UK trade with the EU

Business and Trade Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 8 Apr 2026 Parliament page
At a Joint Summit in May 2025, the UK and EU agreed to a Security and Defence Partnership, and published a “Common Understanding”, setting out shared commitments to deepen cooperation. Progress since that initial summit has been limited, with core areas for agreement still to conclude. The Business and Trade … Read more
11 Recommendations
14 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Letters
Activity timeline 8 events
2 Jul
2026
Correspondence
26 Jun
2026
Correspondence
22 Jun
2026
Report published
19 May
2026
Correspondence
22 Apr
2026
Correspondence
15 Apr
2026
Correspondence
15 Apr
2026
Correspondence
15 Apr
2026
Correspondence
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report - UK-EU relations a decade on HC 126 22 Jun 2026 25 Pending
Recommendations & Conclusions
25 results
1 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
The Common Understanding is a significant positive step to improve UK-EU relations.
The Common Understanding is a significant positive step to improve UK-EU relations. Thirteen months on, however, an underwhelming amount of progress has been made. So far, the Reset has delivered limited meaningful impact. (Conclusion, Paragraph 9)
Department for Business and Trade
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2 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that Government act quickly to make more progress on the Reset.
We recommend that Government act quickly to make more progress on the Reset. It must also ensure future such agreements are accompanied with clear policy workplans and milestones for delivering outcomes. (Recommendation, Paragraph 10)
Department for Business and Trade
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3 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
Failure to secure UK participation in SAFE was a disappointing outcome.
Failure to secure UK participation in SAFE was a disappointing outcome. It should not preclude further defence cooperation between the UK and the EU. The Committee agrees that the cost of UK participation, if reported correctly, was too high. On … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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4 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government re-open negotiations on UK participation in future rounds of SAFE...
We recommend that the Government re-open negotiations on UK participation in future rounds of SAFE and prioritise inclusion in the EU’s “Loan for Ukraine”. In the interim, it must continue to pursue bilateral defence partnerships with EU Member States, building … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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5 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
A Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU is on balance in the UK’s...
A Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU is on balance in the UK’s interest. It will help support increased trade in agricultural goods. However, greater transparency and guidance is needed on its potential impacts on affected businesses. Clarity … Read more
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6 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government commit to consult with businesses on SPS throughout the Reset.
We recommend that the Government commit to consult with businesses on SPS throughout the Reset. At the conclusion of its SPS negotiations with the EU, ministers must publish a detailed and comprehensive SPS agreement implementation plan. This plan should set … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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7 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We welcome the ambition to conclude talks on an Emissions Trading Scheme agreement by the...
We welcome the ambition to conclude talks on an Emissions Trading Scheme agreement by the time of the 2026 UK-EU summit. Linking UK-EU Emissions Trading Schemes will deliver mutual benefits to businesses. Mutual Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) waivers will … Read more
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8 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government move as quickly as possible to conclude the ETS linkage...
We recommend that the Government move as quickly as possible to conclude the ETS linkage agreement. Once negotiations have concluded, it should seek provisional application of the agreement before its formal ratification. This would allow industry to feel its benefits, … Read more
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9 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
The current electricity trading arrangements with the EU have caused market inefficiencies and increased UK...
The current electricity trading arrangements with the EU have caused market inefficiencies and increased UK energy costs. Reducing these costs through an agreement with the EU will provide significant benefits to UK businesses and consumers and support the broader UK … Read more
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10 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
The need for a UK-EU agreement on energy trading is clear.
The need for a UK-EU agreement on energy trading is clear. The current situation in Iran has compounded the need for a rapid agreement to be reached. We note that negotiations have been too slow to start and the timelines … Read more
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11 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government prioritises negotiations on a UK-EU agreement on energy trading, with...
We recommend that the Government prioritises negotiations on a UK-EU agreement on energy trading, with the aim of reaching an agreement as soon as possible. (Recommendation, Paragraph 32)
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12 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We note there are potential benefits for the UK from a Youth Experience Scheme with...
We note there are potential benefits for the UK from a Youth Experience Scheme with the EU, economically and culturally. We recognise however there is a mismatch between the UK and the EU ambitions. (Conclusion, Paragraph 35)
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13 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We therefore recommend the Government sets out the UK ambitions for the agreement on a...
We therefore recommend the Government sets out the UK ambitions for the agreement on a Youth Experience Scheme. This should set out the overall numbers of participants allowed, the visa timeframes, visa requirements, and its position on access to home … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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14 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We welcome the UK re-joining the Erasmus+ scheme.
