Anas Sarwar, who is part of a team working on the UK\u2019s new position on EU relations<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bernd Lange, the chair of the European parliament\u2019s trade committee, said he supported Andy Burnham\u2019s call for the UK not to be locked out of the EU\u2019s Made in Europe legislation. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAP<\/p>\n Lange also threw his weight behind Andy Burnham\u2019s call for the EU not to lock the UK out of Made in Europe legislation that would restrict UK suppliers from inclusion in public procurement tenders as well as some corporate contracts such as car fleets.<\/p>\n French and German leaders were reportedly close on Thursday to agreeing a proposal that the UK could be included, provided it aligned with the EU\u2019s 2024 tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles.<\/p>\n This week the boss of Mercedes said the EU would be making a \u201cdeliberate choice\u201d to harm the EU car industry<\/a> if it did not allow the UK into the Made in Europe package.<\/p>\n
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