LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- British Brexit Secretary David Davis during a speech given in Vienna dismissed fears Tuesday that Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) would be a "race to the bottom."
In a keynote speech to business leaders in Vienna, of which a copy was obtained by Xinhua, Davis said Britain will not be plunged into a "Mad Max" style world borrowed from dystopian fiction.
He was delivering the second of six speeches by senior British front-bench ministers as part of Prime Minister Theresa May's "Road to Brexit" strategy.
"RACE TO TOP IN GLOBAL STANDARDS"
Davis described Britain's plan as its blueprint for life outside of the EU, saying it is a race to the top in global standards.
He added: "Fears about a race to the bottom are based on nothing, not our history, not our intentions, nor our national interest."
"Frankly, the competitive challenge we in the UK and the European Union will face from the rest of the world, where 90 percent of growth in markets will come from, will not be met by a reduction in standards," he added.
Explaining why government ministers were embarking on a tour of Europe, Davis said next month Britain will start detailed discussions on exactly how the new relationship with the EU will look.
Brexit, he said, will inevitably mean a change in the way British, Austrian and other European Union companies do business.
Davis added: "The future trade talks will be a negotiation like no other. We start from a position of total alignment, with unprecedented experience in working with one another's regulators and institutions."
"The agreement we strike will not be about how to build convergence, but what we do when one of us chooses to make changes to our rules. Neither side should put up unnecessary barriers during this process," he said.
He stated a crucial part of any such agreement will be the ability for both sides to trust each other's regulations and the institutions that enforce them, with a robust and independent arbitration mechanism.
REMARKS FROM OTHERS
Keir Starmer, Brexit Shadow Secretary for the main opposition Labour Party, hit out at promises made by Davis in his speech about workers' rights and environmental protection, commenting: "it simply isn't worth the paper it is written on."
Tim Roache, general secretary of one of Britain's biggest trade unions, the GMB union, said: "If the best this government can do is promise Britain will not turn into a 'Mad Max' nightmare -- it's no wonder people are worried about their post-Brexit lives."
Allie Renison from the Institute of Directors Allie Renison welcomed an acknowledgement by Davis about the importance of keeping a level playing field on state aid and competition policy.
"Minimizing trade barriers can and should go hand in hand with a future deal with the EU," said Renison.
