The United Kingdom and the European Union reached a comprehensive agreement ahead of a crucial summit on Monday, marking a major breakthrough after six months of negotiations. The deal is the third to be announced by the UK government in as many weeks and is expected to significantly strengthen bilateral ties.
The deal covers a range of aspects including a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to facilitate food trade, the integration of the two sides’ carbon markets, a 12-year fisheries agreement, and wider cooperation on defence, security and immigration. The SPS agreement will reduce routine checks on animal and plant products, allowing goods to flow more freely, including between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The move is expected to have an economic impact of almost £9 billion by 2040, reducing consumer costs and supporting industries such as dairy and meat. The defence deal also paves the way for the UK to join the €150 billion EU security fund, while UK steel exports will be protected from new tariffs. In addition, the UK will join negotiations to access EU facial recognition data, complementing existing cooperation on DNA, fingerprinting and vehicle registration.
Border facilities will also be improved, including the use of eGate by UK tourists in Europe and the introduction of ‘pet passports’. The UK and EU will also negotiate a youth mobility scheme to allow young people to work and travel on a limited basis, along the lines of Australia and New Zealand. PM Keir Starmer described the deal as a “practical solution” that ends a long-standing post-Brexit debate.
