The Channel Narrows

The United Kingdom and the EU held on May 19 their first bilateral summit since Brexit negotiations concluded five years ago. The mood was upbeat, with both sides declaring the start of a new chapter built on trust, ambition, and deeper cooperation. Russia’s war in Ukraine had already brought both sides closer together, with former UK prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss intensifying consultations with EU leaders. But it was Labour leader Keir Starmer’s election in July 2024 that brought the prospect of a formal reset back onto the agenda.

The summit followed three months of intensive talks. Until the last moment, it was unclear whether the outcome would be a concrete deal or merely the framework for one. In the end, it was both. London and Brussels agreed to a new security and defense partnership, extended EU access to UK fishing waters (with conditions) for another 12 years, and outlined a roadmap to reduce trade frictions—especially border checks and paperwork—that have contributed to a 21% fall in UK exports to the EU since Brexit. The memorandum also flags cooperation on energy, climate, youth mobility, and even protection for UK steel from new EU levies in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. Future progress, however, will hinge on whether the United Kingdom is willing to “dynamically align” with EU rules or, in other words, conform with many of the bloc’s standards .

The impact of the current reset will depend on forthcoming negotiations. Any changes to existing trade arrangements will need approval from the 27 EU governments, the European Parliament, and the UK parliament. Still, the fact that the European Commission secured unanimous backing for a blueprint for talks, ahead of the summit, from the 27 member states signals that Brussels is willing to move forward. For Starmer, the summit shows that a reset with the EU need not come at the cost of relationships with other trading nations, such as the United States and India, with which the United Kingdom has recently signed new agreements. Crucially, the summit sends a message to Moscow: Europe is capable of unity and strategic coordination, despite past tensions.

Why the Summit Matters

Starmer’s pledge to reset cross-channel ties was no surprise. The bloc accounts for 41% of UK exports (£358 billion), and Brexit-era barriers, such as border delays and burdensome paperwork, have taken a toll on many British businesses. Public opinion also shifted, with most Britons now favoring a closer relationship with the EU.

Yet Starmer had to tread carefully. He needed to assure domestic critics that the reset was not a backdoor route to rejoining the EU. By sequencing this summit after announcements of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, he underscored that deeper ties with Brussels would not limit the London’s global trade ambitions.

For the EU, the calculation was different. While many member-state capitals pushed for closer ties when negotiations began five years ago, they were content with the Brexit deal as concluded. Countries such as France and the Netherlands adapted to new border processes. There is little appetite to reopen the UK-EU trade deal for which negotiations had drained the bloc’s focus and energy for years. With the Ukraine war ongoing and economic security challenges mounting, Brussels is willing to improve the deal but not renegotiate it wholesale.

Both sides settled on a set of immediate wins. A priority now is agreeing on a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal to ease export requirements and reduce border checks. This will be politically sensitive. The EU will be wary of offering market access without reciprocal obligations, fearing similar demands from other third countries. At the same time, in the United Kingdom, aligning with EU standards could reignite tensions between the government and Brexit supporters, who see this as a limit on UK sovereign decision-making. If achieved, however, such a deal could pave the way for UK participation in broader EU initiatives, from defense cooperation and better access to the EU’s electricity market to enhanced law enforcement data-sharing.

Some in Washington view the reset as a pivot toward Brussels and away from the United States. This is exaggerated. The United Kingdom would remain free to diverge from EU standards on goods, digital regulation, or in other areas, but such choices would come with trade-offs. Divergence could reintroduce barriers that many UK businesses were eager to avoid, or reduce the UK’s ability to access more parts of the EU single market, such as its electricity market, which could help reduce electricity prices on both sides of the English Channel. 

Still, the UK-EU reset is not a return to frictionless trade. Brussels remains unlikely to accept mutual recognition of conformity assessments, which are vital for services trade, and coordination on economic security is notably absent.

The Hard Part Starts Now

Translating the blueprint into reality will not be easy. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch has already accused the government of a “stitch-up”. And on the EU side, the European Commission will lead talks under a mandate from the member states, many of which will insist on small and limited negotiations. Brussels will also want to make sure that, if border checks are reduced, British imports meet the high standards expected. The bloc will also want to ensure that any UK-US deal does not lead to the inadvertent import of American goods, via Great Britain, that fail to meet those standards.

The Road Ahead

Critics say the summit delivered little of substance. But this misses the point. For the first time in years, meaningful cooperation between London and Brussels, on terms acceptable to both, feels possible. Trust is back, and that is essential for progress.

For the EU, the memorandum is a formal negotiated text, and approval in all member-state capitals signals genuine openness. For the United Kingdom, the summit shows that it can reset relations with Brussels without compromising other strategic objectives.

Finally, the agreement sends a strong message to Russia that Europe is united and can, with trust and willingness, act together, boldly and strongly.