17 November 2022
Government Ministers met with Ambassadors and representatives from twenty-two European
countries at an event in London yesterday evening. The reception, jointly hosted by the Chief
Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, and the Minister for External Relations, Deputy Philip Ozouf,
marked the first held by Government since February 2019.
The Chief Minister and Minister for External Relations were joined by the Deputy Chief Minister,
Deputy Kirsten Morel; the Minister for Treasury & Resources, Deputy Ian Gorst; the Minister for
Children & Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner; and the Minister for Environment, Deputy Jonathan
Renouf. Ministers were also joined by the Deputy Bailiff, Robert MacRae, and the CEO of Digital
Jersey.
The event brought together Ambassadors and representatives from across the embassies in
London, presenting an opportunity to introduce Ministers to key European partners; build personal
relationships with European Ambassadors and senior diplomats; and increase positive visibility and
understanding of Jersey in Europe post-Brexit, across all policy portfolios.
After the reception, the Chief Minister said:
“I was delighted to host our first diplomatic reception since February 2019. Since then, Europe and
the world have experienced multiple crises, with the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine posing unprecedented challenges for us all.
“During the reception Ministers discussed a wide range of matters with our European partners,
including the breadth of Jersey’s relationship with Europe; the contribution that European
communities make to Island life; and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
“The purpose of these events is to promote Jersey’s island identity abroad and specifically highlight
that we are both geographically and culturally part of Europe. Our alignment with European values
in a time when liberal democracies are increasingly under pressure is especially important.
“Jersey has one of the highest proportions of resident EU nationals outside of the EU at 16%, with
significant communities from Portugal, Poland, and Romania - amongst others - who make major
contributions to our Island community.
“It is important for us to engage directly, where we can, with key representatives from across
Europe. Events like this help us to do exactly that, and illustrate that Jersey and Europe have mutual
policy interests, including on climate, education, culture, sustainability, and maintaining strong
Economies.
“Strong and effective long-term relationships must be built on people-to-people connections, so I
would like to thank all European representatives for their attendance yesterday evening”.
The Minister for External Relations said:
“This government is committed to pursuing good neighbourly relations with the EU. This has
already been demonstrated with recent engagements in both Paris and Brussels. Whilst Jersey has
never been a part of the EU, we are geographically part of Europe, our economies are strongly
interlinked with the European economy, and we share the democratic values that underpin the EU.
“We have always pursued extensive engagement with our European partners, through our overseas
offices in Brussels, London, and Caen; in European capitals; and through engagement in multilateral
organisations, such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
“The reception held last night was a means of reasserting Jersey’s commitment to strong
relationships with our European partners and illustrating the Island’s position and interests in the
post-Brexit world we find ourselves in.
“To have so many Ambassadors and European representatives attend our event is both a testament
to the shared value of our current relations, but also extremely encouraging for their development
in the future”.
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