The United Kingdom and the European Union have reached an agreement to simplify trade and strengthen security cooperation — the biggest step to improve their relations after Brexit, writes the WSJ.
The British government announces the agreement.
On Monday, May 19, EU leaders and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer gathered in London to present the new agreement. This is especially relevant now, against the backdrop of Russiaʼs war against Ukraine, the publication noted.
The document includes a new security pact that will give British defense companies access to the EUʼs €150 billion defense budget, as well as an agreement to harmonize food rules and reduce border checks on food exports from the UK to the EU. The latter will have no time limits, giving businesses certainty.
Some routine checks on animal and plant products will be completely abolished, allowing goods to move freely again, including between the UK and Northern Ireland. This could reduce food prices and increase the choice of food in shops.
The EU is Britain’s biggest trading partner, and after a slump in exports and imports, the country will once again be able to sell goods like burgers and sausages to the EU, supporting its industry. Merging the emissions trading systems will strengthen Britain’s energy security and avoid losses from the EU carbon tax. This will give the economy almost £9 billion by 2040. British steel has also been protected from new EU tariffs, saving £25 million every year.
For the first time, Britain will have access to facial data in EU databases, helping to catch criminals faster. British tourists will be able to use more electronic checkpoints, so they wonʼt have to stand in long queues, and pets will once again have "passports", making travel easier.
The agreement, in particular, extends EU access to British fishing waters until 2038. Although fishing is not a large part of the economy, the issue remains sensitive for the British. The UK will invest £360 million in modernising the fishing fleet, training workers, supporting coastal communities, tourism and increasing seafood exports. The agreement also reduces the bureaucracy and costs of exporting fish. Before the new agreement, the fishing arrangements were due to expire next year.
The UK and the EU have agreed a youth scheme that will allow young people to work and travel across Europe, but the scheme will be temporary and will have some restrictions. It is similar to the agreements the UK already has with Australia and New Zealand, where young people can also get temporary work and travel, but under certain rules and time limits. It is not complete freedom of movement, as in the EU, but a controlled opportunity for young people to gain experience abroad.
The document also talks about working together with the EU to combat illegal migration, including returning those who are in the country illegally and strengthening controls at the English Channel border — the strait between Great Britain and France, through which people often try to cross the border illegally.
The deal will "put Britain back on the world stage," said the UK minister responsible for relations with the EU Nick Thomas-Symonds.
What problems remain?
At the same time, although Britain and the EU call the new agreements a step forward in cooperation, the agreement does not address many issues, notes the WSJ. Britain will remain outside the EU customs zone, its citizens will not have the right to move or settle freely in EU countries.
Security cooperation will improve slightly, but British authorities will still not have access to key European databases. The parties also did not agree on mutual recognition of certificates or simplified border crossings — Britons will continue to wait in lines at airports because they will not be able to use the automated passport control points available to EU citizens.
The WSJ writes that the new arrangements may cause resistance in the UK itself. They are particularly criticized by the Brexit supporter Nigel Farageʼs Reform UK party, which is gaining popularity. Just a year after the Labour government led by Keir Starmer came to power, this party, according to opinion polls, has become the most popular among voters.
The British Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he does not plan to cancel Brexit. Although according to recent polls, only three in ten Britons believe that leaving the EU is the right step. But Starmer believes that improving relations with the European Union is necessary, as the bloc remains the UKʼs largest trading partner.
In parallel with the agreements with the EU, the UK is trying to conclude agreements with other countries. For example, it has signed a trade agreement with India, and has also agreed with the US to partially abolish the tariffs imposed by Trump. The European Union is also actively working in this direction — it recently completed a preliminary agreement with the countries of South America and is trying to agree with India by the end of the year.
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