The UK and the EU have reached a landmark agreement centered on the five years after Brexit.
British Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds announced the deal as officials from both sides held their first major summit in London, since the UK officially left the trading bloc in 27 countries in 2020. After that, this was the subsequent 2016 referendum, requiring the UK to set off. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other senior EU officials, who called the summit a major milestone in resetting relations.
"A historic day," Thomas-Symonds wrote on Monday. “After several months of negotiations, I can announce that the Labor government has reached a new agreement with the EU.”
Starmer's chief negotiator said the agreement is beneficial for work, bills, borders and more.
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On the right of the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa attended the UK and EU summits on Monday, May 19, 2025 at the Lancaster House, London. (Henry Nichols/Pool Photos via AP)
Thomas-Symonds added: “Britain returns to the world stage and the government serves the working people.”
Starmer stressed that the UK will not rejoin the EU's frictionless single market and customs alliance, nor will it agree to the people's freedom movement between the UK and the EU. The Prime Minister faces challenges from the British reform party, which supports Brexit and opposes mass immigration policies in powerful island countries.
Reforms have recently won a huge victory in local elections, and the opposition Conservatives have called the deal Britain's "surrender" to the Brussels EU leadership.
Richard Tice, who reformed Britain, told the British media: "The white flag is already waving outside Downing Street.
Negotiations on strengthening ties focused primarily on security and defense, as well as a youth mobility program that would enable young British and Europeans to temporarily live and work on each other's territory. In the UK, this remains a politically sensitive issue, with some Brexit viewing this as a return to free flow, according to the Associated Press. The UK has already made youth mobility arrangements with countries including Australia and Canada.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Centre arrives at the UK EU summit at Lancaster Building in London on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Henry Nichols/Pool Photos via AP)
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Another issue in the UK-EU relations has long been fishing, which is a symbolic issue such as France, such as the UK and EU member states. The controversy over the issue almost derailed the Brexit deal in almost 2020. The summit is also expected to cover consistent standards for selling agricultural products, which could eliminate expensive inspections of food exported across the UK channel.
Thomas-Symonds told the BBC that he believes it can improve trade in food imports and exports.
"We know we've had trucks waiting for 16 hours and the fresh food behind couldn't be exported because frankly it's just playing, the traditional tape festival, all the required certificates, and we definitely want to reduce that."
The New York Times quoted an unnamed European diplomat as saying the agreement would allow European ships to enter British fishing waters by June 30, 2038.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, representative of the Centre, took a photo with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, on Monday, May 19, 2025, at the UK and EU summits held at Lancaster House, London. (Henry Nichols/Pool Photos via AP)
The deal comes as President Donald Trump's return brings a greater sense of urgency to the cooperation between Britain and the group as the upcoming U.S. government takes a new approach to European trade and security and the Ukrainian-Russian war. It is unclear how Trump, who supports Brexit, will react to Starmer's new deal with the EU.
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Jannike Wachowiak, UK research assistant at the UK in the changing European think tank, told AP: “Jannike Wachowiak, a changing research assistant at the European think tank, UK research partner Jannike Wachowiak told AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.