Britain and the European Union on Monday struck a landmark deal aimed at boosting security cooperation while removing some of the barriers to trade introduced by Brexit.
The agreement is designed to help the two sides work more closely together as the United States has signaled it is reducing its commitment to European security.
But it also underscores the ambition of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a “reset” of ties with the 27-nation bloc, almost nine years after Britons voted by a narrow margin to leave the European Union.
“It’s time to look forward,” Mr. Starmer said in a statement, “to move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common sense, practical solutions. We’re ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.”
The agreement was unveiled in a gilded room in Lancaster House, an ornate government building in London. Mr. Starmer stood at a podium flanked by Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, and António Costa, president of the European Council, which represents member countries.
Under the deal, British people will be allowed to use electronic gates in Europe when crossing borders, and traveling with pets will be easier too. The sale of some British meat products in the European Union — Britain’s biggest trading partner — will be possible again and some border checks on animal and plant products will end.
However, the agreement is politically contentious for Mr. Starmer and has involved months of difficult negotiations.
One of the most delicate issues in the trade talks was an extension of the right of European trawlers to fish in British territorial waters, in exchange for reduced trade barriers for British food products entering the E.U.’s giant single economic zone.
After discussions that continued until almost the last minute, the two sides agreed that they would allow European boats access to U.K. fishing waters until June 30, 2038.
That was not the indefinite extension that some in Europe had sought, but is a far longer window than the British had initially suggested. It was quickly seized on by Britain’s right-wing, pro-Brexit tabloids, with one calling it a “surrender.”
Worried about a potential backlash among Brexit hard-liners, Mr. Starmer had already ruled out joining the E.U.’s single market or customs union — two measures that would have jolted economic growth.
But more limited concessions were required to reach the deal on food exports, requiring Britain to stick to European standards.
Mr. Starmer will be hoping that concrete benefits to consumers and travelers will outweigh the objections of Brexit supporters.
The deal includes plans for a new program to allow young Europeans to travel and work in Britain and vice versa. It is politically sensitive in Britain, where the government is trying to cut immigration numbers. Previously described as a “youth mobility” program, it has been rebranded as a “youth experience” program to avoid any hint of immigration. Mr. Starmer’s office said that the new program will limit the time young Europeans can spend in Britain and that their numbers will be capped.
The European Union noted in a fact sheet that the two sides had agreed to “work toward” a youth plan, but that the details were still being hashed out. European officials have been pushing for their students at British universities to pay the same fees as U.K. students, something their counterparts have rejected as too expensive.
“The exact conditions related to this scheme will be decided during the negotiations,” per the European Union description of the plan.
Given Britain’s status as one of Europe’s two main military powers, the European Union has long wanted a security pact with Britain. That idea, however, was rejected by former prime minister, Boris Johnson, when he negotiated Britain’s exit from the bloc.
The war in Ukraine and President Trump’s approach to European security have changed the climate and increased the sense of urgency for cooperation. At the same time, Britain is pushing for some of its companies to participate in a 150 billion euro loan program to fund joint defense procurement. This deal could be an early step toward that inclusion.
Stephen Castle is a London correspondent of The Times, writing widely about Britain, its politics and the country’s relationship with Europe.
Jeanna Smialek is the Brussels bureau chief for The Times.
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