Chancellor John Healey is meeting with European Union finance ministers in Dublin today, September 18, 2026, to lobby for the United Kingdom’s inclusion in the “Made in Europe” industrial policy. The mission represents a critical attempt by the government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham to prevent new trade barriers that could threaten billions in annual manufacturing exports.
The “Made in Europe” initiative is a central pillar of the Industrial Accelerator Act, a legislative package currently moving through the European Parliament. It is designed to protect European manufacturing from global competition—specifically from China—by prioritizing domestic goods for public contracts and subsidies. For the UK, exclusion from this bloc could lead to what Healey described as “new barriers” to trade.
Economic Stakes for British Manufacturing
The British automotive sector is particularly vulnerable to the proposed EU rules. Current industry data shows that the UK exports approximately £15 billion in vehicles and components to European markets every year. Participation in the “Made in Europe” scheme is viewed by the Treasury as essential to maintaining the competitiveness of these exports and securing the long-term health of the UK supply chain.
Healey’s push in Dublin comes two months after his appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer on July 20, 2026. The Dublin meeting signals a pragmatic shift toward securing the UK’s industrial interests within the European trade orbit.
Lessons from the SAFE Negotiations
In his discussions with finance ministers, Healey warned that excluding the UK from the industrial shield would be a strategic error. He urged EU leaders to “learn the lessons” from the failed 2025 “Security Action for Europe” (SAFE) defense fund negotiations. Those talks collapsed following a multibillion-euro entry fee dispute, a precedent the Burnham administration is eager to avoid in the industrial sector.
Despite the Chancellor’s outreach, significant hurdles remain. EU officials have identified France and the European Parliament as the primary obstacles to allowing UK participation, and a formal consensus has yet to emerge.
The lobbying effort in Dublin serves as a precursor to a high-profile UK-EU reset summit. Originally scheduled for July, the summit was postponed and is now expected to take place in November 2026. The outcome of today’s informal Ecofin meeting is expected to set the tone for those broader negotiations regarding the UK’s future relationship with the single market’s industrial policies.
