BRUSSELS: The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold his first formal meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen since his Labour Party ousted the Conservatives in the July general election.
This meeting signals a renewed British goodwill towards European neighbors following the UK’s contentious departure from the EU in 2020 under Boris Johnson.
However, Starmer faces pressure to clarify what he seeks from the EU and what concessions he is prepared to make in return. Downing Street stated that the Prime Minister plans to discuss “his ambitions for the next few months” with von der Leyen and other EU leaders during his visit.
Ahead of the trip, Starmer expressed his determination to move past the Brexit years and to foster a more pragmatic and mature relationship with the EU. Prior to heading to Brussels, he has already met with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a sequence of meetings that has raised some eyebrows.
David McAllister, the German chair of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, noted the significance of Starmer’s planned visit to Brussels, highlighting that it was surprising it hadn’t happened sooner given London’s call for a fresh start in relations.
Starmer began rebuilding ties with Brussels in July when he hosted numerous leaders at the European Political Community meeting. He also met von der Leyen at the UN General Assembly last month. This upcoming visit to Brussels is seen as a symbolic step toward clearing the air in UK-EU relations, according to Richard Whitman, an EU expert at the University of Kent.
Yet, Whitman cautioned that this visit may also serve as a reality check for the UK, emphasizing that improving the relationship will be a lengthy process. Starmer, who voted to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum, has made it clear that his approach will not involve reversing Brexit, a politically sensitive topic in the UK.
Instead, Labour seeks enhancements to the existing Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, which is due for renewal in 2026. Proposed improvements include negotiating a new security pact, establishing a veterinary agreement to facilitate border checks on agricultural products, and ensuring mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
Despite these ambitions, Starmer has offered limited specifics while setting clear boundaries for negotiations, stating that there will be no return to the European single market, customs union, or freedom of movement.
Political risk consultant Mujtaba Rahman stressed that Starmer needs to present a detailed plan. Furthermore, Starmer has expressed skepticism about the EU’s proposal for a youth mobility scheme for 18- to 30-year-olds, which aims to allow easier movement for younger EU citizens to work in the UK. He rejected the idea due to concerns that it resembles freedom of movement, which ended with Brexit.
The EU’s ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano, downplayed the proposal’s significance last week, suggesting it would function more like a “gap year” and would not grant EU citizens the right to work in Britain.
