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The UK condemns the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine. We stand with the Ukrainian government and its brave people. Find out what the UK is doing.
The UK and our international partners are united in support for Ukraine. The UK government is providing a range of economic, humanitarian and defensive military assistance to Ukraine, and is imposing additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus.
Read the latest developments here.
Published 18 March 2022
Press release
The UK and the Netherlands gave a joint statement following the annual Cyber Dialogue in London on 15 March 2022.
UK-Netherlands Cyber Dialogue in London, 15 March 2022.
Statement from the governments of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands:
On 15 March 2022, the United Kingdom and Netherlands concluded their annual Cyber Dialogue, with interagency consultations on cyber security in London.
The United Kingdom and the Netherlands shared their concern over malicious conduct of State and non-State actors in cyberspace and reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations framework for responsible State behaviour endorsed by consensus by the General Assembly.
Both sides specifically denounced continuing cyber-attacks in the context of Russia’s unprovoked and premeditated military assault on Ukraine. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have strongly condemned these military actions that are in gross violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. Both sides agreed to continue to work closely together within NATO to bolster deterrence and defence in cyberspace and enhance cooperation between the EU and NATO on cyber defence.
The United Kingdom and the Netherlands affirm their comprehensive cooperation on cybersecurity, including on threat assessments, multilateral efforts, governance of cyberspace, online safety and security and cyber capacity building. Both sides agreed to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation with regard to deterring malicious cyber activity and irresponsible conduct in cyberspace. They also reaffirmed their support to the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise as a centre of excellence and expertise in global cyber capacity building.
The Bilateral Cyber Dialogue was held in London on 15 March 2022, with representatives from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Cabinet Office, National Cyber Security Centre, Department of Digital Culture, Media and Sport and Home Office; and from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Cyber Security Centre.
Published 18 March 2022
Treasury strategic review of Pool Re reduces scheme’s overall pricing by 20% in a drive to allow more businesses to access terrorism reinsurance
Government’s unlimited guarantee will also be extended for another 5 years
5-year strategic review of Pool Re backed by its board and members
The review enables Pool Re to modernise its system of reinsurance, by moving for the first time in its history to a treaty-based model of reinsurance, enabling it to offer pricing based off more detailed geographical data. Alongside this, Pool Re will reduce taxpayers’ exposure to the cost of terrorist acts by further transferring risk back to the market.
Pool Re will also collaborate with the government to address the lack of awareness of terrorism reinsurance among small and medium enterprises.
Pool Reinsurance Company Limited (Pool Re) is a mutual company that was established in 1993 when a series of terrorist attacks in Great Britain prompted reinsurers to withdraw from the terrorism insurance market, and as a result, the economy, industry, and the taxpayer were highly vulnerable to the financial cost of future attacks. It corrects market failure by providing its members with an unlimited government guarantee to insure against the potentially catastrophic costs of terrorist acts, and gives them the confidence to offer insurance products to businesses.
The UK is a world leader in terrorism reinsurance – and I am delighted that Pool Re’s board and its members have approved our 5-year strategic review.
The planned reforms will modernise the terrorism reinsurance market, make premiums cheaper for businesses, and most importantly – will extend the government’s unlimited guarantee so insurers have the confidence to insure against the financial costs of terrorist acts.
This positive result is very welcome news. The support of members is critical for the future development of Pool Re, and we are delighted that they have shown their support for all the strategic proposals we agreed with HMT.
HMT is committed to reviewing its relationship with Pool Re every five years to ensure that its relationship and the scheme continues to operate in the best interests of Pool Re and its members, the government, the taxpayer and the wider economy.
In an extending Pool Re’s unlimited guarantee, the government has protected taxpayers by ensuring that Pool Re continues to proactively return risk to the market and does not pay special dividends without the Treasury’s permission.
HM Treasury will bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows to give Ministers a power to direct public bodies in receipt of a guarantee or arrangement under the act to comply with appropriate controls.
