London – The Government of Great Britain said Monday that it has achieved new agreements with the European Union to boost defense cooperation, relieve food trade and border checks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the agreements will cut the bureaucracy, the British economy will grow and restore the relations with the 27 -nations trade block from the United Kingdom Left the EU in 2020.
Star The president of the Organized European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and other senior EU officials in London for the first formal summit of the United Kingdom from Brexit.
According to the agreements, a new UK-EK-EU Security Association will allow the United Kingdom to access an EU defense loans for 150 billion euros ($ 170 billion).
Other agreements include eliminating some controls of animal and plant products to relieve food trade through borders, and an extension of 12 years of an agreement that allows EU fishing ships in the waters of the United Kingdom.
“It’s time to look forward. Go from old debates and political fights to find common sense practical solutions that obtain the best for the British,” said Starmer.
Although the EU is the largest commercial partner in the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom has been affected with a 21% drop in exports from Brexit due to more onerous border checks, laborious paperwork and other barriers.
Since he became prime minister in July, Starmer has tried Restore relationships with the EUAfter years of tensions as a result of 2016 of the United Kingdom Brexit referendum.
Brexit’s subsequent relationships have been governed by a Commercial Agreement Negotiated Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Starmer thinks that it can be improved in a way that increases trade and safety of reinforcements.
“It’s about improving people, making the country safer, making sure there are more jobs in the United Kingdom,” said Secretary of Commerce Jonathan Reynolds to Times Radio.
The strongest ties with the EU will bring “more benefits for the United Kingdom” after the commercial agreements that the United Kingdom attacked in recent weeks with India and the United States, said Starmer.
Although tariffs are notote in the export of goods between both sides, a variety of non -tariff barriers have hindered trade.
Visa restrictions after Brexit have also limited cross -border activities of professionals such as bankers or lawyers, as well as cultural exchanges, including tour bands and school trips.
Since the Labor Party took power last year after 14 years of conservative government, a period that was largely marked by disorders around the Brexit vote and its consequences, both parties have tried to improve relations.
That has been more evident in the More coordinated response to the large -scale invasion of Russia of Ukraine following a change of approach to Washington after the return of President of the United States Donald Trump.
But Starmer has emphasized that the United Kingdom will not join the single and frictionless market of the EU without friction customs, or accept the free circulation of people between the United Kingdom and the EU.
Conversations about strengthening ties have been largely focused on security and defense, and a Youth Mobility Plan That would allow British and European young people to live and work temporarily in the territory of the other.
That remains a politically deliceous issue in the United Kingdom, seen by some Brexiteers as an advance towards free movement, although the United Kingdom already has youth mobility arrangements with countries such as Australia and Canada.
Another problem that has long been a point of conflict in relations with the United Kingdom-EU is fishing – An economically lower but symbolically important issue for the United Kingdom and EU member states such as France. Disputes on the subject almost deranged a Brexit agreement in 2020.
The summit is also expected to cover alignment standards in the sale of agricultural products, which could eliminate the expensive controls of the exported food products throughout the La Mancha channel.
Thomas-Symonds said it was sure that trade could be improved for food imports and exports.
“We know that we have had trucks waiting for 16 hours, fresh food on the back cannot be exported, because frankly it is only going, bureaucracy, all the certifications that are required, we want to reduce that,” he told the BBC.
Some of the compensation can be difficult for Starmer, which faces increasing challenges of the Pro-Brexit and Anti-immigration Reforma UK party and will probably see accusations of “betraying the Brexit”, whatever the result of the conversations.
Reform, which recently won great in local electionsAnd the conservative opposition party has already called the agreement as a “surrender” to the EU before confirming any detail.
Trump, who has backed Brexit, could also be a possible headache for Starmer.
“The restart could still be discouraged by disagreements on how to consolidate existing cooperation areas such as fishing and/or external factors, such as a negative reaction from the United States to the United Kingdom that seeks closer ties with the EU,” said Jannike Wachowiak, an associate of research in the United Kingdom in a change of thinking of changing Europe.
