On Thursday 27 November, MEPs approved the report on the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the United Kingdom by 490 votes to 41 with 74 abstentions, calling for a new development of cooperation (see EUROPE 13756/8).
The Dutch rapporteur, Thijs Reuten (S&D), and the Irish rapporteur, Nina Carberry (EPP), take stock of the progress made and identify the future directions to be taken “in this relationship, in the interests of all”, as they explained the previous day in plenary.
Among other things, they stressed the need to simplify trade for SMEs and welcomed the rapprochement on security and defence, although the Dutchman deplored the fact that the “signals” on the SAFE programme were “negative”, as the two parties had still not reached an agreement on London’s budgetary contribution.
The rapporteurs of the various Parliament committees involved also underlined their expectations, expressing for example, with regard to fisheries, the need to ensure proper compliance with the agreements providing for European access to British waters until 2038.
As far as culture and education are concerned, Parliament considers it crucial to develop links between young people from the two blocs.
For his part, the European Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, said that Parliament’s monitoring and control role remains “fundamental”. And although the London Summit on 19 May (see EUROPE 13643/1), which relaunched relations, was a “success” and “opened a new chapter, we continue to work for the full, swift and faithful implementation of existing agreements”.
Since then, “we have formalised our political agreements on fisheries and energy. We are now at the heart of negotiations on several files, such as the UK’s association with Erasmus+ and the youth exchange scheme”.
The discussions “are difficult, but always conducted in a constructive atmosphere”. Negotiations have also been launched on a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement and an agreement on the UK Emissions Trading System. “Discussions on all other issues are also underway, from exploratory talks on electricity to deepening of our cooperation across wider security issues, irregular migration, law enforcement and judicial cooperation”, said the Commissioner, who also emphasised the EU’s duty to remain united and firm with the United Kingdom as regards full compliance with its obligations.
However, the Commission’s annual reports have noted that implementation of the TCA “has been smooth and the agreement has yielded important results”. The 2024 report showed a trade surplus for the EU of €132 billion for goods and €43 billion for services with the UK in the first three quarters of 2024.
Exports of goods to the UK rose by 1.7% in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. And service exports rose by 6.2%.
Links to the TCA report and assessment: https://aeur.eu/f/jp8 ; https://aeur.eu/f/jpd (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)