The UK and EU have agreed a historic post-Brexit reset of relations after a “late breakthrough” in overnight talks ahead of a summit in London on Monday, officials on both sides said.
The UK agreed to open its fishing waters for 12 more years to EU boats — a move that will be condemned by the opposition Conservatives — according to Brussels officials.
In return, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has secured a veterinary deal that will remove much red tape for British farming and fisheries exports to its biggest market, in a much-sought economic prize of the “reset” talks.
Three EU diplomats confirmed Brussels had dropped demands to link the duration of the agrifood deal to the one for fish, while British officials confirmed that a deal on the two issues had been done.
Both sides were locked in intense haggling through the night over key details of their revamped relationship, including on fisheries and food trade, along with wording about a proposed youth mobility scheme.
Starmer has argued that the two sides should carry on talking about the proposed scheme rather than make concrete commitments at the London summit.
“There was a late breakthrough last night,” one British official said.
Ambassadors from the 27 member states met early on Monday to sign off on the package, even as leaders of the EU institutions headed for London to formally agree it.
According to EU diplomats, both sides agreed that they “should work towards” a youth mobility scheme, leaving the details to be negotiated in the months ahead.
Starmer has insisted that the scheme does not represent “free movement” and that he is sticking to his negotiating red lines, which rule out any return to the single market and customs union.
The eleventh-hour talks came ahead of a summit at Lancaster House on Monday morning, when both sides will sign a security and defence partnership, the centrepiece of the new relationship.
This is a developing story
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