REPORT on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

11.11.2025 - (2024/2108(INI))

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on International Trade
Joint committee procedure – Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure
Rapporteurs: Thijs Reuten, Nina Carberry
Rapporteurs for the opinions of associated committees pursuant to Rule 57 of the Rules of Procedure:
Johan Van Overtveldt, Committee on Budgets
Eero Heinäluoma, Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Idoia Mendia, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Sander Smit, Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Borys Budka, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Sandro Gozi, Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Johan Danielsson, Committee of the Committee on Transport and Tourism
Isabelle Le Callennec, Committee on Fisheries
Laurence Farreng, Committee on Culture and Education
Loránt Vincze, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Amendments

• 001-002 (PDF - 105 KB)
• 001-002 (DOC - 41 KB)
• 003-003 (PDF - 98 KB)
• 003-003 (DOC - 39 KB)
• 004-004 (PDF - 97 KB)
• 004-004 (DOC - 40 KB)
• 005-005 (PDF - 101 KB)
• 005-005 (DOC - 39 KB)

 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT - SUMMARY OF FACTS AND FINDINGS

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the UK

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) establishes a new framework for the post-Brexit relationship between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK). It was signed on 30 December 2020 and entered into force on 1 January 2021. The TCA provides the basis for comprehensive relations between the parties, which covers a wide variety of areas including trade, energy, judicial cooperation in criminal matters and law enforcement, fisheries, transport and social security coordination. Furthermore, the TCA ensures a level playing field for fair competition and sustainable development, including dispute settlement and governance mechanisms, as well as respect for fundamental rights.

The TCA between the UK and the EU is unique amongst other Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) between the EU and third countries as this agreement deals with trade and cooperation with a former EU Member State. In this way, this TCA replaced trade arrangements and cooperation which had been in place whilst the UK was still a Member State and benefitted from the EU Customs Union and the single market[1].

EU-UK relations

Despite Brexit, the UK and the EU remain allies and neighbours with a long shared history, continuing to uphold common interests and values on the global stage. Engagement between the UK and EU has improved since the political agreement on the Windsor Framework in February 2023 and more recently with the UK Prime Minister’s pledge to renew the UK’s relationship with the EU in July 2024.

The new UK Government has signalled an interest in exploring new possible areas of collaboration with the EU based on three pillars: foreign policy, defence, and security cooperation; safety of citizens; growth and trade. The red lines set by the UK Government continue to be: no single market membership, no customs union and no freedom of movement.

On 2 October 2024, the UK Prime Minister Starmer and the Commission President von der Leyen’s first meeting resulted in a commitment to hold regular EU-UK Summits, the first of which was held on 19 May 2025. Furthermore, the leaders reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and agreed to strengthen EU-UK cooperation on global challenges such as economic headwinds, geopolitical competition, irregular migration, climate change, and energy prices.

At the General Affairs Council meeting of 17 December 2024, Ministers exchanged views on the EU-UK relations. They recalled the necessity of the full and faithful implementation of existing agreements and called for close cooperation with the UK in the field of foreign and security policy. Other priority areas considered were youth exchanges, fisheries and energy. On 18 March 2025 the General Affairs Council held another debate on the EU-UK relations in view of the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025. Ministers stressed the importance of working more closely with the UK in the field of security and defence.

On 2 April 2025, the European Parliament, in its resolutions on CFSP and CSDP, welcomed the renewed impetus from the new UK Government to reflect with the EU on possibilities for closer and more permanent foreign policy and security cooperation. It also highlighted the scope of the issues of common interest in fields such as defence, climate and energy, border management, the fight against terrorism, organised crime and the promotion of peace and stability.

On 19 May 2025, UK Prime Minister Starmer, Commission President von der Leyen and Council President Costa met in London. Following intense negotiations, both sides reached and signed a wide-ranging agreement. The outcomes of the summit were laid out in the three documents: (i) EU-UK Joint Statement; (ii) Security and Defence Partnership; and (iii) A renewed agenda for an EU-UK Cooperation Common Understanding.

The link between the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Most of the challenges over the implementation of both agreements have been linked to the UK’s refusal to uphold its legal obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. However, in the Windsor Political Declaration of 27 February 2023, both the Commission and the UK Government expressed their intention to fully exploit the potential of the TCA in the future.

The Windsor Framework aims to address the implementation challenges associated with the type of Brexit chosen by the UK, that the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland tried to resolve in order to maintain the stability and peace brought about through the Good Friday Agreement, with an open and seamless border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The broad support for the Framework, as demonstrated by the vote of 10 December 2024 in the Northern Ireland Assembly, has increased expectations of a positive spillover into other areas of cooperation between the EU and the UK.

Institutional structure and role of the European Parliament

The institutional arrangements provided for in the TCA are fully operational since 2022. All joint bodies are up and running, holding regular meetings. The constructive involvement of civil society is a welcome development.

Concerning bilateral relations between the European Parliament and Parliament of the UK, the establishment of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) has been a successful undertaking in line with the TCA, which promotes cooperation on common challenges. Since its establishment in 2022, it has met five times, most recently on 17-18 March 2025 in Brussels, marked by a spirit of cooperation and renewed enthusiasm for the partnership.

Concerning the involvement of UK devolved nations in the PPA, two Members of each of the devolved Assemblies are invited to participate as Observers by the UK Parliament. The European Parliament invites the President of the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee.

Free trade agreement: economic and social partnership

The TCA establishes a new economic and social partnership with the UK, covering not just trade in goods and services, but other areas as well, such as investment, competition, State aid, tax transparency, air and road transport, energy and sustainability, fisheries, personal data protection, and social security coordination. The TCA is the first FTA ever concluded by the EU providing zero tariffs and zero quotas on all goods that comply with the appropriate rules of origin.

Level playing field provisions are a crucial tenet of the agreement, whereby both parties have committed to maintaining high levels of protection in areas of the environmental protection, the fight against climate change and carbon pricing, social and labour rights, tax transparency and State aid, with effective, domestic enforcement, a binding dispute settlement mechanism and the possibility for both parties to take remedial measures.

The TCA establishes a new framework for the joint management of fish stocks in EU and UK waters.

On transport, the agreement provides for continued and sustainable air, road, rail and maritime connectivity, though market access falls below what the Single Market offers. It contains rules on competition, ensuring level playing field not to undermine passenger rights, worker’s rights and transport safety.

For energy, a new model for trading and interconnectivity has been set up, with guarantees for open and fair competition, including on safety standards for offshore, and production of renewable energy.

The TCA aims at ensuring a number of rights of EU citizens and UK nationals in the field of the social security coordination. This applies to citizens working in, travelling or moving to the other party of the TCA after 1 January 2021.

The TCA also provides for the possibility for the UK to participate in certain EU programmes subject to the adoption of bilateral protocols and financial contributions. As of 1 January 2024, the UK participates as an associated country in Horizon Europe Programme and in the Copernicus Programme.

Cooperation on Foreign Policy, Security and Defence

Despite the inclusion of EU-UK cooperation on foreign policy, external security and defence in the Political Declaration accompanying the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK government ultimately chose not to pursue negotiations on cooperation in this area within the TCA. Since January 2021 and until the adoption of the Security and Defence Partnership on 19 May 2025, no bilateral, institutionalised framework had existed through which a coordinated and unified response to foreign policy challenges can be agreed.

Nonetheless, cooperation between the EU and the UK in this area has been strong, particularly since the start of Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. While coordination has taken place through various frameworks and on a more ad hoc basis, it has delivered a strong and unified response in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On 14 October 2024, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy participated in the Foreign Affairs Council, with talks focussing on the main challenges facing European security. Furthermore, High Representative Borrell and UK Foreign Secretary Lammy agreed that the EU and the UK would establish a six-monthly Foreign Policy Dialogue to enable strategic cooperation on the highest priority issues of joint interest, namely on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Indo-pacific, hybrid threats and the Western Balkans.

 

On 3 February 2025 Prime Minister Starmer participated at a dinner with EU leaders discussing European defence and security at their informal meeting. Furthermore, the UK Prime Minister played an active role in initiating the ‘coalition of the willing’ aimed at establishing a coordinated international framework for the provision of support and assistance to Ukraine.

 

In its March 2025 White Paper on European Defence Readiness 2030, the Commission recognised the UK as a key European ally and called for closer security and defence cooperation in mutual interest, including a potential Security and Defence Partnership. It emphasised opportunities to build on existing agreements and expand collaboration in areas such as crisis management and defence industrial policy.

 

Parliament, in its resolution on the White Paper, recognised the need for the EU to act urgently to ensure its own autonomous security, while strengthening partnerships with like-minded partners and reducing its dependencies on non-EU countries. Parliament insisted on the need to ensure geographical coherence by taking stock of the will of the EU and the UK, first and foremost to build security guarantees for Ukraine and become even closer security partner.

 

Parliament recognises the contributions of the UK to Europe’s security and stability and welcomes the UK Government’s renewed commitment to explore closer and more lasting cooperation with the EU on foreign policy and security. In today’s geopolitical situation, the benefits of coordination between close geographical neighbours with shared democratic values are more evident than ever. Strengthening such cooperation not only reinforces mutual security and resilience, but also opens the door to developing a more structured cooperation, focused on achieving common.

On the procedure

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is based on Article 217 (Part five: The Union’s external action, Title V: International Agreements), in conjunction with Article 218 (Part five: External action by the Union, Title IV: Restrictive measures), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

The TCA is unprecedented in terms of international agreements, due to its scope and complexity. Article 776 of the TCA puts an obligation for the parties to jointly review the implementation of the Agreement and supplementing agreements as well as any matters related thereto five years after its entry into force, and every five years thereafter.

Parliament therefore has developed a comprehensive, effective and transparent scrutiny process of the TCA, while ensuring a coherent and unified approach. Implementation reports on international agreements must take due account of the availability of reliable facts regarding the state of implementation of the relevant legislation. Effective scrutiny relies on the knowledge and expertise of all involved committees in accordance with their responsibilities and working practices. The monitoring of the TCA’s implementation is carried out by the Committees in a coordinated and inclusive manner, in full respect of their competences as laid out in Annex VI of the Rules of Procedure.

The report is the second evaluation by the European Parliament of the implementation of the TCA, since its provisional application from 1 January 2021 and entry into force on 1 May 2021. Since the entry into force, the Commission has published four implementation reports of the agreement for the years 2021 to 2024[2].

The report aims to take stock of the main issues linked to the implementation of the TCA, its satisfactory aspects and areas where implementation work needs to begin, and where work needs to continue, also highlighting elements which require continuous monitoring and scrutiny, including through the civil society and in particular, the domestic advisory group’s involvement.

The report has been elaborated in an inclusive manner by involving parliamentary committees in the broadest possible terms and recognising the particular sectorial expertise of each committee. Notably, ten parliamentary committees have been associated to the procedure under Rule 57 of the Rules of Procedure, namely BUDG, ECON, EMPL, ENVI, ITRE, IMCO, TRAN, PECH, CULT and LIBE.

The SANT Committee also provided an informal opinion, which was taken into account.

On 8 April 2025, the joint AFET -INTA committee held a public hearing ‘The implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement’ with the participation of four experts and the Commission.

 

 

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part[3] (TCA),

– having regard to the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community[4] (the Withdrawal Agreement),

– having regard to the Windsor Framework[5] that lists the provisions of Union law which are to apply to and in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland,

– having regard to the Joint Statement, the Security and Defence Partnership and the Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation of 19 May 2025,

–  having regard to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and subsequent implementing agreements,

– having regard to the Commission report of 21 March 2024 on the implementation and application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: 1 January – 31 December 2023 (COM(2024)0127),

– having regard to the Commission report of 4 April 2025 on the implementation and application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: 1 January – 31 December 2024 (COM(2025)0149),

– having regard to its resolutions of 2 April 2025 on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2024[6] and on the implementation of the common security and defence policy –  annual report 2024[7],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2021 establishing the Brexit Adjustment Reserve[8] (BAR Regulation),

– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union[9],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/657 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 laying down rules for the exercise of the Union’s rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part[10],

– having regard to its resolution of 23 November 2023 on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement[11],

– having regard to the meetings and positions of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA),

– having regard to the Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030 of 19 March 2025 (JOIN(2025)0120),

– having regard to its resolution of 12 March 2025 on the white paper on the future of European defence[12],

– having regard to Sauli Niinistö’s report of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘Safer Together - strengthening Europe’s civilian and military preparedness and readiness’,

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 19 March 2025 for a Council Regulation establishing the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) through the reinforcement of European defence industry Instrument (COM(2025)0122),

– having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding establishing a framework for financial services regulatory cooperation between the EU and the UK of 27 June 2023 and to the subsequent establishment of a Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

– having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC),

– having regard to the European Social Charter,

– having regard to International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and Protocols, in particular the ILO’s fundamental instruments,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, known as the Montego Bay Convention,

– having regard to the ruling of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the matter of an arbitration pursuant to Article 739 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the decision of the United Kingdom to prohibit fishing for sand eel[13],

– having regard to Decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination established by Article 8(1)(p) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 10 March 2023 as regards the use of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information for the transmission of data between institutions or liaison bodies[14],

– having regard to Decision No 2/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination established by Article 8(1)(p) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 28 June 2023 as regards the designation of the financial institution to serve as reference to determine the interest rate for late payments and the exchange rate for currency conversions, as well as the date to be taken into consideration for determining the rates of currency conversion[15],

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure, as well as Article 1(1)(f) of, and Annex 3 to, the decision of the Conference of Presidents of 11 December 2024 on the procedure for granting authorisation to draw up own-initiative reports,

– having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Committee on Transport and Tourism, Committee on Fisheries, Committee on Culture and Education and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade (A10-0226/2025),

A. whereas the EU and the UK, as part of the same continent and bound by geographical proximity, shared values and strategic interests, are facing similar challenges, such as climate change, a critical and volatile global security environment and a shifting global order marked by a war on the European continent and the rapid erosion of the international rules-based order, which put increased pressure on our societies, economies and security structures; whereas this state of affairs increases the need to step up mutual cooperation on foreign affairs and defence; whereas the current geopolitical situation and global challenges show that closer cooperation between the EU and the UK is necessary for the security, stability and prosperity of the whole continent; whereas closer EU-UK cooperation, based on the predictability and structure provided by the TCA, is more essential than ever to safeguard mutual interests and enhance resilience;

B. whereas the EU and the UK have recently demonstrated renewed political determination to work together and continue to be strong partners in addressing global challenges and security threats, including the threat posed by Russia to the security of the entire continent of Europe and to the rules-based global order; whereas in March 2025, UK Prime Minister Starmer announced the  building of a ‘coalition of the willing’ to enhance coordinated support for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression as long as necessary;

C. whereas the open and connected societies and economies of the UK and the EU are increasingly being subject to brazen hybrid campaigns including cyberattacks, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), sabotage and the instrumentalisation of migration;

D. whereas at the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025, both sides reaffirmed their renewed political determination to work together as close and reliable partners in addressing the common global challenges we face; whereas this was most clearly demonstrated through the establishment of a Security and Defence Partnership, as well as through their continued and united support for Ukraine in defending itself against Russia’s aggression and restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, including through strengthened security commitments;

E. whereas multilateralism, the defence of the rules-based international order, peace, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, the market economy, sustainable development and free trade are core principles of both the EU and the UK; whereas the TCA provides a framework that could be enhanced over time to meet shared strategic and economic goals; whereas the TCA provides the necessary legal certainty to foster trade and promote smooth cooperation;

F. whereas the governance structures established under the TCA, including the Partnership Council and other joint bodies, have functioned effectively, with over 35 meetings held in 2024 to monitor the implementation of the Agreement;

G. whereas the TCA covers areas such as trade, energy, fisheries, transport, judicial and law enforcement cooperation, and social security coordination, providing a diversified and comprehensive framework and ensuring fair competition and a level playing field in the areas it covers; whereas the EU-UK Summit affirmed both parties’ renewed commitment to EU-UK energy cooperation, including plans to explore the UK’s re-entry into the EU’s internal energy market, with the aim of reducing clean energy costs and improving competitiveness;

H. whereas the implementation of the TCA can serve as a valuable incentive to promote training, skills development and investments in intangible assets, such as human capital, both within the EU and beyond its borders; whereas the importance of fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration to enhance the skills of individuals, thereby contributing to a more competitive, sustainable and inclusive global workforce, is recognised;

I. whereas the TCA is the first trade agreement signed by the EU that includes the Paris Agreement as an essential clause; whereas, similarly, the participation of both the UK and the EU Member States in the European Convention on Human Rights is a key provision of the Agreement; whereas the TCA does not cover financial services, migration, the Erasmus+ programme, foreign policy or defence; whereas the EU-UK Summit held on 19 May 2025 established key steps to fill these gaps;

J. whereas the TCA places an obligation on both parties to respect fundamental rights and legal principles as reflected, in particular, in the European Convention on Human Rights; whereas rulings of the European Court of Human Rights are an essential part of the human rights architecture across the European continent; whereas in January 2024, Ireland brought an inter-State application against the UK before the European Court of Human Rights concerning the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023;

K. whereas the TCA does not include a framework for cooperation on foreign, security and defence policy; whereas both the EU and the UK have since explicitly recognised the importance and added value of structured cooperation in these fields, particularly in the light of the current geopolitical context; whereas the EU-UK Summit held on 19 May 2025 resulted in the signing of a Security and Defence Partnership, marking a key step towards formalising such cooperation; whereas deeper cooperation in these areas would contribute to strengthening European security, resilience and shared prosperity for all citizens, with its benefits also being felt beyond our borders;

L.  whereas the EU Member States have diverse military and security policies, including policies of neutrality; whereas such policies should be respected;

M. whereas the UK and France are the only European countries in possession of nuclear weapons; whereas nuclear deterrent is of crucial importance in protecting Europe as a continent; whereas Parliament reaffirms its full support for the EU and its Member States’ commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime; whereas Parliament insists on the need to ensure that the EU plays a strong and constructive role in developing and reinforcing global rules-based non-proliferation efforts and arms control and disarmament architecture;

N. whereas the Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA constitute the framework for the UK’s relationship with the EU; whereas both agreements have been ratified by the EU and the UK and are legally binding treaties under international law; whereas the relationship between the EU and the UK must be based on full respect for and the effective application of these international commitments;

O. whereas Parliament continues to pay special attention to the situation of EU citizens living in the UK and British citizens living in the EU; whereas the UK’s Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA) for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements received 79 complaints from EU and European Economic Area citizens between 1 January to 30 June 2023[16]; whereas the majority of complaints relate to the right to reside, in particular regarding long waiting times for EU Settlement Scheme applications, similarly long waiting times for Family Permit applications, and lengthy EU Settlement Scheme administrative reviews, followed by the issue of equal treatment; whereas in December 2024, the IMA reported a 21 % refusal rate regarding EU Settlement Scheme applications made in Northern Ireland, making it the highest refusal rate in the UK[17];

P. whereas the EU has a particular responsibility to ensure that both the Good Friday Agreement and peace in Northern Ireland are upheld; whereas the implementation of the TCA is directly linked to the full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement; whereas its full implementation was delayed while the EU and the UK were finding common solutions to the practical challenges created in the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland resulting from Brexit;

Q. whereas the Windsor Framework, concluded in 2023, addresses some of the practical challenges that have arisen in the operation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland over the first years of its implementation and creates greater legal certainty, therefore, paving the way for full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA in Northern Ireland; whereas the Windsor Framework covers a wide number of areas, such as democratic governance, rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity, trade, customs, agri-food, medicines, State aid, VAT and excise duties; whereas the Good Friday Agreement has underpinned peace and stability on the island of Ireland for over 25 years; whereas the unique status of Northern Ireland, as recognised in the Protocol and the Windsor Framework, must be fully respected in future EU-UK negotiations to ensure that no arrangement jeopardises this achievement; whereas the current UK Government has committed to repeal and replace the previous government’s Legacy Act; whereas the current global trade turmoil has a unique impact on Northern Ireland due to its unique position arising from Brexit and whereas both the UK and the EU must be cognisant of this position when formulating trade policy;

R. whereas the conclusion of the Windsor Framework along with the UK Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘reset’ the UK’s relationship with the EU in July 2024 opened a new and ambitious chapter in relations between the EU and the UK;

S. whereas the EU-UK Summit held on 19 May 2025 had positive outcomes for both parties and reaffirmed their political commitment to deepen the partnership, including through a strategic partnership; whereas the Summit resulted in progress on a range of issues including sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, youth mobility and energy cooperation;

T. whereas the EU-UK Summit laid the groundwork for a more structured and forward-looking bilateral agenda; whereas this Summit was intended to mark the beginning of regular and structured political dialogue, with further meetings anticipated on areas such as foreign, security and defence policy, mobility, energy, climate, research and internal security; whereas the Commission has confirmed that the exploratory discussions held in the lead-up to the Summit form part of a broader ongoing process aimed at deepening cooperation across multiple fields;

U. whereas the commitments made during the EU-UK Summit should be more than just political statements and should also be accompanied by concrete and legally binding agreements and deliverables for both the EU and the UK within a reasonable time frame, particularly for their citizens and their businesses;

V. whereas the EU and the UK must adapt to evolving dynamics in transatlantic security and must strengthen their own capabilities, together with other like-minded partners, to address these developments;

W. whereas the TCA requires respect for democracy, the rule of law and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, including those set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights; whereas these rights serve as guiding principles for the work of the domestic advisory groups (DAGs), including on the TCA Chapters; whereas the EU DAGs play a key role in monitoring the implementation of the TCA; whereas the Civil Society Forum, established under Article 14 of the TCA, serves as a vital platform for civil society organisations, EU businesses, trade unions and other workers’ organisations to express their views on the implementation of the TCA and plays an essential role in supporting the Commission’s dialogue with the UK;

X. whereas on 19 May 2025, the EU and the UK adopted a political agreement that will allow full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 2038[18];

Y. whereas the EU remains the UK’s most important trading partner; whereas recognising the importance of transparency and stability in international trade and investment is to the benefit of all stakeholders and parties; whereas a predictable commercial environment that fosters trade and investment between the EU and the UK, and that leads to growth and employment, is crucial;

Z. whereas although the TCA ensures zero tariffs and quotas, it does not eliminate non-tariff barriers; whereas as a result of Brexit, businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), face increased customs declarations, compliance checks and regulatory requirements, leading to higher operational costs and significant delays at borders; whereas inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of trained customs agents have put further strain on the system, causing disruptions in the timely movement of goods;

AA. whereas easy, efficient and affordable road, rail, maritime and air transport between the EU and the UK is of crucial importance, with a view to ensuring a high level of mobility for the many citizens of EU Member States living and working in the UK, and also for UK citizens travelling to the EU as tourists;

AB. whereas it is the general assessment of the Commission that the TCA is a modern and comprehensive agreement, reflecting the EU’s interests on trade and cooperation, while, at the same time, preserving the red lines that were established by the EU institutions and the Member States during the UK’s withdrawal process; whereas for the years 2021 to 2024, the Commission, in its annual implementation reports, established that, overall, the trade arrangements for goods and services established in the TCA have functioned well, despite some implementation issues;

AC. whereas under the TCA, service suppliers or investors from the EU must not be treated any less favourably than UK operators in the UK and vice versa; whereas the non-discrimination principle applies to a wide range of economic activities, including the provision of services, the establishment of businesses and the protection of intellectual property rights;

AD. whereas the UK applies its sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers, and as a result, a UK employer wanting to employ an EU worker needs to be licenced by the UK Home Office and then assign a certificate of sponsorship to the EU worker, and pays fees for that worker to be able to apply for a visa (with the worker also incurring additional fees); whereas these restrictions also affect intermediary and cultural organisations such as foundations and public institutes that provide public-interest services, and whereas greater facilitation is needed in this regard; whereas this creates additional burdens that may favour UK operators;

AE. whereas UK public procurement markets remain open to EU bidders and vice versa on an equal footing; whereas both parties must ensure that the procurement process is fair, transparent and open to competition; whereas the UK and the EU have also agreed to maintain their existing procurement commitments under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement, which further opens up their public procurement markets to businesses from other countries;

AF. whereas the TCA is the only free trade agreement concluded by the EU establishing zero tariffs and zero quotas on all goods that comply with the appropriate rules of origin; whereas trade statistics for the period since the TCA’s entry into force demonstrate that trade flows between the EU and the UK have been negatively impacted by the UK’s withdrawal; whereas trade between the UK and the EU in goods has remained stagnant; whereas the year 2024 confirmed that the EU’s trade in goods and services with other trading partners has grown significantly more than its trade with the UK over a comparable period;

AG. whereas SPS checks and the reintroduction of customs formalities have disrupted the export of perishable goods, leading to increased waste and financial losses as well as diminished movement and availability of products not only between the EU and the UK, but also between Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

AH. whereas at the EU-UK Summit, while the UK reaffirmed its position on not rejoining the EU Customs Union, both parties expressed their intent to streamline customs procedures to reduce operational delays and costs and to work towards the establishment of a common SPS area;

AI. whereas the TCA encompasses several commitments pertinent to e-commerce, such as the prohibition of customs duties on electronic transmissions; whereas the promotion of cooperation on regulatory issues, including on emerging technologies as well as mechanisms that facilitate data transfers, is essential for e-commerce operations; whereas practical challenges have emerged in the implementation of the TCA and as a result of the large increase in e-commerce transactions in recent times, impacting businesses and consumers on both sides of the English Channel; whereas both the EU and the UK have signed the WTO Joint Initiative on e-commerce;

AJ. whereas, for the further implementation of the TCA, particular monitoring efforts should be focused on the risk of further regulatory divergences; whereas comprehensive regulatory cooperation between the parties is of the utmost importance; whereas it is a positive sign that only two relevant official complaints were received from stakeholders about the implementation of the TCA through the Commission’s online tool during 2024; whereas the European institutions continue to engage regularly with stakeholders to discuss the practical aspects of the implementation of the TCA;

AK. whereas regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK in the field of public health has increased since Brexit, with implications for medicine authorisation processes, cross-border supply chains and access to critical treatments; whereas this divergence has already contributed to medicine shortages and increased importation costs, particularly affecting smaller Member States and regions; whereas the TCA provides only limited mechanisms for health cooperation, highlighting the need for sustained regulatory alignment, structured data sharing and joint emergency preparedness to ensure equitable access to safe and effective medicines across both jurisdictions;

