Committee publication · Correspondence · 24 March 2026
Correspondence from Marsha De Cordova MP in her capacity as Leader and Co-Chair of the UK Delegation to the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly on the Seventh Plenary Session, dated 20 March 2026
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Animal and plant health
Summary
Marsha De Cordova MP reports on the Seventh Plenary Session of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (16–17 March 2026 in Brussels). The Assembly adopted a recommendation to the Partnership Council on strengthening EU–UK strategic partnership, addressing economic resilience, energy security, defence industrial cooperation, digital coordination, and youth mobility. De Cordova seeks to strengthen links between the Assembly and UK select committees, including the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
Key findings
- The Assembly's recommendation calls for closer EU–UK cooperation on economic security, critical raw materials, and resilient supply chains, and urges both parties to raise ambition for a shared 2026–27 agenda meeting current geopolitical challenges.
- On energy and trade: the Assembly welcomes UK participation in EU internal electricity market negotiations and the Emissions Trading System linking, and calls for conclusion of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement and Youth Experience Scheme ahead of the next EU–UK Summit.
- On defence: the Assembly regrets the unsuccessful outcome of negotiations on UK participation in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument and urges resumption of defence industrial cooperation negotiations in earnest and good faith.
- Breakout discussions raised concerns about online mis- and disinformation weakening democracies, the need for coordinated digital policy responses to Big Tech, cybersecurity threats to SMEs, and the importance of protecting vulnerable populations including minors and copyright holders.
- On youth mobility: Brexit has disproportionately affected young people and reduced EU–student numbers in the UK; the Assembly welcomes UK reassociation with Erasmus+ (2027–2028) and calls for progress on the Youth Experience Scheme, particularly on work visas for young people.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Marsha De Cordova MP, Sandro Gozi, Alistair Carmichael MP, UK Parliament, European Parliament, UK-EU Partnership Council, Partnership Council
Notable line
“I am keen to strengthen links between the Assembly and select committees in both Houses.”
Key Quotes
“Several of the topics discussed at this session are directly relevant to your Committee's work, including the current state of UK–EU relations, economic resilience, energy security and UK-EU negotiations on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.”
“Urges the UK and EU executives to raise, significantly, the level of ambition for a shared agenda for 2026-27 and beyond; considers that this agenda should meet the scale of current geopolitical challenges …”
“Regrets the unsuccessful outcome of negotiations on the UK's participation in the first round of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument; calls on both parties to develop at pace structured frameworks for EU-UK defence industrial cooperation;”
“Members raised the concern of online mis- and disinformation which is extremely prevalent and help weaken the EU's and the UK's democracies by eroding social cohesion and trust.”
“Brexit had disproportionately hit young people, cutting them out of the programmes that promote youth exchanges across Europe.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