A fresh start for EU-UK relations?

By Winona Kamphausen

By the end of April, a leaked document revealed that the EU and UK were preparing to launch a new strategic partnership, just ahead of the pivotal May 19 summit. Widely viewed as a crucial step toward mending the fractured relationship since Britain’s departure from the European Union, the document raised hopes of a diplomatic reset. Now that the summit has taken place, the question is: has a new strategic partnership truly been formed? Or is it still just a promise on paper?

The leaked strategic partnership

The draft document highlights a joint commitment to global economic stability and ‘free and open trade,’ with both sides pledging to work together amid market volatility - a response to Donald Trump’s rising influence and threats to transatlantic unity.

‘We are friends. And we are Europeans,’ said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in April.

The talks go beyond trade, covering defence, development, youth mobility, and emissions trading. Plans include easing agricultural and food border checks, and launching a youth exchange programme to strengthen UK–EU ties.

The moment is pivotal: Britain faces a 10% U.S. tariff, lower than the EU’s, but still significant, while pursuing a broader agenda to reduce global trade barriers. Starmer aims to deepen alliances from Brussels to Washington and Delhi.

So, what happened at the highly anticipated summit?

The May 19 summit marked the first major UK–EU meeting under Keir Starmer’s ‘reset’ agenda. While no final deal or formal strategic partnership was reached, the two sides agreed on a security pact to enhance cooperation on defence and establish regular dialogues. As President Antonio Costa remarked, ‘This summit marks a new chapter in the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.’

They also issued a joint declaration on global issues and outlined a ‘common stance’ for future talks, covering topics such as fishing, youth mobility, emissions trading, and food import rules. Fishing remains a sticking point, with France seeking extended access to UK waters, while negotiations on energy continue without resolution.

Overall, the Summit laid important groundwork but left key details to be settled in the coming months. With a shared commitment to supporting Ukraine and multilateralism, it signals a cautious but meaningful shift toward pragmatic cooperation, offering the first signs of a durable reset and a quiet counterpoint to Trump-era isolationism.