Conclusion 23

We welcome the UK’s ongoing collaboration on defence matters with EU Member States, individually and severally. Based on the evidence that we have considered we believe that, on balance, there would be benefits to the UK seeking to complement existing collaboration through an administrative arrangement with the European Defence Agency, similar to those reached between the EDA and other third countries such as Norway and the United State of America. Such an agreement would not impede existing cooperation, and would impose few obligations on the UK. But it could be a useful step towards wider cooperation with the EU on defence, based on the principle of reciprocity.