Sources say ‘momentum is building’ for a post-Brexit deal with up to three documents to be agreed
The UK and EU are closing in on a defence deal to unveil at next month’s landmark Brexit reset summit as the two sides look to “get things done”, sources have signalled.
Brussels’ chief negotiator Maros Sefcovic this week travelled to London for meetings with key UK ministers which continued a new “warmth and spirit of cooperation” after Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met last week in a “watershed moment”, an EU source said.
“Momentum is building for a constructive approach to the 19 May summit to find common solutions to global issues and ‘get things done’,” the source told The i Paper.
It is understood three documents will be signed at the summit.
The comments appeared to suggest the UK’s push for a security and defence pact to form the centrepiece of the London summit was beginning to bear fruit, and comes after the Government signaled it was open to extending fishing rights for the EU, which some member states had demanded before agreeing to new deals.
David Lammy was among those who discussed a defence pact with Sefcovic, and a UK Government source said the Foreign Secretary was among ministers “working hard on trying to get a deal over the line” for 19 May.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, EU ambassadors were meeting in Brussels to discuss next steps for the reset after a leak of the draft joint statement for the May summit showed the two sides were going to agree to “free and open trade” in the wake of Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“All the EU member states want this to happen. We have cleared up the biggest obstacles and we’re all working to get it ready for the summit,” said one EU official.
The defence agreement aims to establish “concrete” co-operation between defence industries in Britain and the EU, as well as possible joint military exercises.
The pact would also clear the way for the UK defence companies to benefit from the EU’s new €150 billion defence loan initiative, Security Action For Europe (SAFE). “We want Britain to be more closely involved in European security and so does Britain, so this is an obvious win-win,” said one EU diplomat.
The second document is a so-called ‘geopolitical preamble’ that commits the two sides to supporting key issues like Ukraine, free trade and combatting climate change, as the Trump administration turns away from previously shared values and interests with Europe.
The third agreement is a ‘common understanding’ which sets a road map for the relationship on issues like the dynamic alignment of the UK to EU rules and standards, fishing rights, and is likely to include confirmation of a much-mooted youth mobility pact.
The improving mood music for the post-Brexit reset came after reports suggested hopes of a quick trade deal with the United States were fading.
The Guardian reported Trump’s administration has made an agreement with the UK, which Sir Keir Starmer hopes will reduce tariffs on British exports to the US, a second order priority to be negotiated after a first phase of talks between Washington and other countries.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman refused to put a deadline on talks, saying they were still “good” and proceeding at both ministerial and official level.
But the reports will be a blow to those in the Government who want to strike a US trade deal before agreeing any Brexit reset pacts with the EU, due to fears a pact with Brussels could hamper Trump’s willingness to find an agreement with the UK.
India trade deal close as UK wins out on visas
A free-trade agreement between the UK and India which has been in the works for years could be sealed within weeks or even days, Whitehall insiders believe.
The two governments have agreed to make it easier for business travellers to visit each others’ countries for short trips, a key ask of New Delhi.
But the UK has refused to accept any liberalisation of the long-term visa system to avoid adding to net migration figures.
The Indian trade minister was in London this week for talks on a deal, which originally began when Boris Johnson was still prime minister.
The two sides fell short of agreeing the final text of an agreement but remain hopeful that ministers could meet again to sign the deal shortly
Hugo Gye