In July, King Charles and Queen Camilla will formally welcome French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte. They are really looking forward to welcoming them to Windsor Castle. This will be Macron’s first state visit to the United Kingdom since Brexit. This could be an early sign of a much needed thaw in UK-EU relations. Expectations are high as the UK and EU get ready to announce three major breakthroughs at the summit. Together, these announcements will address heroic geopolitical challenges and deepen mutual, regional and global cooperation between the two powers.
The announcements will include a joint declaration that underscores the need for their shared vision within today’s geopolitical reality. Further, they’ll announce a new EU-UK security and defence pact, as well as a new package to tackle trade barriers that have arisen since Brexit. The UK has been meeting its trade challenges recently with a sector-by-sector focus. This approach is similar to the bilateral agreements currently established with countries such as Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Japan.
One of the noteworthy aspects of the upcoming summit is a reduction in visa restrictions for UK musicians traveling and performing within the EU. This new initiative is a testament to the UK’s readiness to inspire cultural exchange and collaboration.
Not all of the summit’s discussions have been smooth sailing. France is seeking to make the requirements very stringent for companies from outside the EU. This even extends to UK firms that are currently bidding for defense contracts in the bloc. The UK is advocating for its defence companies’ inclusion in the EU’s new re-armament initiative known as SAFE (Security Action for Europe).
Analysts note that the evolving landscape of UK-EU relations will encompass a “mobility” section, focusing on the movement of people and goods. The UK’s argument is that the geopolitical environment today requires an adjustment. This is essential in enabling Brussels to take a much more flexible approach in these negotiations.
“Everyone in the EU wants closer relations with the UK right now and France doesn’t want to be seen as the one country blocking closer UK-EU cooperation. But that does not mean that Paris is willing to give up on core interests.” – Georgina Wright
The politics between Berlin and Paris on UK relations continue to be very different. Although Germany seems to be more welcoming, France is still reluctant, especially when it comes to protecting its economic interests. Some analysts suggest the UK’s outreach to Macron with this state visit invitation may be an attempt to mend ties.
The current post-Brexit fishing deal is due to expire next year, which has added an additional tenser edge to these talks. Paris, for its part, has been vocal about the need for the EU to become more autonomous. This call to action has similarly resonated among other EU member states interested in decreasing their own external supplier dependency.
“A unified Europe is the absolute priority in the current geopolitical setting.” – Friedrich Merz
Sceptics think that France is behind out of a wish to win France as many lucrative EU contracts for itself. They claim that this overemphasis will block real cooperation from happening with the UK. The upcoming summit will hopefully provide some insight into how much both sides are willing to bend on these intricately tied negotiations to meet in the middle.
“Britain is a serious player both in traditional defence capabilities, like producing munitions, and in cutting edge defence innovation, where new growth and energy is. If the UK has access to the emerging EU defence programmes, it can contribute to mass and pace. [The war in Ukraine] has shown that both are needed.” – Sophia Gaston
As final preparations are made for this climate-critical summit, global voices urge positive, solutions-focused dialogue. Anand Menon warns that not finding a way to build warmer relations in this very competitive global landscape would come at a reputational cost to both parties.
“Failure to do so, in the current international context, would not be a good look.” – Anand Menon