AL. whereas on 8 May 2025, the UK and the United States reached an agreement on a US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal; whereas such agreements may have an impact on the level playing field established between the EU and the UK in the context of the TCA and could result in further regulatory divergence from EU standards, particularly in areas such as food safety, digital services and labour protections; whereas the EU must ensure that any such divergence does not undermine the level playing field established under the TCA or weaken the integrity of the EU single market; whereas, in that regard, particular attention should be paid to the planned EU-UK common SPS area;

AM. whereas both EU and UK consumers would benefit from strengthened cooperation between the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation Network and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority; whereas, in line with Article 211(1) of the TCA, the EU and the UK have agreed to cooperate on various aspects of digital trade regulation; whereas addressing the challenges arising from the existence of two separate customs markets requires constructive engagement and timely information sharing between EU and UK customs authorities, particularly in the implementation of new obligations;

AN. whereas, in terms of the EU’s internal implementation process of the TCA, the EU co-legislators completed the necessary regulatory framework by adopting Regulation (EU) 2023/657 of 15 March 2023 laying down rules for the exercise of the Union’s rights in the implementation and enforcement of the Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA;

AO. whereas the EU and the UK share common ambitions in the fields of environmental protection, climate and food safety; whereas increasing regulatory divergence in these areas risks disrupting trade and undermining the effectiveness of environmental and climate efforts, particularly in the context of Northern Ireland and Ireland; whereas in 2024, the UK Government called for a ‘reset’ in relations to strengthen strategic cooperation and regulatory alignment in response to shared challenges and mutual priorities;

AP. whereas the Commission and the UK, in the context of the EU-UK Summit, have explored areas with the potential to strengthen bilateral cooperation and have committed to work towards the establishment of a common SPS area to facilitate agri-food trade; whereas the EU and the UK also committed to work towards linking their respective Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM);

AQ.  whereas the TCA provides for social security coordination to protect the social security rights of people moving between the EU and the UK after 1 January 2021; whereas it also provides for a level playing field to ensure fair competition by maintaining high levels of protection in a number of areas, including social and labour rights, with binding enforcement and dispute settlement mechanisms to ensure compliance;

AR. whereas the fundamental rights to organise, collectively bargain and take collective action are enshrined in international law and inherent to ensuring sustainable development and a level playing field, as set out in the TCA;

AS. whereas the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 received royal assent on 29 June 2023; whereas this act revoked certain retained EU laws by the end of 2023 and removed the special status of all retained EU law in the UK’s legal order; whereas the act delegated significant powers to the UK authorities to revoke, amend or modify retained EU laws;

AT. whereas the freedom of movement of workers constitutes a fundamental right in the EU; whereas the EU and the UK have a long-standing record when it comes to mobility of workers and vocational education and training students; whereas Erasmus+ has long been an important instrument in this regard; whereas the agreement between the EU and the UK to work towards the UK’s association with the Erasmus+ programme to expand educational, professional and cultural opportunities for young people is welcome; whereas enhancing the mobility of workers between the EU and the UK could help address labour shortages; whereas there is a need for a comprehensive EU-UK mobility agreement that ensures the protection of workers’ rights and the cross-border movement of workers;

AU. whereas the UK is not associated to the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme, the 2021-2027 European Solidarity Corps programme or the 2021-2027 Creative Europe programme;

AV. whereas the cultural and creative sectors are not included in the TCA, which mentions the term ‘education’ only in relation to cybersecurity and the need to educate citizens on related challenges;

AW. whereas, as a consequence of Brexit, EU citizens[19] studying in the UK are no longer entitled to ‘home fees’, requiring them to pay higher international student fees; whereas this change makes it prohibitively expensive to study in the UK, penalising young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, in particular, as there is no price cap on tuition fees for international students;

AX. whereas the Turing Scheme cannot be considered a replacement for the Erasmus+ programme, as it only finances outward mobility; whereas during the UK’s final year of Erasmus+ (2019-2020) the funding allocation to the UK was GBP 200 million, a larger sum than the GBP 110 million allocated for the Turing Scheme for 2022-2023[20];

AY. whereas from 2013 to 2016, 52.7 % of all mobility placements of UK students took place in an EU Member State[21]; whereas 6 out of 10 mobility placements under the Turing Scheme for the 2021-2022 academic year were outside the EU[22];

AZ. whereas the number of EU students in the UK decreased from 66 685 in the academic year immediately before Brexit to 28 375 in the 2023-2024 academic year[23];

BA. whereas the Government of Wales has put in place the Taith international learning exchange programme[24] to offer outward and inward student mobility, targeting under-represented groups and smaller organisations; whereas the Scottish Education Exchange Programme’s Test and Learn project[25] has been introduced by the Scottish Government; whereas the Irish Government is funding Erasmus+ mobility for students from universities in Northern Ireland, irrespective of their nationality, by enrolling them in Irish universities for the duration of their exchange[26];

BB. whereas the UK’s International Education Strategy has set the objective of increasing the number of international students welcomed in UK higher education institutions each year from 400 000 to 600 000 by 2030[27];

BC. whereas the 2019 political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK stated that ‘the Parties agree to consider conditions for entry and stay for purposes such as research, study, training and youth exchanges’[28]; whereas youth exchanges were considered one of the main priorities for EU-UK relations during the meeting of the General Affairs Council of 17 December 2024;

BD. whereas UK artists and cultural workers are now subject to Schengen rules, which leads to difficulties such as significant cost increases and the need to obtain transport permits for equipment and cultural performance visas, when touring in various European countries in a short period of time;

BE. whereas the TCA applies a cultural exception that excludes audiovisual services from its scope, despite the EU and the UK sharing many of the same values in the fields of culture and education; whereas the UK remains a party to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, and audiovisual works originating in the UK are considered ‘European works’ in accordance with Article 1(1)(n)(iii) of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive[29];

BF. whereas the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit mention working towards a future Youth Experience Scheme and UK re-association to the Erasmus+ programme, as well as cultural and artistic exchanges and touring artists;

BG. whereas since Brexit, EU sportspeople and athletes need a work permit to perform in the UK; whereas the TCA lacks any provisions linked to capacity-building of grassroots and professional organisations, partnerships and exchanges in the field of sports;

Main conclusions

1. Highlights that the EU and the UK are neighbours, close like-minded partners and allies, sharing common values, interests and historic bonds, facing a common volatile security situation in Europe and its neighbourhood; stresses that strengthening the EU-UK relationship contributes to enhancing Europe’s overall competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

2. Recognises the UK’s significant role in ensuring the peace, security and stability of the European continent and beyond; underlines that the growing number of conventional and hybrid threats requires strong and coordinated international action in order to secure our common future;

3. Recalls that the EU-UK relationship is based on full respect for, and the full, timely and faithful implementation of, the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the TCA;

4. Welcomes the ambitious conclusions of the first-ever EU-UK Summit held on 19 May 2025 in London and the positive and constructive spirit demonstrated by both sides; notes that the leaders concluded the Summit by adopting three key documents, namely the Joint Statement, the Security and Defence Partnership and the Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for European Union-United Kingdom cooperation; welcomes, in particular, the agreement on a new EU-UK Strategic Partnership, marking a renewal of mutual commitments and a deepening of bilateral cooperation, as well as the agreement to hold annual summits between the two parties;

5. Insists on the need for geographical coherence to ensure Europe’s peace, security and stability and the resilience of the European industrial base; highlights, in this regard, the EU-UK Summit as a milestone in relaunching and deepening the EU-UK partnership and as a starting point for more structured cooperation, in particular with the launch of the Security and Defence Partnership; considers that political declarations and good intentions must now be delivered on and insists on the need for both the EU and the UK to follow through and deliver on their commitments, in particular defence industrial actions;

6. Underlines that the TCA is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive trade agreements that the EU has concluded with a non-EU country; stresses, however, that while it does not and cannot be a substitute for EU membership and the benefits deriving from access to the single market and the Customs Union, it nonetheless holds significant potential for future cooperation, as demonstrated by the various commitments made at political level at the recent Summit; welcomes the shared commitment of the EU and the UK at the Summit to reaffirming their mutual dedication to free, fair, sustainable and open trade, in line with their common values;

7. Underlines the importance of fully implementing the provisions included in both agreements and assessing and addressing potential challenges in the application of the Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA as early as possible, in order to avoid delays and issues in their application;

8. Welcomes the fact that the implementation of the TCA continues to progress smoothly, with all commitments that were due in 2023 and 2024 either completed or on track; calls on the Commission to continue closely monitoring the correct application of the TCA;

9. Recalls the specific situation of Northern Ireland as a result of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, which was concluded in order to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; supports the continued recognition of Northern Ireland’s unique and special position, with the country maintaining dual access to both the EU single market and the UK internal market, as outlined at the Summit; calls for the full, timely and faithful implementation of all components of the Windsor Framework in order to ensure lasting benefits, legal certainty, long-term stability, practical support and predictability for businesses and people in Northern Ireland, provide greater protection to the all-island economy, avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, safeguard the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, and ensure smooth trade and cooperation, while preserving the integrity of the single market and the Customs Union; calls for measures to prevent disruption to the close economic links between Ireland and Northern Ireland by any changes in regulatory or legal frameworks, particularly in respect of services provided to consumers and SMEs that cannot benefit from mobility; recalls that the EU has swiftly implemented all aspects of the Windsor Framework and now expects the UK to promptly fully and faithfully implement its part thereof to ensure the long-term stability of EU-UK relations; stresses that this includes effectively operationalising its customs and SPS mechanisms to address the challenges in the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and avoid delivery disruptions and reduced product availability for consumers in Northern Ireland; calls for the full implementation of information-sharing mechanisms, and for better monitoring of new parcel processes and systems under the Windsor Framework and their impact on market access for consumers; notes that stronger cooperation between the authorities and the exchange of information on the future EU Data Hub would improve border crossings by providing the necessary data and documentation;

10. Underscores the historic importance of the Good Friday Agreement and commends all involved stakeholders for continuing to uphold and implement the Agreement and its values, as a critical pillar of the reconciliation processes that remain a positive example for others across the continent and beyond; recalls the UK’s binding commitment under Article 2 of the Windsor Framework to ensure no diminution of rights, safeguards or equality of opportunity as set out in the Good Friday Agreement; underlines that the effective protection of these rights is also essential to maintaining trust and cooperation under the TCA, particularly in areas such as law enforcement, labour rights and access to justice; calls on the Commission to continue monitoring compliance with this obligation and to engage with relevant UK authorities where risks of rights regression emerge; recalls that any amendments to the six EU equality directives listed in Annex 1 to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement must be reflected in Northern Irish law to ensure the non-diminution of rights; calls on the Commission to appoint a dedicated liaison representative for Northern Ireland to ensure structured and continuous dialogue with political representatives and stakeholders so as to build trust and coordinate efforts; notes the particular need for the EU to engage with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive with regard to issues covered by the Windsor Framework; calls, in this regard, for greater involvement of the UK devolved nations’ parliaments and assemblies, in particular that of Northern Ireland, in the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly so that the interests of people in Northern Ireland can be best articulated; calls for further efforts to enhance the democratic representation of birthright EU citizens living in Northern Ireland; further encourages the appropriate consultation of the devolved nations’ administrations in the EU-UK relationship, in line with their respective competences; notes that the unique situation of Northern Ireland requires a bespoke approach building on the benefits of the PEACE programmes, examining how wider cohesion policy can benefit the process of reconciliation; stresses that the application of the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to Northern Ireland is regrettable; calls on the UK Government to disapply the ETA to Northern Ireland in order to allow unhindered travel across the island of Ireland; highlights the importance of ensuring that there are no impediments or restrictions on the ability of individuals residing in Northern Ireland and Ireland to seek and take up employment across the border, in line with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement; stresses the importance of protecting cross-border workers in this context, including their social and labour rights; notes that the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal ruled the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 to be incompatible with human rights legislation and the Windsor Framework; further notes the inter-State application brought by Ireland against the UK concerning the Act; recalls the commitment by the current UK Government to repeal and replace the previous government’s Legacy Act and calls on the UK Government to do so as soon as possible; calls on the UK Government to withdraw its appeal against the court ruling on the Legacy Act, to repeal the Act and to fully comply with the European Court of Human Rights and all of its rulings;

11. Notes that, in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the constitutional future of Northern Ireland is to be decided by the people of the island of Ireland;

12. Calls on both parties to deepen the EU-UK partnership and fully implement the TCA and fully exploit its potential in areas of mutual interest, including through voluntary sectoral alignment, mutual recognition mechanisms and dialogue on regulatory innovation, and considering further cooperation on customs; welcomes the conclusions of the Summit, which reaffirmed a joint commitment to enhanced cooperation in key areas such as energy, including the possibility of the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market, new technologies and agri-food; underlines that the TCA offers a forward-looking framework to promote shared prosperity and competitiveness and encourages both parties to build on the renewed political momentum of the Summit to deliver tangible progress in these sectors and ensure the swift and comprehensive implementation of the commitments made, as expressed by the recent Common Understanding between the EU and the UK and the structured outcomes of the Summit; stresses that this new agenda must remain flexible and responsive to future challenges in order to maximise opportunities for cooperation and competitiveness, enhance consumer protection, improve cross-border trade and access to goods and services, and promote a safe and healthy digital environment for all;

13. Welcomes, in the light of the fact that the TCA does not include cooperation in the fields of foreign policy, security, defence and development cooperation, the agreement on a Security and Defence Partnership reached at the EU-UK Summit, which strengthens cooperation, aligns with the earlier establishment of the biannual Foreign Policy Dialogue, provides for a structured framework that is missing in the TCA, and establishes and shows the UK’s renewed commitment to engage with the EU on foreign policy and security;

14. Points out that enhanced coordination is essential for responding to global crises in the context of an increasingly volatile security environment marked by hybrid threats, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns; emphasises that enhanced coordination is also essential for promoting democracy and human rights, and ensuring regional and international security;

15. Welcomes the fact that the Security and Defence Partnership establishes more structured and institutionalised cooperation on foreign, security and defence matters at different levels of governance, aligned with the 2019 Political Declaration[30], including the agreement to hold foreign and security policy dialogues every six months; takes the view that this could form a solid basis for cooperation and that the possibility of institutionalising it by means of a legally binding instrument should be looked into; underscores that this would help ensure the security of our societies and make them resilient to common and unprecedented threats to geopolitical security, in particular the threat from Russia;

16. Stresses the need for the EU and the UK to closely monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Security and Defence Partnership and of the undertakings set out in the Common Understanding; recognises that the Common Understanding is extensive and wide-ranging in its commitments; recalls that Parliament must be informed of the steps and potential obstacles in its implementation; underlines that Parliament must hold the Commission fully accountable for delivering on its commitments under the Common Understanding agreed with the UK Government;

17. Welcomes the commitment by the EU and the UK to explore possibilities for mutually beneficial enhanced cooperation on the defence industry, respecting each party’s policy and legal frameworks;

Institutional framework

18. Welcomes the effective functioning of the TCA joint bodies; stresses the importance of keeping Parliament informed of and involved in ongoing political and technical discussions on a more regular basis; calls for greater transparency in the work of the TCA joint bodies, in particular towards Parliament; calls for stability in trade and regulatory harmonisation between the EU and the UK in order to protect consumer rights, business certainty and investment conditions, especially in the light of recent global disruptions;

19. Highlights the resumption of the EU-UK PPA in March 2025 after the 2024 European and UK elections; stresses its role in ensuring parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the TCA implementation; underlines the value of the PPA in fostering closer ties and constructive cooperation between Members of the European Parliament and UK parliamentarians; calls on the Partnership Council to consider the recommendations of the PPA; emphasises the importance of broadening the participation of elected members from the parliaments and assemblies of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as observers; recommends more frequent, thematic meetings beyond the current biannual schedule to allow for regular discussions on trade, foreign policy, energy and citizens’ rights; calls for better integration with national and regional parliaments in order to reflect diverse democratic perspectives; emphasises its commitment to further strengthening the PPA as a key forum for interparliamentary dialogue;

20. Stresses the need to keep the interests of citizens at the heart of the implementation of the TCA, and to accommodate in the dialogue elements of economic cooperation alongside social justice through the participation of voluntary groups, civil society and business associations; welcomes the engagement of civil society, including employers’ organisations and trade unions, as well as non-governmental organisations in the implementation of the TCA; highlights the balanced representation in the EU DAG and its valuable recommendations; stresses the importance of the Civil Society Forum in this regard; calls on the Partnership Council to continue considering the diverse views of civil society and for the PPA to enable direct exchange between PPA and DAG members at each of the PPA biannual meetings; calls on all specialised committees to strengthen the dialogue with the DAG to ensure better oversight and transparency; calls for additional efforts to be made to ensure that a wide range of civil society organisations, such as youth organisations, join the Civil Society Forum under the TCA;

21. Reaffirms the commitment of Parliament to closely monitor the implementation of the TCA; recalls that the Commission should provide Parliament with full and immediate information on the implementation of the TCA in order to ensure proper scrutiny; welcomes the continued good cooperation between Parliament and the Commission and the increased direct, positive and constructive contacts between Members of the European Parliament and members of both Houses of Parliament in the UK; reiterates its call for Parliament to be involved in any future review procedure for the TCA; regrets that Parliament was not involved in the EU-UK Summit and expresses concerns about the lack of any reference to the role of Parliament and the UK Parliament in the institutional framework of the renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation, strategic partnership and security and defence partnership at the EU-UK Summit;

Trade in goods

22. Recalls that the TCA provides a comprehensive and ambitious basis for the relationship between the parties, in particular for EU-UK trade, while ensuring a level playing field for fair competition and sustainable development; recalls that the TCA is  unique in the history of EU free trade agreements, as it focuses on limiting divergence rather than promoting convergence between trading partners; recalls that the TCA is also unique as it provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas for EU-UK trade;

23. Reiterates that the TCA is the delicate outcome of long and difficult negotiations and that it should therefore be fully implemented in good faith, as should the Withdrawal Agreement, in particular the Windsor Framework, for the mutual benefit of both parties; calls on both parties to make full use of the TCA’s huge potential to facilitate EU-UK trade to the greatest extent possible, while bearing in mind that the advantages of membership in terms of access to the EU single market and to the Customs Union, as well as of participation in other common and flanking policies, cannot, under any circumstances, be replicated through a free trade agreement; nevertheless, recognises that the TCA holds significant untapped potential and welcomes that it should now be used as a forward-looking framework for deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest;

24. Takes note of the Commission’s assessment that overall, the arrangements regarding trade in goods established in the TCA have been effective and functioned smoothly, although certain implementation difficulties have persisted that require rectification as soon as possible;

25. Reiterates that the EU and the UK should cooperate closely on the subject of customs, including by ensuring an effective exchange of information and data through the creation of a joint database on e-commerce irregularities and fraud, and on non-EU and non-UK traders, in respect of goods coming from outside the EU and the UK; reiterates the importance of constructive dialogue and effective methods of cooperation between customs administrations, with the aim of simplifying, digitising and speeding up entry and exit clearance processes with sufficient customs officers and simplified customs procedures including wider access to trusted trader schemes and the deployment of smart digital solutions to streamline processes in order to minimise administrative and financial costs for all stakeholders in particular SMEs, and ensuring the uninterrupted cross-border flow of critical agricultural inputs, including veterinary medicines, seeds, and animal feed, particularly for Ireland and other border regions highly dependent on timely deliveries; urges the Commission to actively engage with the UK to simplify customs procedures through the development of trusted trader schemes and the introduction of ‘green lanes’ for low-risk goods;

26. Acknowledges the evolving collaboration between the EU and the UK in the field of e-commerce since the entry into force of the TCA; underlines that while the TCA includes important provisions to facilitate digital trade, post-Brexit custom procedures have created additional burdens for e-commerce operators, notably through mandatory customs declarations, import inspections, and complex rules of origin requirements; welcomes the recent EU-UK efforts to streamline trade logistics and reduce export restrictions, and emphasises that further efforts are required to improve regulatory alignment, simplify customs procedures, and ensure the smooth and secure transfer of data, in order to unlock the full potential of cross-border e-commerce and enhance digital trade;

27. Encourages the EU and the UK to explore possibilities for deeper cooperation on regional supply chains; stresses that such steps would support more flexible and resilient supply chains and help address tariff and non-tariff barriers linked to complex rules-of-origin requirements;

28. Stresses that the implementation of the UK’s new import regime, the border target operating model, has been causing difficulties as a result of frequent changes in risk categorisation without proper notification, inconsistent interpretation of import requirements, lengthy waiting times in carrying out controls and failure to recognise the EU as a single sanitary and phytosanitary entity; is concerned that the UK’s responses have not yet fully addressed the related problems;

29. Welcomes the commitment expressed at the EU-UK Summit to work towards establishing a common SPS area through a comprehensive EU-UK SPS Agreement; acknowledges that non-tariff barriers and regulatory divergence currently pose challenges for EU-UK trade, notably through increased compliance requirements, duplicative certification procedures, and diverging product standards; notes that such frictions affect a range of sectors, including agri-food, chemicals, motor vehicles and machinery, and can be particularly burdensome for SMEs; encourages both parties to make full and effective use of the TCA’s mechanisms for regulatory and customs cooperation to address these issues, with a view to reducing trade frictions ahead of the 2026 TCA review;

30.  Welcomes the UK’s plans to legislate for the indefinite recognition of the CE marking across additional product regulations, which would further ease compliance challenges for EU manufacturers and facilitate the export of products that require such marking from the UK to the EU; urges the Commission to swiftly launch negotiations with the UK to ensure strong alignment of conformity assessments for products, particularly in highly integrated sectors, in order to remove redundant testing, reduce business costs and strengthen the internal market; encourages both parties to pursue pragmatic arrangements for the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results in product sectors that are clearly low-risk, with a view to reducing unnecessary compliance costs and administrative burdens, particularly for SMEs, while safeguarding and further strengthening consumer safety and protection; encourages the Commission to build on this development by seeking sector-specific mutual recognition arrangements where regulatory convergence already exists, thereby eliminating unnecessary duplication of certification procedures, where appropriate;

31. Notes that the agreement towards establishing a common SPS area would significantly reduce trade friction and contribute to stability and predictability for businesses by removing the vast majority of certification and control requirements for the movement of animals, animal products, plants and plant products between Great Britain and the EU while maintaining high standards of health and consumer protection, food safety and animal welfare; underlines that these benefits for farmers, SMEs and consumers across the EU and the UK would also extend to the movement of such goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; notes that the future SPS Agreement should allow for dynamic alignment by the UK, be subject to a dispute resolution mechanism with an independent arbitration panel and accept the Court of Justice of the European Union as the final authority on matters of EU law; welcomes the intention to involve the UK at an early stage in the EU’s decision-making process in areas covered by the future SPS Agreement; urges the Commission to come forward with a roadmap for SPS negotiations with the UK; furthermore invites both parties to step up regulatory dialogue in non-SPS aspects of food product regulation and avoid divergences in areas such as labelling and packaging; stresses that any UK access to EU systems, databases or agencies under EU programmes relevant to the SPS Agreement must be conditional upon the full recovery of related costs to the EU budget; underlines that such participation must deliver clear benefits to the EU and its stakeholders, in line with the principle of budgetary proportionality;

32. Reiterates the strategic need for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the UK to maintain and modernise the current, fair and rules-based international trade order and address shared global economic challenges; calls, in this regard, for additional joint efforts in working towards an inclusive and comprehensive reform of the WTO, answering current and future challenges in a deeply interlinked world, and actively working against any new danger of division to the global political and economic order, as well as unilateral and unjustified trade measures and tariffs that have hit both the EU and the UK recently; calls, therefore, on both sides to continue to support consumers facing strains linked to the cost of living; stresses that in this context reinforced EU-UK cooperation is essential to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce strategic dependencies; underlines that both parties should intensify joint efforts to de-risk critical supply chains in line with EU priorities on economic security; while noting that cooperation on critical raw minerals was not part of the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit, encourages the EU and the UK to strengthen Europe’s autonomy in this regard; encourages the launch of structured dialogues and targeted initiatives to promote diversification, build mutual trust and enhance strategic autonomy, with a view to fostering sustainable growth and shared prosperity; calls on the Commission to examine the details of the agreement announced on 8 May 2025 between the UK and the United States (‘Economic Prosperity Deal’) to ensure that none of its provisions undermine the TCA or any potential agreement between the EU and the UK; notes that, while its content still has to be clarified, the Economic Prosperity Deal may have an impact on the level playing field between the EU and the UK in the context of the TCA as well as any dynamic alignment stemming from the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit, such as on a common SPS area; welcomes the agreement on tariff-free trade in steel products, recognising this as a positive development that provides much-needed stability and predictability for key industrial sectors; recalls that the TCA includes specific commitments to uphold international trade rules, cooperate in multilateral forums, and exchange information on trade remedies and global trade developments; welcomes the outcomes of the EU-UK Summit, where both parties reaffirmed their intention to strengthen coordination on WTO reform, support transparent and rules-based trade, and pursue joint approaches to pressing trade disputes and stresses that the effective implementation of these commitments is essential to reinforcing the EU-UK partnership as a force for stability and predictability in global trade governance; welcomes the UK Government’s recent announcement that it will join the WTO Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement, which will ensure the continued effectiveness of the dispute resolution system while broader reforms to the WTO are being negotiated; stresses that in the currently volatile global trade context, the unique position of Northern Ireland must be taken into account in the formulating of trade policy by both the UK Government and the Commission;

33. Welcomes the extension agreed on 21 December 2023 of the rules of origin for electric vehicles and batteries until 31 December 2026; stresses the importance of monitoring rules of origin to avoid circumvention of standards and rules by goods coming from countries with which the UK may have other trade agreements;

Services, digital trade and investment

34. Takes note of the Commission’s assessment that the implementation of the TCA in the areas of services and investment, digital trade, intellectual property, public procurement and SMEs has generally proceeded smoothly with no major issues, except for the application of the UK’s sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers, which remains an obstacle, and notes that UK exports of services to the EU increased by 19 % in 2024 compared to 2019 demonstrating the services sector’s resilience and potential, ; stresses the need to address these barriers to short-term mobility for EU service providers, including those in cultural, scientific and agricultural advisory sectors, and the potential mutual benefit of enhanced and reciprocal short-term business mobility arrangements; calls for the simplification of the UK visa procedures for EU professionals and contractual service suppliers to reduce financial and administrative burdens; calls on the Member States and the UK to speed up the processing times and reduce application costs for work permits when required; welcomes the commitment by the UK and the Commission at the EU-UK Summit to set up dedicated dialogues on the entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes, including the sponsorship scheme; calls on both parties to explore options for easing short-term mobility for service providers and entrepreneurs, particularly SMEs and liberal professions, through streamlined visa processes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, with full respect for respective regulatory autonomy; calls on the UK Government to exempt services suppliers covered by the TCA from the sponsorship system; calls for deeper EU-UK cooperation on trade in services;

