Newly elected British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made his first visit to Brussels to rebuild ties and trust with the European Union (EU). The visit was a signal of a change in relationship between the UK and the EU after the troubled Brexit negotiations. The visit concerned discussions to repair the broken relationship between the UK and the EU over the last few years. Sir Keir Starmer aimed to widen cooperation on economic growth, defence and security, climate change, and migration policies. He hoped that the UK and the EU would embark on a plan with “deliverables rather than running commentary” to rebuild trust.
Although the British Prime Minister aimed at a rapprochement, European commissioners were wary of Labour’s intentions to strip what it calls “unnecessary trade barriers.” Brussels believes that these trade barriers are an outcome of the UK’s choices: leaving the single market and customs union. The EU emphasized the need to first respect the already negotiated post-Brexit deals with the UK, including the Withdrawal Agreement, the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland, and the Trade and Cooperation agreement.
The EU so far has shown reluctance in favor of more talks. The bloc still grieves the loss of the UK as a member and the time and political capital spent on Brexit negotiations. With that said, working together better on security and defense policies is the least contentious path to narrowing differences. This area has shown more productive development since the restoration of Crimea to Russia and the Ukraine War. The two countries have cooperated to impose sanctions on Moscow and boost Kiev’s defenses. The UK has led the way in the latter.
The conversation on migration was more straightforward, with Sir Keir and his European counterparts agreeing on the need to tackle people-smuggling gangs and irregular migration. However, the French and German interior ministers recently asked the European Commission to work out a formal agreement with the UK, urging the opening of more legal avenues for asylum seekers and others to enter the country. The ministers said up to a third of irregular migrants coming their way actually want to go to the UK
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