The UK and the European Union lower a breakthrough deal on Monday pertaining to fisheries, commerce and safety.
The deal was finalised hours earlier than a high-level UK-EU summit in London, which seeks to reset Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with Europe.
What’s the UK-EU summit about?
On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted the primary UK-EU summit in London since Brexit. Senior EU officers, together with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen, attended the summit.
Brexit is brief for “British exit”, and it refers back to the UK withdrawing from the then 28-nation commerce bloc. In June 2016, a referendum came about the place voters have been requested whether or not the UK ought to go away the EU, and 52 p.c of voters most popular the withdrawal. The official exit came about in January 2020. The identical yr, a Brexit take care of the EU was struck by the Conservative Social gathering led by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The EU is the UK’s largest buying and selling associate. Since Brexit, the UK has seen a 21 p.c drop in exports to the EU and a 7 p.c drop in imports from the member international locations, in accordance with a press release from Starmer’s workplace on Monday.
What does the deal entail?
The deal covers agreements in a number of sectors, together with:
Fishing
Earlier than Brexit, EU nations may fish in British waters, simply as UK vessels may hunt for fish within the waters of different European nations. Underneath a typical EU coverage, nonetheless, there have been quotas in place on how a lot fish could possibly be caught within the waters of any nation to stop overfishing.
Underneath the 2020 post-Brexit deal, the EU agreed to cut back its fishing quota in UK waters by 25 p.c regularly by 2026. In 2026, Britain may select to utterly ban EU ships from fishing in its waters.
The deal introduced on Monday retains the 25 p.c quota lower, however extends entry for EU boats to British waters till 2038.
Starmer’s workplace additionally introduced a 360-million-pound (about $481m) fund to spend money on coastal communities. This cash will go “in direction of new know-how and tools to modernise the fleet, coaching to assist upskill the workforce, and funding to assist revitalise coastal communities, assist tourism and increase seafood exports”, in accordance with Starmer’s workplace.
Agriculture and meals exports
The EU has agreed to a deal which simplifies checks for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) items. SPS items embrace agricultural merchandise, meals and animals. This implies some routine border checks on plant and animal merchandise can be dropped on each side.
Safety
In a publish on X, Starmer stated the EU and the UK will work intently on safety issues by sharing intelligence. This consists of sharing facial recognition information.
Britons on vacation will be capable to use e-gates – the automated entry and exit gates – at extra European airports to keep away from lengthy queues at immigration counters.
Carbon taxes
The UK and the EU will hyperlink their carbon markets – buying and selling techniques during which carbon credit are bought and purchased – to keep away from carbon taxes.
“Mixed, the SPS and Emissions Buying and selling Programs linking measures alone are set so as to add almost £9 billion [$12bn] to the UK financial system by 2040, in an enormous increase for progress,” the assertion from 10 Downing Avenue stated on Monday.
Youth mobility
The EU and the UK are additionally agreeing to work collectively on a youth mobility scheme, which might permit younger folks, beneath the age of 30, from the UK and the EU to dwell and work in one another’s territory for a restricted interval. Such a scheme can be “capped and time-limited”, in accordance with Starmer’s workplace.
Nevertheless, particulars of this programme haven’t been unveiled but.
What has Starmer stated concerning the deal?
Starmer posted a 10-point thread on his X account on Monday, underlining a number of methods the “take care of the EU will profit Britain”. He claimed the deal will decrease meals costs by easing agricultural commerce with the EU; convey down vitality payments; strengthen border safety; cut back ready occasions at airports; guarantee a “safer Britain” with extra jobs within the defence business; save UK companies from carbon taxes; save the UK metal business; and fight terrorism and organised crime as a result of intelligence sharing.
“We rolled up our sleeves to ship what the final authorities couldn’t,” wrote Starmer.
What are the reactions to the deal?
Conservative Social gathering chief Kemi Badenoch voiced considerations concerning the deal in an X publish, particularly hitting out on the prolonged interval for which EU fishing ships can have entry to British waters. “We’re changing into a rule-taker from Brussels as soon as once more. And with no particulars on any cap or closing dates on Youth Mobility, fears of free motion returning will solely enhance. That is very regarding.”
12 years entry to British waters is 3 times longer than the government wished.
We’re changing into a rule-taker from Brussels as soon as once more.
And with no particulars on any cap or closing dates on Youth Mobility, fears of free motion returning will solely enhance.
That is very regarding. https://t.co/QzocW3QOwU
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) May 19, 2025
Nigel Farage, chief of the far-right Reform UK occasion, posted on X concerning the deal, saying: “If true that would be the finish of the fishing business.”
If true that would be the finish of the fishing business. https://t.co/jUIH7ZlCpj
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) May 19, 2025
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) has deemed the deal “a horror present for Scottish fishermen”, in accordance with a press release by Elspeth Macdonald, chief government of the SFF. Macdonald stated the brand new deal is “far worse than Boris Johnson’s botched Brexit settlement”, including, “This highlights the entire indifference of the British political institution to the pursuits of our fishing sector.”
“Any try by both the UK or EU to painting the brand new deal as a continuation of present preparations can be a lie,” stated the assertion, printed on the SFF web site.
Each the Conservative Social gathering and Reform UK have beforehand demanded extra management for the UK over its waters. Nevertheless, Ed Davey, the chief of the Liberal Democrats party, known as out Conservative leaders criticising the deal. “Social media this morning is a zombie apocalypse of dinosaur Tory politicians and proper wing hangers-on hankering after the nasty Brexit wars of the final decade. Our nation has moved on!”
Social media this morning is a zombie apocalypse of dinosaur Tory politicians and proper wing hangers-on hankering after the nasty Brexit wars of the final decade. Our nation has moved on!
— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) May 19, 2025
