After months of tense negotiations, the United Kingdom and European Union have unveiled a new trade and security pact designed to reboot relations five years after the initial Brexit deal. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the agreement as evidence that “Britain is back on the world stage,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it a “historic moment.”
The deal—revealed just ahead of a tight Monday morning deadline—comes with several key changes meant to ease the friction created by the post-Brexit landscape. Most notably, British passport holders will regain access to EU eGates, eliminating one of the most visible inconveniences of travel since the 2020 split. Additionally, pet passports will return, removing the need for repeated veterinary checks for cats, dogs, and ferrets traveling across borders.
The agreement also scraps the bulk of routine health and customs certifications on food and drink imports, a significant boon for businesses on both sides of the Channel. According to government officials, the changes are expected to reduce delays at borders and cut compliance costs for exporters.
Fishing—long one of Brexit’s most politically fraught issues—almost derailed the talks. The EU had initially pushed for permanent access to UK waters. The final compromise extends the current access arrangement for another 12 years, with British quotas preserved. The fishing industry, which contributes just 0.4% to GDP but remains symbolically potent, remains divided: some view the extended timeline as a betrayal, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declaring it “the end of the fishing industry.”
Beyond trade, the deal introduces a new defence partnership allowing the UK to participate in the EU’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund, potentially opening doors for British defence contractors. However, the inclusion of language about judicial cooperation—particularly in civil, commercial, and family law—has raised eyebrows among Leave supporters who had hoped Brexit would mark a clean judicial break from EU frameworks.
A potential flashpoint is still under negotiation: a youth mobility scheme that would allow 18–30-year-olds to live, work, and study across the UK and EU for limited periods. The proposed arrangement, which could include au pairs and revived Erasmus-style exchanges, is contentious given the UK government’s broader efforts to cut net migration.
While the business community has broadly welcomed the deal—Chancellor Rachel Reeves said it would “make it easier” for firms to operate—opposition from within the Conservative Party has been fierce. Leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the 12-year fishing arrangement as a capitulation, while warning that any lack of clear limits on youth mobility may signal a return to free movement.
Despite the political noise, the government is framing the deal as pragmatic. As EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds put it: “Good for jobs, good for bills, good for borders.” Whether the public agrees remains to be seen—but for now, Brexit has a new face, even if the scars of the old one remain visible.