The British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce has joined British Chambers of Commerce across Europe in supporting a joint statement calling for the United Kingdom to be recognised as a trusted partner within the European Industrial Accelerator Act and the future "Made in Europe" framework.

The statement reflects concerns from the European business community that a restrictive approach to “Made in Europe” could create new barriers across established EU-UK value chains. It highlights the close integration of industries including automotive, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and advanced manufacturing, and calls for a framework that provides businesses with greater certainty for investment and long-term planning.

The signatories are calling on EU policymakers to recognise the UK as a trusted partner, allow UK-origin industrial content to contribute towards relevant European value-chain, industrial-policy and procurement requirements, and favour a clear framework for trusted partners over product-by-product assessments.

For Slovenia, an open and competitive European industrial base is particularly important. As a small, highly export-oriented economy, Slovenian companies are closely connected to international manufacturing and supply chains. In the first five months of 2026, Slovenia’s export growth was driven in particular by pharmaceuticals, road vehicles, metals and metal products, and electrical machinery and equipment.

Economic links between Slovenia and the UK also remain significant. Total bilateral trade in goods and services reached approximately £1.45 billion in 2025, while pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery and chemicals are among the main categories of UK goods exported to Slovenia.

The British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce signed the joint statement, joining 14 British Chambers of Commerce across Europe in calling the EU to recognise the UK as a trusted industrial partner. Commenting on the publication, Barbara Uranjek Kozina, CEO of the British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce, said: "For Slovenia, whose economy is deeply integrated into European and international value chains, maintaining predictable and efficient links with trusted trading partners matters. The UK remains an important economic partner for Europe, with strong industrial capabilities and supply chains that have developed over decades. European competitiveness will benefit from frameworks that provide businesses with certainty and allow established industrial partnerships to continue developing."

The joint statement argues that the UK should not be treated in the same way as a typical third country, pointing to decades of industrial cooperation, integrated supply chains, comparable regulatory standards and commitments under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It also stresses that European and UK competitiveness can reinforce each other, particularly as both economies respond to pressures around economic security, decarbonisation, skills and technological change.

The full Joint Statement on the Importance of Including the United Kingdom as a Trusted Partner in the European Industrial Accelerator Act can be accessed here.