Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee

The UK-EU reset: rebuilding a strategic partnership in uncertain times

Status: Open Opened: 7 Mar 2025 39 recommendations 46 conclusions 1 report

The Foreign Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into the Government’s proposed reset of the UK-EU relationship. The inquiry will consider all facets of the reset, across the three “pillars” articulated by the Government (security, safety and prosperity) with a particular focus on how the reset process can be engaged to ensure the UK-EU partnership … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report – From a Common Understanding to Common Ground: … HC 857 4 Mar 2026 85 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
48 Conclusion 3rd Report – From a Common Understandin… Rejected

It is disappointing that the EU has recently and unilaterally introduced a significant new element...

It is disappointing that the EU has recently and unilaterally introduced a significant new element into the “reset” negotiations by asking the UK to make a financial contribution to economic development of lower-income EU countries. Such a demand was not included in the Common Understanding. Introducing it in this way … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government explicitly states it will not make a financial contribution to the EU budget, clarifying its firm stance against the EU's demand for financial contributions to lower-income EU countries.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
50 Recommendation 3rd Report – From a Common Understandin… Rejected

We ask the Government to state clearly whether it is prepared to agree to make...

We ask the Government to state clearly whether it is prepared to agree to make a financial contribution to the economic development of lower- income EU countries that does not require payments into the general EU budget (for example in a manner similar to the EU-Switzerland financial mechanism), and, if … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government explicitly states it will not make a financial contribution to the EU budget, but notes any potential financial contributions in future agreements would be contingent on clear benefits and subject to robust parliamentary scrutiny.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
61 Recommendation 3rd Report – From a Common Understandin… Rejected

We request the Government to publish, as promised, the headline findings of the Economic Diplomacy...

We request the Government to publish, as promised, the headline findings of the Economic Diplomacy Review conducted for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2024, and to clarify in its Response to this Report what EU-related recommendations Sir Martin Donnelly made and which of these the Government has accepted. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government shared executive summaries with the Committee previously and claims it would not be appropriate to provide additional detail on individual review recommendations made in a personal capacity.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
8 Sep 2025 Hermione Gough · Cabinet Office, Nick Heath · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP · Cabinet Office, Stephen Doughty MP · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
6 May 2025 Charles Grant · Centre for European Reform, Professor Richard Whitman · University of Kent, Sophia Gaston · Kings College London View ↗
29 Apr 2025 Naomi Smith · Best for Britain, Professor Anand Menon · UK in a Changing Europe, Professor David Paton · Nottingham University Business School View ↗

Who gave evidence

10 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Charles Grant · Director Centre for European Reform 1
Hermione Gough · Director, EU Relations Cabinet Office 1
Naomi Smith · Chief Executive Officer Best for Britain 1
Nick Heath · Deputy Director, EU Department Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 1
Professor Anand Menon · Director UK in a Changing Europe 1
Professor David Paton · Professor of Industrial Economics Nottingham University Business School 1
Professor Richard Whitman · Professor of Politics and International Relations University of Kent 1
Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP · Minister for Constitution and European Relations Cabinet Office 1
Sophia Gaston · Visiting fellow Kings College London 1
Stephen Doughty MP · Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas T… Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
2 Jun 2026 Correspondence from the Minister for the Cabinet Office, relating to the Govern…
21 May 2026 From cttee Letter to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, relating to the Government’s Res…
25 Jun 2025 Correspondence from the Minister for the Cabinet Office relating to the UK-EU r…
18 May 2025 From cttee Letter to the Prime Minister relating to UK-EU reset and upcoming summit, dated…
15 May 2025 Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary relating to the…