Report of the official mission to Ireland and the United Kingdom
On 5, 6 and 7 October 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Sophie Wilmès led an official mission to Ireland and the United Kingdom. This mission must be seen in the context of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union and the trade agreement that came into force in May of this year. It was the first time a Belgian Foreign Minister had visited the UK since the 2016 referendum.
Ireland
Deputy Prime Minister Wilmès arrived in Dublin late on Tuesday 5 October. This first stopover allowed the two countries to underline the cohesion between European partners, as well as the support shown by Belgium to Ireland, which is experiencing difficulties with regard to the situation in Northern Ireland and, in general, given the consequences of Brexit. Belgium also feels a certain closeness to Ireland due to the fact that, like Ireland, we are one of the European Member States most affected by the British withdrawal from the EU.
On Tuesday evening, the Deputy Prime Minister attended a working dinner with her Irish counterpart, Minister Simon Coveney. The two ministers had the opportunity to discuss various current issues over the course of nearly three hours. Brexit was the main topic. Belgium, Ireland and all European countries share the same view of this problem. On the Northern Ireland Memorandum of Understanding, the Deputy Prime Minister said that she heard British concerns about the difficulties on the ground. While some flexibility could be introduced, Belgium does not want to renege on an agreement that bears the signature of the Prime Minister and the current executive. The compromise reached makes it possible both to respect the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement (1998) and to safeguard the integrity of the European internal market. Sophie Wilmès and Minister Coveney also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - a subject that she wishes to systematically explore with each of her European counterparts in order to work towards a common position - and the situation in Afghanistan. The Deputy Prime Minister also took the opportunity to mention Belgian expertise in the development of offshore energy.
On Wednesday 6 October, Deputy Prime Minister Wilmès started the day with a lunch at the Embassy with representatives of the local Belgian-Irish business community. They had the opportunity to paint for her an accurate picture of the socio-economic environment in the country following Brexit, share their analyses and point out the economic opportunities that Ireland represents for Belgium.
This was followed by a meeting with the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation NGO, whose expertise and experience on the ground with regard to the situation in Northern Ireland is internationally recognised.
Lastly, Sophie Wilmès made a point of visiting Dogpatch Labs, a major startup hub located in the area known as Silicon Docks, in Dublin. This field visit gave her the opportunity to examine the issue of digital and new technologies, as well as the policy implemented in Ireland to support young companies and accelerate their development. Whilst there, she met Belgian expatriates from the company Sunday, established in Dublin.
United Kingdom
Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès arrived in London on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 October. She began with a visit to the offices of the insurance company Lloyd's, which has decided to set up its European subsidiary in Brussels following Brexit. Her meeting with the company's CEO was an opportunity to better define the reasons for their choice to continue to reinforce the assets and attractiveness of the Belgian capital for foreign companies.
Sophie Wilmès then met Lord Karan Bilimoria, President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the equivalent of the FEB in Belgium. The main objective of this meeting was to prepare for the Belgian economic mission to the United Kingdom, which will take place in the spring of 2022.
On Thursday 7 October, there were two bilateral meetings between the Deputy Prime Minister and her British counterparts. First, with the British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss. This meeting laid the foundations for a stronger bilateral relationship between Belgium and the United Kingdom, including more frequent political consultations. The United Kingdom remains a neighbouring country with which Belgium shares a strong history. The United Kingdom is also Belgium's leading country of export outside the European Union. This work to strengthen relationships will continue in the coming months, for example with the visit of the Belgian Prime Minister.
Sophie Wilmès then met Lord David Frost, Minister of State for Relations with the European Union. Sophie Wilmès gave a message of appeasement and understanding, advocating a rapid response but still within the framework of the agreements between the United Kingdom and the European Union. She stressed that neither side would gain from an escalation of tensions or even a definitive breakdown in the dialogue.