35. Urges the UK, the Commission and the Member States to persist in their efforts towards the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and calls for the acceleration of negotiations, alongside solutions to facilitate smoother short-term mobility and cross-border service provision across the EU and the UK markets; highlights the continuing barriers faced by EU and UK nationals in accessing regulated professions; stresses the need for clear, streamlined recognition procedures and the involvement of professional bodies and competent authorities on both sides; notes that, to date, only one recommendation for a possible mutual recognition arrangement under the TCA has been received, namely in relation to the architecture profession; calls on the Commission and the UK to accelerate the implementation of Article 158 of the TCA and prioritise additional sectors, such as healthcare, engineering, and legal and financial services; stresses the importance of helping young people develop future-proof skills by facilitating cross-border training and professional development opportunities, including targeted investment in digital, green and financial literacy; calls for EU-UK cooperation on mobility schemes and calls for the EU and the UK to negotiate an ambitious agreement on business mobility, recognising that the effectiveness of arrangements for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications is intrinsically linked to simplified short-term entry and temporary stay provisions; calls on the UK Government to continue to take all necessary measures to combat discrimination against citizens of Member States living in the UK;

36. Encourages close cooperation between the EU and the UK on various aspects of digital trade regulation; appreciates, therefore, the administrative arrangement on the supervision of risk assessment and mitigation efforts by providers of large online platforms, signed by the EU and the UK on 30 April 2024; believes that regulatory convergence and dialogue on digital legislation should be promoted, in particular with regard to online platforms;

Level playing field and competition policy

37. Reiterates that the UK should acknowledge the complications that would stem from any unnecessary systematic regulatory divergence, in particular for the protection of employment and social rights, the environment, personal data, State aid, digital trade and taxation, which would only create additional issues as regards level playing field commitments in the TCA, as well as for EU and UK businesses and EU-UK trade;

38. Welcomes the finalisation of the EU-UK competition cooperation agreement under the TCA, allowing the Commission, the national competition authorities of the Member States and the UK Competition and Markets Authority to cooperate directly in competition investigations; notes that this is the first EU competition cooperation agreement that enables national competent authorities to cooperate directly with a non-EU-country competition authority; calls for its swift ratification to strengthen cross-border enforcement and coordination in competition cases, while safeguarding confidentiality through appropriate waivers; 

39. Welcomes the efforts led by the EU and the UK to call for international cooperation in managing the challenges and risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in order to promote global AI governance based on democratic values, shared standards and robust safeguards; notes that the EU has adopted a comprehensive, risk-based regulatory framework through the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act)[31], adopted in 2024, while the UK has so far taken a more light-touch regulatory approach, without introducing a horizontal AI law; calls for greater convergence of AI regulation between the EU and the UK in order to allow a dynamic sector to grow in a safe environment; regrets, in this regard, the fact that the UK did not sign the Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet at the international AI Action Summit in Paris on 11 February 2025; stresses the importance of structured EU-UK cooperation on AI governance, given the shared commitment to promoting safe, transparent and accountable AI systems, and in order to avoid regulatory fragmentation, participate in standard setting, and explore mutual recognition arrangements for conformity assessment; regrets the absence of a dedicated commitment to AI cooperation in the Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU–UK relations, despite the strategic importance of fostering transnational alignment on trustworthy AI development and recalls that Article 39 of the AI Act allows for the recognition of conformity assessment bodies established in third countries under specific conditions and subject to an agreement between the EU and the non-EU country concerned; underlines the risk of increasing regulatory divergence, particularly between the EU’s binding AI Act and the UK’s sector-led approach, despite converging priorities on risk-based classification, copyright protection and systemic risks; notes the UK-US memorandum of understanding on AI, which could lead to divergence in minimum standards between the EU and the UK and calls on the Commission to assess the impacts of this agreement and report back to Parliament; insists on the need to establish a common understanding of the benefits and challenges of AI; calls for enhanced technical dialogue between regulators to support regulatory interoperability and reduce compliance complexity for businesses; acknowledges the current discussions in the UK on changes to copyright law; expresses concern that such plans may impact negatively on European artists and creators, in particular with regard to the proposal to set up an opt-out system;

40. Notes that Articles 103 to 107 and 109 of the AI Act amend existing EU product legislation that applies in Northern Ireland under Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework; takes note of the Commission’s proposal of 24 March 2025 to include certain provisions of the AI Act in Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework, with the aim of ensuring consistency in the regulation of goods and associated services in Northern Ireland; acknowledges that greater regulatory alignment in areas such as product safety and market surveillance may help to support legal clarity and market continuity; encourages continued dialogue between the EU and the UK within the framework of the Joint Committee, with a view to identifying mutually acceptable approaches that uphold high standards of consumer protection and regulatory coherence;

41. Recalls that the TCA recognises the importance of high standards of data protection and privacy, while allowing each party to maintain its own regulatory autonomy; finds that there are risks associated with potential regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK; notes that the UK’s data protection regime has remained broadly aligned with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation[32] (GDPR), enabling the continuation of the EU adequacy decision which facilitates frictionless data flows critical for cross-border services; notes the ongoing reform of the UK’s data protection framework through the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which introduces a range of substantive changes to existing UK GDPR provisions; reiterates the importance of maintaining high-level data protection standards for the transfer and processing of personal data between the two parties, including for individuals whose personal data is processed in the UK, particularly where data originates from the EU, and calls for regular information sharing between the EU and the UK; welcomes enhanced regulatory cooperation on digital issues, such as the administrative arrangement of 30 April 2024 between the Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology and the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom), which prioritises the exchange of information relating to the supervision of risk assessment and mitigation efforts by providers of large online platforms; calls for reinforced dialogue under the TCA’s Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade to ensure stable conditions for data transfers and legal certainty for operators;

42. Recalls that the continued free flow of data between the EU and the UK hinges on data adequacy decisions by the Commission; notes that the Commission concluded that the UK’s legal framework continues to provide data protection safeguards that are essentially equivalent to those provided by the EU, following its assessment of the UK Data (Use and Access) Act; welcomes that the Commission has proposed to extend the current adequacy decision by six years; considers that this extension should provide regulatory certainty and prevent unnecessary compliance costs, and ensure the stability of cross-border data flows and digital trade, and ensure that EU citizens’ fundamental rights continue to be respected under the TCA; underlines that any permanent arrangement must remain conditional on the UK’s continued alignment with EU data protection standards under the UK’s new legal framework and its upholding a high level of protection for personal data, as required under EU law; calls on the UK Government to ensure that any UK legislative developments, such as the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 does not lead to lower data protection standards than those in the EU;

43. Takes note of the European Data Protection Board’s Opinion 06/2025 which supports a technical and time-limited extension of the UK adequacy decisions until 27 December 2025, solely to allow the Commission time to assess the implications of the reform once adopted; recalls that the Commission is required to monitor all relevant developments in the UK during this period and to ensure that any future adequacy decision is based on a comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of the UK’s data protection framework;

44. Highlights the importance of maintaining similar approaches to market reforms in the digital sector; asks that the UK avoid policies that diverge from the fundamental principles of the EU Digital Markets Act[33] and the EU Digital Services Act[34];

45. Recalls the shared interest of the EU and the UK in digital connectivity; recommends that both parties establish a framework for information-sharing coordination for the monitoring of threats to critical connectivity infrastructure, including subsea cables and satellites;

46. Reiterates the need for the EU and the UK to uphold their commitment laid down in the TCA to cooperate on promoting transparent and reasonable rates for international roaming services, in order to lower costs for EU and UK consumers;

47. Recalls that the TCA requires that the economic partnership between the two parties be underpinned by a level playing field for open and fair competition, and that trade and investment take place in a manner conductive to sustainable development, including economic and social development and environmental protection; recalls that the protection of workers’ rights is essential in this context, as set out in, inter alia, Articles 355, 386, 387, 399 and 524 of the TCA; notes that under Article 355 both parties undertake to maintain and improve their respective standards in the areas covered by Title XI; recalls that the protection of workers’ rights is essential in this context, as set out in, inter alia, Articles 355, 386, 387, 399 and 524 of the TCA; notes that under Article 355 both parties undertake to maintain and improve their respective standards in the areas covered by Title XI;

48. Welcomes the proposals set out in the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill 2024-2025 to expand collective bargaining rights, provide guaranteed hours for workers and repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023; welcomes, in this regard, the ‘Good Jobs’ Employment Rights Bill, introduced by the devolved Northern Irish administration in Belfast, which fully upholds EU standards;

49.  Notes that, with regard to the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, in their official reply to the Commission and in a series of technical meetings, the UK authorities informed the Commission that the objective of the act is not to lower the levels of protection in, among other areas, labour matters under the TCA; calls, however, on the Commission to closely monitor the act to ensure compliance, in view of the wide-ranging empowerment granted to the UK authorities to modify retained EU law and the role of its courts in interpreting retained EU legislation;

50. Notes that in October 2024 the UK Government announced its intention to establish a new Fair Work Agency within the Department for Business and Trade, to replace existing state enforcement bodies for labour protection;

51. Calls on the Commission and the PPA to closely monitor for potential non-regression in labour standards and other developments in workers’ rights in the UK, and to continue its efforts with the UK Government to ensure full compliance with the TCA; calls on the Commission to use all available means to address any concerns that could necessitate the application of Chapter 6 of Title XI of the TCA, including through dialogue in the PPA and the specialised committees, consultation with the EU DAG and, where necessary, the dispute settlement mechanisms provided for under Article 389;

52. Calls for the EU and the UK to explore avenues for further cooperation and exchange of best practices in the areas of employment and social protection; recognises the potential for mutual collaboration to improve the implementation and enforcement of employment policies, ensuring fair competition, sustainable growth for companies and fair working conditions for workers in both the EU and the UK; recalls that social partners play a genuine role in both monitoring and enforcing the TCA, including the power to submit official complaints;

53. Welcomes the EU and the UK’s ongoing cooperation within the ILO, in particular on the development of a new instrument aimed at regulating platform work;

54. Welcomes the parallel implementation of the EU Digital Markets Act and the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act as a step towards promoting fair and contestable digital markets; notes the shared regulatory objectives and stresses the need to avoid fragmentation through strengthened cooperation under the competition cooperation agreement; supports the development of a memorandum of understanding to facilitate regulatory dialogue, information exchange, and coordination on enforcement practices, notably in relation to gatekeeper platforms; underlines the value of aligning approaches to competition in digital markets to support cross-border business certainty and consumer protection;

55. Calls on the Commission to continue to closely monitor regulatory divergence in the UK that could pose a risk of non-compliance with the TCA, notably in areas relevant to the level playing field such as subsidy control, AI, taxation, labour and social standards, the environment and climate change rules, and to address identified cases of divergence, which can lead to lower social, labour and environmental protection standards for both EU and UK citizens and consumers; recommends the creation of an EU-UK regulatory divergence observatory to monitor and report on future legislative changes in the areas of transport safety, environmental standards and passenger rights; stresses the importance of proactive regulatory dialogue to avoid unnecessary divergence and market-fragmentation; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with access to the data obtained by publishing annual reports; highlights the particular challenge that regulatory divergence poses for Northern Ireland, given its unique dual access to both the EU and UK markets under the Windsor Framework; stresses the need for tailored early-warning mechanisms and impact assessments of new legislation focused on Northern Ireland to ensure that divergence does not undermine legal certainty, business continuity, or the peace process, and to minimise its impact and prevent misalignment becoming a trade obstacle; calls for increased engagement with local stakeholders and the north/south bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement;

Financial services

56. Recognises the need for a high level of cooperation and forward-looking dialogue between the EU and the UK on financial services matters; notes that the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum has held only three meetings since its establishment;

57. Encourages a forward-looking dialogue in the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum that promotes a high degree of alignment of the respective regulatory regimes and helps to identify and address common matters with regard to financial stability, investor protection, anti-money laundering and prevention of terrorist financing, in order to facilitate cross-border investment, and to foster innovation in financial markets and cooperation in international forums and in the implementation of international standards; notes that this may include sharing information on regulatory developments, exchanges of views on respective policies, rules and processes with regard to deference regimes such as equivalence, and may also cover risk analyses, and the potential economic impacts of proposed measures, as well as topics relating to voluntary technical convergence, which make trade flows more stable and efficient; notes the forum’s potential to promote a consistent approach where possible and provide a framework for dispute resolution, and calls on the Commission to strengthen it and to build on this cooperation; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament fully and in a timely manner of the preparations for and outcome of the semi-annual meetings;

58. Considers that the efficiency and competitiveness of post-trade financial market services are vital to ensure a well-functioning savings and investments union (SIU), and welcomes the growing consensus between the UK and the EU on this matter; welcomes the provisional political agreement to shorten the settlement period for transactions in transferable securities to one day after the trade;

59. Points out that following the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, UK market participants no longer have automatic access to the single market for financial services; highlights that the EU has only granted a time-limited equivalence decision for one specific financial services subsector – central counterparties – while the EU’s equivalence framework in financial services allows non-EU firms access to the EU market, provided that their regulatory and supervisory framework is deemed equivalent to EU standards; recalls that the EU can unilaterally withdraw any equivalence decision at any time if the conditions for granting equivalence are no longer fulfilled; recognises the need to ensure that SMEs on both sides can benefit from closer financial cooperation between the EU and the UK; underlines the importance of facilitating cross-border access to finance; encourages the Commission to discuss further equivalence decisions in order to provide firms from both the UK and the EU with the benefits of greater market access;

60. Welcomes the inclusion of exchanges of views on equivalence decisions in the remit of the TCA’s Forum on Regulatory Cooperation; calls for regular discussion and examination of such issues, particularly with respect to financial and investment services, in the interests of increased trade and cooperation; calls on the Commission to assess and take equivalence decisions in a strategic and conditional manner, ensuring that any market access granted to UK financial services companies is fully aligned with EU standards; believes that equivalence assessment should go beyond a strict sector-specific approach and should instead adopt a broader, forward-looking perspective to consider the non-EU country’s overall regulatory and supervisory framework, including its commitments to fair competition, anti-money laundering, tax cooperation, investor protection and financial stability, in order to safeguard the Union’s financial stability, preserve the integrity of the single market and prevent regulatory arbitrage;

61. Recalls that decisions on equivalence could benefit EU firms in terms of greater access to the UK market, including for banking, payment services, investment services and insurance, and emphasises that an open and well-structured financial relationship between the EU and the UK must help to foster a more competitive financing environment for SMEs;

62. Notes at the same time the UK’s stated desire for regulatory divergence from the EU in a number of areas; expresses concern that such divergence could undermine the level playing field with the EU; calls for close monitoring of these developments and their potential impact on EU markets, including through the strategic use of equivalence decisions;

63. Acknowledges that, although some crypto-assets are primarily speculative in nature, their utilisation in the financial sector is increasing, and calls for a coordinated approach to the regulation and supervision of such assets to effectively address the risks concerning consumer protection, market integrity and money laundering, as well as environmental impact concerns; notes with concern that stablecoin issuers will be allowed to operate in the UK under an exemption from the UK’s regulatory and supervisory framework, and underlines that if the UK were to pursue bilateral cooperation with the United States on a permissive regulatory model, EU efforts towards ensuring regulatory coherence, robust oversight, financial resilience across jurisdictions and global financial stability would be undermined; calls, therefore, on the UK to adopt legislation similar to Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets[35]; cautions against the systemic risks that a less stringent supervisory framework may create and recommends not diverging from the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations on the regulation of crypto-assets, which could undermine global financial stability; considers that the EU and the UK should work together within the international community towards finding a common understanding of the benefits and risks of AI applied to financial services;

64. Supports and welcomes the swift development of the digital euro, complementing but not replacing cash; highlights the EU’s high level of dependence on foreign entities in the payments sector; recognises the urgent need for the EU to ensure its autonomy from foreign payment service providers as a matter of digital and financial sovereignty;

65. Considers that the possible introduction of central bank digital currencies in both the EU and the UK may have an economic impact on the relationship between the two parties and on strategic autonomy;

66. Strongly supports the continued cooperation between the EU and the UK on tackling international money laundering and terrorist financing, countering harmful tax regimes and implementing sanctions; welcomes the adoption of the anti-money laundering legislative package by the EU and the continuous commitment on the UK’s part to tackling money laundering and other financial crimes, in particular in its Overseas Territories and British Crown Dependencies;

67. Expresses concern at the UK’s establishment of new freeports, as national hubs to promote global trade and investment, offering extensive tax breaks, deregulatory regimes, and public subsidies;

68. Highlights the commitment of both parties to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/G20 Inclusive Framework’s Two-Pillar Approach; regrets the Executive Order issued by the US President on 20 January 2025 declaring that the OECD Global Tax Deal has no force and effect in the United States; calls on both parties to work jointly and constructively in international forums to safeguard multilateral tax cooperation, promote the global implementation of Pillar Two minimum tax standards and ensure consistency with evolving United Nations initiatives;

69. Acknowledges the TCA’s commitment to fostering cooperation on key global challenges while respecting respective powers in the field of direct taxation; welcomes therefore the first EU-UK Dialogue on Countering Harmful Tax Regimes held on 10 October 2024 as a forum for discussion on shaping and implementing international standards to combat harmful tax regimes; stresses the importance of maintaining momentum in EU-UK coordination on international tax reform;

70. Supports continued EU-UK cooperation on combating money laundering, terrorist financing, harmful tax practices, and fraud; stresses the need to closely monitor UK regulatory divergence to prevent regulatory arbitrage and financial risks to the EU and ensure a level playing field; encourages both parties, with full respect for national tax sovereignty, to cooperate proactively – through relevant bilateral and multilateral forums – in order to advance fair and sustainable tax systems;

71. Welcomes the full implementation in 2024 of the Protocol on Administrative Cooperation and Combating Fraud in the Field of Value Added Tax and on Mutual Assistance for the Recovery of Claims Relating to Taxes and Customs Duties (VAT Protocol); proposes that the EU and the UK conduct a joint annual review of the VAT Protocol’s implementation and effectiveness, provide a forum for discussion on the emerging trends in VAT fraud and challenges in cross-border VAT recovery, and assess the need for additional joint measures to address these issues;

72. Underlines that EU market participants rely heavily on clearing houses based in the UK, with over 90 % of euro interest rate derivatives processed at clearing houses based in the City of London; considers that this massive concentration could present a strategic risk to EU financial stability; believes that the right balance should be struck between substantially reducing overreliance on UK-based clearing houses, on the one hand, and providing clarity to EU financial market participants, on the other; takes note of the updates to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation[36], as adopted in December 2024, which aim to address this overreliance by introducing an active account requirement;

73. Expresses concern, however, that the Commission’s decision to extend the equivalence for UK central counterparties for a further period of three years until 30 June 2028 risks a delay to the development of the active account requirement;

74. Calls on the Commission in the meantime to provide a permanent and stable solution to reduce the overreliance on UK central counterparties, in line with the EU’s strategic objective of reducing excessive exposures to non-EU central counterparties of substantial systemic importance; recalls that Parliament has consistently stressed the need to relocate clearing activities to the EU, and that prolonged equivalence in a context of regulatory divergence undermines financial stability, weakens EU market autonomy and sends conflicting signals to market participants;

75. Notes that as a consequence of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, UK service suppliers in the area of financial services no longer benefit from the ‘country-of-origin’ principle or from ‘passporting’ for direct access to the EU single market, while the integrated global economy requires close cooperation between authorities, including in the area of financial services and payments; notes also that while the TCA is underpinned by provisions that ensure a level playing field, this is not sufficient, in particular with regard to rules on subsidies, and calls for strong and transparent State aid controls, with effective domestic enforcement and with a binding dispute settlement mechanism that can help prevent distortions of competition and ensure fair trading conditions;

76. Takes note of the UK’s upcoming financial services growth and competitiveness strategy, unlocking investment across the economy; calls for the EU and the UK to closely align their respective competitiveness strategies for the financial services sector;

77. Expresses concern at the UK Payments Systems Regulator’s plans to implement a price cap on UK-European Economic Area (EEA) card-not-present consumer cross-border interchange fees specifically for EU banks, card providers and other payment providers; stresses that two of the three alternative levels of price caps are markedly lower than the equivalent price cap set for UK banks, giving rise to concerns about adherence to the principle of non-discrimination under the TCA; emphasises, therefore, the importance of ensuring that all regulatory measures respect the principle of non-discrimination; calls on the Payment Systems Regulator to ensure that the work begun on interchange fees continues, with a view to avoiding any regulatory setbacks and ensuring a fair environment for European providers;

78. Recognises, beyond the legally binding framework of the TCA, the importance of greater cooperation in the financial services field to address shared challenges and explore avenues for closer and continuous collaboration, in particular through engagement at the highest level, so that the benefits of globally interconnected financial systems can be reaped, against the background of the creation of a SIU and of the thriving hub for financial services that the City of London represents;

79. Stresses that heightened transatlantic tensions make improved EU-UK economic relations more important than ever; calls on the Commission and the UK Government to cooperate closely in international financial services forums in order to leverage the European perspective; recognises the need to ensure that SMEs on both sides can benefit from closer financial cooperation between the EU and the UK; highlights that standards agreed in international forums such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions, the Financial Stability Board, Financial Action Task Force or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision should remain the baseline for EU-UK cooperation and that deviations must be duly justified;

80. Is concerned by the UK’s decision to delay the implementation of the Basel III framework for banks until 1 January 2027; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the implementation of the Basel III standards adopted by the co-legislators and calls on the Commission to continue monitoring the implementation of the internationally agreed Basel III standards in other major non-EU jurisdictions;

81. Takes note of the substantial growth of non-bank financial intermediaries (NBFIs) in the EU and the UK, and of the major vulnerabilities identified by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) in this sector, particularly with regard to leverage and liquidity mismatches; shares the concerns about the resilience of NBFIs, especially under market stress, as expressed by the ESRB and the UK’s Financial Policy Committee in this respect, and calls for enhanced monitoring and regulation of these entities;

82. Reiterates, in this respect, the importance of the timely implementation of the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations to enhance the resilience of money market funds (MMF), particularly by removing features that can incentivise runs on banks; calls, therefore, on the Commission to come forward swiftly with a revised MMF proposal, in line with the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations;

83. Takes note of the plans announced by the UK authorities to introduce a lighter regulatory regime for some alternative investment funds; stresses that simplification should not disguise a deregulation agenda; supports simplification measures, provided that the policy objectives remain unaffected; calls, therefore, on the UK authorities to cooperate closely with the EU to ensure that this planned reform does not empty Directive 2011/61/EU on alternative investment fund managers[37] of its substance, in particular around delegation rules;

Intellectual property, public procurement and SMEs

84. Stresses that expanding the range of sectors covered under the TCA’s public procurement chapter would be a meaningful step toward strengthening the level playing field; welcomes the UK’s Procurement Act 2023, in particular the benefits it offers through the greater standardisation and streamlining of procurement processes, and highlights the need to ensure fair access to public procurement; calls on the UK Government and the Commission to improve market access for SMEs by reducing the bureaucratic burden and thus create economic opportunities and provide incentives for taking them; highlights, in this regard, the importance of reducing barriers to cross-border trade for SMEs and of supporting fair competition and economic opportunity in cross-border cooperation;

85. Calls on the Commission to fully implement the SME chapter of the TCA by swiftly establishing the SME Committee, as provided for under the agreement, ensuring the active participation of organisations representing SMEs; considers that the SME Committee should be tasked with identifying barriers to trade, including to investment, that specifically affect SMEs, and proposing targeted solutions to reduce compliance costs and regulatory burdens, including through the exchange of best practices on SME support schemes and digital company registration; stresses the need for increased flexibility regarding business mobility by broadening the list of activities permitted under short-term visa-free arrangements and reducing the costs and complexities of visa processes for SMEs;

86. Calls, furthermore, for sustainability criteria to be considered in public procurement procedures for specific sectors, where appropriate and proportionate; highlights that measures should be adopted to promote the participation of SMEs, including by simplifying procedures, cutting red tape and ensuring the transparent publication of notices and criteria; notes that the EU and the UK should ensure reciprocal and non-discriminatory access to their respective public procurement markets;

The environment

87. Highlights the increasing risk of EU-UK regulatory divergence in environmental policy, potentially causing economic disruption and undermining environmental objectives; recognises the shared geopolitical challenges and environmental ambitions of the EU and the UK; encourages further strategic cooperation and alignment in the fields of environment, nature conservation and biodiversity;

88. Stresses that the island of Ireland is a single ecological unit; recalls that UK environmental policies impact the environment on the entire island of Ireland and therewith also the achievement of the EU’s environmental protection goals; emphasises the need for increased cooperation on environmental issues through the institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement;

89. Recalls previous calls for closer bilateral collaboration in the area of chemicals regulation[38]; recommends seeking input from the UK Government, and the relevant devolved administrations, in the upcoming revision of the REACH Regulation[39] to promote cooperation and regulatory convergence to facilitate safe and legally predictable cross-border trade in chemicals while maintaining a high level of environmental protection;

90. Welcomes the UK’s recognition of the CE marking regarding eco-design requirements on energy-related products and restrictions on hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; welcomes the fact that this facilitates continued trade between the UK and the EU, while reducing compliance burdens for manufacturers;

91. Calls for a strengthened role for economic and civil society stakeholders in the implementation, monitoring and advisory processes related to trade and sustainable development commitments under the EU-UK TCA in line with the joint statement of the EU and UK DAGs;

92. Recalls the EU’s and the UK’s TCA commitment to maintaining high levels of environmental protection in the areas of waste prevention, waste management and the circular economy; stresses the need to better plan and coordinate in order to adapt their waste management infrastructures and to ensure sufficient capacity for recycling, repair, remanufacturing, waste treatment in accordance with the waste hierarchy, and to promote solutions to reduce and address residual waste streams;

93. Stresses the importance of close EU-UK coordination on the potential inclusion of the waste sector in the EU ETS, in order to ensure regulatory alignment, prevent carbon leakage, and maintain fair competition across borders;

94. Recognises that offshore industrial activities and large-scale sustainable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms, may conflict with the conservation objectives of Natura 2000 sites and marine protected areas, and may also have adverse impacts on seabeds and fishing grounds; underlines the need for a careful balance of environmental goals, sustainable fisheries and renewable energy generation;

