Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Conclusion 11
3rd Report – From a Common Understanding to Common Ground: Building a UK-EU Strategic Partnership fit for the future
Published 4 Mar 2026
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee The UK-EU reset: rebuilding a strategic partnership in uncertain times All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We hope the Security and Defence Partnership will, in particular, facilitate sustained UK-EU cooperation in support of Ukraine’s defence and, by extension, European security. In that context, it is extremely regrettable that the EU Member States in December 2025 were unable to find a united EU position on the use of immobilised Russian Sovereign assets to provide Ukraine with the financial support it needs. The UK is unwilling to seize the Russian Sovereign assets in its jurisdiction in the absence of a coordinated move with Europe. It will be European taxpayers that shoulder more of the burden, rather than utilising the significant assets of the aggressor that are at the UK and EU’s disposal to utilise in line with international law. Ultimately, for a just and lasting peace, Russia will need to pay reparations to account for the damage it has inflicted. It remains imperative that a way is found to deploy the Kremlin’s Sovereign assets in support of Ukraine. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, 3rd Report – From a Common Understanding to Common Ground: Building a UK-EU Strategic Partnership fit for the future (HC 857), 4 March 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 May 2026 (deadline 4 May 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the Committee's contributions and says it has "considered the report's findings carefully", responding to the recommendations in turn, with many matters said to be subject to ongoing negotiation.
- On the Gibraltar Treaty, the Government says Parliament will be able to scrutinise it under the 2010 Act "once it has been signed", and that the Committee's views on a debate will be conveyed to the Leader of the House and business managers "for consideration".
- On Security Action for Europe (SAFE), the Government says it "was unable to reach an agreement" that met the national interest test, and that UK firms retain access to SAFE contracts under standard third-country terms.
- On the Sanitary and Phytosanitary and electricity negotiations, the Government says details are "subject to ongoing negotiations" and it "will not provide a running commentary". It aims to conclude ETS linking and Youth Experience talks by the next summit, and says the electricity agreement will come into force "within this parliament".
- On a dedicated Commons EU affairs committee, the Government says it "intends to consider the matter further", and on Galileo says it has no plans to rejoin.