Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to “stand firm” during what are likely to be difficult negotiations to forge closer ties with the European Union, as he announced the first-ever UK-EU bilateral summit next year.
During his first visit to Brussels since winning the UK election in July, Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said summits will be held on a regular basis to oversee the development of the relationship.
The move signifies warming relations between the UK and EU, as Starmer’s administration seeks to repair the damage caused by years of animosity in the aftermath of Brexit.
“We are putting our relationship with Europe on a more solid, stable footing,” Starmer said at a news conference following the meeting.
“Of course, there will be issues that are difficult to resolve and on areas in which we will stand firm: There will be no return to freedom of movement, the customs union or the single market. But we will find constructive ways to work together.”
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Wednesday’s meeting marks the UK’s first substantive step in its reset of relations with the EU, with formal negotiations expected to begin in December or January.
UK and EU diplomats believe that 2025 is the crucial window for thrashing out these pacts, and warn that momentum from the reset under the new UK administration risks being lost beyond that.
The UK and EU will “take forward this agenda of strengthened cooperation at pace over the coming months,” and focus on areas like the economy, energy, migration and security, they said in a statement. Starmer and von der Leyen will meet again later this year.
Starmer’s administration is seeking closer ties by forging deals on security and food checks, while maintaining his longstanding red lines on not rejoining the single market and customs union.
The EU, meanwhile, wants to prioritise a youth mobility pact, energy cooperation and reassurances over citizens rights and fisheries. Some member states are also pushing for a migration deal, which Starmer indicated he’s open to on Wednesday.
Their meeting this week wasn’t focused on these specific priorities, though Starmer said fish and other areas would need to be addressed as part of the negotiations. He said he wants to “focus on deliverables rather than charging to the nearest camera with a megaphone.”
