“We are turning a page,” said EU Ursula von der Leyen on Monday after the first summit of the Block with the United Kingdom from Brexit. “We are opening a new chapter.”
This is not the first page that was shot in the post-Brexit period, but it is the most important.
The two parties have now concluded an agreement which covers the ties of fishing, commerce, defense, energy and strengthening in a number of political areas which are still in negotiation.
For Brussels, this negotiation was an opportunity to bring Great Britain closer – a major defense power – at a time of geopolitical turbulence.
And to resolve what certain Member States consider to be irritating gules of Brexit.
For years, there has been a mentality “do not touch” when it was a question of taking a wide look at the Brexit regulation, according to an EU diplomat.
All this involved “too much policy” with fears that everything could “be wrong”.
Remember that until the Windsor 2023 framework agreement, London and Brussels were bogged down in an extended dispute on commercial provisions against Northern Ireland.
Then, in 2024, a new government won power in the United Kingdom – the most suitable Labor Party for the EU.
Brussels officials have long expressed exasperation – or even distrust – with previous conservative administrations, a party with a vocal contingent in terms of Brexit backing.
Some supporters of Brexit are now casting an agreement which, according to them, is equivalent to a sale of sovereignty to the bureaucrats of the EU.
Diplomats in Brussels, however, insist that it is a “normalization” of relations between neighbors who always look at the world in a largely similar way.
That being said, there was obvious satisfaction in EU circles on the locking of fishing quotas for 12 years.
When I checked with a diplomat about this detail, they initially responded with a smiling face emoji.
Another said: “The agreement is balanced – undoubtedly with favorable terms for the EU – and simply shows that splendid isolation is not an option in today’s climate.”
Of course, the EU will want to highlight its “victories” in a negotiation with a former Member State which seriously rocked the block when leaving.
Nevertheless, coastal countries – notably France – will be happy not to have annual discussions on fish quotas, for the moment.
Neighboring coastal states, notably France, did not want to undergo annual negotiations.
It was, in the end, I say to myself, what a pro quo. The EU obtained its fishing agreement. In return, it will be easier for British companies to export agrifood products – although this element has not been finalized.
The plans for the mobility of young people – which would allow young people to study or work more easily between Great Britain and the EU.
It was a particularly important goal for countries like Germany, anxious to gain better access to an English -speaking country with prestigious universities.
Another key point for Berlin was the new defense and security partnership.
The large -scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine and the unpredictable White House of Donald Trump has torn the rules on European security.
Time has been something of a healer – but events in recent years have also created a sense of urgency.
Betting links with Great Britain, which remains a major defense, is obvious – more than ever – for continental Europe when it tries to extend investments and capacities.
Nations like Germany – which have recently reached the target of expenses of 2% NATO – are fully aware that they have been exposed by the dramatic world developments in recent years.
But, of course, most of this agreement is an agreement in principle; A declaration of intention on questions also to cybersecurity, energy and migration.
“I think it’s a good step,” said another EU diplomat. “It is good to test the waters for practical cooperation and what can be done. Let’s take it from there.”
There is still a vigilant mistrust in Brussels on the heavy debate and the division of Great Britain on relations with the EU.
All the details, which have not yet been negotiated, could arouse other political storms, whether on political compromises or costs.
This “reset” may not change the main fundamental principles of Brexit – the United Kingdom remains out of the single market and customs unions – but it commits London and Brussels to speak much more when they try to fill the many shortcomings in this long list of ambitions.
This means that there will be a greater volume of diplomatic traffic between the United Kingdom and the EU in the future.
Doing more business with Brussels inevitably means doing more about speaking. In this regard, today is only the beginning.
