Chancellor George Osborne kicks off his own European tour to try and win the EU over on Cameron’s reforms
Chancellor George Osborne is embarking on a whistle-stop tour of three European capitals today, in an effort to secure support for Prime Minister David Cameron’s EU reform agenda.
Osborne is set to visit Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen to hold meetings with key members of the Finnish, Swedish and Danish governments, including Finnish finance minister Alexander Stubb, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
According to a Treasury spokesperson, the meetings are expected to focus on “protecting the integrity of the single market and the rights of non-euro members as the euro area continues to integrate; working together to complete the European single market to deliver lasting benefits for citizens across the EU; and expanding the EU’s external trade with the fastest growing economies.”
Last month, Osborne held similar meetings with French government ministers in Paris.
He is expected to make further trips to other European capitals in the coming months, ahead of the next scheduled European Council meeting in October.