Starmer to host first EU-UK summit since Brexit

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts European Union chiefs for a landmark summit designed to usher in a closer relationship between Britain and the bloc, five years after Brexit.

The meeting in London is expected to deliver the first results from Mr Starmer’s much-heralded “reset” of the UK’s ties with the EU following the rancour of the post-Brexit years.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council António Costa are among those who will be in attendance for the talks.

Both sides have been engaged in negotiations to improve cooperation across a number of areas including defence and security, plant and animal checks, and youth mobility.

It is the first meeting of its kind since the UK formally left the European Union more than five years ago.

Over the weekend, figures on both sides of the talks warned that negotiations are likely to go down to “the wire”.

The UK is seeking agreement on defence and security, to allow it to participate in EU defence procurement schemes and data sharing.

Britain is also seeking mutual recognition of professional qualifications, an agreement to make it easier for UK artists to tour around Europe as well as a deal on plant and animal checks.

Yesterday, UK Minister for European Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds said it would be open to aligning with EU rules in some areas.

There are a number of asks from the EU side too, namely a youth mobility scheme, allowing young people to live and work in both jurisdictions.

However, this could prove politically controversial in the UK, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warning that it would amount to a return to free movement.

Read more: EU-UK summit: Room for manoeuvre is limited

The EU is also seeking assurances over access to UK fishing waters.

Last night, an EU diplomat warned that the bloc will want to see “goodwill and commitments” from the UK side.

They said that there were still a number of matters still to be agreed, adding that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”.