UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has held 11th-hour talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron in a last-ditch effort to secure a crucial Brexit reset deal. The discussions, taking place on the fringes of the European Political Community summit in Albania, aim to avoid a crisis facing the UK’s proposed closer ties to the EU.
The talks come after major differences emerged between the UK and EU just days before the reset deal is set to be unveiled at a summit in London on Monday. The main issues include lower British tuition fees for EU students, which could cost the UK an estimated £1 billion, and EU fishermen’s access to British waters as part of a trade agreement.
Youth mobility scheme for 18-30-year-olds is also under scrutiny, with criticisms that the UK cap on the number of people who can come here are too low for EU member states. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has emphasized that the government will stick to its “red lines” but suggests an agreement could herald deeper cooperation with the EU.
The reset deal aims to remove trade barriers and costly red tape currently plaguing businesses, with a key part being alignment with EU regulations. The UK government is seeking a “superb deal” which would bring closer defence cooperation and economic growth opportunities. However, tensions between Labour and Conservative leaders have emerged, with concerns about the nature of the talks and whether Britain will lose in negotiations.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-eu-trade-deal-starmer-macron-b2752255.html