95. Notes that in the UK, biodiversity and climate-related schemes are being phased in to replace direct support for farmers; calls for an EU-UK exchange on sustainable agricultural practices that promote biodiversity and climate change mitigation and that ensure food security and supply chain stability;

Climate

96. Notes that the EU and the UK share common ambitions in the field of climate change mitigation; calls for better alignment of climate policies to provide consistency and to avoid conflicting or overlapping measures, which risk undermining the effectiveness of climate action; encourages the exchange of best practices on climate adaptation and preparedness, particularly regarding the health impacts of rising temperatures on vulnerable groups, such as low-income communities;

97. Notes the shared objective set out in the Common Understanding of 19 May 2025 to establish a formal EU-UK carbon market agreement, linking the UK and EU ETS systems; urges both parties to reach a quick conclusion to avoid double carbon costs for companies; echoes the joint position of the Commission and the UK that such an agreement must be clearly and consistently aligned with the rules and principles of the Windsor Framework;

98. Notes that, without timely alignment of the UK and EU ETS, UK exports to the EU will be subject to CBAM as from January 2026; recalls the commitment by the EU and the UK to create the conditions for goods originating in their respective jurisdictions to benefit from mutual exemptions from their respective CBAM systems; stresses that these exemptions should be operational as soon as legally possible to avoid trade disruption;

99. Underlines the need to strengthen the bilateral partnership between the EU and the UK to enhance cooperation on renewable energy development, energy security, and supply chain resilience; calls for stronger EU-UK dialogue and joint research on carbon neutral energy to address shared challenges and drive innovation in reducing carbon emissions;

100. Notes the EU’s and the UK’s intention to continue technical regulatory exchanges on new energy technologies, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen, and biomethane, as outlined in the Common Understanding of 19 May 2025; encourages EU-UK cooperation to improve SME access to green technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure, ensuring that small businesses can effectively contribute to and benefit from the transition towards green technology;

Food safety

101. Welcomes the intention to work towards a comprehensive EU-UK SPS agreement and stresses that such an agreement must maintain high levels of food safety, animal welfare and consumer and environmental protection; highlights the need to coordinate maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides in order to safeguard human health and facilitate agri-food trade; underlines the importance of concluding a veterinary agreement to ensure animal health, prevent zoonotic disease outbreaks and combat antimicrobial resistance, especially in light of recent outbreaks and resulting trade restrictions;

102. Notes the diverging thresholds and restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) between the EU and the UK; calls for closer cooperation between the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the competent UK authorities on PFAS monitoring and risk assessments; recommends enhancing EU-UK scientific dialogue on limits in food and feed in order to safeguard public health while upholding high standards of food safety;

103. Takes note of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, which entered into force in England on 23 March 2023, revising the rules for the release, marketing and risk assessment of plants and animals developed through gene editing and precision breeding; expresses concern about regulatory divergence uncertainty regarding the legal status and movement of such products between Northern Ireland and the EU; stresses the need to prevent improperly labelled products entering the EU food chain;

Public health

Regulatory divergence

104. Recalls that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU marked a fundamental shift in the shared regulatory landscape that previously underpinned cooperation on public health, pharmaceuticals, and medical research; further expresses concern over the uncertainty created by the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act, which abolishes the supremacy of EU law and may result in diverging interpretations of health regulations;

105. Recalls that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) now independently authorises medicines in the UK, potentially leading to differences in authorisation timelines, approval criteria, and post-market surveillance; stresses the need to monitor the impact of such divergence on patient access and safety across borders, and calls for structured EU monitoring to assess and respond to such divergences;

106.  Applauds the agreement on the reciprocal exchange of information between the EU Drugs Agency and the UK authorities on drug-related risks and threats; calls, to that end, for the possible operational agreement between the EU Agency and the relevant UK authorities to be concluded as soon as possible;  

107. Regrets the different approaches to regulating AI in health taken by the UK and the EU, as divergent approaches may risk undermining cross-border interoperability and cooperation in digital medical services; calls for a structured dialogue to explore convergence in standards and compliance mechanisms for digital medical devices and AI-driven diagnostics;

Health cooperation

108. Stresses the need to improve cooperation to safeguard all aspects of public health and enable patients to access care when clinically justified; recommends that this cooperation prioritise treatments for rare and paediatric diseases and complex treatments, where expertise is available in either party; recognises in this regard the success and further potential of European Reference Networks and calls for the establishment of a framework of cooperation with the respective UK reference networks; calls for the intensification of EU-UK regulatory and research cooperation in the field of public health; supports such cooperation through the participation of the UK in the health cluster within the Horizon Europe programme and possible future involvement in HERA-related initiatives;

109. Notes that Brexit-related regulatory divergence and increased importation costs have significantly hindered British patients’ access to life-saving cancer treatments; highlights that the cost of importing new cancer drugs has nearly quadrupled after Brexit; emphasises that these barriers have led to delays and denials of critical treatments, adversely affecting patient outcomes, including those of children with recurrent cancers; recommends that the UK address these challenges to ensure equitable access to essential medicines;

110. Underlines the importance of facilitating mobility, training, and mutual recognition of qualifications and residencies of health professionals between the EU and UK to address workforce shortages and promote the exchange of best practices and expertise; emphasises the strategic opportunity to strengthen EU-UK cooperation in attracting and retaining world-class talent and fostering scientific excellence; welcomes the EU’s initiatives to make Europe a global research hub, including support for relocating researchers and enhancing career prospects; encourages the development of joint EU-UK programmes and mobility schemes to support health professionals and researchers alike, ensuring Europe remains a leader in medical innovation and scientific freedom;

111. Notes that while the EU-UK TCA includes a Protocol on Social Security Coordination, which retain mechanisms for reciprocal healthcare such as the European Health Insurance Card, the end of the UK’s participation in the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive[40] was not followed up with a comparable arrangement; observes that this has had an uneven impact, particularly in Northern Ireland, where over 1 000 patients per year previously had care in the EU reimbursed under the Directive;

112. Recommends the establishment of a dedicated EU-UK working group on pharmaceuticals and medical devices to facilitate ongoing dialogue, address regulatory divergences and promote alignment in areas such as clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, medical device certification and illicit trade in healthcare-related products;

113. Acknowledges the limited provisions under the TCA for cooperation on health security, and regrets that the UK no longer participates in the EU’s Health Security Committee or the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC); warns that this limits early warning capabilities and coordinated responses to cross-border health threats such as pandemics and antimicrobial resistance; recommends the establishment of a formal and regular dialogue between EU and UK public health authorities and public health institutions to strengthen trust and capacity in emergency preparedness, pandemic response, and cross-border epidemiological surveillance;

114. Welcomes the recent adoption of a Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation through which the Commission and the UK will explore the potential to enable exchange and cooperation on health security, including the detection of, preparedness for, and response to emerging health threats, to prevent and mitigate against future pandemics and health crises, including within the framework of the TCA health security provisions to maximise cooperation on health security;

115. Urges the Commission to suspend cooperation, in line with the provisions of the TCA, in cases where UK regulatory standards for medicine quality, pharmacovigilance or manufacturing are no longer deemed equivalent to EU standards, as outlined in Directive 2001/83/EC;

116. Points out the unresolved situation with regard to the rental agreement for the former premises of the European Medicines Agency following its move to Amsterdam and calls for the issue to be raised with the UK;

Supply chains

117. Underlines the increased complexity of cross-border supply chains for medicines post-Brexit, particularly for products that previously moved freely between the EU and the UK; regrets that customs checks and regulatory processes have caused delays, shortages and increased costs, affecting medicine availability in the UK, particularly in Northern Ireland, and in smaller Member States that have historically relied on UK-based supply chains, such as Malta, Cyprus and Ireland;

118. Stresses that the possible extension of derogations from certain obligations concerning certain medicinal products for human use made available in the UK in respect of Northern Ireland, as well as in Cyprus, Ireland and Malta set under Directive (EU) 2022/642[41] amending Directives 2001/20/EC and 2001/83/EC must be based on evidence of ongoing necessity and risk of patient harm in affected Member States, and not be for administrative convenience;

119. Urges the EU and the UK to explore cooperative mechanisms, such as a mutual recognition agreement on good manufacturing practice based on equivalent standards to ensure continued access to, in particular, critical medicines, counter shortages and remove barriers related to batch testing, pharmacovigilance data sharing, and supply logistics to minimise disruptions to patient care and ensure patient safety;

International cooperation and development

120. Stresses the imperative for both parties to jointly reinforce their engagement and cooperation in global health governance and international development programmes, including but not limited to the World Health Organization; underlines the importance of coordinated action in this regard to enable a stronger, more equitable, and more effective international response to cross-border health emergencies;

Consumer protection

121. Stresses that consumers in the EU and the UK face several risks stemming from unsafe and illicit products, and from manipulative selling techniques online; highlights, in this regard, the related challenges arising from e-commerce to which consumers are exposed; considers that closer cooperation and the exchange of important information between the EU’s and the UK’s consumer enforcement bodies are vital to tackling these challenges;

122. Stresses that EU-UK cooperation must uphold a high level of consumer protection, with a particular focus on product safety, e-commerce and cross-border digital services; calls for enhanced collaboration to tackle the presence of unsafe products and unfair commercial practices; underlines the need for regulatory convergence on product safety and digital consumer rights to ensure a consistent and high level of consumer protection, thereby supporting consumer confidence and trust in cross-border commerce; demands that EU-UK cooperation commit the two parties to dialogue and information exchange in areas of shared concern, including product safety, digital consumer rights and unfair commercial practices; highlights that the EU and the UK must cooperate to prevent regulatory divergence that would negatively affect consumer confidence or cross-border trade;

123. Regrets that the TCA does not include a cooperation arrangement related to the enforcement of consumer protection laws, and calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of establishing an arrangement between the EU Consumer Protection Cooperation Network and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority; stresses that such an arrangement would enable authorities to intervene more efficiently by exchanging information related to investigations and exploring joint actions; highlights that such cooperation should be considered under the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation[42], as this enables cooperation with non-EU countries to protect consumers’ interests; welcomes the agreement to resume discussions on regular information exchange between the EU’s Safety Gate system and the UK’s market surveillance and product safety database, in line with Article 96(4) of the TCA;

124. Calls for the EU to facilitate the accession of the UK to the Lugano Convention to enable mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments between the UK and the Member States;

125. Welcomes the administrative arrangement signed on 30 April 2024 between the Commission and Ofcom, the UK’s regulator for broadcasting, telecommunications and postal services, with the aim of overseeing how large online platforms assess and manage risks, including the protection of minors, age-appropriate design, and platform transparency; expresses the hope that this marks the beginning of closer cooperation in addressing these and other common challenges;

Energy

126. Highlights, against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in the context of volatile global energy markets, the importance of strengthening cooperation on energy and on security of supply between the EU and the UK; encourages the EU and the UK to work together to end Russian energy dependence by halting imports of all Russian fossil fuels at the earliest opportunity, including oil, gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), nuclear fuels, and other nuclear materials; notes that both the EU and the UK are continuing to make progress towards their shared goal of ending all energy ties with Russia; welcomes the establishment of the new EU-UK Working Group on Security of Supply under the TCA, as recommended by the Partnership Council of 17 March 2024 and later implemented by the Specialised Committee on Energy; hopes that the new EU-UK Working Group on Security of Supply can meet regularly and develop concrete solutions and joint actions in this crucial area of bilateral cooperation;

127. Emphasises the importance of integration between EU and UK energy markets, which can improve security of supply, stimulate clean energy production, and lower energy costs for both parties; believes that high levels of physical interconnection capacity need to be complemented by more integrated wholesale energy markets that can facilitate energy security and trading between the EU and the UK; finds that, despite closer cooperation between regulators and transmission system operators, little progress has been made in terms of developing the new electricity trading arrangements envisaged under Article 312 of the TCA; recalls that the UK no longer avails of EU single market tools for market coupling for electricity trading, such as EU Single Day-Ahead Coupling, leading to inefficient trading over interconnectors that raises wholesale costs and ultimately feeds through to higher consumer bills, as well as hindering investment in multipurpose interconnectors;

128.  Welcomes the recent EU and UK commitment and political agreement to extend EU-UK energy cooperation on a continuous basis and to explore the parameters for the UK’s potential participation in the internal electricity market, including dynamic alignment and contributions to the costs associated with this policy area as set out in the EU-UK Common Understanding; calls for immediate negotiations on market alignment and for their timely conclusion, and emphasises the need for swift and decisive progress; highlights that such participation would lower energy prices and benefit consumers and businesses; stresses that such a deal would have to be found before 30 June 2026, when the current arrangements expire; stresses that, especially in the light of the changing geopolitical context and global trade uncertainty, areas of clear mutual interest include clean energy cooperation in the North Seas, linking the respective EU and UK emissions trading systems to avoid friction from their respective CBAM, improving electricity trading arrangements and closer coordination in infrastructure planning, thereby enhancing energy security and industrial competitiveness across Europe; calls for both parties to cooperate closely to ensure that a workable framework can be established in a timely manner, so as to limit legal uncertainty; calls for concrete joint efforts by the EU and the UK towards greater cooperation on nuclear energy, a low-carbon and affordable source of electricity, which is vital to reach climate neutrality and maintain the competitiveness of European industries; recalls that structured cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as electricity interconnectors and offshore renewable infrastructure may intersect with EU funding programmes, including regional and energy initiatives; emphasises that any UK participation in such frameworks requires appropriate governance, compliance with EU rules, and appropriate financial contributions reflecting the EU’s investment; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information on any financial contribution to be provided by the UK in these areas;

129. Welcomes the joint position of the Commission and the UK, as expressed at the recent EU-UK Summit, that linking carbon markets would help address trade-related and level playing field concerns, in accordance with Article 392(6) of the TCA, and would exempt UK-based firms from the CBAM, reduce trade frictions and foster alignment on carbon pricing, thereby reinforcing shared decarbonisation objectives and contributing to the achievement of climate neutrality targets;

130. Acknowledges that the operation of different CBAMs in the EU and in the UK could lead to additional unwanted costs for future cross-border trade in renewable electricity, with negative impacts for industries and households, and particular risks for the integrity of the Single Electricity Market in the island of Ireland; believes that the most efficient and straightforward solution would be for the UK to link directly to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), as proposed in the Common Understanding; maintains that full ETS linkage should avoid unwanted costs and remove unnecessary policy barriers to cooperation, especially in the North Seas; calls, nevertheless, for interim measures, if necessary, to ensure that EU and UK CBAMs do not impose any additional burdens on cross-border electricity trade as of 2026, when negotiations on electricity market participation and ETS linkage might still be ongoing; highlights that any participation of the UK in mechanisms or systems related to the EU ETS must be accompanied by a fair and proportionate financial contribution covering the EU’s administrative and programme-related costs; insists that EU financial and climate interests must be fully safeguarded in any future arrangements;

131. Highlights the importance of establishing common rules for offshore renewable energy and pipeline infrastructure in the North Sea region to facilitate commercial agreements between the EU and the UK; calls for continued collaboration between the EU and the UK on international energy efforts in the context of UN Climate Change Conferences;

132. Notes the reaffirmed joint international commitment to deliver the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and to the Paris Agreement; reiterates the need for the EU and the UK to continue working together in international climate conferences, including the upcoming COP30, to build on progress made and lead further global action for the promotion of renewable energy, energy efficiency and the abatement of methane emissions from the energy sector;

133. Welcomes the fact that both parties maintain comparable ambitions with regard to energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy sources by 2030, with the ultimate shared goal of climate neutrality by 2050; congratulates the UK on its achievement of phasing out coal power generation on 1 October 2024, as the first G7 nation and advanced, industrialised country to achieve this goal; stresses the importance of the non-regression clause concerning environmental protection in the TCA, which neither party can diverge from without jeopardising the agreement as a whole;

134. Views favourably the willingness of both parties to contemplate greater regulatory and technological cooperation on clean technologies such as carbon capture and underground storage, and renewable energies including offshore wind, hydrogen, biomethane and sustainable biofuels; notes, however, that the UK’s decision to leave the EU single market poses inevitable challenges to the format of and limits the scope for bilateral cooperation in the energy field; calls on both parties to find new ways to improve the quality and depth of their bilateral cooperation on clean and renewable energy technologies;

135. Stresses the importance of coordinated planning and convergence in permitting procedures between the EU and the UK to ensure the development of renewables and in particular offshore wind, electricity infrastructure and CO2 storage, as well as hybrid energy projects in the North Seas; believes that both parties need to work closely together to transform the North Seas into a green energy hub that can also help to guarantee security of supply, inter alia through high levels of offshore wind energy production, in line with the non-binding EU goal of achieving around 360 GW of installed offshore generation capacity by 2050; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen regional cooperation on offshore grid planning and critical energy infrastructure development with the UK, as well as on all sea basins with neighbouring countries, in order to enhance system robustness and reduce the likelihood of infrastructure disruption and energy supply failures;

136. Recalls that making full use of offshore energy resources will require very significant investment in grid and interconnection capacity; emphasises, furthermore, the need to develop a meshed offshore grid, including hybrid interconnectors and suitable cost-sharing mechanisms; considers that the development of electricity infrastructure to harness offshore wind energy potential is a shared priority for the EU and the UK; underlines that harnessing shared renewable resources can be mutually beneficial for the EU and the UK, and can lower the cost of the clean energy transition for both sides;

137. Welcomes the UK’s active participation in the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC), building on the Memorandum of Understanding it signed in December 2022; maintains that UK participation in NSEC should eventually lead to viable joint projects that are consistent with the common goal of developing the North Seas as Europe’s green power plant, as set out in the Ostend Declaration, which the UK signed on 24 April 2023;

138. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Energy adopted both a recommendation and a roadmap on electricity trading towards the end of 2024, inviting both the EU and the UK to step up the technical work necessary to implement new trading arrangements between the parties, including a concept validation phase for Multi-Region Loose Volume Coupling (MRLVC), the proposed trading model set out in Annex 29 to the TCA;

139. Notes the agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the UK, concluded on 21 December 2020 under the framework of the TCA, which covers cooperation on the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy and is underpinned by commitments from both sides to comply with international obligations; underlines the mutual benefits of civil nuclear cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as next-generation reactors, waste management, small modular reactors, safety and health standards, supply chain resilience and fusion technologies, including through research, medical applications, mobility of nuclear researchers and access to joint scientific infrastructure, where appropriate;

140. Recalls the importance of maintaining high environmental and labour standards in energy projects; highlights the need for regulatory cooperation to ensure that energy initiatives promote upward convergence in workers’ rights, health and safety, and environmental protection;

Transport

General remarks

141. Welcomes the smooth implementation of the EU-UK TCA in the area of transport and the effective exercise of the mutually granted rights in this regard, maintaining effective transport connectivity since its provisional application in January 2021;

142. Calls on the Commission to continue its oversight of the implementation of the TCA and to enhance cooperation to further integrate the EU and UK markets, facilitate seamless cross-border mobility and infrastructure integration, and achieve mutual climate and transport objectives, in full compliance with the TCA framework, based on reciprocity and preserving a level playing field;

143. Expresses concern about the increasing potential for regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK, which could create barriers to seamless transport operations and diminish the benefits of connectivity; stresses, in particular, the need for continued cooperation on future updates to passenger rights regulations, which could create asymmetries in compensation thresholds for delays and protection for multimodal journeys, risking consumer confusion and undermining confidence in cross-border services;

144. Calls on the Commission and the UK to establish a joint rapid alert mechanism (RAM) for transport disruptions, ensuring the immediate exchange of information on incidents affecting Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors;

145. Acknowledges the security benefits of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) but warns of potential transport disruptions during its 2025 rollout; calls for swift implementation and infrastructure readiness at airports, as well as at ports such as Dover and Calais, to be prioritised, alongside passenger awareness campaigns to prevent border congestion; notes that since 2 April 2025, EU citizens have been required to obtain an ETA in order to enter the UK for short stays, at a cost of approximately EUR 19, thereby introducing a new administrative requirement for cross-Channel travel;

146. Recommends close collaboration between the parties in relation to education, professional training and recognition of the qualifications of transport workers, in order to combat the shortage of skilled labour for businesses and support worker mobility in accordance with the EU’s social and safety standards;

147. Stresses the importance of safe and efficient freight transport between the EU and the UK; recalls in this respect that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers are facing increasing challenges, including from illegal immigrants attempting to conceal themselves in their vehicles in order to cross the border illegally, and that some HGV drivers have been violently attacked near the port of Calais; stresses that EU shipping firms and HGV drivers must not bear the costs and consequences of security failures by the competent border authorities; Aviation

148. Notes with satisfaction the smooth transition in the area of aviation safety, with good cooperation and sharing of responsibilities between the EU Aviation Safety Agency and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, particularly in terms of the validation of certification requests issued by each of the bodies;

149. Welcomes the bilateral agreements signed to date on all-cargo and passenger air services, guaranteeing continuous and seamless air connectivity between the EU and the UK;

150. Welcomes ongoing discussions in the Specialised Committee on Air Transport on the non-CO2 climate impact of aviation, and calls for sustained coordination in research, monitoring and reporting, to avoid future discrepancies in legislation;

151. Welcomes the Specialised Committee on Air Transport’s role in keeping both parties informed of efforts to regulate and incentivise sustainable alternative fuels (SAFs) for aviation, and recommends aligning initiatives to maximise sustainability benefits, promoting innovation and supporting the competitiveness of the aviation sector;

152. Takes note of the ongoing debate regarding wet-leasing provisions between the EU and the UK, now that the latter has to comply with additional restrictions applicable to non-EU countries, and notes the UK’s requests to streamline procedures in a post-Brexit context in order to cope with high seasonal demand;

153. Highlights, however, that these requests must be considered in the context of the current requests for urgent clarification on intra- and extra-EU wet-leasing rules and practices, including on oversight and enforcement, and increased efficiency of air services;

154. Recommends, therefore, that the Commission propose the revision of the Air Services Regulation[43] to the co-legislators, clarifying the rules, oversight mechanisms and enforcement provisions on intra- and extra-EU wet-leasing, to address any issues that may be raised in the context of the EU-UK TCA rather than laying down guidelines on issues where the co-legislators have not yet made a decision;

155. Points out that a number of local and regional airports in the EU operate many connections to the UK; underlines the need to ensure the availability of flights of this kind, which are used by EU citizens living and working in the UK, but also by UK citizens flying to Europe as tourists;

156. Recognises that the continuing growth in air traffic and mounting pressures on the global air traffic management system demand strengthened cooperation between the EU and the UK to optimise the performance, efficiency and management of airspace; welcomes the UK’s continued coordination with Eurocontrol, and encourages the exploration of further avenues for mutually beneficial collaboration in this regard; 

Road

157. Stresses the importance of connecting the UK to the European Registers of Road Transport Undertakings (ERRU) and welcomes both sides’ commitment to making progress on data exchange between national electronic registers on (serious) infringements of road transport rules, contributing to the effective enforcement of the rules on road transport laid down in the TCA; calls on both parties to work on a bilateral agreement to further facilitate cross-border exchange of information in line with Directive (EU) 2024/3237[44] to improve road safety while safeguarding the data protection requirements of drivers;

158. Welcomes the decision to use the Smart Tachograph version 2 in newly registered EU and UK vehicles, to ensure a continuous high level of road safety and a level playing field on both territories in the carriage of goods by road;

Maritime

159. Notes the concern over potential shifts in shipping routes and activity to UK ports to avoid the cost of maritime emissions under the EU ETS, and urges the Commission to monitor port activity in UK ports closely; welcomes, in this respect, the common understanding reached at the UK-EU Summit to establish a functioning link between the EU and UK ETS, which should include domestic and international maritime and aviation transport, stressing the importance of aligning carbon pricing and monitoring frameworks to maintain environmental ambition, ensure a level playing field and prevent carbon leakage and distortions in port competitiveness, as well as to protect EU port workers and businesses;

160. Supports the Commission’s implementing decision[45] to recognise, as of 11 October 2022, the UK system for training and certification of seafarers pursuant to Directive (EU) 2022/993[46], after determining that all training and certification requirements specified in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers had been satisfied;

Rail

161. Notes that rail transport remains excluded from the TCA’s scope, reflecting the EU and the UK’s reliance on bilateral agreements; welcomes, nonetheless, progress related to railway undertaking licences and safety certification;

162. Recalls the strategic importance of the Channel Tunnel as a vital infrastructure link between the UK and the EU; notes with concern that, despite bilateral progress, rail freight and passenger volumes through the Channel Tunnel remain far below initial projections on account of high costs, regulatory barriers affecting both freight and passenger services, and infrastructure capacity limits for onward travel within the UK, as much of the British rail network is unable to accommodate standard European freight containers and wagons;

Fisheries

Implementation of the ‘Fisheries’ heading of the TCA

163. Takes note of the Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on the implementation of the TCA, in particular the points under the ‘Fisheries’ heading;

164. Welcomes the improved cooperation between the parties in the annual negotiations on total allowable catches (TACs), which resulted in a timely agreement in 2023 and 2024 that enabled the application of provisional TACs to be avoided, thus ensuring clarity and predictability for the fisheries sector as regards fishing opportunities for the following year;

165. Deplores the instability caused by Brexit in international fisheries relations with coastal states, which makes it more difficult to achieve a balance in the sharing arrangements and to exchange fishing opportunities; notes with concern the fact that some coastal states are taking advantage of this instability by unilaterally and unjustly trying to increase their fishing opportunities, to the detriment of those of the EU; recalls the importance of respecting historic fishing rights; calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and coastal states to achieve sustainable management of shared fish stocks and greater stability and predictability with regard to fishing quotas, in particular in the context of annual consultations and trilateral arrangements;

166. Recalls that the UK has introduced a fishing licence system for EU vessels to access its waters; notes that this system has significantly delayed the effective implementation of the TCA, as the UK has added many prerequisites to the granting of such licences, penalising in particular vessels under 12 metres in length, which historically have fished in UK territorial waters, but have had difficulty proving their presence in UK waters; deeply regrets that this situation has led to many small-scale vessels not being issued licences, which has forced them to relocate to other areas or cease their activities, thereby adding to the negative situation and adverse effects caused by other additional costs and bureaucratic burdens associated with Brexit; regrets, furthermore, the fact that the TCA has rendered null and void the Granville Bay Treaty, which, until Brexit, governed fishing in the waters of Jersey; recalls, finally, that the issue of the global ceiling for licences issued by Jersey has still not been fully resolved, leaving some fishers very uncertain about their fishing activities in the waters of the Crown Dependencies;

