UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will hosts European Commission and Council presidents, and the EU's foreign policy representative in London on 19 May. The UK gov't has billed the summit as a chance to 'reset' relations with the EU and smooth the operation of the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Several high-profile topics are on the agenda, including defence and security, food imports/exports, fisheries, youth mobility, internal security and crime.
- Given the strong impetus for European nations to increase defence spending and bolster their conventional militaries, there has been hope that a deal could be reached that deepens cooperation at the EU level, rather than just between the UK and EU member states.
- As has been the case since the Brexit process began, fisheries, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules, and free movement remain serious impediments to a smoother functioning of trade and relations.
- The UK's House of Commons Trade and Business select committee's report advocates focus on three areas: 'Defending Our Prosperity' (defence cooperation, intel sharing, Ukraine support), 'energy cooperation', (deepen electricity market integration, align carbon border policies, accelerate joint investment in clean tech), and 'smoothing trade' (SPS agreements, customs simplifications, regulatory cooperation, sector specific agreements).
- The likelihood of any major agreement (barring defence and security) is seen as slim, with the EU not wanting to allow the UK to 'cherry pick' issues while the Starmer gov't will be wary of being seen to 'give in' to Brussels, particularly as the right-wing eurosceptic Reform UK continues to gain support in opinion polls.