Britain and the European Union are poised to become closer than they have been in the past nine years, following the Brexit referendum in 2016. This morning, the Coreper ambassadors, representing the various EU member states, reached agreement on the texts that will be finalized at the summit with the United Kingdom scheduled for today in London, which is expected to bring a "reset" to relations.
The agreements should strengthen relations between the UK and European countries in various areas: from armament spending to the use of waters for fishing, from pharmaceuticals to energy trade. Citizen mobility, especially young people and students, will also be addressed, although for now there are more good intentions than concrete details on this.
What's in the agreement and what will continue to be worked on?
One of the issues on the table is certainly security, which would require a separate document. Defense and military spending are two strategic areas for cooperation: the United Kingdom could have access to European databases and participate in agreements the EU makes to purchase weapons from other countries. There could also be discussion of providing British companies with a share of European rearmament funds, provided that European companies also benefit.
Speaking of fishing and energy, there are temporary agreements in both areas that will expire next year. The European proposal on fishing is to maintain the current situation, in which the UK and EU have free access to each other's territorial waters for fishing, until 2038. In exchange, there would be less stringent European customs controls for British companies importing meat, animal products, and fertilizers. Regarding energy, greater coordination is being explored for the purchase and distribution of electricity, especially electricity.
There are also a number of issues—including those of greatest immediate interest to European citizens, such as the ability to travel freely to and from the United Kingdom —that have not yet been defined, but are being worked on. The starting point for young people under 30 would be to allow mobility for study and work, but only for a limited period.
As mentioned, however, the details are not yet available. The intention, at this stage, is primarily to draw up a list of issues that Europeans and the British actually want to discuss and change the current situation. In addition to travel for young people and students, this would also include regulations on professionals, healthcare, and pollution.