We welcome the UK re-joining the Erasmus+ scheme. To support transparency, we recommend that the Government set out the underlying data to support the UK’s decision to rejoin, a full cost- benefit analysis of long-term membership of Erasmus+, and its … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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15 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We are concerned that, despite the Government’s stated commitment to support touring artists, the Reset...
We are concerned that, despite the Government’s stated commitment to support touring artists, the Reset has yet to deliver any meaningful improvements for a sector that plays a key role in driving UK growth. (Conclusion, Paragraph 41)
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16 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government uses the Reset to urgently prioritise improved mobility and visa...
We recommend that the Government uses the Reset to urgently prioritise improved mobility and visa arrangements for touring artists, moving beyond commitments to further dialogue, and delivers practical, measurable outcomes that support the UK’s creative industries. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42) Read more
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17 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We welcome the commitments made in the Common Understanding to seek improved business mobility arrangements.
We welcome the commitments made in the Common Understanding to seek improved business mobility arrangements. However, we note that progress on this issue is unlikely until after the planned UK-EU dialogues in the second quarter of this year. This is … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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18 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
Commitments to continued dialogue without defined objectives and timelines are inadequate.
Commitments to continued dialogue without defined objectives and timelines are inadequate. We recommend that the Government clearly identifies the priority services sectors for improved business mobility and sets out, in precise terms, the specific outcomes it is seeking from the … Read more
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19 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We welcome the commitments from the Government to seek improved outcomes on the Mutual Recognition...
We welcome the commitments from the Government to seek improved outcomes on the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ) arrangements. The existing Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) framework is clearly unfit for this purpose, having delivered no real benefits since … Read more
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20 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government pursue an alternative route, outside the TCA, to secure EU-wide...
We recommend that the Government pursue an alternative route, outside the TCA, to secure EU-wide Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ) agreements and prioritise concluding these deals at pace. We ask that the Government set out whether the UK-Switzerland MRPQ … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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21 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We welcome the concept of a Security and Defence Partnership to establish a bespoke framework...
We welcome the concept of a Security and Defence Partnership to establish a bespoke framework for shared security and defence. The Committee is concerned, however, that it contains no meaningful 54 commitments to specific action or a reporting mechanism through … Read more
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22 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
The UK and the EU face shared challenges and risks to domestic steel production from...
The UK and the EU face shared challenges and risks to domestic steel production from global steel overcapacity. The Reset presents a clear opportunity for both sides to work together on addressing this issue, building upon the limited progress of … Read more
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23 Recommendation
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We recommend that the Government urgently seek to reach an agreement with the EU on...
We recommend that the Government urgently seek to reach an agreement with the EU on steel tariffs before 1 July 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter, to minimise harm to domestic industries. We urge the Government to ensure UK … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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24 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
We are disappointed by the limited progress the Government has made against several of the...
We are disappointed by the limited progress the Government has made against several of the Committee’s previous recommendations. We ask that the Government, in further discussions with the EU, re- double its efforts to secure meaningful improvements for the UK. … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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25 Conclusion
4th Report - UK-EU relations a dec…
The current pace and ambition of the reset is insufficient to address the challenges faced...
The current pace and ambition of the reset is insufficient to address the challenges faced by both sides. Without a firm UK strategy and meaningful commitments, the reset increasingly risks being blown off course by other global events. The 2026 … Read more
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Correspondence 7 letters
2 Jul 2026 To committee Letter from the Port of Dover relating to EU Entry Exit System border arrangements over the summer, 29 June 2026
Parliament page
26 Jun 2026 From committee Letter to the Port of Dover relating to border control operations for the forthcoming summer period, 26 June 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Trade relating to further information requested following the Committee's evidence session on 9 March on trade with the US and EU, 8 May 2026
Parliament page
22 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister for the Constitution and EU Relations relating to an evidence session on UK-EU relations, 13 April 2026
Parliament page
15 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Trade relating to the Department's response to the call for evidence on UK accession to the regional convention of Pan-Euro Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (PEM), 26 March 2026
Parliament page
15 Apr 2026 From committee Letter to the Minister for the Constitution and EU Relations relating to an evidence session on UK-EU relations, 27 March 2026
Parliament page
15 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Port of Dover relating to the Committee's visit to its facilities, 24 March 2026
Parliament page