‘A historic day’
The Labour government has secured a major breakthrough between the UK and EU on a new post-Brexit trade deal which the government has said will lead to more jobs and economic growth for the country.
Talks between the UK and EU went down to the wire last night, ahead of a summit with EU leaders in London this morning.
Negotiators have secured a tentative agreement on defence and security, fisheries and youth mobility ahead of a EU-UK summit later today, paving the way for British firms to participate in large EU defence contracts, EU officials said.
It is understood that fishing rights had proved to be a contentious issue once more in negotiations, with Brussels understood to have dropped demands to link the duration of an agreement over food and agricultural goods with fishing rights.
Sky News reported that the EU wanted permanent access to UK waters for fishing, but they have agreed to access for 12 years.
In return, the agreement on easier checks for food, animal and other agricultural products, known as sanitary and phytosanitary goods (SPS), is indefinite.
Other aspects of the negotiations included talks on access to EU defence funding for UK companies, the possibility of a mutual youth mobility scheme. The deal will give the UK a number of wins, not only on food exports but will also mean that Brits will no longer have to queue for long periods at EU airports and ports.
Following announcement of a breakthrough, Labour’s Nick Thomas-Symonds posted on X: “Historic day. After months of negotiations, I can announce that the Labour Government has secured a new agreement with the EU”, and added that the deal was ‘good for jobs, good for bills and good for borders.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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