The UK and the EU Prepare Their Biggest Post-Brexit Reset

Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom and the European Union are edging closer to the most significant overhaul of their relationship since the UK left the bloc. Despite the postponement of the planned summit following political changes in London, negotiations on a new package of agreements continue, with both sides expressing confidence that they can be finalised in the coming months.

The proposed package focuses on three strategic areas of cooperation: easing agri-food trade, reintegrating energy markets, and launching a new youth mobility scheme. If agreed, the measures would represent the most substantial step towards restoring practical UK–EU cooperation since Brexit.

One of the key elements is an agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary standards. The UK is prepared to align its rules with those of the EU, significantly reducing customs checks and administrative barriers for British food exports to the bloc. For European businesses, the agreement would also help restore more predictable supply chains and lower the costs of cross-border trade.

Another major pillar of the package is closer cooperation in the energy sector. London hopes to reconnect with the EU's internal electricity market and link the UK's emissions trading system (ETS) with the European scheme. At a time of persistently high energy costs, the need to accelerate decarbonisation and strengthen Europe's energy security, such integration could become one of the most tangible outcomes of the renewed partnership.

The most challenging issue remains the proposed youth mobility scheme. It would allow British and EU citizens under the age of 30 to work, study and travel in each other's territories under simplified arrangements. This proposal has become the main sticking point in the negotiations. Brussels has pushed for broader access for young people, while London has sought limits on both participant numbers and the length of stay.

The UK's Minister for EU Relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said the new scheme would most likely resemble the UK's existing arrangements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In the year to September 2025, those programmes received just 21,900 applications, which the government argues demonstrates that the scheme could remain carefully managed.

University tuition fees have also emerged as a contentious issue. The European Commission wants EU students to regain access to the same tuition fee arrangements as British students. At present, domestic tuition fees in England and Wales are approximately €10,000 per year, while London is attempting to keep the issue outside the scope of the final agreement.

The negotiations extend well beyond these three flagship initiatives. The UK is also seeking to participate in the EU's loan facility supporting Ukraine and secure exemptions from the bloc's Made in Europe industrial strategy, which prioritises EU-produced goods in public procurement. For the British government, this is strategically important, as failing to secure exemptions could weaken the position of UK manufacturers within European supply chains, particularly in high-tech and defence industries.

British ministers increasingly argue that the geopolitical landscape has fundamentally changed since Brexit. According to Thomas-Symonds, while sovereignty dominated political debate in 2016, today's priorities are European security, resilient supply chains, energy independence and continued support for Ukraine. Against this backdrop, the government has described closer cooperation with the European Union as "crucially important".

The summit, originally scheduled for 22 July, was postponed following the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid domestic political upheaval. However, both London and Brussels stress that technical negotiations have continued uninterrupted and that the package is expected to be formally endorsed once a new British government is in place.

Domestic politics nevertheless continues to shape the negotiations. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has remained ahead in most national opinion polls for more than a year, polling at around 26%. At the same time, Ipsos polling suggests that around 60% of Britons now support rejoining the European Union or favour a significantly closer relationship with the bloc.

For the European Union, the current negotiations represent more than an effort to stabilise relations with a former member state. They form part of a broader strategy to strengthen Europe's competitiveness, resilience and security. Against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, intensifying global economic competition and Europe's expanding defence agenda, closer coordination between the EU and the UK has become increasingly valuable. If adopted, the new package could mark the most important milestone in rebuilding post-Brexit cooperation and lay the foundations for deeper integration in trade, energy, defence and support for Ukraine.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian, euronews