The current unlimited HMT guarantee of Pool Re remains appropriate and important to the provision of available and affordable terrorism insurance in Great Britain.
The government’s unlimited guarantee of the scheme (a commitment to extend a repayable loan if needed) meant that insurers were able to access adequate and affordable reinsurance cover for terrorism losses.
HMT is committed to reviewing its relationship with Pool Re every five years to ensure that its relationship and the scheme continues to operate in the best interests of Pool Re and its members, the government, the taxpayer and the wider economy. This review was launched in September 2020 and is designed to set the strategic direction of Pool Re for the coming 5 years.
The headline Terms of Reference for this review were:
i) Assessing if the risk share between HMG and the private sector remains appropriate for the good functioning of the UK’s terrorism (re)insurance market.
ii) Considering if the scheme rules that govern Pool Re require updating to enable or formalise operating practices which are of mutual interest.
iii)Ensuring that the requirements HMG sets for companies classified by the ONS to the central government sub-sector are met, without compromising Pool Re’s ability to operate effectively.
Pool Re currently offers reinsurance based of four geographical zones. The proposed changes to the scheme will enable the firm to use a new, more advance model for terrorism risk, based on the collection of significantly more detailed geographical data.
Please read the review here: HM Treasury’s review of Pool Reinsurance Company Limited 2020-2022
Press release
The CMA has referred Ritchie Bros’ planned purchase of Euro Auctions for an in-depth Phase 2 investigation, after finding competition concerns.
Ritchie Bros and Euro Auctions are both auction service providers for used heavy equipment in the UK. During its initial investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the companies have a very high market share in the supply of auction services for heavy construction machinery, with Euro Auctions being the clear market leader and Ritchie Bros the second largest provider.
The CMA also found that other auction providers were significantly smaller and other methods of sale (for example, marketplaces, listing websites and dealers) did not compete with the companies on any meaningful level. The CMA is therefore concerned that, if completed, the proposed deal could lead to a reduction in competition in the UK market, which could result in higher prices for the companies’ customers and a lower quality service.
The firms offered undertakings to address the CMA’s competition concerns. However, the CMA does not believe that the proposals would effectively address the competition concerns identified.
David Stewart, CMA Executive Director, said:
Many businesses across the UK rely on Ritchie Bros and Euro Auctions to buy and sell heavy construction machinery in the UK. This merger would combine the two largest auction providers in this sector, risking higher commissions and lower service quality.
We are not satisfied that the proposed undertakings from Ritchie Bros would fully address these concerns, which is why we are moving on to an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.
For more information, visit the Ritchie Bros / Euro Auctions case page.
J’ai lu avec intérêt un article arguant que le Brexit avait contribué à l’isolement du Royaume-Uni au sujet de l’Ukraine, tout en admettant que Boris Johnson était un des premiers à avoir proposé des sanctions à l’encontre de la Russie en excluant des banques russes du système SWIFT – ce qui a ensuite été mis en pratique par l’UE –, et que le Royaume-Uni avait été le premier pays à donner des armes de défense aux Ukrainiens en début d’année – ce qui a été suivi comme un exemple par d’autres pays européens. L’article a donc critiqué à la fois la mise en œuvre de la Revue Intégrée, qui a pour but d’activer une diplomatie forte autour du monde, soutenue par des partenariats ; mais il a aussi jugé la ‘réactivation’ des alliances historiques comme une faiblesse. N’y aurait-il pas là une contradiction ?
Il faut être clair : je n’ai pas pour objectif de débusquer chaque idée fausse à propos du Royaume-Uni. Le but est avant tout de mettre fin à cette guerre terrible en Ukraine. Et pour y arriver, il faut une détermination collective face à l’horreur que Poutine a déclenchée ; une détermination fondée sur notre attachement commun et profond à la paix, à la démocratie et à la liberté.