167. Recalls that, in accordance with Article 496 of the TCA, management and technical measures that may have an impact on the vessels of the other party must be notified sufficiently in advance to allow the other party to comment or seek clarification; stresses that such measures must be proportionate, non-discriminatory and based on the best available scientific advice, and must take into account long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability; regrets the fact that impact studies are not systematically carried out with equal participation of stakeholders from both parties and in good faith; 

168. Regrets the fact that the UK has unilaterally implemented numerous fisheries management measures, notably of a technical nature, including bans on certain fisheries, the introduction of minimum catch sizes for certain species, the closure of fishing in marine protected areas (for example in the Dogger Bank), and the establishment of wind farms, resulting in a drastic reduction in EU vessels’ access to UK fishing grounds and resources, particularly in the six to twelve nautical miles zone; regrets the fact that these measures, and those in the social field, have a greater impact on EU vessels than on British vessels, with socio-economic repercussions for the EU fishing industry and particularly for small-scale fishers; is concerned that this type of measure could ultimately exclude EU vessels from entire fishing zones, calling into question EU fishing rights in British waters;

169. Calls on the Commission to carry out comprehensive and systematic assessments of the social, economic and environmental impacts of these measures, including in the Crown Dependencies, in order to determine whether they are proportional and non-discriminatory, and, where appropriate, to firmly react and use the dispute settlement mechanism or the retaliation measures provided for in the TCA, including compensatory measures such as the suspension of preferential tariff treatment granted to fishery products, as well as all other political and diplomatic means at its disposal; 

170. Welcomes, in this regard, the final decision of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the dispute between the EU and the UK on the decision to close the sandeel fishery in the English waters of the North Sea and in Scottish waters; notes that the Tribunal, in this specific case, considered that there was no breach of the principle of non-discrimination, and that the measure was scientifically based; stresses that the Tribunal found that the ban on sandeel fishing in English waters breaches the principle of proportionality under the TCA and that the UK has failed to fulfil its obligation to grant full access to its waters for sandeel fishing; recalls that the UK is obliged to take the necessary measures to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Tribunal; considers that this decision sets an important legal precedent for safeguarding EU fishing rights and for responding to future similar measures taken by the UK; calls for the Commission to continue to closely monitor unilateral measures taken by the UK, to ensure compliance with the TCA;

171. Is concerned that unilateral measures have a chain effect on the economic and social viability of the EU fisheries sector and value chain; expresses, furthermore, its concerns that restricting access to UK waters is leading to a transfer of the fishing effort to the Channel and the North Sea, with increased pressure on TAC and non-TAC species; highlights the fact that the increased use of EU waters has consequences in terms of security and maritime space management, but also in terms of access to resources, especially for small-scale fisheries, calling into question the social, economic and environmental sustainability of fishing activities;

172. Calls for both parties to swiftly address the increased pressure in the Channel and the North Sea by proposing a regional management plan to guarantee sustainable exploitation of resources and multiannual fisheries management; reminds the Commission, in this regard, of the North Sea multiannual plan rules, which also cover these waters, and believes that they should be adapted if needed to align any possible discrepancies and ensure legal clarity for operators and the Member States;

End of the adjustment period

173. Calls for both parties to respect the principle laid down in Article 500 entitled ‘Access to waters’, to ensure a mutually satisfactory balance between their respective interests; recalls that access to waters, including the six to twelve nautical miles zone, must be reciprocal and proportionate to the TACs or average catch levels of the other party; calls on the Commission to fully implement this article and develop within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries the necessary guidelines to facilitate its practical application;

174. Stresses that the TCA sets out a review clause providing for a review in 2030 to strengthen and codify the implementation of the TCA, bearing in mind that this clause cannot be used to reduce the level of access to waters; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to make every effort to ensure predictable, continued and increased access to waters in the coming years;

175. Underscores the importance of a fair, sustainable fisheries agreement between the EU and the UK; welcomes the political agreement reached on 19 May 2025 between the EU and the UK, in particular the renewal of reciprocal, stable and continued access to waters until 30 June 2038, providing stability for fishing communities; welcomes the fact that fisheries played a significant role in these recent negotiations; encourages both sides to maintain a pragmatic and mutually beneficial approach in future negotiations;

176. Welcomes the fact that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries formalised the political agreement; calls on the Commission to be vigilant in implementing this new agreement, including on access to the six to twelve nautical miles zone, in particular for French small-scale and coastal vessels; stresses the imperative of robust monitoring and enforcement to uphold shared commitments, protect marine ecosystems, and secure the livelihoods of EU fishers and those living in coastal communities;

177. Reiterates that reciprocal and continued access to waters and fisheries resources must be maintained as a key part of the relations between the EU and the UK and must, therefore, be dealt with in conjunction with other parts of the TCA, such as trade, access to the internal market of fishery products and energy cooperation;

178. Notes that the TCA provides for a gradual reduction, by 25 %, of the EU’s TACs in UK waters during the transitional period until the end of 2026; stresses that this reduction was a huge sacrifice for EU fishers and has had a considerable impact on EU fisheries, leading to fleet exit plans and the loss of vessels; welcomes the fact that, after 2026, fishing opportunities will be maintained at least at this level and will not be called into question;

179. Regrets the lack of data or studies on the impact of Brexit on the fisheries sector; calls on the Commission to fully assess the repercussions of the adjustment period on the entire EU fisheries sector value chain;

180. Stresses that the TCA provides for the possibility of considering the development of multi-year strategies for the conservation and management of TACs and non-quota stocks; calls for both parties to work towards greater stability and predictability in fishing quotas and to ensure sustainable management of stocks in the North Sea and North-East Atlantic for the fishing sectors of both parties;

EU-UK fisheries governance and cooperation

181. Stresses the importance of stronger and more stringent cooperation between the EU and the UK, not only on fisheries and marine protected areas management, but in general on maritime spatial planning, as well as on technical, control, customs and sanitary measures involving all bodies, including the Specialised Committee on Fisheries; calls for both parties to improve the functioning and transparency of governance bodies by ensuring prior discussion ahead of setting measures, which should be based on sound scientific and socio-economic considerations and should be neither discriminatory nor liable to prevent the actors concerned from reaching the quotas allocated to them;

182. Calls on the Commission to be particularly vigilant that the conditions set and the agreed terms are complied with and to respond strongly if the UK were to act in a discriminatory manner; encourages, furthermore, the Commission, within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries, to adapt customs, sanitary and control constraints for landings by the vessels of one party on the territory of the other party, for example by putting in place a joint control plan between the UK and individual Member States, provided that equivalent guarantees of traceability and conformity of seafood products are given; stresses the need to secure logistical circuits for both imports and exports by removing obstacles linked to the absence of health and customs controls in certain ports;

183. Expresses increasing concerns about the increasing number of infringements committed by UK vessels in EU waters; calls on the Member States’ authorities to strengthen maritime surveillance capacities, increase controls and apply appropriate sanctions;

184. Calls for the parties to ensure the coherence, compatibility and interoperability of their control measures, including the remote electronic monitoring and camera systems put in place to avoid adding an excessive administrative or financial burden, and not to deviate unreasonably from one another; reiterates that both parties should be in close dialogue with sector representatives before adopting these measures;

185. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries has met nine times since the entry into force of the TCA; regrets, however, the lack of transparency and accountability of this body; requests that members of Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries be involved in and invited to attend the meetings to allow proper scrutiny, and that meeting minutes and documents be shared as soon as possible;

186. Calls for the EU and the UK to strengthen their efforts to promote the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, to increase cooperation and exchanges of good practices to improve selectivity and reduce the impact of certain fishing practices, and to fully implement the ecosystem-based approach;

187. Calls for both parties to reinforce their cooperation and coordination at international level, within the framework of regional fisheries management organisation or with coastal states on shared fish stocks management; highlights the need for the EU and the UK to intensify their cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to support the actions needed to eradicate it in all international forums, with special attention paid to strengthening rules on the transparency and traceability of imported seafood products;

188. Reminds both parties of the need for greater cooperation in their actions regarding maritime spatial planning, particularly with regard to conflicts between offshore windfarm projects and conservation objectives or with the fisheries sector; calls for a balanced approach between all interests concerning the use of maritime space, which should weigh environmental, economic and social dimensions, ensuring consistency and fairness across sectors;

189. Calls for joint efforts by both parties to promote scientific research and exchange best practice to identify and remove ammunition from the seafloor;

190. Calls for all the parties to ensure that the issuing of licenses and authorisations for EU vessels to fish in UK and Crown Dependency waters is carried out without administrative, taxation or financial hurdles;

191. Calls on the Commission, given the specific situation of the Channel Islands, to facilitate collaboration between the parties through better links between regional dialogue and the Quad Meeting; calls for the parties to involve representatives of the fisheries sector, all relevant stakeholders, and local and regional authorities, and to promote the fisheries co-management model;

192. Recalls that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) was established to counter the economic, social, territorial and environmental consequences of Brexit; recalls that this EUR 5.4 billion fund was intended to benefit the fisheries sector, including small-scale fisheries, which were disproportionately impacted by Brexit; recalls that the BAR Regulation required the Commission to inform Parliament and the Council of the state of play of the implementation process by June 2024; regrets the fact that the Commission has not provided any information on the matter so far; requests that, before the end of 2025, Parliament and Council be informed of the state of play of the BAR implementation process;

Social security coordination

193. Welcomes the Commission’s assessment that EU-UK cooperation in the area of social security coordination has been constructive, with no systemic or structural issues identified in 2023 or 2024, and with both parties committed to solving any issues that may emerge in the implementation of the Protocol on Social Security Coordination to the TCA; notes the decisions of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination in relation to detached workers and self-employed persons and to clarify certain financial aspects; stresses the importance of a dynamic protocol, which aligns with the revisions of the social security coordination provisions; calls for continued efforts to simplify procedures, ensure consistent interpretation across the Member States and the UK, and enhance access to social security for citizens through improved guidance, digital tools and administrative cooperation;

194. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination carried out technical work on topics such as changes to structured electronic documents and portable documents, procedures for reimbursing the cost of sickness benefits, and the transposition of relevant decisions of the EU’s Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems; calls on the committee to intensify its efforts and deliver tangible progress on improving procedures, ensuring uniform interpretation across the Member States and the UK, and improving the coordination of social security rights for mobile and cross-border workers;

195. Underlines the importance of ensuring decent, fair and safe working conditions for seasonal workers, particularly in essential sectors such as agriculture, tourism and construction; calls on the Commission to promote, within the context of the implementation of the TCA, the establishment of a specific mechanism for the mobility of seasonal workers, including common standards on duration of employment, access to social security and protection against exploitation, with safeguards comparable to those laid down in Directive 2014/36/EU[47];

196. Calls on the Commission to assess the feasibility of establishing a single EU-UK contact point for reporting violations of workers’ rights, barriers to accessing social benefits, or issues related to the recognition of cross-border employment contracts;

197. Takes note of the importance and value of the EU social model and calls on the UK Government to extend the non-regression clause to the entire EU social acquis;

Participation in EU programmes

198. Reiterates its view that the section of the TCA on UK participation in EU programmes, sound financial management and financial provisions constitutes a fair basis for UK participation and helps to ensure the protection of the EU’s financial interests; underlines the need for transparent budgeting and cost-sharing arrangements;

199. Strongly welcomes the fact that, under Protocols I and II to the TCA, the UK is participating in Horizon Europe and the Copernicus component of the EU space programme and has access to services of the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking component of the EU space programme; highlights the benefits, for the EU and its citizens, of non-EU country participation in EU programmes; believes that the UK’s participation in Horizon Europe recognises that UK science and innovation are an integral part of the European science and innovation ecosystem; considers it mutually beneficial that the UK be associated with the future 10th research framework programme (FP10) and that the scope of any such association should realise the objective of driving economic growth in the EU through innovation; believes it to be vital, therefore, that a fair balance be ultimately struck between the UK’s contributions and the benefits it would receive in return;

200. Reiterates, nonetheless, its concerns regarding the provisions in Protocol I concerning an automatic correction mechanism for the UK in relation to Horizon Europe, which were not agreed as part of the TCA itself; takes note of the fact that the UK correction mechanism applies until the end of the present multiannual financial framework (MFF) and is less favourable than the correction mechanism contained in the TCA;

201. Stresses, moreover, the difficulties posed by high visa fees and the healthcare surcharge for EU researchers who benefit from Horizon Europe and wish to exercise their right to mobility by moving to the UK, and urges the UK to address this problem;

202. Continues to be concerned over the 2023 amended association protocol to the TCA, particularly over the fact that the automatic rebate on the UK’s contribution to Horizon Europe in the event of ‘lower than expected’ UK participation in the programme has resulted in inconsistencies with the provisions of the TCA, to which Parliament gave its consent in December 2020; notes that this change to the TCA through the adoption of a protocol meant that Parliament was unable to provide meaningful consent for or effective scrutiny of what constitutes a core part of the overall agreement;

203. Emphasises that any international agreement on the association of the UK to EU programmes should fully respect the prerogative of Parliament to provide meaningful consent, in line with its resolution of 8 February 2024 on association agreements for the participation of third countries in Union programmes[48];

204. Calls for the full involvement of Parliament in any negotiations over UK participation in FP10, and also regarding the implementation of FP10 over the course of the next MFF; hopes that both parties can avoid the delays that have characterised UK participation in Horizon Europe and the Copernicus programme under the current MFF, in order to ensure continuity in funding for key EU research and innovation projects that involve UK partners;

205. Notes that the Choose Europe for Science initiative clearly positions both the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) as vital programmes that can help the EU attract global scientific talent; observes that the UK can participate in both of these programmes and underlines the strong performance of the UK in both programmes; recalls the legal requirement laid down in Article 16(3) of the Horizon Regulation[49] for the scope of the association of specific third countries to be subject to an analysis of the benefits for the Union and the objective of driving economic growth in the Union through innovation; considers that the scarcity of talent is a limiting factor on the EU’s economic growth, particularly in high-tech sectors; asks the Commission, therefore, for a detailed analysis of the benefits for the EU of the UK’s participation in the ERC and the MSCA, in particular considering how this impacts the ability of the EU to attract scientific talent, and to share that analysis with Parliament, preferably in parallel with negotiations over the legislative proposal for FP10;

206. Expresses concern that the UK has significantly increased the healthcare surcharge and visa costs for researchers going to the UK under Horizon Europe funding, making mobility more difficult financially for EU researchers and their UK partner institutions; supports the call to revert to the previous fee and surcharge levels, as expressed by the EU in the third Partnership Council meeting on 16 May 2024; would welcome a commitment to further lowering the administrative burden and related costs for EU researchers of undertaking mobility to the UK as part of Horizon Europe and its successor, FP10;

207. Notes that the UK ultimately decided against participating in the Euratom Research and Training Programme, the Fusion for Energy (F4E) joint undertaking or the ITER nuclear fusion project, although its participation had been envisaged in the EU-UK Joint Declaration on Participation in Union Programmes accompanying the TCA; expresses concern over Russia’s continued membership of the ITER project; calls for the preservation of the scientific legacy of the Joint European Torus, located in Culham in the UK, which, for decades, has served as the flagship of European nuclear fusion research; stresses that the ongoing dismantling of this unique facility risks the irreversible loss of scientific infrastructure and expertise;

208. Regrets the fact that the UK has chosen not to participate in other EU programmes and its decision not to participate in Euratom and F4E, as originally envisaged in the Joint Declaration of December 2020; considers that UK participation in the ITER project must be based on participation in F4E; deplores the decision to dismantle the Joint European Torus; urges the UK to reconsider its position on these matters;

209. Highlights the PEACEPLUS programme, a successor to earlier cross-border cooperation initiatives, and emphasises the programme’s vital role in promoting peace, reconciliation and socio-economic prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border region; notes that the programme is financed through substantial contributions from the EU and the UK;

210. Welcomes the statistical cooperation arrangement signed between Eurostat and the UK Statistics Authority, enabling the exchange of statistical data relevant to the UK’s participation in EU programmes; considers that reliable statistical information provides an important basis for decision-making in this field and for verifying that the financial provisions laid down in the TCA are being respected;

Education, culture, youth and sport

211. Notes the strong emphasis placed on strengthening people-to-people ties, particularly among the younger generation, at the recent EU-UK Summit;

212. Recalls that citizens’ rights are at the heart of the Withdrawal Agreement and that they must be fully protected; notes, however, that since Brexit it has become more complicated for EU citizens to travel and move to the UK; is extremely worried by changes to immigration policy currently under discussion in the UK insofar as they may affect the rights of EU citizens in the UK, including EU students and the tuition fees applied to them;

213. Underlines that youth mobility was severely impaired by Brexit; welcomes the proposal by the Commission to establish a youth mobility scheme[50] and the shared commitment expressed in the Common Understanding to work towards a balanced and mutually beneficial youth experience scheme with a view to facilitating the participation of young people from the EU and the UK in various activities, such as work, studies, au-pairing, volunteering, or simply travelling, for a limited period of time; encourages both parties to proceed swiftly and ambitiously with its design and implementation, ensuring reciprocal access, legal clarity and appropriate social protection for participants, as a key step in restoring people-to-people ties and long-term cooperation; stresses the need to ensure, where relevant, decent wages and working conditions for participants of any future youth experience scheme; strongly encourages the UK to show openness towards the proposals presented by the Commission in this area in 2024; strongly believes that an agreement on the topic of youth mobility must be an essential part of any future revision of the TCA;

214. Considers that such a scheme holds significant potential to inspire a new generation of young people in the EU and the UK, by fostering lawful, people-to-people exchanges rooted in shared democratic values, cultural understanding and mutual trust, and that it could lay the foundation for long-term cooperation, social cohesion and stronger transnational networks among young people; further encourages both sides to consider facilitating mobility between the UK and the EU even beyond the proposed youth experience scheme;

215. Underlines that the temporary nature of this provision makes it a cultural and educational exchange, not a migration policy tool; notes that the UK already has youth mobility schemes with other countries, such as Japan; emphasises that more equitable benefits can be gained if the EU conducts joint negotiations than if the Member States negotiate bilateral agreements individually; 216.  Welcomes, likewise, the EU-UK Summit declaration of intent to work towards the UK’s participation in the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, which would be mutually beneficial, as promoting youth mobility, training and sport between the EU and the UK would be highly valuable; calls on the Commission and the UK to expedite negotiations in this regard, to find an association solution that would benefit both parties; stresses, in this context, the particular role of Erasmus+ as a driver of European values, cultural diversity, civic engagement and social inclusion, and the associated strengthening of Europe’s resilience; notes that the youth mobility scheme and the UK’s re-association to the Erasmus+ programme might be launched simultaneously, highlighting the need for both initiatives to be complementary and mutually reinforcing;

 

217. Insists that this association must be consistent with the MFF and the TCA; recalls that any potential participation of the UK in EU programmes such as Erasmus+ should be assessed and designed in a manner that fully safeguards and promotes the interests of the EU, including ensuring clear added value for the EU and its citizens; calls on the Commission to provide timely and detailed information on the financial terms of future UK participation in Erasmus+ and on any financial implications of any future youth experience scheme;

218. Regrets that cultural exchanges are suffering as a result of Brexit; notes, with concern, the uncertainties and difficulties that have arisen for students, teachers, touring artists and cultural professionals willing to learn, teach, perform and work on both sides of the English Channel; welcomes the reference to the cultural and artistic exchanges and to touring artists in the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit; underlines the need for reciprocity in existing or future procedures and measures; encourages the Commission to assess the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from EU programmes on cultural and educational exchanges and to work on creative solutions;

219.  Notes that collaboration with stakeholders in the EU and the UK will be vital to support cultural exchange and address barriers facing UK touring professionals; calls for a more concrete plan to tackle the issues that artists are facing; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to continue its efforts towards the re-association of the UK to the Creative Europe programme;

220. Notes with concern that school trips and youth mobility from the EU are hindered by the new UK entry rules; calls, therefore, for the creation of a youth group travel scheme for people under 18;

221. Is deeply worried by the decrease in the number of EU students studying in British universities; underlines the fact that this situation is clearly linked to the UK’s withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme and the end of equal treatment rules regarding tuition fees and scholarships for EU students[51]; urges the UK and the EU to reach an agreement on lowering tuition fees in order to allow more young people from the EU to study in the UK;

222. Strongly believes that the UK and the EU must deepen their academic cooperation to tackle current geopolitical challenges and enhance their respective soft power; highlights, in this regard, the crucial role of the principle of international reciprocity enshrined in the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education in building stable and long-term partnerships between higher education institutions;

 

223. Notes the creation of the Turing Scheme by the UK Government, the Taith programme by the Welsh Government and the Scottish Education Exchange Programme’s Test and Learn project, which is currently in its pilot phase; regrets, however, that the Turing Scheme only covers outgoing student mobility and cannot therefore be seen as a full replacement for Erasmus+;

 

224. Notes that UK universities are allowed to be part of European university alliances but can no longer be included in their governance structure, which de facto relegates them to the status of second-class partners; encourages their continued partnership through the European Universities Alliances initiative, benefiting from the new form of a legal status allowing them to be a full partner;

 

225. Underlines the fact that the UK[52] continues to participate in the European Higher Education Area (the Bologna process); urges the UK, the Commission and the Member States to continue their work towards full mutual recognition of academic qualifications, diplomas, degrees and exchange periods;

226. Notes that the EU and the UK continue to be vital markets for cultural exchange, sharing long-standing links and mutual influences between their cultural spheres; recognises the high economic value of the UK cultural sector; calls for new and continuous cooperation between EU and UK artists and other professionals in the cultural and creative sectors and industries, and for their labour rights to be safeguarded;

 

227.  Notes that the Creative Europe programme was not replaced by any other programme dedicated to culture to support artists in the UK;

 

228.  Regrets the absence of any provisions linked to culture and the cultural and creative sectors in the TCA following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the end of UK participation in free movement, resulting in administrative obstacles facing touring artists, especially emerging and independent artists; notes that UK artists and cultural workers touring in the EU have to comply with multiple different visa, immigration and work permit systems; requests, therefore, that the Members State clarify the requirements regarding ATA (temporary admission) carnets; calls for the inclusion of the cultural sector in the forthcoming review of the TCA;

 

229. Calls for a solution to be found to the post-Brexit difficulties faced by artists and cultural workers, especially young and emerging ones, in relation to touring and participation in festivals, such as customs and VAT rules for merchandising and rules on international transport; asks the UK, the Member States and the Commission to work towards finding solutions that would foster easier ways for artists to operate across the Channel, addressing visas and work permits for short-term cultural stays and harmonised procedures for customs formalities;

 

230. Notes the need to ensure convergence of the future digital regulatory environment for audiovisual and media services in the UK and the EU to provide stable, predictable and clear requirements for the cultural and creative sector and the sports sector in the face of growing global challenges;

 

231. Notes that the TCA applies a cultural exception that excludes audiovisual services from its scope; emphasises the need for strategic cooperation in the audiovisual sector to ensure the visibility of productions made in Europe and their global competitiveness;

 

232. Encourages closer cooperation between the UK and the EU to facilitate the participation of athletes in sporting competitions and exchanges of sports staff;

 

233. Highlights the negative impact of the fragmented or non-existent recognition of mobility of students and staff, particularly in the fields of arts, culture and vocational education and training; stresses that this hinders efforts to address skills shortages across Europe; underlines that initiatives under the Union of Skills that address the skills gap, the green and digital transitions, vocational education and training, and lifelong learning could partially extend to partner countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme; highlights, in this regard, the added value of the UK’s reassociation to the Erasmus+ programme and urges the UK and the Commission to continue their dialogue with a view to establishing an effective framework for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications;

Law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

234. Expresses its satisfaction at the fact that citizens’ safety remains pivotal under the renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation; welcomes the boost to reinforced law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, strengthened cooperation in relation to drugs risks and threats, and deepened cooperation on challenges posed by irregular migration provided by the Joint Statement and the Common Understanding, adopted at the EU-UK Summit;

235. Welcomes the mutual commitment to uphold international law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as expressed by the UK Prime Minister and the President of the Commission in their joint statement of 2 October 2024 on enhancing strategic cooperation and in the Joint Statement of the EU-UK Summit; recalls that the general conditions for the application of Part Three of the TCA, as stipulated under Article 524(1), are indeed the long-standing respect for democracy, the rule of law and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, including those set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ECHR, as well as the importance of giving effect to the rights and freedoms secured in the ECHR domestically; reiterates that these conditions must be fully guaranteed in the application and implementation of the TCA;

 

236. Welcomes the commitments set out in the Joint Statement and Common Understanding to closer collaboration in the fight against human trafficking and people smuggling, drugs trafficking, serious and transnational organised crime as well as terrorism and violent extremism, including online, through quicker, better and deeper implementation of Part Three of the TCA and by fully exploiting and building on its potential;

 

237. Welcomes the Commission’s conclusion, in its 2024 implementation report, that the TCA’s implementation in relation to law enforcement and judicial cooperation functioned smoothly over the past year;

238. Welcomes, in particular, the fact that, by the end of 2024, all Member States and the UK had granted each other access to their national DNA databases for automated searching, in line with Article 530 TCA; welcomes the fact that, by the end of 2024, the UK had made 22 fingerprint connections and was ready to finalise the remaining five; acknowledges the ambition of the Common Understanding for the parties to reinforce mutual and reciprocal exchanges of data on fingerprints, DNA and criminal records of non-EU country nationals and to explore the extension of data exchange to facial images for the prevention, detection and investigation of criminal offences, while underlining that existing and extended exchanges depend on maintaining a high standard of data protection and ensuring that the UK’s evolving legal framework remains compatible with EU data protection requirements;

 

239. Recalls the mutual benefit of and the need for strong law enforcement and judicial cooperation to tackle shared challenges in areas such as counterterrorism operations, organised crime, money laundering and human smuggling and trafficking; stresses, in this regard, that the EU and the UK must formulate concrete cooperation initiatives in these areas; welcomes the UK’s close cooperation with key EU agencies such as Europol, Eurojust and Frontex;

 

240. Welcomes the fact that the UK Government has increased the presence of the UK National Crime Agency at Europol and that it is working, in a broader sense, towards a closer relationship with Europol, including on the ability to share data in real time;

241. Takes note of the 2023 and 2024 Eurojust annual reports and expresses its satisfaction as regards the UK’s participation and involvement in the agency’s work, with the UK being the non-EU country most frequently requested to participate in new cases opened by National Desks at Eurojust in both years;

