Senior officials from the EU and the UK will gather in London on Monday as both allies move towards the post-Brexit future.
The summit is called the reset of the major relationship, and given the context: both Europeans and British are trying to figure out how to reposition themselves in a world of America’s allies who are less reliable in defense and trade.
Officials are expected to reveal defense and security partnerships, which could shed light on the broad outline of its future military cooperation. They also expect them to discuss trade-related issues while committing to collaborating on other geopolitical issues.
This is something worth paying attention to when both sides meet.
Where is the summit going and who is involved?
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas and Bloc’s top trade officer Maros Sefcovic, European Commission President Antonio Costa and Antonio Costa. The event is expected to be held at Lancaster House in London.
What will they announce?
Officials are expected to announce a new defense agreement, which will be the biggest result of the summit. Policymakers on both sides have been negotiating for weeks on plans that are expected to set the tone for future relations at a critical moment, as Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine in Ukraine, the United States urges European countries to increase their military spending and take greater responsibility for their own security.
This could set the stage for Britain to eventually become part of European defence efforts, including a €150 billion loan scheme designed to help co-procure and invest. The program is limited to EU countries and select allies, and the UK has always been eager to participate.
Trade and immigration will also be on the agenda. Starmer’s office said in a key point of a conversation released this weekend that the goal is to “build a good partnership with the EU”, saying that it will “benefit for our work, for our bills, for our borders”.
What are the symptoms?
A deal is not seamless. Europeans, especially coastal countries such as France and Belgium – insisted that London would have access to British fishing water for more than a few years. Fishing is a politically sensitive topic, and the British side is hesitant.
Similarly, tensions arise in the Youth Mobility Programme, which aims to bring young people and students from both sides into each other’s countries. Europe is offering lower tuition fees to EU students studying at UK universities, requiring the same fees as local students. Their peers believe that granting access is too expensive.
The final deal is expected to be a broad refresher, a plan for future cooperation, but details are still to be determined.
“There is a lot of negotiations on the other side of the summit,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director of Europe Europe at Eurasia Group.
What is politics?
The European Union has been working to resolve the trade deal and to boost the alliance as it tries to prove to the United States that it is an economic and diplomatic capability.
President Trump has hit Europe with wavering tariffs (both comprehensive and industry-specific) and has just begun a deal to reduce the situation. Despite the preliminary agreements in the UK to avoid high-priced tariffs, the EU has made limited progress in one aspect.
In a world where the United States is a supporter of its traditional allies, both partners need greater cooperation. British companies and their defense industries may benefit from being incorporated into Europe, which could benefit from gaining British military capabilities.
But both sides are under pressure to defend their own interests at home.
In Europe, negotiations continued to be negotiated for fear of a fair deal, including commitments to issues such as energy and fisheries. In Britain, politics can give Mr Steamer a reason to take some caution as the country is getting closer to the group left behind five years ago.
The rebellious reform party, led by Trump allies and prominent Brexit supporter Nigel Farage, has been targeting the proposed youth mobility program. Given the success of reforms in recent local elections, this pressure may give Mr. Steamer a reason to avoid an overcomfortable tone or risk political influence.
