New Delhi, May 19: The United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed on a new deal covering food standards, fishing access, defence cooperation, and travel procedures for UK citizens. The agreement is being described by the UK government as beneficial for jobs, border management, and trade efficiency.
One of the key elements of the agreement is a 12-year fisheries arrangement that will maintain the current access rights for EU vessels in British waters until 2038. While some UK fishermen have criticised the deal as damaging to domestic industry, others in the seafood export sector have welcomed the outcome. Industry group Salmon Scotland, which represents Scotland’s leading food export, praised the reduction in trade barriers and paperwork for seafood shipments to the EU. For travellers, the deal brings a notable change: UK passport holders will be able to use eGates at EU border control points, potentially easing long wait times that have been a common complaint since Brexit.
In the food and drink sector, the agreement will reduce the number of regulatory checks on goods traded between the UK and EU. This is expected to simplify logistics and lower costs for exporters and importers. The deal also includes a new defence cooperation pact, allowing the UK to participate in EU-led defence research and development programmes. British firms and institutions will once again be eligible for EU funding in areas such as security innovation and joint military projects.
Background
This marks the most significant UK-EU agreement since the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement was finalised in 2020.
Since the UK formally exited the EU single market and customs union in January 2021, both sides have faced ongoing challenges in managing cross-border trade, travel, and security cooperation.
Frictions over food standards, customs checks, and fishing rights have been particularly contentious. The latest deal represents a further attempt to stabilise UK-EU relations, which have seen periods of strain, especially over Northern Ireland trade rules and regulatory divergence. While welcomed in some sectors, the long-term political and economic impact of the agreement remains to be seen.