242. Welcomes the conclusion of a working arrangement between Frontex and the UK’s Home Office in 2024 based on the joint commitment to enhance safety and security, while upholding fundamental rights obligations; trusts that this arrangement will enhance cooperation on border management and security, including the deployment of staff for advisory and coordination duties;

243. Encourages closer cooperation between the European Migration Network and agencies, including the EU Agency for Asylum and Frontex, and respective UK authorities, in line with the commitments made in the Common Understanding; welcomes the reference in the Common Understanding to cooperation in the fight against drugs; encourages the conclusion of a working arrangement on the reciprocal exchange of information between the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the relevant UK authorities on drugs risks and threats, in order to facilitate the EUDA’s tasks; considers that the UK’s participation in some meetings between the Latin American Committee on Internal Security and its EU counterparts could be considered on a case-by-case basis;

244. Notes the shared challenges that the UK and the EU face in terms of illegal migration; expresses its strong support for the parties’ commitment to closer cooperation in multilateral forums and processes to counter migrant smuggling and human trafficking, the sharing of operational information on returns to third countries, and the exploration of deterrence mechanisms, in line with national, EU and international law, while maintaining their commitment to ensuring international protection for those who need it; calls on the Commission and the UK Government to ensure that any cooperation on migration with third countries should include appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the international legal framework, such as the right of asylum;

245. Notes that the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduced to the UK Parliament on 30 January 2025 provides for the possibility to conclude agreements with G7 countries and key European partners to counter smuggling; welcomes the UK’s desire to work more closely with individual Member States, including France and the other members of the Calais Group, on fighting people smuggling and human trafficking, and more broadly on strengthening border security, including border surveillance;

246. Recalls that the extradition system between the Member States and the UK, as laid down in Title VII of Part Three of the TCA, differs from the one provided for by the Council Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant[53]; recalls that in its recent judgment[54], the Court of Justice of the European Union held that the executing judicial authority must undertake an independent examination of the risk of a breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which the person concerned claims to run if they are surrendered to the UK;

247. Recalls that Part Three of the TCA allows for extended data flows between the EU and the UK, such as the exchange of DNA data, passenger name record data and criminal record information; underlines, therefore, that it is of the utmost importance that the UK ensures that the level of protection is essentially equivalent to that afforded by the EU in order to avoid putting EU standards and therefore EU citizens’ fundamental rights at risk when sharing data with the UK;

248. Calls on the UK and the Member States to keep citizens’ rights a key joint priority in EU-UK relations, ensuring that all EU and UK citizens who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement can fully enjoy their rights; notes with satisfaction the renewal of the EU’s and the UK’s shared commitment to the full, timely and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in all its parts; welcomes the legislative step taken by the UK Government relating to legal clarity for EU citizens with status under the EU Settlement Scheme and trusts it will ensure a smooth transition for citizens from temporary to permanent residence over the course of the next two years; points out that the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens Rights’ Agreements identified data sharing between the EU and UK as an area that can cause delays in applications to the EU Settlement Scheme, in cases where Member States hold information relevant to the application; calls therefore on the Commission and Member State authorities to increase responsiveness to requests and ensure better information exchange between the UK and EU Member States and the EEA EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) to prevent delays and ensure a smooth application process for citizens;

Cooperation on foreign and security policy

249.  Highlights the good and pragmatic coordination between the EU and the UK on foreign and security policy to ensure stability and prosperity in other regions of the world and calls for the EU and the UK to strengthen their cooperation with other like-minded partners; commends the significant contribution of the UK to peace, security and stability in Europe; underscores the fact that peace in Europe is not possible without a strong partnership between the EU and the UK on foreign and security policy; welcomes the participation of the UK in the European Political Community;

250.  Warmly welcomes the EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership as a key framework for broad EU-UK cooperation in the fields of security and defence, jointly addressing common threats and covering areas including information and intelligence sharing, military mobility, security and defence initiatives, space security, crisis management, cyber defence, hybrid threats, counterterrorism, foreign manipulation of information and interference;

251. Underlines the existential threat posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its threats to expand this aggression to other countries of the European continent; considers this to be the single most important threat facing our continent in the coming years, notwithstanding the importance of other issues; calls for a commensurate policy response that gives priority to addressing the gaps in European defence and deterrence capabilities, especially in cooperation with like-minded European partners;

252. Welcomes the strong EU-UK cooperation in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as underscored at the EU-UK Summit; highlights the continued alignment of the EU and the UK on sanctions, military and financial support and diplomatic coordination, as well as their shared commitment to restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, based on the principles of international law, justice and accountability; calls for the EU and the UK to remain strongly united towards the rest of the international community in condemning Russia’s actions, defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, and in countering Russian disinformation about its war of aggression against Ukraine, and to continue their efforts towards achieving the broadest possible international support for these matters; commends the UK’s vital contribution to shaping a strong, unified European response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in convening the ‘coalition of the willing’; welcomes the UK’s contribution to supporting Ukraine’s future repair and reconstruction; while respecting Member States’ military and security policies, including policies of military neutrality; calls on the UK Government and all the Member States to significantly increase military assistance for Ukraine and to lift all restrictions on such assistance; recommends, in that regard, that actions undertaken in the framework of the SAFE Regulation[55] by both the Member States and the UK also include Ukraine and its defence technology and industrial base;

253. Commends the UK’s firm approach to introducing and maintaining ever stricter sanctions and its leading role in the ‘Call to Action’ coalition aimed at disrupting the Russian shadow fleet; welcomes the reinforced EU-UK cooperation on sanctions against Russia and its shadow fleet, as highlighted at the EU-UK Summit; calls for further coherent and coordinated strengthening by the EU and the UK of their respective sanctions regimes to ensure maximum impact and prevent circumvention of sanctions in order to exercise further economic and political pressure on the Russian authorities, especially in view of the latter’s effective sabotage of the ceasefire and any meaningful peace negotiations; urges the EU to match UK sanctions in relation to Ukraine and vice versa, in particular imposing sanctions on all remaining known and unsanctioned shadow fleet tankers and their owners, as well as insurance brokers and providers, while introducing sanctions on any oil tanker breaching the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and enforcing strict implementation of measures prohibiting vessels, regardless of their flag, from sailing in EU and UK waters or entering any EU or UK port if they do not comply with the international rules on ship-to-ship transfers at sea or have illegally switched off their automatic identification systems; urges both parties to ban ship-to-ship transfers of Russian oil in their waters; encourages further cooperation and information sharing in order to identify and track suspicious vessels or behaviour, establish and maintain stringent maritime safety and security standards and enforce maritime law;

254. Calls for the EU and the UK to ensure that immobilised Russian state assets can be used to support Ukraine’s defence, reconstruction and reparations through confiscation or any other necessary legal means;

255. Emphasises the collective need for European countries to urgently strengthen their own capabilities to ensure their own security and defence; highlights the aim of the Security and Defence Partnership to reinforce the European contribution to NATO, recognising the UK’s role as a key NATO ally; notes the commitment by the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to increase defence spending to 2.5 % of GDP by April 2027; encourages Member States to explore joint EU-UK efforts to support the establishment of a defence, security and resilience bank, which will act as a multilateral lending institution designed to provide low-interest, long-term loans that can support key national security priorities such as the replenishment of stocks, defence modernisation, reconstruction efforts in Ukraine and the buy-back of critical infrastructure currently owned by hostile non-EU countries;

256. Invites the Commission to swiftly explore any possibilities for mutually beneficial enhanced cooperation created by the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information as soon as possible on the conditions and details of any financial contribution to be provided by the UK; calls for the involvement of Parliament in the adoption of the agreement in accordance with Article 218(6)(a) TFEU;

257. Considers that the UK’s leading role in the Joint Expeditionary Force is essential for the future of European security and encourages continued political, financial, operational and logistical cooperation between Member States and the UK Armed Forces in this regard;

258. Underlines that the UK is a leading European defence actor with distinct expertise and advanced strategic capabilities; recognises the strength of its defence industrial base, particularly in the areas identified by the EU’s Readiness 2030 initiative and the European Defence Industrial Strategy as critical capability gaps, including integrated, multilayered air and missile defence, advanced artillery, long-range missile systems, and unmanned systems; acknowledges the deep links, complementarities and synergies between the European defence technological and industrial base and the UK’s defence technological and industrial base in pursuing shared security objectives by developing new collaborative arrangements in areas such as ballistic and hypersonic missile defence, space-based sensor systems, and early warning networks; calls for the EU, its Member States and the UK to make additional efforts to deepen cooperation between these industrial sectors and to strengthen the geographical coherence of a common European defence industrial base, which also incorporates Ukraine, including in the area of innovation and joint research and development; welcomes efforts by Member States and the UK and their defence industries to invest in and partner with the Ukrainian defence industry, and calls on them to intensify such efforts, in particular through the establishment of joint ventures and by building up production capacity both in Ukraine and in Member States; underlines that the strength of the EU defence industrial base can equally contribute to enhancing the UK’s security;

259. Urges the EU and the UK to work towards the appropriate inclusion of the UK in relevant EU defence initiatives, such as the European Defence Fund (EDF), the European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP), European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act (EDIRPA), and Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects, as well as future EU defence programmes; welcomes the announcement of the Security and Defence Partnership that it will explore the possibility of establishing an administrative arrangement between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the UK; calls on the EDA and the UK to pursue such an arrangement as a matter of priority in order to further practical cooperation;

260. Highlights the links between the defence industries of the UK and those of the Member States, including critical joint ventures; recognises the Drone Coalition, a jointly led UK-Latvian initiative comprising 17 Member States, as a positive example of collaboration on essential advanced capability development; regrets that the EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership does not fully address the issue of maximising synergies and complementarity between the two industrial bases; calls for both parties to urgently deepen defence industrial cooperation, in particular on key capabilities such as strategic enablers, through a roadmap for defence industrial cooperation; 

261. Recalls that both the EU and the UK face major hybrid threats and interference from malicious actors, in particular – but not exclusively – Russia; welcomes the fact that cooperation on countering hybrid threats, including foreign information manipulation and interference and cybersecurity were identified as important areas of cooperation at the EU-UK Summit; commends the cyber dialogue held between the EU and the UK under the TCA; encourages both the UK and the EU to deepen existing beneficial collaboration and information sharing on harmonised definitions and detection of the threats, early identification and coordination of responses to hybrid campaigns, a more common approach to deterrence strategies against cyberthreats, building cyber resilience and cyber capacity, as well as the exchange of good practice to ensure the security and resilience of our democratic societies, including in the EU candidate countries;

262. Welcomes the commitment to strengthen cooperation on the exchange of situational awareness information, including classified information; reiterates the importance of EU-UK coordination and cooperation on military training, information and intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism operations, which are essential to European security; regrets, however, that the Security and Defence Partnership does not mention intelligence exchange; welcomes the joint commitment to reinforcing military mobility, including the completion of the TEN-T network and dual-use infrastructure upgrades; highlights the need to prioritise digitalisation at border crossings and in transport infrastructure to speed up administrative procedures, and to tackle regulatory differences and infrastructural inadequacies, which continue to pose significant obstacles to the rapid movement of troops and equipment; recalls that this enhanced EU-UK cooperation on military mobility should also be implemented within the NATO framework by improving regulatory aspects, conducting joint exercises between Member States and the UK, and exchanging information on infrastructure requirements;

263.  Welcomes the deeper coordination on maritime security as a key issue for the Security and Defence Partnership, given the urgent need to bolster the security of critical infrastructure, including energy and communications, and to ensure freedom of navigation; underlines the strategic importance of the Security and Defence Partnership for the maritime transport sector, particularly in enhancing the resilience of critical transport infrastructure, countering hybrid threats and strengthening cybersecurity, including in the area of maritime autonomous surface ships; calls for close coordination on ship and port facility protection through the consistent and harmonised implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code; underlines the need for continuous coordination on responses to the Russian shadow fleet, stressing that information exchange should be operational and up-to-date to allow both the Member States and the UK to react in a timely manner;

264.  Welcomes the commitment by both parties to enhance cooperation in key areas such as maritime security in the Red Sea, a lasting and just peace in the Middle East, the stabilisation of situations in the Sahel, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Western Balkans, as well as cooperation in the Arctic; welcomes the commitment made at the EU-UK Summit to deepen cooperation in these areas through more structured dialogue and joint actions, including through cooperation and coordination on the ground; encourages, the EU and the UK, therefore, to make full use of the strategic consultations in the Strategic Defence Partnership on Russia/Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, the Western Balkans, and hybrid threats;

265. Calls for the EU and the UK to strengthen international peace and stability, including by developing joint strategies to strengthen UN peacekeeping efforts and crisis management; calls for both parties to promote a culture of peace and dialogue as a means of conflict prevention, conflict management and conflict resolution, and as a means of supporting women’s and gender rights; supports the continuation of current cooperation in these areas; calls for systematic preferential cooperation in peacekeeping operations; regrets that the UK’s participation in common security and defence policy missions such as EU Althea or Atalanta ceased with Brexit and calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Member States and the UK authorities to take action to restore the UK’s participation as a means of practical implementation of the Security and Defence Partnership; calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the UK on matters related to democratic development, reform processes and democratic parliamentary practices in third countries, including election observation; welcomes the common will to strengthen consular cooperation in order to improve consular crisis response;

266. Underlines the importance of the rules-based order, including full respect for and adherence to international law, including the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as multilateralism; welcomes the reaffirmation of a shared commitment thereto at the EU-UK Summit and calls for continued joint efforts to uphold and strengthen this order in the face of growing global instability; calls for increased support to ensure the smooth functioning of multinational and regional forums and institutions, especially those affected by recent geopolitical shifts, for instance the ICC as a cornerstone of the system of international justice, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe or the UN Human Rights Council;

267. Welcomes the recent commitment by the EU and the UK, set out in the Common Understanding, to establish a regular dialogue on development cooperation and to strengthen collaboration in international disaster response and humanitarian assistance;

268. Commends the UK’s continued support for Euro-Atlantic integration, and the stability and prosperity of the six countries of the Western Balkans, including its engagement in the Berlin Process; calls for further EU-UK cooperation in pursuing shared policy and security objectives in the wider eastern European neighbourhood, including the Black Sea region and the Western Balkans, based on shared situational awareness, in particular in supporting the territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability and democratic resilience of the EU candidate states; recommends taking stock of the lessons learned from 25 years of engagement in the Western Balkans, with a renewed focus on ensuring tangible progress and transformative reforms that will accelerate the countries’ progress towards EU membership and contribute to a more secure future for Europe; recognises the joint EU-UK role in upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement and its annexes;

269. Calls for the EU and the UK to work together towards lasting peace in the Middle East, including supporting a political transition and the protection of all minorities in Syria and fighting impunity of all parties responsible for violations of international humanitarian law in Syria; welcomes the long-standing cooperation and commitments by the EU and the UK to work towards a ceasefire in Gaza and urgently calls for the release of any remaining hostages, as well as commitment to a two-state solution with two sovereign, democratic states living side by side in peace and guaranteed security, and with full respect for international law;

270. Urges the EU and the UK to swiftly implement and build on the establishment of the Security and Defence Partnership by fully unlocking its potential through concrete commitments and actions to achieve its full scope and benefits, including through an interinstitutional framework under the EU-UK Partnership Council and the EU-UK Foreign Policy Dialogue; notes that the budgetary and regulatory conditions of the partnership still need to be negotiated, taking into account the importance of the decision-making autonomy of the EU;

°

° °

271. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the United Kingdom.

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT[56]

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteurs declare that they included in their report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that they received, in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

 

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register (2)

European Union Ambassador to the United Kingdom

Principal Adviser for Relations with UK, European Commission

Tanja Buzek, EESC Member, Vice-Chair of the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG)

David Henig, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)

Luigi Scazzieri, Assistant Director of the Centre for European Reform

Stefania Benaglia, EU Foreign Policy Expert

David Reaney, KPMG

Claire Sullivan, Confederation of British Industry

Ian Stevenson, Northern Ireland Dairy Council

Roger Pollen, Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland

Kirsty MacManus, Institute of Directors Northern Ireland

Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby CMB, UK Ambassador to the EU and Caroline Read, Deputy Ambassador

Pat Ivory, IBEC

National Grid Commercial Holdings Limited

Eliza Fenzi, SSE Group

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies(3)

Deputy Ambassador UK Mission to the EU

UK Second Permanent Secretary, European Union and International Economic Affairs

UK Minister of State for Europe, North America & Overseas Territories

Stuart Anderson, Northern Ireland Chamber

 

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteurs.

 

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteurs declare that they have submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.(4)

/

The rapporteurs declare under their exclusive responsibility that they did not include in their report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.(5)]

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS (03.07.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Johan Van Overtveldt

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Budgets submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
33. [opinion-giving committees];	33. Reiterates its view that the section of the TCA on UK participation in EU programmes, sound financial management and financial provisions constitutes a fair basis for UK participation and helps to ensure the protection of the EU’s financial interests; underlines the need for transparent budgeting and cost-sharing arrangements;

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33a. Strongly welcomes the fact that, under Protocols I and II to the TCA, the UK is participating in Horizon Europe and the Copernicus component of the EU space programme and has access to services of the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking component of the EU space programme; highlights the benefits of third-country participation in EU programmes for the EU and its citizens;

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33b. Reiterates, nonetheless, its concerns regarding the provisions in Protocol I concerning an automatic correction mechanism for the UK in relation to Horizon Europe, which were not agreed as part of the TCA itself; takes note of the fact that the UK correction mechanism applies until the end of the present multiannual financial framework (MFF) and is less favourable than the correction mechanism contained in the TCA;

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33c. Stresses, moreover, the difficulties posed by high visa fees and the healthcare surcharge for EU researchers who benefit from Horizon Europe and wish to exercise their right to mobility by moving to the UK, and urges the UK to address this problem;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33d. Regrets the fact that the UK has chosen not to participate in other EU programmes and its decision not to associate to Euratom and the Euratom Joint Undertaking Fusion for Energy (F4E), as originally envisaged in the Joint Declaration of December 2020; considers that UK participation in the ITER nuclear fusion project must be based on participation in F4E; deplores the decision to dismantle the Joint European Torus; urges the UK to reconsider its position on these matters;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33e. Expresses its support for the UK to associate to Erasmus+; insists that this association must be consistent with the MFF and the TCA; recalls that any potential participation of the UK in EU programmes such as Erasmus+ should be assessed and designed in a manner that fully safeguards and promotes the interests of the EU, including ensuring clear added value for the EU and its citizens; calls on the Commission to provide timely and detailed information on the financial terms of future UK participation in Erasmus+ and on any financial implications of any future youth experience scheme;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33f. Welcomes the progress made at the EU–UK Joint Committee meeting of 19 May 2025; stresses that any UK access to EU systems, databases or agencies under EU programmes relevant to the SPS Agreement must be conditional upon the full recovery of related costs to the EU budget; underlines that such participation must deliver clear benefits to the EU and its stakeholders, in line with the principle of budgetary proportionality; points out the unresolved situation with the rental agreement for the former premises of the European Medicines Agency following its move to Amsterdam and calls for the issue to be raised with the UK; notes the UK’s potential participation in mechanisms or systems related to the EU Emissions Trading System and highlights that any such involvement must be accompanied by a fair and proportionate financial contribution covering the EU’s administrative and programme-related costs; insists that EU financial and climate interests must be fully safeguarded in any future arrangements; recalls that structured cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as electricity interconnectors and offshore renewable infrastructure may intersect with EU funding programmes, including regional and energy initiatives; emphasises that any UK participation in such frameworks requires appropriate governance, compliance with EU rules, and appropriate financial contributions reflecting the EU’s investment; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information on any financial contribution to be provided by the UK in these areas;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33g. Invites the Commission to swiftly explore any possibilities for mutually beneficial enhanced cooperation created by the SAFE instrument; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information as soon as possible on the conditions and details of any financial contribution to be provided by the UK; calls for the involvement of Parliament in the adoption of the agreement in accordance with Article 218(6)(a) TFEU;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33h. Underlines the importance of strengthening EU-UK cooperation in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and in tackling global challenges such as new technologies, including those of a digital nature, security, climate change, health, and development and humanitarian aid; believes that options for further UK participation in EU programmes in these areas should be further explored and encouraged;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33i. Highlights the PEACE PLUS programme, a successor to earlier cross-border cooperation initiatives, and emphasises the programme’s vital role in promoting peace, reconciliation and socio-economic prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border region; notes that the programme is financed through substantial contributions from the EU and the UK;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33j. Takes note of the conclusive political agreement between the EU and the UK on the core aspects of the future agreement between the two parties in respect of Gibraltar; takes notes that the creation of an appropriate financial mechanism to promote cohesion and support training and employment in the region has also been agreed; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with full information on that financial mechanism as soon as possible;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33k. Welcomes the statistical cooperation arrangement signed between Eurostat and the UK Statistics Authority, enabling the exchange of statistical data relevant to the UK’s participation in EU programmes; considers that reliable statistical information provides an important basis for decision-making in this field and for verifying that the financial provisions laid down in the TCA are being respected;

 

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR FOR OPINION HAS RECEIVED INPUT

 

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	24.6.2025
Result of final vote	+ : 23 - : 2 0 : 4
Members present for the final vote	Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Tomasz Buczek, Olivier Chastel, Tamás Deutsch, Angéline Furet, Jens Geier, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Andrzej Halicki, Fabienne Keller, Janusz Lewandowski, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Matjaž Nemec, Karlo Ressler, Julien Sanchez, Hélder Sousa Silva, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Lucia Yar, Auke Zijlstra
Substitutes present for the final vote	Michalis Hadjipantela, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová, Beata Szydło
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Laura Ballarín Cereza, José Cepeda, Ştefan Muşoiu

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

23	+
ECR	Szydlo Beata
PPE	Aftias Georgios, Benjumea Benjumea Isabel, Hadjipantela Michalis, Halicki Andrzej, Lewandowski Janusz, Navarrete Rojas Fernando, Ressler Karlo, Sousa Silva Hélder
PfE	Deutsch Tamás
Renew	Chastel Olivier, Keller Fabienne, Yar Lucia
S&D	Ballarín Cereza Laura, Cepeda José, Geier Jens, Germain Jean-Marc, Musoiu Stefan, Nemec Matjaz, Tavares Carla, Usakovs Nils
Verts/ALE	Andresen Rasmus, Marino Ignazio Roberto

 

2	-
NI	Geisel Thomas
PfE	Zijlstra Auke

 

4	0
PfE	Buczek Tomasz, Furet Angéline, Pokorná Jermanová Jaroslava, Sanchez Julien

 

Key:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstentions

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND MONETARY AFFAIRS (17.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Eero Heinäluoma

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ea. whereas the TCA is limited in the area of financial services;

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Eb. whereas the EU and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a framework for financial services regulatory cooperation between the EU and the UK, and subsequently established a Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum, which is expected to meet at least semi-annually and which serves as a platform to facilitate structured dialogue on issues relating to financial services;

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Recital E c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ec. whereas the implementation of the TCA can serve as a valuable incentive to promote training, skills development, and investments in intangible assets, such as human capital, both within the EU and beyond its borders; whereas the importance of fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration to enhance the skills of individuals, thereby contributing to a more competitive, sustainable and inclusive global workforce, is recognised;

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Recital E d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ed. whereas the TCA still does not cover any decisions relating to equivalence in financial services;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22a. Recognises the need for a high level of cooperation and forward-looking dialogue between the EU and the UK on financial services matters; notes that the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum has held only three meetings since its establishment;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22b. Encourages a forward-looking dialogue in the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum that promotes a high degree of alignment of the respective regulatory regimes and helps to identify and address common matters with regard to financial stability, investor protection, anti-money laundering and prevention of terrorist financing, in order to facilitate cross-border investment, and to foster innovation in financial markets and cooperation in international forums and in the implementation of international standards; notes that this may include sharing information on regulatory developments, exchanges of views on respective policies, rules and processes with regard to deference regimes such as equivalence, and may also cover risk analyses, and the potential economic impacts, of proposed measures, as well as topics relating to voluntary technical convergence, which make trade flows more stable and efficient; notes the Forum’s potential to promote a consistent approach where possible and provide a framework for dispute resolution, and calls on the Commission to strengthen it and to build on this cooperation; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament fully and in a timely manner of the preparations for and outcome of the semi-annual meetings;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22c. Considers that the efficiency and competitiveness of post-trade financial market services are vital to ensure a well-functioning Savings and Investments Union, and welcomes the growing consensus between the UK and the EU on this matter; welcomes the provisional political agreement to shorten the settlement period for transactions in transferable securities to one day after the trade;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22d. Welcomes the finalisation of the EU-UK competition cooperation agreement under the TCA, allowing the Commission, the national competition authorities of the EU Member States and the UK Competition and Markets Authority to cooperate directly in competition investigations; notes that this is the first EU competition cooperation agreement that also enables national competent authorities to cooperate directly with a third-country competition authority; calls for its swift ratification to strengthen cross-border enforcement and coordination in competition cases, while safeguarding confidentiality through appropriate waivers;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22e. Stresses the importance of helping young people develop future-proof skills by facilitating cross-border training and professional development opportunities, including targeted investment in digital, green and financial literacy; calls for EU-UK cooperation on mobility schemes and mutual recognition of qualifications;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. [opinion-giving committees];	23. Points out that following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, UK market participants no longer have automatic access to the single market for financial services; highlights that the EU has only granted a time-limited equivalence decision for one specific financial services subsector – central counterparties – while the EU’s equivalence framework in financial services allows third-country firms access to the EU market, provided that their regulatory and supervisory framework is deemed equivalent to EU standards; recalls that the EU can unilaterally withdraw any equivalence decision at any time if the conditions for granting equivalence are no longer fulfilled; recognises the need to ensure that SMEs on both sides can benefit from closer financial cooperation between the EU and the UK; underlines the importance of facilitating cross-border access to finance; encourages the Commission to discuss further equivalence decisions in order to provide firms from both the UK and the EU with the benefits of greater market access;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23a. Welcomes the inclusion of exchanges of views on equivalence decisions in the remit of the Forum on Regulatory Cooperation; calls for regular discussion and examination of such issues, particularly with respect to financial and investment services, in the interests of increased trade and cooperation; calls on the Commission to assess and take equivalence decisions in a strategic and conditional manner, ensuring that any market access granted to UK financial services companies is fully aligned with EU standards; believes that equivalence assessment should go beyond a strict sector-specific approach and should instead adopt a broader, forward-looking perspective to consider the third country’s overall regulatory and supervisory framework, including its commitments to fair competition, anti-money laundering, tax cooperation, investor protection and financial stability, in order to safeguard the Union’s financial stability, preserve the integrity of the single market and prevent regulatory arbitrage;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23b. Recalls that decisions on equivalence could benefit EU firms in terms of greater access to the UK market, including for banking, payment services, investment services and insurance, and emphasises that an open and well-structured financial relationship between the EU and the UK must help to foster a more competitive financing environment for SMEs;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23c. Notes at the same time the UK’s stated desire for regulatory divergence from the EU in a number of areas; expresses concern that such divergence could undermine the level playing field with the EU; calls for close monitoring of these developments and their potential impact on EU markets, including through the strategic use of equivalence decisions;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23d. Recognises that the close economic links between Ireland and Northern Ireland will continue despite the latter being part of a designated third country; supports an acknowledgement of these economic links, including with respect to the supervision of transactions between both jurisdictions; calls for measures to ensure that such links are not disrupted by any changes in regulatory or legal frameworks, particularly in respect of services provided to consumers and SMEs that cannot take advantage of being mobile; emphasises the importance of maintaining and further developing close economic ties and minimising disruption in the aftermath of Brexit, particularly with respect to this relationship; strongly reiterates the importance of protecting the Good Friday Agreement in its entirety and supporting peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland; encourages the British Government to take the specific circumstances of Northern Ireland into consideration in any new laws or regulations it proposes to introduce;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23e. Acknowledges that, although some crypto-assets are primarily speculative in nature, their utilisation in the financial sector is increasing, and calls for a coordinated approach to the regulation and supervision of such assets to effectively address the risks concerning consumer protection, market integrity and money laundering, as well as environmental impact concerns; notes with concern that stablecoin issuers will be allowed to operate in the UK under an exemption from the UK’s regulatory and supervisory framework, and underlines that if the UK were to pursue bilateral cooperation with the United States on a permissive regulatory model, EU efforts towards ensuring regulatory coherence, robust oversight, financial resilience across jurisdictions and global financial stability would be undermined; calls, therefore, on the UK to adopt legislation similar to Regulation (EU)2023/1114 on markets in crypto assets1a; cautions against the systemic risks that a less stringent supervisory framework may create and recommends not diverging from the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations on the regulation of crypto-assets, which could undermine global financial stability; considers that the EU and the UK should work together within the international community towards finding a common understanding of the benefits and risks of AI applied to financial services; _______________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on markets in crypto-assets, and amending Regulations (EU) No 1093/2010 and (EU) No 1095/2010 and Directives 2013/36/EU and (EU) 2019/1937, OJ L 150, 9.6.2023, p. 40, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1114/oj.

