We cannot afford to miss this opportunity for a deal with Europe
4 min read
After years of drift in UK–EU relations, there is now a clear opportunity to put substance behind our shared security interests.
A new Security and Defence Partnership is increasingly likely to emerge from the UK–EU Summit in London on the 19th of this month. Though negotiations continue behind closed doors, the contours of a deal are becoming clearer – and there is every reason for both sides to make it happen.
In my capacity as co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe, I recently chaired discussions involving parliamentarians, think tanks, and defence experts. Their message was clear: the current ad hoc state of UK-EU defence co-operation is unsustainable, and the threats we face – from the war in Ukraine to an unpredictable President in Washington – are too immediate and interconnected for anything less than a structured response.
What’s emerging looks set to be modelled on the EU-Norway Security and Defence Partnership agreed last year. That agreement provides for structured engagement via regular political dialogue, strategic consultation, and a formalised institutional framework. The UK version is likely to go further, incorporating a Framework Participation Agreement to allow British involvement in EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions – already open to many non-EU Nato partners.
Just as important is an administrative arrangement with the European Defence Agency, which would open the door for UK engagement with individual projects under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework. From military mobility to cyber defence and satellite communications, PESCO is where the future of European defence cooperation is being built – and the UK must not be absent from that table.
A key outcome of a formal partnership would be UK access to major EU defence initiatives, including the new ReArm Europe initiative, a €150bn programme to strengthen Europe’s defence readiness and resilience. These mechanisms are central to long-term defence planning, enabling joint capability development, enhanced interoperability and cost-effective procurement. If the UK is to contribute meaningfully to European security – and remain aligned with emerging priorities – it must be part of this evolving architecture.
Of course, no negotiation is without trade-offs. It would be naive to assume an agreement of this scale will be achieved without political bargaining. Some EU member states – particularly coastal nations led by France – are seeking greater access to British waters and fishing quotas as part of a broader settlement. While such proposals are politically sensitive, they reflect longstanding priorities and may form part of the final compromise.
We also know the EU is keen to revive talks on a youth mobility agreement – an area the UK government has so far resisted. Interestingly, the language has recently shifted. Officials now speak of an “opportunity scheme”, possibly to reassure the Home Office that such a deal would be controlled and limited. The EU has never agreed such an arrangement with a third country before. For Brussels, this would be a political milestone as well as a practical solution.
Not everyone in the EU agrees that security and defence should be separated from broader issues. But many do. There is growing momentum behind the idea that Europe’s security is too important to be held hostage to disputes over fish, visas, or political pride. That view is echoed in Westminster by colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Europe’s security is too important to be held hostage to disputes over fish, visas, or political pride
The UK and EU do not need to agree on everything to agree on this. A Security and Defence Partnership would be a bold step toward a more stable, constructive, and co-operative relationship. It would also show that pragmatic engagement between Britain and the EU is not only possible – but essential.
At a time when the global order is shifting, and Europe faces threats from within and without, we cannot afford to miss this opportunity. A comprehensive deal is within reach. Let’s not let it slip away.
