The EU-UK Summit
The UK-EU relationship has entered a new phase with the announcement of the EU-UK Strategic Partnership, comprising three substantive documents: The UK-EU Summit 2025 Joint Statement, The EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership and The Common Understanding. The Joint Statement commits the UK and EU to hold annual Summits, however no specific date or dates for future Summits have been set, though it is reasonable to expect the next Summit to take place around May 2026, when the first review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is scheduled to take place.
Together, these documents set a constructive framework for future negotiations and outline commitments across trade, security, and institutional engagement.
KEY PROVISIONS FROM THE EU-UK SUMMIT:
SECURITY AND DEFENCE
On defence, the UK and EU have signed a Defence and Security Pact, paving the way for the UK to access up to €150bn in EU funding allocated to joint EU security and defence projects. The precise terms, including the extent of the UK’s access and any restrictions, remain under negotiation and will be a key focus in the coming months.
The EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) emphasises a structured approach “based on dialogue and consultation mechanisms to facilitate the exchange of information, as well as steering and oversight” between both parties. Key commitments within the SDP include:
Biannual foreign and security policy dialogues between the UK Foreign and Defence Secretaries and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR).
Regular invitations for the UK to participate in high-level EU meetings, including EU Council meetings, at the discretion of the HR.
An annual dedicated security and defence dialogue between the UK and EU. This will take place between the European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General and relevant Ministers or FCDO or MOD Permanent Secretaries.
Annual working-level consultations ahead of the UK-EU meetings.
Thematic dialogues, based on TCA provisions.
UK participation in the annual Schuman Security and Defence Forum.
The SDP also outlines cooperation across 21 thematic areas, including military personnel and assistance, counter-terrorism measures, maritime security as well as including space, cyber security, climate, and global health. Importantly, it stresses the need for "flexible and scalable engagement” between relevant officials to address evolving priorities and shared interests.
In addition to these commitments, the Common Understanding document commits the UK and EU to “swiftly explore” opportunities for deeper collaboration under the SAFE instrument, the EU’s mechanism that administers the €150 billion fund for security and defence projects. Now that the EU Council has adopted the SAFE instrument, it will enable enhanced cooperation between the EU, its member states, and third countries with SDP agreements. The extent of the UK’s access to the funds created by the SAFE instrument will depend on the outcome of detailed negotiations between the UK and EU.
TRADE
Significant progress has been made in UK-EU trade relations, with new precedents established. The UK Government has secured significant concessions (and the EU has shown unprecedented flexibility) regarding access to the EU’s Single Market and its rules. Key policy areas to be taken forward for detailed negotiations include Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, UK participation in the EU's internal market for energy, and linking UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS).
Across these three areas, the UK has committed to dynamic alignment, with some exemptions. In return, the EU has accepted a joint arbitration system before ECJ oversight, and granted the UK decision-shaping rights, similar to those usually reserved for EFTA countries. Additionally, the UK and EU will negotiate a youth experience scheme for under-30s, including potential UK association with the Erasmus+ programme. The UK has agreed to make financial contributions to the EU to cover the administration of the SPS, ETS, and Erasmus+ arrangements, though the precise sums are yet to be agreed.
The Strategic Partnership reaffirms the primacy of the Withdrawal Agreement, Windsor Framework, and Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), highlighting continued focus on implementation.
Energy Cooperation
The Common Understanding commits the UK and EU to explore UK participation in the EU Internal Energy Market. The document details that any future agreement should ensure a level playing field, including on state aid rules and dynamic alignment, respect the role of the ECJ, and include an arbitration-based dispute resolution mechanism. The UK will have decision-shaping rights, marking significant EU flexibility by granting high Single Market access and limited ECJ role.
Emission Trading Systems/Schemes (ETS)
The agreement states that the UK and EU will work towards linking their ETS which, once agreed, should lead to mutual exemptions from Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs). The linked ETS will cover “electricity generation, industrial heat, industry, and domestic/international maritime and aviation sectors”, with a mechanism to expand this list in future.
The UK will maintain rules “no less ambitious” than the EU’s and dynamically align with EU law. As with SPS and energy, the ETS agreement will include a dispute resolution mechanism with an independent arbitration panel, ECJ oversight, decision-shaping rights for the UK, a joint governance mechanism, and financial contributions from the UK.
International Security and Judicial Cooperation
The agreement commits the UK and EU to intensify work via the TCA’s Specialised Committee on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation to streamline mutual legal assistance. Key priorities include finalising UK cooperation with Europol, enhancing data sharing (fingerprints, DNA, facial images, criminal records), automating vehicle registration checks, and collaboration between the EU Drugs Agency and UK authorities.
MOBILITY
The EU and UK have agreed to work towards the negotiation of a “youth experience scheme” for activities including “work, studies, au-pairing, volunteering, or simply travelling, for a limited period of time. It should provide a dedicated visa path and ensure that the overall number of participants is acceptable to both sides”. The UK Government explanatory notes add that “the UK has been clear that any scheme should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes including participants having no access to benefits and no right to bring dependents”. This is consistent with all 13 of the UK’s existing youth mobility schemes.
UK participation in the European Union Erasmus+ programme, “including mutually agreed financial terms” is to be explored. This means the UK Government is prepared to contribute to EU budgets, but as per the UK Governments explanatory notes, the UK’s position is that “the UK will only associate to Erasmus+ on significantly improved financial terms”.
On touring artists, it states that the EU and UK recognise the significance of the sector, and “they will continue their efforts to support travel and cultural exchange”.
On the use of eGates, the Common Understanding states that “there will be no legal barriers to eGate use for British Nationals traveling to and from European Union Member States after the introduction of the European Union Entry/Exit System” (EES). This means that the use of eGates will become possible after the implementation of the EU EES, expected to launch in October 2025.
AGRIFOOD ACCESS
The UK and EU aim to establish a Common SPS Area through a dedicated agreement, enabling movement of most animals, animal products, plants, and related goods between Great Britain and the EU, eliminating the need for the current certificate or control requirements. This is critical for the agri-food sector and Northern Ireland.
The agreement will cover sanitary, phytosanitary, food safety and consumer protection rules applicable to the production, distribution and consumption of agrifood products, pesticide regulation, standards for organics, and marketing standards. Once finalised, the agreement will require “timely dynamic alignment” from the UK, with exemptions permitted only if: standards in the UK are not lowered, access to the UK market for EU producers is protected, and only UK goods compliant with EU rules are able to enter the EU market.
Dispute resolution will involve an independent arbitration panel with the ECJ as the ultimate authority on EU law. The UK will be able to participate in the decision-shaping process and the agreement will be subject to a joint governance mechanism. The size of the financial contributions from the UK for the administration of the policy are also yet to be agreed.
IRREGULAR MIGRATION
The UK and EU Commission agree to deepen co-operation on irregular migration by deepening information sharing to control and manage migration ‘at our respective borders’. The agreement further details that the UK and EU will work on a ‘whole route approach’ including:
Exploring innovative approaches to deterrence and returns to third countries “in line with international law”.
Work together to prevent Channel crossings.
Enhance cooperation with Europol and its European Migrant Smuggling Centre.
Exchange information on visa abuse by third country nationals.