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23f. Supports and welcomes the swift development of the digital euro, complementing but not replacing cash; highlights the EU’s high level of dependence on foreign entities in the payments sector; recognises the urgent need for the EU to ensure its autonomy from foreign payment service providers as a matter of digital and financial sovereignty;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23g. Considers that the possible introduction of central bank digital currencies in both the EU and the UK may have an economic impact on the relationship between the two parties and on strategic autonomy;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23h. Strongly supports the continued cooperation between the EU and the UK on tackling international money laundering and terrorist financing, countering harmful tax regimes and implementing sanctions; welcomes the adoption of the Anti-Money Laundering Package by the EU and the continuous commitment on the UK’s part to tackling money laundering and other financial crimes, in particular in its Overseas Territories and British Crown Dependencies;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23i. Expresses concern at the UK’s establishment of new freeports, as national hubs to promote global trade and investments, offering extensive tax breaks, deregulatory regimes and public subsidies;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23j. Highlights the commitment of both parties to the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework’s Two-Pillar Approach; regrets the recent Executive Order issued by the US President on 20 January 2025 declaring that the OECD Global Tax Deal has no force and effect in the United States; calls on both parties to work jointly and constructively in international forums to safeguard multilateral tax cooperation, promote the global implementation of Pillar Two minimum tax standards and ensure consistency with evolving United Nations initiatives;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23k. Acknowledges the TCA’s commitment to fostering cooperation on key global challenges while respecting respective powers in the field of direct taxation; welcomes, therefore, the first EU-UK Dialogue on Countering Harmful Tax Regimes held on 10 October 2024 as a forum for discussion on shaping and implementing international standards to combat harmful tax regimes; stresses the importance of maintaining momentum in EU-UK coordination on international tax reform;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23l. Supports continued EU-UK cooperation on combating money laundering, terrorist financing, harmful tax practices and fraud; stresses the need to closely monitor UK regulatory divergence to prevent regulatory arbitrage and financial risks to the EU and ensure a level playing field; encourages both parties, with full respect for national tax sovereignty, to cooperate proactively – through relevant bilateral and multilateral forums – in order to advance fair and sustainable tax systems;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23m. Welcomes the full implementation in 2024 of the Protocol on Administrative Cooperation and Combating Fraud in the Field of Value Added Tax and on Mutual Assistance for the Recovery of Claims Relating to Taxes and Customs Duties (VAT Protocol); proposes that the EU and the UK conduct a joint annual review of the VAT Protocol’s implementation and effectiveness, provide a forum for discussion on the emerging trends in VAT fraud and challenges in cross-border VAT recovery, and assess the need for additional joint measures to address these issues;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23n. Underlines that EU market participants rely heavily on clearing houses based in the UK, with over 90 % of euro interest rate derivatives processed at clearing houses based in the City of London; considers that this massive concentration could present a strategic risk to EU financial stability; believes that the right balance should be struck between substantially reducing overreliance on UK-based clearing houses, on the one hand, and providing clarity to EU financial market participants, on the other; takes note of the updates to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation1a, as adopted in December 2024, which aim to address this overreliance by introducing an active account requirement; ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories, OJ L 201, 27.7.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/648/oj.

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23o. Expresses concern, however, that the Commission’s decision to extend the equivalence for UK central counterparties for a further period of three years until 30 June 2028 risks a delay to the development of the active account requirement;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 p (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23p. Calls on the Commission in the meantime to provide a permanent and stable solution to reduce the overreliance on UK central counterparties, in line with the EU’s strategic objective of reducing excessive exposures to third-country central counterparties of substantial systemic importance; recalls that Parliament has consistently stressed the need to relocate clearing activities to the EU, and that prolonged equivalence in a context of regulatory divergence undermines financial stability, weakens EU market autonomy and sends conflicting signals to market participants;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 q (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23q. Notes that as a consequence of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, UK service suppliers in the area of financial services no longer benefit from the ‘country-of-origin’ principle or from ‘passporting’ for direct access to the EU single market, while the integrated global economy requires close cooperation between authorities, including in the area of financial services and payments; notes also that while the TCA is underpinned by provisions that ensure a level playing field, this is not sufficient, in particular with regard to rules on subsidies, and calls for strong and transparent State aid controls, with effective domestic enforcement and with a binding dispute settlement mechanism that can help prevent distortions of competition and ensure fair trading conditions;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 r (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23r. Takes note of the UK’s upcoming Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, unlocking investment across the economy; calls for the EU and the UK to closely align their respective competitiveness strategies for the financial services sector;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 s (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23s. Expresses concern at the Payments Systems Regulator’s plans to implement a price cap on UK-EEA card-not-present consumer cross-border interchange fees specifically for EU banks, card providers and other payment providers; stresses that two of the three alternative levels of price caps are markedly lower than the equivalent price cap set for UK banks, giving rise to concerns about adherence to the principle of non-discrimination under the TCA; emphasises, therefore, the importance of ensuring that all regulatory measures respect the principle of non-discrimination; calls on the Payment Systems Regulator to ensure that the work begun on interchange fees continues, with a view to avoiding any regulatory setbacks and ensuring a fair environment for European providers;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 t (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23t. Recognises, beyond the legally binding framework of the TCA, the importance of greater cooperation in the financial services field to address shared challenges and explore avenues for closer and continuous collaboration, in particular through engagement at the highest level, so that the benefits of globally interconnected financial systems can be reaped, against the background of the creation of a Savings and Investments Union and of the thriving hub for financial services that the City of London represents;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 u (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23u. Stresses that heightened transatlantic tensions make improved EU-UK economic relations more important than ever; calls on the Commission and the UK Government to cooperate closely in international financial services forums in order to leverage the European perspective; recognises the need to ensure that SMEs on both sides can benefit from closer financial cooperation between the EU and the UK;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 v (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23v. Acknowledges the rule of law, a market economy and free trade as common values of the EU, and stresses the need to keep the interests of citizens at the heart of the implementation of the TCA, and to accommodate in the dialogue elements of economic cooperation alongside social justice through the participation of voluntary groups, civil society and business associations; stresses that nothing should disrupt the close economic links between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the peace and reconciliation brought about by the Good Friday Agreement;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 w (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23w. Calls on the Commission and the UK Government to cooperate closely in international financial services forums in order to leverage the European perspective;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 x (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23x. Highlights that standards agreed in international forums such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions, the Financial Stability Board, Financial Action Task Force or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision should remain the baseline for EU-UK cooperation and that deviations must be duly justified;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 y (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23y. Is concerned by the UK’s decision to delay the implementation of the Basel III framework for banks until 1 January 2027; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the implementation of the Basel III standards adopted by the co-legislators and calls on the Commission to continue monitoring the implementation of the internationally agreed Basel III standards in other major third-country jurisdictions;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 z (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23z. Takes note of the substantial growth of non-bank financial intermediaries (NBFIs) in the EU and the UK, and of the major vulnerabilities identified by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) in this sector, particularly with regard to leverage and liquidity mismatches; shares the concerns about the resilience of NBFIs, especially under market stress, as expressed by the ESRB and the UK’s Financial Policy Committee in this respect, and calls for enhanced monitoring and regulation of these entities;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23aa. Reiterates, in this respect, the importance of the timely implementation of the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations to enhance the resilience of money market funds (MMFs), particularly by removing features that can incentivise runs on banks; calls, therefore, on the Commission to come forward swiftly with a revised MMF proposal, in line with the Financial Stability Board’s recommendations;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23ab. Takes note of the plans announced by the UK authorities to introduce a lighter regulatory regime for some alternative investment funds; stresses that simplification should not disguise a deregulation agenda; supports simplification measures, provided that the policy objectives remain unaffected; calls, therefore, on the UK authorities to cooperate closely with the EU to ensure that this planned reform does not empty Directive 2011/61/EU on alternative investment fund managers1a of its substance, in particular around the delegation rules; ______________ 1a Directive 2011/61/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on Alternative Investment Fund Managers and amending Directives 2003/41/EC and 2009/65/EC and Regulations (EC) No 1060/2009 and (EU) No 1095/2010, OJ L 174, 1.7.2011, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/61/oj.

 

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[57], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

UK mission to the EU

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Members present for the final vote	Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Francisco Assis, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Stefan Berger, Gilles Boyer, Giovanni Crosetto, Fabio De Masi, Siegbert Frank Droese, Engin Eroglu, Marco Falcone, Markus Ferber, Jonás Fernández, Dirk Gotink, Enikő Győri, Michalis Hadjipantela, Eero Heinäluoma, Billy Kelleher, Kinga Kollár, Tomáš Kubín, Aurore Lalucq, Marlena Maląg, Costas Mavrides, Siegfried Mureşan, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Luděk Niedermayer, Ľudovít Ódor, Gaetano Pedulla’, Lídia Pereira, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Pierre Pimpie, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová, Friedrich Pürner, Jussi Saramo, Paulius Saudargas, Ralf Seekatz, Irene Tinagli, Marie Toussaint, Pasquale Tridico, Anouk Van Brug, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
Substitutes present for the final vote	Bas Eickhout, Niels Fuglsang, Alexander Jungbluth, Fernand Kartheiser, Janusz Lewandowski, César Luena, Andreas Schwab, Mariateresa Vivaldini
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Damien Carême, Mohammed Chahim, Alessandro Ciriani, Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, Ondřej Knotek, Lara Magoni, Jana Nagyová, Daniele Polato, Krzysztof Śmiszek

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

57	+
ECR	Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Alessandro Ciriani, Giovanni Crosetto, Lara Magoni, Marlena Maląg, Daniele Polato, Mariateresa Vivaldini
NI	Fabio De Masi, Fernand Kartheiser, Friedrich Pürner
PPE	Georgios Aftias, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Stefan Berger, Marco Falcone, Markus Ferber, Dirk Gotink, Michalis Hadjipantela, Kinga Kollár, Janusz Lewandowski, Siegfried Mureşan, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Luděk Niedermayer, Lídia Pereira, Paulius Saudargas, Andreas Schwab, Ralf Seekatz
PfE	Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, Ondřej Knotek, Tomáš Kubín, Jana Nagyová, Pierre Pimpie, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová
Renew	Gilles Boyer, Engin Eroglu, Billy Kelleher, Ľudovít Ódor, Anouk Van Brug, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
S&D	Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Francisco Assis, Mohammed Chahim, Jonás Fernández, Niels Fuglsang, Eero Heinäluoma, Aurore Lalucq, César Luena, Costas Mavrides, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Irene Tinagli
The Left	Damien Carême, Gaetano Pedulla’, Jussi Saramo, Pasquale Tridico
Verts/ALE	Rasmus Andresen, Bas Eickhout, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Marie Toussaint

 

2	-
ESN	Siegbert Frank Droese, Alexander Jungbluth

 

1	0
PfE	Enikő Győri

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (27.6.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Idoia Mendia

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

Proposal for a decision

Citation 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to Decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination established by Article 8(1)(p) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 10 March 2023 as regards the use of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information for the transmission of data between institutions or liaison bodies1a, ________________ 1a OJ L 91, 29.3.2023, p. 89, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/698/oj.

Amendment  2

Proposal for a decision

Citation 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to Decision No 2/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination established by Article 8(1)(p) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 28 June 2023 as regards the designation of the financial institution to serve as reference to determine the interest rate for late payments and the exchange rate for currency conversions, as well as the date to be taken into consideration for determining the rates of currency conversion1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 179, 14.7.2023, p. 147, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/1460/oj.

Amendment  3

Proposal for a decision

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the outcome document of the EU-UK summit of 19 May 2025, entitled ‘A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding’,

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
A. whereas the EU and the UK, as part of the same continent and bound by shared values, are facing a serious volatile global security situation marked by rising geopolitical tensions; whereas they have demonstrated the political determination to work together and continue to be strong partners in addressing global challenges and security threats, most visibly in supporting Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression;	A. whereas the EU and the UK, as part of the same continent and bound by shared values, are facing a serious volatile global security situation marked by rising geopolitical tensions; whereas they have demonstrated the political determination to work together and continue to be strong partners in addressing global challenges and security threats, most visibly in supporting Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression; whereas closer EU-UK cooperation, based on the predictability and structure provided by the TCA, is more essential than ever to safeguard mutual interests and enhance resilience;

Amendment  5

Proposal for a decision

Recital J

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
J.  whereas the first EU-UK Summit, scheduled for 19 May 2025, is expected to provide an impetus for exploring opportunities to deepen the EU-UK partnership in a mutually beneficial manner, with security and defence likely to be a key area of focus;	deleted

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Recital K

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
K. whereas the importance of transparency in international trade and investment is to the benefit of all stakeholders and parties; whereas a predictable commercial environment that fosters trade and investment between the EU and the UK is welcome;	K. whereas the importance of transparency in international trade and investment is to the benefit of all stakeholders and parties; whereas a predictable commercial environment that fosters trade and investment between the EU and the UK, leading to growth and employment, is crucial;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Recital N

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
N. whereas the UK applies its sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers, and as a result, a UK employer wanting to employ an EU worker needs to be licenced by the UK Home Office and then assign a certificate of sponsorship to the EU worker, and pays fees for that worker to be able to apply for a visa (with additional fees);	N. whereas the UK applies its sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers, and as a result, a UK employer wanting to employ an EU worker needs to be licenced by the UK Home Office and then assign a certificate of sponsorship to the EU worker, and pays fees for that worker to be able to apply for a visa (where the worker also incurs additional fees);

Amendment  8

Proposal for a decision

Recital R a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ra. whereas the TCA provides for social security coordination to protect the social security rights of people moving between the EU and the UK after 1 January 2021; whereas it also provides for a level playing field to ensure fair competition by maintaining high levels of protection in a number of areas, including social and labour rights, with binding enforcement and dispute settlement mechanisms to ensure compliance;

Amendment  9

Proposal for a decision

Recital R b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rb. whereas the fundamental rights to organise, collectively bargain and take collective action are enshrined in international law and inherent to ensuring sustainable development and a level playing field, as set out in the TCA;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Recital R c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rc. whereas the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 received royal assent on 29 June 2023; whereas this act revoked certain retained EU laws by the end of 2023 and removed the special status of all retained EU law in the UK’s legal order; whereas the act delegated significant powers to the UK authorities to revoke, amend or modify retained EU laws;

Amendment  11

Proposal for a decision

Recital R d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rd. whereas the freedom of movement of workers constitutes a fundamental right in the EU; whereas the EU and the UK have a long-standing record when it comes to mobility of workers and vocational education and training students; whereas Erasmus+ has long been an important instrument in this regard; whereas the agreement between the EU and the UK to work towards the UK’s association with the Erasmus+ programme to expand educational, professional and cultural opportunities for youth is welcome; whereas enhancing the mobility of workers between the EU and the UK could help address labour shortages; whereas there is a need for a comprehensive EU-UK mobility agreement that ensures the protection of workers’ rights and the cross-border movement of workers;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Underlines the specific situation of Northern Ireland, due to its unique position with access to both the EU and UK internal markets, as a result of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, which was concluded in order to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement despite the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; calls for the full, timely and faithful implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework in order to ensure lasting benefits as well as certainty and predictability for businesses and people in Northern Ireland, protect the all-island economy, safeguard the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, and ensure smooth trade and cooperation, as well as protecting the integrity of the single market and the Customs Union; recalls that the EU has reacted quickly to implement the Windsor Framework and now expects the UK to promptly fully and faithfully implement its part thereof;	7. Underlines the specific situation of Northern Ireland, due to its unique position with access to both the EU and UK internal markets, as a result of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, which was concluded in order to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement despite the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; calls for the full, timely and faithful implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework, upholding the obligations enshrined in Article 2 thereof concerning the non-diminution of rights, safeguards and equality provisions, in order to ensure lasting benefits as well as certainty and predictability for businesses and people in Northern Ireland, protect the all-island economy, safeguard the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, and ensure smooth trade and cooperation, as well as protecting the integrity of the single market and the Customs Union; recalls that the EU has reacted quickly to implement the Windsor Framework and now expects the UK to promptly fully and faithfully implement its part thereof;

Amendment  13

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	7a. Highlights the importance of ensuring that there are no impediments or restrictions on the ability of individuals residing in Northern Ireland and Ireland to seek and take up employment across the border, in line with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement; stresses the importance of protecting cross-border workers in this context, including their social and labour rights;

Amendment  14

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes civil society engagement in TCA implementation; highlights the well-balanced representation in the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and its valuable recommendations; calls on the Partnership Council to continue considering the diverse views of civil society;	13. Welcomes civil society engagement in TCA implementation, including employers’ organisations and trade unions, as well as non-governmental organisations; highlights the well-balanced representation in the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and its valuable recommendations; stresses the importance of the Civil Society Forum in this regard; calls on the Partnership Council to continue considering the diverse views of civil society;

Amendment  15

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20a. Welcomes the commitment made at the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025, as reflected in the Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU – UK cooperation between the Commission and the United Kingdom, to launch structured dialogues on the entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications under the TCA; highlights the continuing barriers faced by EU and UK nationals in accessing regulated professions; stresses the need for clear, streamlined recognition procedures and the involvement of professional bodies and competent authorities on both sides; notes that, to date, only one recommendation for a possible mutual recognition arrangement under the TCA has been received, namely in relation to the architecture profession; calls on the Commission and the UK to accelerate the implementation of Article 158 of the TCA and prioritise additional sectors, such as healthcare, engineering, and legal and financial services;

Amendment  16

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20b. Welcomes the declaration of intent, following the EU-UK summit, to work towards a balanced youth experience scheme with a view to facilitating the participation of young people from the EU and the UK in various activities, such as work, studies, au-pairing, volunteering, or simply travelling, for a limited period of time; encourages both parties to proceed swiftly and ambitiously with its design and implementation, ensuring reciprocal access, legal clarity and appropriate social protection for participants; stresses the need to ensure, where relevant, decent wages and working conditions for participants of any future youth experience scheme;

Amendment  17

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 20 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20c.  Welcomes, likewise, the EU-UK summit declaration of intent to work towards the UK’s association with the EU’s Erasmus+ programme; calls on the Commission and the UK to expedite negotiations in this regard;

Amendment  18

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21a. Recalls that the TCA requires that the economic partnership between the two parties be underpinned by a level playing field for open and fair competition, and that trade and investment take place in a manner conductive to sustainable development, including economic and social development and environmental protection; recalls that the protection of workers’ rights is essential in this context, as set out in, inter alia, Articles 355, 386, 387, 399 and 524 of the TCA; notes that under Article 355 both parties undertake to maintain and improve their respective standards in the areas covered by Title XI;

Amendment  19

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21b. Welcomes the proposals set out in the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill 2024-2025 to expand collective bargaining rights, provide guaranteed hours for workers and repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023; welcomes, in this regard, the ‘Good Jobs’ Employment Rights Bill, introduced by the devolved Northern Irish administration in Belfast, which fully upholds EU standards;

Amendment  20

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21c. Notes that, with regard to the UK’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023, in their official reply to the Commission and in a series of technical meetings, the UK authorities informed the Commission that the objective of the act is not to lower the levels of protection in, among other areas, labour matters under the TCA; calls, however, on the Commission to closely monitor the act to ensure compliance, in view of the wide-ranging empowerment granted to the UK authorities to modify retained EU law and the role of its courts in interpreting retained EU legislation;

Amendment  21

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21d. Notes that in October 2024 the UK Government announced its intention to establish a new Fair Work Agency within the Department for Business and Trade, to replace existing state enforcement bodies for labour protection;

Amendment  22

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21e. Calls on the Commission and the PPA to closely monitor non-regression in labour standards and other developments in workers’ rights in the UK, and to continue its efforts with the UK Government to ensure full compliance with the TCA; calls on the Commission to use all available means to address any concerns that could necessitate the application of Chapter 6 of Title XI of the TCA, including through dialogue in the PPA and the Specialised Committees, consultation with the EU Domestic Advisory Group and, where necessary, the dispute settlement mechanisms provided for under Article 389;

Amendment  23

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21f. Calls for the EU and the UK to explore avenues for further cooperation and exchange of best practices in the areas of employment and social protection; recognises the potential for mutual collaboration to improve the implementation and enforcement of employment policies, ensuring fair competition, sustainable growth for companies and fair working conditions for workers in both the EU and the UK; recalls that social partners play a genuine role in both monitoring and enforcing the TCA, including the power to submit official complaints;

Amendment  24

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 21 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21g. Welcomes the political agreement reached in June 2025 between the EU and the UK on the key aspects of a future EU-UK agreement on Gibraltar, with the aim of removing all physical barriers, checks and screening for persons and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, while preserving the Schengen area, the EU internal market and the customs union; welcomes, in particular, the intention to ensure a level playing field in the area of labour;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22a. Welcomes the EU and the UK’s ongoing cooperation within the ILO, in particular on the development of a new instrument aimed at regulating platform work;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29a. Recalls the importance of maintaining high environmental and labour standards in energy projects; highlights the need for regulatory cooperation to ensure that energy initiatives promote upward convergence in workers’ rights, health and safety, and environmental protection;

Amendment  27

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32a. Welcomes the Commission’s assessment that EU-UK cooperation in the area of social security coordination has been constructive, with no systemic or structural issues identified in 2023 or 2024, and with both parties committed to solving any issues that may emerge in the implementation of the Protocol on Social Security Coordination to the TCA (‘Protocol’); notes that the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination adopted two decisions in relation to detached workers and self-employed persons and clarifying certain financial aspects; stresses the importance of a dynamic Protocol, which aligns with the revisions of the Social Security Coordination provisions; calls for continued efforts to simplify procedures, ensure consistent interpretation across the Member States and the UK, and enhance access to social security for citizens through improved guidance, digital tools and administrative cooperation;

Amendment  28

Proposal for a decision

Paragraph 32 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32b. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination carried out technical work on topics such as changes to structured electronic documents and portable documents, procedures for reimbursing the cost of sickness benefits, and the transposition of relevant decisions of the EU’s Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems; calls on the Committee to intensify its efforts and deliver tangible progress on improving procedures, ensuring uniform interpretation across the Member States and the UK, and improving the coordination of social security rights for mobile and cross-border workers;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32c. underlines the importance of ensuring decent, fair and safe working conditions for seasonal workers, particularly in essential sectors such as agriculture, tourism and construction; calls on the Commission to promote, within the context of the implementation of the EU-UK TCA, the establishment of a specific mechanism for the mobility of seasonal workers, including common standards on duration of employment, access to social security and protection against exploitation, with safeguards comparable to those laid down in Directive 2014/36/EU1a; _______________ 1a Directive 2014/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal workers (OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 375, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/36/oj).

