The British Chamber of Commerce for Italy is pleased to join 14 other British Chambers of Commerce across Europe, together with the British Chambers of Commerce in the UK, in signing this Joint Statement on the Importance of Including the United Kingdom as a Trusted Partner in the European Industrial Accelerator Act.
The statement calls for the UK to be treated as a trusted partner under the EU’s “Made in Europe” framework, rather than as an ordinary third country. In particular, we ask that UK-origin content be capable of counting towards relevant European value-chain, industrial-policy and procurement requirements, and that this be addressed through a clear and predictable trusted-partner framework rather than through product-by-product assessments.
President of the BCCI, Tom Noad, commented:
In today’s complex geopolitical environment, strengthening European industrial competitiveness and resilience is essential. But in that context, the UK is not simply another ‘third country’.
Unnecessary barriers between UK and EU industrial supply chains risk increasing costs, reducing investment certainty and ultimately weakening EU and British businesses alike. A competitive Europe and a competitive United Kingdom should be mutually reinforcing objectives.
This is especially relevant to the UK–Italy relationship, where bilateral trade in goods exceeded €17 billion in the first half of 2026 alone. More importantly, our economies are connected through complex industrial relationships and integrated supply chains spanning sectors including automotive, aerospace, advanced engineering, pharmaceuticals and energy.
I am therefore very pleased that the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy is adding its voice to this collective European initiative.