The first EU-UK Summit since the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union took place on 19 May 2025 in London, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish a new Strategic Partnership marked by breakthrough deals on fisheries, Erasmus+, and energy cooperation.
The summit resulted in three primary documents setting the framework for future relations. The Security and Defence Partnership established a new framework for structured dialogue on global threats, including support for Ukraine, cyber security and maritime safety.
The Common Understanding provided a roadmap for a renewed agenda covering trade, youth mobility and energy cooperation. The Joint Statement was a political declaration reaffirming shared values and committing to annual bilateral summits at the leader level.
Foreign and Defence Secretaries will meet every six months for strategic consultations. Negotiations are ongoing for a Youth Experience Scheme to facilitate travel and work for young citizens. Summits will now occur annually, with the next meeting scheduled to be held in Brussels in 2026.
Major policy breakthroughs
The summit delivered four major policy breakthroughs across key sectors. A new 12-year fisheries arrangement was cemented, providing reciprocal access to fishing waters until 30 June 2038, ending a long-standing post-Brexit dispute.
The UK confirmed its intent to rejoin the Erasmus+ scheme starting in 2027, with an estimated participation cost of £570 million for the first year, reconnecting British students with European exchange programs.
Both sides agreed to explore linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) to avoid mutual Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms and to integrate the UK into the EU’s internal electricity market, deepening energy cooperation.
Leaders also agreed to work toward a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area, which would reduce border checks on food and animal products and ease agri-food trade.
Leadership statements
Both leaders hailed the deal as historic and mutually beneficial. Starmer declared it a win-win that puts Britain back on the world stage and delivers on the public’s post-Brexit vote. von der Leyen emphasized the agreement’s importance for European security and prosperity, stressing that a strong EU-UK relationship is fundamental to facing global instability together.
Britain is back on the world stage.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in his address
This is the first UK-EU summit, that marks a new stage in our relationship. And this deal, is a win-win. It delivers what the British public voted for last year.
What we have agreed today is historic. It will make a real difference to people in the UK and across our Union. But the message we are sending to the world today is equally – if not more – important. It is a message that at a time of global instability – and when our continent faces the greatest threats it has for generations – we in Europe stick together. A strong EU-UK relationship is of fundamental importance to that – for our security, our prosperity and our shared destiny on this continent.
Statement by European Commission President von der Leyen
Broader implications
The summit marks a significant reset in UK-EU relations after years of post-Brexit friction, with the fisheries deal ending a long-standing dispute and the Erasmus+ return reconnecting British students with European programs.
The energy cooperation and reduced agri-food checks signal deeper economic integration, while the security partnership positions both sides as closer allies amid global instability. However, ongoing negotiations on youth mobility and the need for annual summits suggest the relationship remains a work in progress requiring continued diplomatic engagement.
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