Bien entendu, l’Union européenne joue un rôle essentiel à cet égard, un rôle auquel nous, au Royaume-Uni, attachons une grande importance. C’est pourquoi la Ministre des affaires étrangères britannique Liz Truss a assisté au Conseil des Affaires Etrangères avec le Secrétaire d’Etat américain Antony Blinken et le Secrétaire général de l’OTAN Jens Stoltenberg. C’est pour cela aussi que nous avons dédié plus de 400 millions de livres d’aide humanitaire et économique pour l’Ukraine, et redoublé nos renforts de l’OTAN – nous faisons tout ce qui est en notre pouvoir pour montrer notre solidarité à l’égard de nos amis, en particulier ceux du flanc est.
Le Royaume-Uni soutient ces efforts, avec les Etats-Unis entre autres, avec une force catalytique. Il y travaille dans le cadre du format « Quad » (avec la France, les Etats-Unis et l’Allemagne), ainsi qu’avec les pays du groupe de Višegrad, mais aussi à Londres avec le lancement du Groupe de Soutien International à l’Ukraine avec Mark Rutte et Justin Trudeau la semaine dernière, ou encore lors de la réunion de la force expéditionnaire commune (JEF) cette semaine. La diplomatie n’est pas un jeu à somme nulle. Il s’agit de rassembler autant de partenaires que possible pour faire force ensemble. D’où le poids de la résolution de l’Assemblée Générale de l’ONU, approuvée par 141 Etats, condamnant les actions du gouvernement russe.
Prenons l’exemple des sanctions. Depuis l’invasion de la Russie, le Royaume-Uni a sanctionné plus de mille personnes, entités et filiales parmi les plus importantes et les plus précieuses de Russie. Cela porte à plus de 800 le nombre total de personnes visées, y compris contre 18 des principaux oligarques russes, dont la valeur totale des richesses dépasse 30 milliards de livres sterling. Cela a un coût pour le Royaume-Uni, tout comme les sanctions européennes vont avoir un coût pour les Français. Mais si notre objectif commun est de soumettre une pression économique punitive à l’encontre du régime russe, en démontrant que rien – ni personne – n’échappe à la possibilité d’être sanctionné, je dirais que les trains de sanctions complémentaires du Royaume-Uni, et des Etats-Unis, et de l’Union Européenne, et du Canada font la force.
Enfin, je souhaite clarifier la position du gouvernement britannique sur cette fameuse question de la sécurité européenne. J’ai moi-même travaillé sur la Revue Intégrée de la sécurité, du développement et de la politique étrangère du Royaume-Uni et je tiens à attirer votre attention sur cette ligne fondamentale : « Notre engagement envers la sécurité européenne est sans équivoque ». La région euro-atlantique reste la pierre angulaire de notre sécurité, et il est absurde de suggérer le contraire. En dehors de l’OTAN – ce qui n’est pas facile à dire étant donné son poids et le soutien des Etats-Unis – nous travaillons ensemble, de manière bilatérale, par l’intermédiaire de l’OSCE et de petits groupes nommés plus haut pour défendre nos valeurs communes, contrer les menaces partagées et renforcer la résilience dans notre voisinage. Le constat positif de tout cet épisode tragique est la coordination étroite qui perdure entre l’UE, le Royaume-Uni et les Etats-Unis.
Avec tous ces exemples de partenariats, de diplomatie active, de coordination, de bonne foi, j’espère pouvoir enclencher un nouvel état d’esprit. Le Royaume-Uni reste un pays profondément européen, ainsi qu’un acteur mondial. Le succès d’un de nos alliés est le succès de nous tous – surtout s’il agit de sauver des vies. Ecartez-vous des récits inutiles présentant des gagnants et des perdants – seul Poutine pourra en profiter. L’heure est à l’unité pour trouver un moyen d’en finir avec cet enfer.
Dame Menna Rawlings, Ambassadeur du Royaume-Uni en France