An upcoming EU and UK summit has been greeted as “welcome news” by a senior MEP.
UK PM Andy Burnham will meet with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and EU council president António Costa on 20 November for the second EU-UK summit.
The EU says the summit will be an opportunity to “further strengthen the strategic partnership and take a common stance in working together for peace and security in Europe.”
Leaders will take stock of the progress made in the bilateral relationship since the first 2025 EU-UK summit in London, including on their defence and security partnership, energy, agrifood rules, climate, people-to-people contacts, and migration and law enforcement.
The summit will also be an occasion to discuss the next steps in bilateral relations.
On Tuesday, David McAllister, chair of EU parliament’s foreign affairs, told this website: “The announcement of the second EU-UK summit in Brussels on 20 November is welcome news.”
The German MEP added, “The aim should be as deep and ambitious a partnership as possible, for the mutual benefit of people and businesses on both sides.”
He said, “Closer cooperation can help rebuild the connections between our societies that Brexit has weakened. The summit should set a clear timetable for implementing agreed commitments and pursue closer cooperation across a wider range of areas.”
The centre right deputy said, “Priorities should include addressing remaining barriers to trade, strengthening security and defence cooperation and improving opportunities for young people to live, work and study across the UK and the EU.“
Despite the Brexit decision, several opinion polls suggest there is growing support in the UK for closer ties with the EU.
The Guardian newspaper, on Tuesday, reports that Burnham has promised a “serious dialogue” over the UK’s future place in Europe, saying the existing relationship is “not good enough” as he framed next month’s Brussels summit as a possible first step to EU membership.
Britain, it reports him as saying, must take a “clear-eyed rational look” at its long-term relationship with the bloc to boost economic growth and control immigration, which needed to go beyond Labour’s existing red lines.
The paper says, “The next “reset” summit will take place on 20 November, ending months of uncertainty, with the two sides seeking to sign deals on food and drink, youth mobility and emissions trading, which Burnham hopes could provide a £10bn-a-year boost to the economy.”
The summit next month has also been welcomed by Costa, a former Portuguese PM, who said, “The European Union and the United Kingdom are like-minded partners, united by common values and shared interests.
“Our security and prosperity are closely intertwined, making a strong partnership between us essential. By deepening our cooperation, we can strengthen our ability to address the challenges of our time, strengthen our resilience and promote stability in Europe and beyond.”
The leaders are expected to discuss global and regional issues of mutual concern and to issue a joint declaration at the end of the summit.
Following the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union in 2020, the EU-UK relationship is already governed by a set of comprehensive agreements including the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Agreement in relation to Gibraltar.
These agreements remain the cornerstone, and both sides will ensure their full, timely and faithful implementation, says the EU.
At the first EU-UK summit held on 19 May 2025, the EU and UK agreed on a strategic partnership and welcomed the renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation.
An EU source said, “Both are now set to work together on global matters and strengthen cooperation on numerous bilateral issues, for the benefit of citizens and in the mutual interest.”
