U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged Britain to "open up" the North Sea, criticizing the Labour government's energy tax policy as a "very big mistake." Trump's comments followed a report on Apache's plans to cease operations in the North Sea by the end of 2029. The British government announced an increase in the windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas producers from 35% to 38%, extending it by one year. North Sea producers warned that the higher tax rate could lead to reduced investments and are exiting the area before the tax increases take effect.