The EU will demand access to British fishing waters in exchange for closer ties with the UK as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s “reset” of relations.
At last week’s European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, the Prime Minister hosted leaders from across the continent at Winston Churchill’s birthplace, and sought to reset the UK’s relationship with the EPC, with immigration and defence issues at the centre of the agenda.
But while Starmer may be aiming for stronger trading ties, the EU is believed to be preparing an arsenal of “offensive interests” to bring to the negotiating table in future.
Chief among these interests are fishing rights in British waters, and France is likely to push for an extension of the UK-EU bilateral fisheries agreement, which expires in June 2026.
Emmanuel Macron warns against “cherry-picking”
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The current agreement guarantees EU vessels to return 25 percent of the value of the fish they catch in UK waters, which will generate an extra £145 million a year in revenue for the UK fishing industry by the end of the agreement.
In addition to trade, the EU will also be keen to discuss a series of requirements on mobility and education that could see European students being exempt from expensive international tuition fees to attend British universities, as well as permission for 18-30 year olds to work and study in Britain for up to four years.
And of course, with post-Brexit Gibraltar negotiations still ongoing, Gibraltar’s status will be crucial.
A Gibraltar government source insisted an agreement was close, although several key issues still needed to be “resolved”.
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Gibraltar’s status is crucial and negotiations over Gibraltar post-Brexit are still ongoing.
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European Council President Charles Michel said it was “legitimate” for the EU to act in its own interests first.
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However, they remained adamant that “Spanish troops had not invaded Gibraltar” and that Spain had no control over Gibraltar’s waters.
But Madrid has previously said its own police and EU officials must staff border patrols in the region, a demand that insiders see as an unacceptable “Franco-era” demand.
EU member states have called for clarity about what Britain will demand before any bloc-wide talks take place. Speaking at the Blenheim Palace summit, one official told The Telegraph: “They first need to know exactly what they want and then come to us and discuss it.”
But European leaders remain adamant about “cherry-picking” parts of the post-Brexit single market.
Olaf Scholz, pictured with Starmer in 2022, expressed his “willingness” to build a good relationship.
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European Council President Charles Michel said it was “legitimate” for the EU to act in its own interests, adding: “In the end, what counts is common sense and political courage, so that we can make the right decisions, the right choices in the interest of our people.”
And despite a number of friendly photo ops with the prime minister at Blenheim Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron said the agreement, established under Boris Johnson’s government, must be respected.
“The decision this time is clear: we need to respect what was decided at the time and it cannot be about cherry-picking,” Macron said.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took a slightly more moderate stance on the issue, telling reporters: “It’s too early to go into details, but we are willing to resolve all issues that need to be resolved in order to have a good relationship.”
