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UK and EU agree post-Brexit deal on fishing and trade UK-EU deal moves on from Brexit rows, Starmer says
(about 1 hour later)
The UK and the European Union have agreed a deal on fishing, trade and strengthening ties, in the first big reset of relations since Brexit. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said it's time to move on from "political fights" about Brexit, as the UK and the European Union agreed to a major reset of relations.
A 12-year deal has been done on fishing access for EU boats into UK waters in exchange for easing some trade frictions - something which is likely to prompt a row. The UK and the EU have struck a deal that covers fishing, trade, defence, energy and strengthening ties in a number of policy areas still up for negotiation.
The government is expected to argue it has secured improved trading rights for British food and agricultural products into the EU. A key part of the deal involves giving European fishing boats a further 12 years of access to British waters in exchange for easing some trade frictions.
The Conservatives and Reform UK have described news of the deal as a "surrender" to the EU, while the Liberal Democrats said the government had taken some "positive first steps" to rebuilding ties with Europe. It marks the biggest reboot since the UK officially left the EU in 2020 and comes after years of disagreements over Brexit.
A defence and security pact will be central to the agreement, which will be set out in a few hours at a UK-EU summit in London. The Conservatives and Reform UK have described the deal as a "surrender" to the EU, while the Liberal Democrats said the government had taken some "positive first steps" to rebuilding ties with Europe.
Announcements around trade and security were expected to include British access to a €150bn (£125bn) EU defence fund, which could be a boost for UK defence companies. The agreement was finalised late on Sunday, ahead of a summit involving EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa in London on Monday.
Both sides will emphasise the shared desire for deepening co-operation. "It's time to look forward," Sir Keir, who backed remaining in the EU, will say at the summit.
Talks between the UK and the EU continued late into Sunday evening, with defence, trade, fishing rights and a possible youth mobility scheme among the issues discussed. "To move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people.
The remaining stumbling blocks to a deal, mostly concerning fishing rights, were solved at about 22:30 on Sunday night, government sources said. "We're ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people's lives here at home."
But other key elements, such as the idea of a youth mobility scheme, will still be subject to further negotiation. Fishing rights
A deal on allowing British travellers to use passport e-gates - automated self-service barriers at European airports - is also thought to be on the table. The government said the deal would make it easier for food and drink to be imported and exported by reducing paperwork and checks that led to lengthy lorry queues at borders with the EU.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are now meeting in central London for the second time in four days to announce the deal. Some routine checks on animal and plant products will be removed completely, the government said.
The BBC has been told it will focus on three main areas - the pact on defence and security, a statement about strengthening ties, and a document spelling out the details of issues still up for negotiation. In return, the UK will give the EU access to its fishing waters until 2038 - a 12-year extension of arrangements already in place.
The reset comes after years of ill-tempered relations between the UK and the EU over Brexit, which trigged one of the most tumultuous periods in British political history. One diplomatic source said it amounted to a rollover of the existing terms agreed as part of the revised withdrawal agreement negotiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government in 2019.
Since Labour took office last year, governments worldwide have been forced to rethink their relationships on trade and defence, in response to US President Donald Trump's policies and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The text of the deal says: "We note the political agreements leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 2038 and extending energy cooperation on a continuous basis."
'Breakthroughs'
Earlier, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC the UK's relationship with the EU had some "real gaps in it", mentioning defence, passport checks and trade in food.
He said negotiations with the EU had been "promising" and there had been some "breakthroughs".
On fishing, he said the crucial thing the industry needed was "market access to sell the product".
Two EU diplomats told the BBC the new UK-EU fishing deal would last until 2038.
One source said it amounted to a rollover of the existing terms agreed as part of the revised withdrawal agreement negotiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government in 2019.
The post-Brexit deal on fishing rights, which gave EU boats continued access to UK waters, was set to expire at the end of June 2026.The post-Brexit deal on fishing rights, which gave EU boats continued access to UK waters, was set to expire at the end of June 2026.
One diplomatic source said the text as it currently reads says: "We note the political agreements leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 2038 and extending energy cooperation on a continuous basis." The UK government will also unveil a £360m investment fund in coastal communities and the fishing industry.
The UK government will also unveil a £360m investment fund in coastal communities.
Fishing only accounts for an estimated 0.4% of UK GDP, but British control over its fishing waters was a big issue in the Brexit campaign.Fishing only accounts for an estimated 0.4% of UK GDP, but British control over its fishing waters was a big issue in the Brexit campaign.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said giving the EU access to British waters for 12 years "was three times longer than the government wanted".Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said giving the EU access to British waters for 12 years "was three times longer than the government wanted".
"We're becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again," she posted. "We're becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again," she posted, external.
Reform UK MP Richard Tice said Sir Keir had sold out British fishing and promised his party would would repeal this deal if it won the next general election. Reform UK MP Richard Tice said Sir Keir had sold out British fishing and promised his party would repeal this deal if it won the next general election.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the prime minister "must ignore the naysayers and dinosaurs in Reform and the Conservative Party and be more ambitious in getting the best deal in the national interest".Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the prime minister "must ignore the naysayers and dinosaurs in Reform and the Conservative Party and be more ambitious in getting the best deal in the national interest".
When asked if Brexit freedoms were being lost, Reynolds said the deal would "reduce bureaucracy" in areas where "we've got the same standards on both sides". More co-operation
And commenting on the possibility of a youth mobility scheme, Reynolds said the "details would need to be worked out" but insisted "it's something different to freedom of movement that we had in the past". The deal also includes co-operation on reducing emissions.
There have been talks about a youth mobility scheme with the EU - something that Sir Keir told the Times on Saturday would be a "reciprocal" arrangement in which young people would be able to move abroad for up to two years. The government said British businesses will not be hit by an EU carbon tax due to come in next year.
No specific details about the ages of those who could be eligible and whether there would be a cap on numbers were given, and it has received mixed responses from opposition parties. The agreements on trade and energy would add nearly £9bn to the UK economy by 2040, the government estimated.
Badenoch said the lack of details on youth mobility would increase "fears of free movement returning", while Reform UK said earlier this week that such a scheme would be "the thin end" of EU free movement. A defence and security pact is also central to the agreement.
The Liberal Democrats have backed the idea of a "capped mobility scheme", although the party's Europe spokesperson James MacCleary has accused the government of "dragging their heels when it comes to properly negotiating on the issue". It "will pave the way" for the UK defence industry to participate in the EU's proposed new £150bn EU defence fund, the government said.
Other announcements include:
Further co-operation on a youth mobility scheme. The scheme, which would be capped and time-limited, would mirror existing schemes the UK has with countries such as Australia and New Zealand
Allowing British travellers to use more passport e-gates - automated self-service barriers at European airports
The reset comes after years of ill-tempered relations between the UK and the EU over Brexit, which triggered one of the most tumultuous periods in British political history.
Since Labour took office last year, governments worldwide have been forced to rethink their relationships on trade and defence, in response to US President Donald Trump's policies and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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