BBC Verification
After Brexit, a consensus agreement was reached at a summit in London to “reset” the agreement to “reset” relations between the UK and the EU.
The agreement covers a range of issues, including defence, phishing, food trade and the ability of young people to move freely between the UK and the EU.
The BBC has verified that the deal has been passed, picking potential winners and losers.
Winner: British food exporters to EU exporters who see fewer checks
Loser: Those who do not want the UK to abide by EU rules because there are conditions
Since Brexit, goods traveling to the EU, including food, have faced new checks and additional paperwork.
Certain items, such as the UK’s original burgers and sausage exports, have been banned from entering the EU because they do not comply with their strict import rules.
UK food exports to the EU have fallen - 34% in 2024 compared to 2019 - the industry attributes that in part to the increased traditional Chinese tape festival.
Now both parties agree to a joint food safety agreement that can remove many current obstacles.
If signed and implemented fully, it will reduce paperwork, simplify inspections, and even lift bans on products such as production.
Food and beverage exports to the EU are worth £14 billion in 2023, accounting for 57% of all overseas sales in the industry.
But the deal comes with conditions. The UK will need to follow future EU food standards – a system known as “dynamic consistency” – and accept that the European Court of Justice has the final say in any dispute in the field.
Financial contributions will also be required for the UK. However, it is not clear how much payment is and when it is required.
Winner: EU - Fishing boats win 12 years of British waters
Loser: British fishermen who want annual negotiations on fishing passages
Although fishing accounts for a small part of the UK economy - only 0.04% of GDP in 2024 - it is politically sensitive.
The “reset” document states that “the political agreement that has led to the political agreement that has been received until June 30, 2038”, which is a 12-year extension of the current deal negotiated by Boris Johnson’s conservative government and is much longer than expected.
Under the existing agreement (due to expiration in 2026), EU ships can enter British waters - in exchange for 25% of their fishing quota - the amount they allow to capture - to the British fleet.
Some British phishing groups have criticized the existing deal and don't want to see it expand.
Elspeth MacDonald, representing 450 fishing boats as CEO of the Scottish Fishermen Federation, said: “This deal is a horror show for Scottish fishermen, much worse than Boris Johnson’s Brexit agreement.”
She said the long-term deal deprives the industry of bargaining power in future negotiations and hopes to hold annual negotiations with the EU.
Prime Minister Sir Kyle Stemmer said “the number of EU vessels that can be captured in British waters will not increase” and said it will be easier for British fishermen to export their products now.
In 2023, the UK exported 1.2 billion pounds of fish to the EU, accounting for about 70% of all fish exports.
Tavish Scott, from Scottish salmon, representing Scotland’s salmon farming, said the agreement to reduce checks would “accelerate delivery of our premium salmon to the market”.
Winner: Young people in the UK and EU should - if confirmed - work and study more freely between the two
Loser: Those who oppose increased net migration to the UK will point out that any mobility plan could affect immigration numbers, although this effect may be temporary
Details here are still to be confirmed, but the winner will be young people from the UK and the EU who are able to work and study more easily throughout Europe and the UK. Other youth mobility programs focus on people aged 18 to 30.
However, the impact of the so-called "Youth Experience Program" may be unbalanced.
Before Brexit, young people from the EU came to the UK, not the other way around.
And, remember, Sir Kyle has promised to “significantly lower” immigration levels in the coming years. So, what are the big questions about the impact of the UK EU plan on the level of immigration in the UK.
Madeleine Sumption from the Oxford University Immigration Observatory told the BBC that plans could increase net migration in the near term as new participants arrive.
However, she added that if everyone’s visa leaves the UK when the visa expires, the long-term impact on immigration levels will be minimal.
"If the UK is concerned about this impact, it may gradually increase the quota in the scheme. So as people leave, the quota can be increased, not a big bang," she said.
Winner: British tourists may have many access to EU airports, but we don't know which and when to start
Losers: Those who hope to escape the long queue this summer
As part of the agreement, British nationals will be able to use Representatives at EU airports instead of manually checking their passports by border officials.
"British vacationers will be able to use more Representatives in Europe, ending the horrible queue under border control," the government claims.
However, the text of the EU agreement is not very clear, but refers only to "potential use of international use under appropriate circumstances".
Travel organization ABTA told the BBC to verify that it is unlikely to implement any changes in the summer.
The ABTA believes the agreement clarifies that EU countries can provide numerous services to British nationals once the new entry/exit system (EES) comes into effect in October.
EES is an automated IT system that registers all non-EU travelers during a short stay, crossing the external borders of the EU every time.
Whether or not British passengers will avoid border guards completely will depend on the technology at each crossing point, Abta said.
Winner: British defence company may receive contracts from new EU heavy funds
Loser: EU defense companies looking to earn more of these revenues
The EU has established security operations for the European Fund (Safe) and, with the support of the EU budget, has loaned 150 billion euros (£126 billion) to enable its member states to send to REATM.
This will be used for EU-based defense companies. The fund also allows participation from many non-EU countries and is now open to British defence companies. This has the potential to allow EU companies to purchase kits from the UK using the fund.
Compared to many EU states, the UK has a huge defence manufacturing industry, which directly employs about 164,000 people in the UK.
Between 2020 and 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Institute estimated that the UK accounts for 3.6% of the total global total arms exports, making the UK the seventh largest exporter.
Again, that detail is still being developed here and we don't know when and exactly the UK will be involved in the fund.