EU Great Britain summit: How Brussels and London want to find each other again

At the first summit between Great Britain and the EU since Brexit, both sides want to get a little closer again. It is an important symbolic act. The war in Ukraine and the avert of the US government under Donald Trump leaves London and Brussels hardly any choice.

What can be expected from the summit?

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa and EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas and the EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who deals with Great Britain, are to be welcomed in the magnificent Lancaster House in London.

However, against the background of the right-wing populists of Brexit foremons Nigel Farage in the local elections in England, it is considered questionable whether the framework is too solemn. An overly enthusiastic rapprochement with Brussels could also be bitterly felled by US President Donald Trump, according to the concern in London.

Nevertheless, the British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer was optimistic a few days before the meeting: “I am confident that we will make great progress on Monday.”

Is there a defense pact?

The topic of defense played no role in the trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and Great Britain after Brexit. At that time, the war in Ukraine was still far away, the British wanted to regulate the topic in the context of NATO and bilateral relationships. But since Russia’s large -scale invasion of his neighboring country and the return of Donald Trump to the White House, this has changed. Both sides seem to rely on each other more than ever. “Great Britain and the EU have to stick together in these geopolitically difficult times,” Kallas told the “Tagesspiegel” before the meeting.

The EU plans to invest a fund of 150 billion euros from which Member States can finance arms projects. London wants the domestic armaments industry to benefit from orders. A defense and security agreement should make the way for it. For nothing, this will not be for the British, as experts warned. A participation of the British in EU missions is also conceivable.

“The agreement is expected to enable more regular dialogues on foreign policy, defense and security,” said Jannike Wachowiak from the London Denibrik UK in a Changing Europe in a press conference. Areas such as hybrid threats, cyber security and the Middle East could also become a topic.

Fishing was a big topic during the Brexit referendum – although the industry is only 0.4 percent of British economic output. “We have our fish back. They are now British fish and all the better and happier fish,” cheered Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg after the odds for EU fishermen in the fish-rich British waters were to fall significantly through the final EU exit in early 2021.

But the currently valid distribution will also expire in the coming year. Then the quotas should be negotiated year after year. France in particular wants the previous regulation to continue to apply. According to reports, Paris should have prevailed with this requirement.

Can EU citizens hope for visa releases?

The Federal Government has long been insisting on a program for young people between the ages of 18 and 30 in order to be able to study and work in Great Britain at least for a limited time. So far, the British have not joined the Erasmus exchange program for students.

The now rejected Labor party’s initiative for a Youth Mobility Scheme rejected Bruschen in April last year. It would not be returned to the free movement of people through which EU citizens could easily settle in Great Britain, it was said at the time. But more flexibility is now emerging, especially since it is only about a very limited extent.

What are the red lines?

The British government continues to attach great importance to offer as little attack space for Farage and its party reform UK, which is now in front of Labor and the conservatives in surveys. She therefore always emphasizes that there will also be no return to the internal market or the customs union – even though that would bring the biggest boost for the economy.

On my part, there is still concern that Great Britain can arouse desires with other partners through “raisin picking”, privileges without being received. Without contributions to the EU budget and free movement of workers, the British may hardly hope for far-reaching relief in market access.

Which no-go should fall?

It is expected that despite all caution, a few sacred cows of the Brexit purists will be expected, such as the no to the dynamic adjustment of EU rules for animal and plant hygiene and the rejection of a role for the European Court of Justice in joint agreements. This is intended to create the possibility of an agreement on food safety, which should reduce the bureaucracy created by Brexit and facilitate the trade in food.

Where can still be expected to be closer to closer cooperation?

There should also be approaches on the topics of energy and emission trade. Basically, there is also hope on the EU side that the foundations will be created at the meeting in order to significantly deepen the collaboration in the future.