Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 54
54
Accepted
We ask the Government to provide further information on the implementation of the commitment in...
Recommendation
We ask the Government to provide further information on the implementation of the commitment in the Joint Statement to hold high- level meetings with the EU on “joint strategic interests” in key areas such as trade and migration. We urge the UK and EU to begin convening such meetings regularly without delay, whenever possible at Ministerial level. They should be used as a forum to identify opportunities for joint action on strategic priorities, not only as a reactive mechanism for moments of crisis. In pursuing its interests since the “reset” was initiated, the EU has been a tough negotiator. The UK must be prepared to respond in kind, drawing on its strengths to identify and pursue its strategic political and economic interests with a clearer sense of purpose. (Recommendation, Paragraph 150) 96
Government response summary AI-generated
The Government states that it has already delivered on its commitment to high level meetings, citing regular engagement between the Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Minister Doughty, and EU representatives.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The Government welcomes the Committee’s recognition that the Summit outcomes are a significant step forward in strengthening UK-EU relations. Future annual summits will provide further opportunities to continue to strengthen our relationship and secure new agreements over the years to come. UK-EU engagement is strong and we have formal and informal channels for discussion. Foremost, as under the TCA architecture the UK and EU engage on a range of issues covering UK-EU trade and TCA chapters, through the Trade Specialised Committees and Partnership Council. However, our engagement is not limited to formal structures and officials and Ministers are in frequent contact on the breadth of the relationship, including international challenges, such as migration. This includes close engagement between the Foreign Secretary and High Representative Kaja Kallas, including through the UK-EU Foreign and Security Policy Dialogue under the Security and Defence Partnership, last held in October. Further, the Chancellor hosted Commissioner Sefcovic and Dombrovskis, alongside the Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds and Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle on 2 February for a high-level exchange, where Ministers focused on UK-EU cooperation in relation to global economic and trade challenges. The UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership could be used as a springboard to further operational cooperation on security and defence matters where this is in the UK interest. It is unclear which specific options, such as a Framework Participation Agreement or an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency, the Government intends to pursue further, especially following the failure of the negotiations on UK involvement in the EU Security Action for Europe programme. While the EU is not a traditional military actor, we have heard how it has some strengths that are complementary to NATO when it comes to security and resilience, in particular its financial and regulatory levers. The UK should seek to engage with these, in particular through the “high level meetings” foreseen by the UK-EU Joint Statement of 19 May 2025.
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