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Journalism of Courage
Five years after the United Kingdom (UK) formally exited the European Union (EU), the two are negotiating the terms of a “reset” deal to normalise economic relations and a renewed security partnership.
A critical component of this renewed partnership, according to the BBC, is the 12-year agreement granting the EU access to fishing in UK waters. The talks, which concluded late on Sunday (May 18), have revealed the terms of a comprehensive security agreement, a significant move given the prospect of American disengagement from the continent.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday described the deal as “good for both sides”, while EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen lauded the summit as a “historic moment” and “a success”.
Brexit, formed of Britain + exit, was the referendum taken by the kingdom to exit the European Union. While English nationalism drove the referendum, proponents of the vote claimed that the UK would enjoy greater sovereignty over its laws, regulations and borders.
While UK citizens voted in favour of the resolution in 2016, it only officially exited the trading bloc on January 31, 2020, and entered into an 11-month transition period during which it continued to follow EU rules. The terms of a new trade deal, dictating the continued engagement between the two in areas like trade, defence, immigration and security, were finalised on December 24 that year.
On December 31, 2020, the UK exited the EU single market and customs union.
The geopolitical landscape has drastically changed over the last five years. The war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in 2022, has continued to date. The UK in March led the coalition of the willing, an effort to align cross-country support for Ukraine, including from members of the EU. Both the UK and EU have proposed sanctions on Russia and to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin for an unconditional ceasefire.
The return of a mostly Eurosceptic Donald Trump has further muddied the waters, with his tariffs adding to economic volatility worldwide. The UK last week finalised an agreement with the US, which, according to an estimate by British newspaper The Independent, would save the UK economy £6.5 billion ($8.69 billion) from Trump’s tariffs.
However, relations between the EU and the US have devolved since Trump’s ascent. Given his America First policy, the US president views the trading bloc unfavourably, demanding that it reduce its reliance on the US and increase its defence spending. Both the US and the EU have announced a series of tariffs on each other, paused until July for 90 days so that they may arrive at an agreement.
The result has been a continent-wide shift towards building self-reliance in defence infrastructure. The UK stands to gain from entering into a security partnership with the EU, not striking out alone.
The fishing agreement will retain the current status quo, allowing EU boats continued access to British waters till 2038.
The current Brexit agreement, signed in 2020, was set to expire in 2026. As part of the status quo, the UK will continue to maintain yearly quotas with the EU and Norway, as well as issue fishing licenses.
As part of this agreement, the government is expected to announce a £360 million ($482 million) "fishing and coastal growth fund" to invest in coastal communities.
This arrangement mandates the EU to reduce border checks on food exports from the UK. Additionally, EU officials would reduce routine border checks on some animal and plant shipments to and from the EU.
For the British government, the new sanitary and phytosanitary agreement (SPS) is a win, allowing the UK to sell raw burgers and sausages in the EU for the first time since Brexit.
A potential risk would be the UK potentially having to realign its rules on food and drink with the EU over time in what is called ‘dynamic alignment’.
The UK and EU signed a formal defence and security pact, pushing for greater cooperation and information-sharing given the current geopolitical scenario.
According to the British government, the agreement “paves the way” for British and UK-based arms firms to access the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund, a £150 billion ($200 billion) EU fund providing loans for defence projects. It claims the proposed fund will support thousands of British jobs and boost employment.
The UK and the EU will collaborate on a “youth experience scheme”, which according to the government, “could see young people able to work and travel freely in Europe again", but would be "capped and time-limited”. The scheme will be modelled on existing schemes the UK has with countries like Australia and New Zealand, with an annual quota of visas allowing people between the ages of 18 and 35 to work in each other's countries for up to three years.
British vacationers will now be able to use e-gates at European airports, while a new passport system will make it easier for British pets to travel, reducing the need for repeat vet certificates.
After Brexit, the UK launched its own carbon system. It will now link this with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), to avoid taxes on carbon-intensive goods like steel and cement travelling between the UK and EU.
According to the government, it will save £800 million ($1.07 billion) in taxes and shield British steel from EU tariffs.
However, the current deal does not budge on three long-held positions of Starmer’s Labour Party: no single market, no customs union and no free movement of people.
