Committee publication · Correspondence · 25 June 2025 · HC 857
Correspondence from the Minister for the Cabinet Office relating to the UK-EU reset, 15.06.25
From: Foreign Affairs Committee
Inquiry: The UK-EU reset: rebuilding a strategic partnership in uncertain times
Summary
Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds responds to the Foreign Affairs Committee's May letter on UK-EU relations, outlining the Government's new Strategic Partnership agreed at the 19 May UK-EU Summit. The partnership covers security, defence, trade, energy cooperation, and youth mobility, with commitments to strengthen relations while maintaining red lines on customs union, freedom of movement, and single market membership. The Minister emphasizes parliamentary scrutiny opportunities and details economic benefits including an SPS deal, energy cooperation frameworks, and potential Erasmus+ association.
Key findings
- First-ever UK-EU Summit (19 May) resulted in a Strategic Partnership with a Common Understanding, underpinned by security, economic, and prosperity commitments requiring further technical negotiations and legislation.
- SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) deal eliminates routine border checks on agri-food trade, restores markets for sausages, shellfish, and seed potatoes, and is projected to add nearly £9 billion to UK economy by 2040.
- Security and Defence Partnership enables six-monthly ministerial engagements, UK attendance at EU Council meetings, and exploration of participation in EU's €150bn Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument.
- Government committed to youth experience scheme (capped, time-limited) and association with Erasmus+ programme on improved financial terms; details subject to post-summit discussion.
- Gibraltar Treaty reached political agreement on 11 June protecting sovereignty and military autonomy; energy cooperation extended beyond 2026 with exploration of EU electricity trading platforms and ETS linking agreement.
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Emily Thornberry, Prime Minister, European Commission President, European Council President, Foreign Secretary, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs
Notable line
“… sufficient. It has delivered a landmark agreement that means the UK has unprecedented access to the EU market - the best of any country outside the EU or EFTA.”
Key Quotes
“The Government is committed to strengthening our relationship with the EU, as set out in the manifesto that we were elected on.”
“This deal was the outcome of several months of confidential negotiations, with both sides working to agree a balanced package, in respect of each other's red lines.”
“It has delivered a landmark agreement that means the UK has unprecedented access to the EU market - the best of any country outside the EU or EFTA.”
“These commitments, and the detailed negotiations with the EU that will now follow, deliver on what the British public voted for last year and is good for bills, jobs and our borders, without compromising on our red lines - no return to the customs union, no return to freedom of movement, and no re-joining the single market.”
“Routine SPS border checks will be eliminated, reducing queues at the border, so fresh produce can hit supermarket shelves more quickly, with less paperwork and fewer costs.”
“This Government is proud to have agreed a new strategic partnership with the EU that has been overwhelmingly supported , including by the Federation of Small Businesses, the CBI, the British Retail Consortium, Morrisons, Salmon Scotland, the Food & Drink Federation …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