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32d. calls on the Commission to assess the feasibility of establishing a single EU-UK contact point for reporting violations of workers’ rights, barriers to accessing social benefits, or issues related to the recognition of cross-border employment contracts;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	32e. Takes note of the importance and value of the EU social model and calls on the UK Government to extend the non-regression clause to the entire EU social acquis;

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR FOR OPINION HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:

Entity and/or person

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

IndustriAll European Trade Union

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for the opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	25.6.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	48 7 1
Members present for the final vote	Maravillas Abadía Jover, Grégory Allione, Marc Angel, Pascal Arimont, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Nikola Bartůšek, Gabriele Bischoff, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Rachel Blom, Andrzej Buła, David Casa, Estelle Ceulemans, Leila Chaibi, Per Clausen, Henrik Dahl, Johan Danielsson, Marie Dauchy, Mélanie Disdier, Elena Donazzan, Gheorghe Falcă, Chiara Gemma, Niels Geuking, Isilda Gomes, Alicia Homs Ginel, Sérgio Humberto, Katrin Langensiepen, Miriam Lexmann, Marit Maij, Marlena Maląg, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Maria Ohisalo, Branislav Ondruš, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Nicola Procaccini, Dennis Radtke, Nela Riehl, Liesbet Sommen, Villy Søvndal, Pál Szekeres, Georgiana Teodorescu, Jana Toom, Raffaele Topo, Francesco Torselli, Brigitte van den Berg, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Marianne Vind, Petar Volgin, Jan-Peter Warnke, Séverine Werbrouck
Substitutes present for the final vote	Regina Doherty, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Kathleen Funchion, Rudi Kennes, Hristo Petrov
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Mireia Borrás Pabón, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

48	+
ECR	Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Marlena Maląg, Nicola Procaccini, Georgiana Teodorescu, Francesco Torselli
NI	Branislav Ondruš, Jan-Peter Warnke
PPE	Maravillas Abadía Jover, Pascal Arimont, Andrzej Buła, David Casa, Henrik Dahl, Regina Doherty, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Gheorghe Falcă, Niels Geuking, Sérgio Humberto, Miriam Lexmann, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Dennis Radtke, Liesbet Sommen
Renew	Grégory Allione, Hristo Petrov, Jana Toom, Brigitte van den Berg, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne
S&D	Marc Angel, Gabriele Bischoff, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Estelle Ceulemans, Johan Danielsson, Isilda Gomes, Alicia Homs Ginel, Marit Maij, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Raffaele Topo, Marianne Vind
The Left	Konstantinos Arvanitis, Leila Chaibi, Per Clausen, Kathleen Funchion, Rudi Kennes
Verts/ALE	Katrin Langensiepen, Maria Ohisalo, Nela Riehl, Villy Søvndal

 

7	-
PfE	Nikola Bartůšek, Rachel Blom, Mireia Borrás Pabón, Marie Dauchy, Mélanie Disdier, Pál Szekeres, Séverine Werbrouck

 

1	0
ESN	Petar Volgin

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND FOOD SAFETY (4.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Sander Smit

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

 

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the joint statement by the leaders of the EU and the UK on 19 May 2025 at the EU-UK Summit 2025,

Amendment  2

 

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission statement of 19 May 2025 entitled ‘A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding’,

Amendment  3

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital R a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ra. whereas the EU and the UK share common ambitions in the fields of environmental protection, climate and food safety; whereas widening regulatory divergence in these areas risks disrupting trade and undermining the effectiveness of environmental and climate efforts, particularly in the context of Northern Ireland and Ireland; whereas the UK Government, in 2024, called for a ‘reset’ to EU-UK relations, in order to strengthen strategic cooperation and regulatory alignment in response to shared challenges and mutual priorities;

Amendment  4

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital R b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rb. whereas the Commission and the UK, in the context of the EU-UK Summit 2025, have explored areas with the potential for strengthening bilateral cooperation, and have committed to work towards the establishment of a Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area, by way of an SPS Agreement, to facilitate agri-food trade; whereas the EU and the UK have also committed to work towards linking their respective emissions trading systems (ETSs) and carbon border adjustment mechanisms;

Amendment  5

 

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Environment and climate	Environment

Amendment  6

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25a. Highlights the increasing risk of EU-UK regulatory divergence in environmental policy, potentially causing economic disruption and undermining environmental objectives; recognises the shared geopolitical challenges and environmental ambitions of the EU and the UK; encourages further strategic cooperation and alignment in the fields of the environment, nature conservation and biodiversity;

Amendment  7

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25b. Stresses that the island of Ireland is a single ecological unit; recalls that UK environmental policies impact the environment on the entire island of Ireland and therefore also the achievement of the EU’s environmental protection goals; emphasises the need for increased cooperation on environmental issues through the institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement;

Amendment  8

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25c. Reiterates the calls for closer bilateral collaboration in the area of chemicals regulation1a; recommends seeking input from the UK Government, and the relevant devolved administrations, regarding the upcoming revision of the REACH Regulation2a, in order to promote cooperation and regulatory convergence so as to facilitate safe and legally predictable cross-border trade in chemicals, while maintaining a high level of environmental protection;
	__________________
	1a UK Government and European Commission, ‘Third Meeting of the Trade Partnership Committee under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement – Joint Minutes’, 7 December 2023, London and virtual format (UK host); joint statement by the EU and UK Domestic Advisory Groups to the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 19 September 2024. 1b Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/oj).

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 d(new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25d. Stresses the unique situation of the territory of Gibraltar; calls for the establishment of a specific common EU-UK framework to coordinate environmental regulations, health standards, monitoring and joint management plans, in this regard;

Amendment  10

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25e. Welcomes the UK’s recognition of the CE marking, regarding eco-design requirements on energy-related products and restrictions on hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; welcomes the fact that this facilitates continued trade between the UK and the EU, while reducing compliance burdens for manufacturers;

Amendment  11

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25f. Calls for a strengthened role for economic and civil society stakeholders in the implementation, monitoring and advisory processes related to trade and sustainable development commitments under the EU-UK TCA, in line with the joint statement of the EU and UK Domestic Advisory Groups of 19 September 2024;

Amendment  12

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 g(new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25g. Recalls the EU and UK’s TCA commitment to maintaining high levels of environmental protection in the areas of waste prevention, waste management and the circular economy; stresses the need for both parties to better plan and coordinate, in order to adapt their waste management infrastructure and to ensure sufficient capacity for recycling, repair, remanufacturing and waste treatment in accordance with the waste hierarchy, and to promote solutions to reduce and address residual waste streams;

Amendment  13

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25h. Stresses the importance of close EU-UK coordination on the potential inclusion of the waste sector in the EU ETS, to ensure regulatory alignment, prevent carbon leakage and maintain fair competition across borders;

Amendment  14

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25i. Recognises that offshore industrial activities and large-scale sustainable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms, may conflict with the conservation objectives of Natura 2000 sites and marine protected areas, and may also have adverse impacts on seabeds and fishing grounds; underlines the need for a careful balance between environmental goals, sustainable fisheries and renewable energy generation;

Amendment  15

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25j. Notes that in the UK, biodiversity and climate-related schemes are being phased in to replace direct support for farmers; calls for an EU-UK exchange on sustainable agricultural practices that promote biodiversity and climate change mitigation, and ensure food security and supply chain stability;

Amendment  16

 

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Climate

Amendment  17

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25k. Notes that the EU and the UK share common ambitions in the field of climate change mitigation; calls for better alignment of climate policies to provide consistency and to avoid conflicting or overlapping measures, which risk undermining the effectiveness of climate action; encourages the exchange of best practices on climate adaptation and preparedness, particularly regarding the health impacts of rising temperatures on vulnerable groups, such as low-income communities;

Amendment  18

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25l. Notes the shared objective set out in the Commission statement of 19 May 2025 to establish a formal EU-UK carbon market agreement, linking the UK and EU ETS systems; urges both parties to quickly conclude this agreement, to avoid double carbon costs for companies; echoes the joint position of the Commission and the UK that such an agreement must be clearly and consistently aligned with the rules and principles of the Windsor Framework;

Amendment  19

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25m. Notes that, without timely alignment of the UK and EU ETS, UK exports to the EU will be subject to the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) from January 2026; recalls the commitment by the EU and the UK to create the conditions for goods originating in their respective jurisdictions to benefit from mutual exemptions from their respective CBAM systems; stresses that these exemptions should be operational as soon as legally possible to avoid trade disruption;

Amendment  20

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25n. Underlines the need to strengthen the bilateral partnership between the EU and the UK to enhance cooperation on renewable energy development, energy security and supply chain resilience; calls for stronger EU-UK dialogue and joint research on carbon-neutral energy to address shared challenges and drive innovation in reducing carbon emissions;

Amendment  21

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25o. Notes the joint intention of the EU and the UK to continue technical regulatory exchanges on new energy technologies, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage, hydrogen and biomethane, as outlined in the Commission statement of 19 May 2025; encourages EU-UK cooperation to improve SME access to green technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure, ensuring that small businesses can contribute effectively to, and benefit from, the transition towards green technology;

Amendment  22

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26a. Welcomes the fact that the EU and the UK have expressed their intention to work towards a comprehensive SPS Agreement, including UK access to relevant EU agencies, systems and databases in the areas covered by the future SPS Agreement; underlines the importance of reducing barriers and unnecessary regulatory burden regarding agri-food trade, especially for small-scale producers and family farms; stresses that any such agreement must maintain high levels of food safety; animal welfare, and consumer and environmental protection;

Amendment  23

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26b. Calls on the Commission to launch negotiations on the SPS Agreement without delay; highlights the need to coordinate maximum residue levels for pesticides in order to safeguard human health and facilitate agri-food trade; underlines the importance of concluding a veterinary agreement to ensure animal health, prevent zoonotic disease outbreaks and combat antimicrobial resistance, especially in the light of recent outbreaks of this kind and the resulting trade restrictions;

Amendment  24

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26c. Notes the diverging thresholds and restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) between the EU and the UK; calls for closer cooperation between the European Food Safety Authority, the European Chemicals Agency and the competent UK authorities regarding the monitoring and risk assessment of PFAS; recommends enhancing EU-UK scientific dialogue on the limits of these substances in food and feed, in order to safeguard public health while upholding high standards of food safety;

Amendment  25

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26d. Takes note of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, which entered into force in England on 23 March 2023, revising the rules for the release, marketing, and risk assessment of plants and animals developed through gene editing and precision breeding; expresses concern about regulatory divergence uncertainty regarding the legal status and movement of such products between Northern Ireland and the EU; stresses the need to prevent incorrectly labelled products from entering the EU food chain;

Amendment  26

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26e. Welcomes the pragmatic agreement reached on an arbitration-based dispute resolution mechanism that respects both the constitutional and parliamentary procedures of the UK and the role of the Court of Justice of the EU as the ultimate authority on the interpretation of EU law; welcomes, furthermore, the intention to involve the UK at an early stage in the EU’s decision-making processes in areas covered by the future SPS Agreement;

 

 

 

 

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM
THE RAPPORTEUR FOR OPINION HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	3.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	61 13 2
Members present for the final vote	Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Pascal Arimont, Bartosz Arłukowicz, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Anja Arndt, Thomas Bajada, Barbara Bonte, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Pascal Canfin, Laurent Castillo, Mohammed Chahim, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Antonio Decaro, Ondřej Dostál, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Andreas Glück, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Esther Herranz García, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Katri Kulmuni, Peter Liese, César Luena, Catarina Martins, Dolors Montserrat, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Jacek Ozdoba, Michele Picaro, Jessica Polfjärd, Carola Rackete, Oliver Schenk, Jonas Sjöstedt, Sander Smit, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Beatrice Timgren, Flavio Tosi, Dimitris Tsiodras, Ana Vasconcelos, Aurelijus Veryga, Kristian Vigenin, Michal Wiezik, Anna Zalewska
Substitutes present for the final vote	Li Andersson, Daniel Buda, Stefano Cavedagna, Susanna Ceccardi, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Geadis Geadi, Nicolás González Casares, Nora Junco García, Billy Kelleher, Seán Kelly, Norbert Lins, Victor Negrescu, Valentina Palmisano, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Elena Sancho Murillo, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Anna Stürgkh, Bruno Tobback, Laurence Trochu, Roberto Vannacci, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Barry Cowen, Elisabeth Dieringer, Mélanie Disdier, Evin Incir, Liudas Mažylis, Aleksandar Nikolic, Volker Schnurrbusch, Petra Steger, Matej Tonin, Ivaylo Valchev, Lucia Yar

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

61	+
ECR	Stefano Cavedagna, Geadis Geadi, Nora Junco García, Jacek Ozdoba, Michele Picaro, Laurence Trochu, Ivaylo Valchev, Aurelijus Veryga, Anna Zalewska
PPE	Pascal Arimont, Bartosz Arłukowicz, Daniel Buda, Laurent Castillo, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Esther Herranz García, Seán Kelly, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Norbert Lins, Liudas Mažylis, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Jessica Polfjärd, Oliver Schenk, Sander Smit, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Matej Tonin, Flavio Tosi, Dimitris Tsiodras
Renew	Pascal Canfin, Barry Cowen, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Andreas Glück, Billy Kelleher, Katri Kulmuni, Anna Stürgkh, Ana Vasconcelos, Michal Wiezik, Lucia Yar
S&D	Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Mohammed Chahim, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Antonio Decaro, Nicolás González Casares, Evin Incir, César Luena, Victor Negrescu, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback, Kristian Vigenin
The Left	Li Andersson, Catarina Martins, Valentina Palmisano, Carola Rackete, Jonas Sjöstedt

 

13	-
ESN	Anja Arndt, Volker Schnurrbusch, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik
PfE	Barbara Bonte, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Susanna Ceccardi, Elisabeth Dieringer, Mélanie Disdier, Aleksandar Nikolic, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Petra Steger, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Roberto Vannacci

 

2	0
ECR	Beatrice Timgren
NI	Ondřej Dostál

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, RESEARCH AND ENERGY (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Borys Budka

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Recital R a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ra. whereas Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the Choose Europe for Science initiative on 5 May 2025 at the Sorbonne University in Paris, and proclaimed that ‘we want scientists, researchers, academics and highly skilled workers to choose Europe’; whereas the centrepiece of the initiative is the announcement of European Research Council (ERC) super grants and the doubling of top-up for researchers who relocate to Europe;

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8a. Welcomes the new strategic partnership agreed between the EU and the UK at the 19 May 2025 EU-UK summit, which includes the commitment to explore the participation of the UK in the EU’s internal electricity market; stresses that, especially in the light of the changing geopolitical context and global trade uncertainty, areas of clear mutual interest include clean energy cooperation in the North Seas, linking the respective EU and UK emissions trading systems, improving electricity trading arrangements and closer coordination in infrastructure planning, thereby enhancing energy security and industrial competitiveness across Europe; calls for both parties to cooperate closely to ensure that a workable framework can be set out in a timely manner, so as to limit legal uncertainty;

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20a. Notes that the EU has adopted a comprehensive, risk-based regulatory framework through the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act1a, adopted in 2024, while the UK has so far taken a more light-touch regulatory approach, without introducing a horizontal AI law; calls for greater convergence of AI regulation between the EU and the UK in order to allow a dynamic sector to grow in a safe environment; regrets, in this regard, the fact that the UK did not sign the Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet at the international AI Action Summit in Paris on 11 February 2025;   ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (OJ L, 2024/1689, 12.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj).

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20b. Finds that there are risks associated with potential regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK in relation to digital policies; reiterates the importance of ensuring high-level data protection standards for the transfer and processing of personal data between the two parties and calls for regular information sharing between the EU and the UK; welcomes enhanced regulatory cooperation on digital issues, such as the administrative arrangement of 30 April 2024 between the Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology and the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom), which prioritises the exchange of information relating to the supervision of risk assessment and mitigation efforts by providers of large online platforms;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20c. Calls on the UK to ensure that the proposed Data (Use and Access) Bill does not lead to lower data protection standards than those in the EU; recalls that the continued free flow of data between the EU and the UK hinges on data adequacy decisions by the Commission; notes that the Commission has proposed extending the current adequacy decision until December 2025, but that thereafter any new adequacy decision will depend on the approach taken by UK policymakers in their reforms to data protection standards;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20d. Highlights the importance of maintaining similar approaches to market reforms in the digital sector; asks that the UK avoid policies that diverge from the fundamental principles of the EU Digital Markets Act1a and the EU Digital Services Act1b;
	_________________
	1a Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2022 on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector and amending Directives (EU) 2019/1937 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Digital Markets Act)  (OJ L 265, 12.10.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/1925/oj).
	1b Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) (OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj).

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20e. Recalls the shared interest of the EU and the UK in digital connectivity; recommends that both parties establish a framework for information sharing coordination for the monitoring of threats to critical connectivity infrastructure, including subsea cables and satellites;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20f. Repeats its calls to strengthen cooperation and joint actions in the field of cybersecurity, given its implications for both parties in a wide range of areas of mutual interest, especially in the digital and financial sectors, IT, defence, energy and research and development; welcomes the commitment by the UK and the EU, as part of the security and defence partnership agreed on 19 May 2025, to further develop their cooperation on cyber issues in the framework of the TCA, along with regular exchanges on the cyber threat landscape and the suitability of their respective policy frameworks;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20g. Reiterates the need for the EU and the UK to uphold their commitment laid down in the TCA to cooperate on promoting transparent and reasonable rates for international roaming services, in order to lower costs for EU and UK consumers;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29a. Welcomes the fact that both parties maintain comparable ambitions with regard to energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy sources by 2030, with the ultimate shared goal of climate neutrality by 2050; congratulates the UK on its achievement of phasing out coal power generation on 1 October 2024, as the first G7 nation and advanced, industrialised country to achieve this goal; stresses the importance of the non-regression clause concerning environmental protection in the TCA, which neither party can diverge from without jeopardising the agreement as a whole;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29b. Views favourably the willingness of both parties to contemplate greater regulatory and technological cooperation on clean technologies such as carbon capture and underground storage, and renewable energies including offshore wind, hydrogen, biomethane and sustainable biofuels; notes, however, that the UK’s decision to leave the EU single market poses inevitable challenges to the format of and limits the scope for bilateral cooperation in the energy field; calls on both parties to find new ways to improve the quality and depth of their bilateral cooperation on clean and renewable energy technologies;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29c. Supports enhanced EU and UK cooperation on security of supply, which is particularly necessary in the context of volatile global energy markets and the continued Russian war of aggression against Ukraine; notes that both the EU and the UK are continuing to make progress towards their shared goal of ending all energy ties with Russia; welcomes the establishment of the new EU-UK Working Group on Security of Supply under the TCA, as recommended by the Partnership Council of 17 March 2024 and later implemented by the Specialised Committee on Energy; hopes that the new EU-UK Working Group on Security of Supply can meet regularly and develop concrete solutions and joint actions in this crucial area of bilateral cooperation;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29d. Stresses the importance of coordinated planning and convergence in permitting procedures between the EU and the UK to ensure the development of renewables and in particular offshore wind, electricity infrastructure and CO2 storage, as well as hybrid energy projects in the North Seas; believes that both parties need to work closely together to transform the North Seas into a green energy hub that can also help to guarantee security of supply, inter alia through high levels of offshore wind energy production, in line with the non-binding EU goal of achieving around 360 GW of installed offshore generation capacity by 2050; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen regional cooperation on offshore grid planning and critical energy infrastructure development with the UK, as well as all sea basins with neighbouring countries, in order to enhance system robustness and reduce the likelihood of infrastructure disruption and energy supply failures;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29e. Recalls that making full use of offshore energy resources will require very significant investment in grid and interconnection capacity; emphasises, furthermore, the need to develop a meshed offshore grid, including hybrid interconnectors and suitable cost-sharing mechanisms; considers that the development of electricity infrastructure to harness offshore wind energy potential is a shared priority for the EU and the UK; underlines that harnessing shared renewable resources can be mutually beneficial for the EU and the UK, and can lower the cost of the clean energy transition for both sides;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29f. Welcomes the active participation of the UK in the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC), building on the Memorandum of Understanding it signed in December 2022; maintains that UK participation in NSEC should eventually lead to viable joint projects that are consistent with the common goal of developing the North Seas as Europe’s green power plant, as set out in the Ostend Declaration, which the UK signed on 24 April 2023;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29g. Emphasises the importance of integration between EU and UK energy markets, which can improve security of supply, stimulate clean energy production, and lower energy costs for both parties; believes that high levels of physical interconnection capacity need to be complemented by more integrated wholesale energy markets that can facilitate energy security and trading between the EU and the UK; finds that, despite closer cooperation between regulators and transmission system operators, little progress has been made in terms of developing the new electricity trading arrangements envisaged under Article 312 TCA; recalls that the UK no longer avails of EU single market tools of market coupling for electricity trading, such as EU Single Day-Ahead Coupling, leading to inefficient trading over interconnectors that raises wholesale costs and ultimately feeds through to higher consumer bills, as well as hindering investment in multipurpose interconnectors;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29h. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Energy adopted both a recommendation and a roadmap on electricity trading towards the end of 2024, inviting both the EU and the UK to step up the technical work necessary to implement new trading arrangements between the parties, including a concept validation phase for Multi-Region Loose Volume Coupling (MRLVC), the proposed trading model set out in Annex 29 to the TCA;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29i. Welcomes the political agreement to extend EU-UK energy cooperation on a continuous basis alongside the clear commitment from the UK to eventually participate in the EU’s internal electricity market, including dynamic alignment and contributions to the costs associated with this policy area, as set out in the EU-UK Common Understanding, adopted on 19 May 2025; calls for immediate negotiations on market alignment and for their timely conclusion;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29j. Acknowledges that the operation of different carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs) in the EU and in the UK could lead to additional unwanted costs for future cross-border trade in renewable electricity, with negative impacts for industries and households, and particular risks for the integrity of the Single Electricity Market in the island of Ireland; believes that the most efficient and straightforward solution would be for the UK to link directly to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), as proposed in the Common Understanding agreed at the EU-UK summit on 19 May 2025; maintains that full ETS linkage should avoid unwanted costs and remove unnecessary policy barriers to cooperation, especially in the North Seas; calls, nevertheless, for interim measures, if necessary, to ensure that EU and UK CBAMs do not impose any additional burdens on cross-border electricity trade as of 2026, when negotiations on electricity market participation and ETS linkage might still be ongoing;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29k. Notes the agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the UK, concluded on 21 December 2020 under the framework of the TCA, which covers cooperation on the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy and is underpinned by commitments from both sides to comply with international obligations; underlines the mutual benefits of civil nuclear cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as next-generation reactors, waste management, small modular reactors, safety and health standards, supply chain resilience, fusion technologies, including through research, medical applications, mobility of nuclear researchers and access to joint scientific infrastructure, where appropriate;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29l. Notes the reaffirmed joint international commitment to deliver the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and to the Paris Agreement; reiterates the need for the EU and the UK to keep working together in international climate conferences, including the upcoming 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), to build on progress made and lead further global action for the promotion of renewable energy, energy efficiency and the abatement of methane emissions from the energy sector;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33a. Welcomes the association of the UK to Horizon Europe, as well as the Copernicus Programme, as of 2024; believes that this association recognises that UK science and innovation are an integral part of the European science and innovation ecosystem; considers it mutually beneficial that the UK be associated with the future 10th research framework programme (FP10) and that the scope of any such association should realise the objective of driving economic growth in the EU through innovation; believes it to be vital, therefore, that a fair balance be ultimately struck between the UK’s contributions and the benefits it would receive in return;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33b. Continues to be concerned over the 2023 amended association protocol to the TCA, particularly over the fact that the automatic rebate on the UK’s contribution to Horizon Europe in the event of ‘lower than expected’ UK participation in the programme has resulted in inconsistencies with the provisions of the TCA, to which Parliament gave its consent in December 2020; notes that this change to the TCA through the adoption of a protocol meant that Parliament was unable to provide meaningful consent or effective scrutiny over what constitutes a core part of the overall agreement;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33c. Emphasises that any international agreement on the association of the UK to EU programmes should fully respect the prerogative of Parliament to provide meaningful consent, in line with its resolution of 8 February 2024 on association agreements for the participation of third countries in Union programmes1a;   _____________ 1a OJ C, C/2024/6341, 7.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6341/oj.

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33d. Calls for the full involvement of Parliament in any negotiations over UK association to FP10, and also regarding the implementation of FP10 over the course of the next multiannual financial framework (MFF); hopes that both parties can avoid the delays that have characterised UK association to Horizon Europe and the Copernicus Programme under the current MFF, in order to ensure continuity in funding for key EU research and innovation projects that involve UK partners;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33e. Notes that the Choose Europe for Science initiative clearly positions both the ERC and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) as vital programmes that can help the EU attract global scientific talent; observes that the UK is associated to both of these programmes and underlines the strong performance of the UK in both programmes; recalls the legal requirement laid down in Article 16(3) of the Horizon Regulation1a for the scope of the association of specific third countries to be subject to an analysis of the benefits for the Union and the objective of driving economic growth in the Union through innovation; considers that the scarcity of talent is a limiting factor on the EU’s economic growth, particularly in high tech sectors; asks the Commission, therefore, for a detailed analysis of the benefits for the EU of the UK’s association to the ERC and the MSCA, in particular considering how this impacts the ability of the EU to attract scientific talent, and to share that analysis with Parliament, preferably in parallel with negotiations over the legislative proposal for FP10;   ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/695/oj).

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33f. Expresses concern that the UK has significantly increased the healthcare surcharge and visa costs for researchers going to the UK under Horizon Europe funding, making mobility more difficult financially for EU researchers and their UK partner institutions; supports the call to revert to the previous fee and surcharge levels, as expressed by the EU in the third Partnership Council meeting on 16 May 2024; would welcome a commitment to further lower the administrative burden and related costs for EU researchers undertaking mobility to the UK as part of Horizon Europe, as well as its successor, FP10;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	33g. Takes note that the UK ultimately decided not to associate to the Euratom Research and Training Programme, the Fusion for Energy joint undertaking or the ITER project, which was envisaged in the EU-UK Joint Declaration on Participation in Union Programmes accompanying the TCA; expresses concern over Russia’s continued membership of the ITER project; calls for the preservation of the scientific legacy of the Joint European Torus, located in Culham, the UK, which for decades has served as the flagship of European nuclear fusion research; stresses that the ongoing dismantling of this unique facility risks the irreversible loss of scientific infrastructure and expertise;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 39

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
39. Urges the EU and the UK to swiftly establish a Security and Defence Partnership through a joint declaration setting out concrete commitments and launching a structured dialogue to address shared security challenges in Europe, using the maximum potential of enhanced cooperation in this field;	39. Urges the EU and the UK to swiftly establish a Security and Defence Partnership through a joint declaration setting out concrete commitments and launching a structured dialogue to address shared security challenges in Europe, using the maximum potential of enhanced cooperation in this field; considers that the EU and the UK share the same challenging security environment and calls for strengthening cooperation and joint actions in the field of cyber security, cooperating on space, and strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40a. Welcomes the prospect of closer industrial cooperation between the EU and the UK, while maintaining a strong level playing field that avoids unilateral distortions; highlights, in this regard, the importance of ensuring, from an early stage, frequent dialogue on supply chain initiatives in the EU and the UK;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40b. Recalls that industrial cooperation is significantly limited by the UK’s ‘red lines’ against re-joining the EU single market or customs union;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40c. Regrets that the UK leaving the EU has had a particularly disruptive impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); stresses the need to reduce barriers to trade, especially for SMEs, in line with the recommendation of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly on 17 March 2025;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40d. Urges the EU and the UK to deepen defence industrial cooperation with a view to facilitating interoperability and promoting the joint effectiveness of their armed forces in an increasingly contested environment; invites both parties to continue exploring opportunities for greater collaboration in defence research, development and innovation, including potentially through EU programmes and initiatives; encourages the EU and the UK to explore the possibility of UK collaboration and potentially closer participation in certain projects funded by the European Defence Fund;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40e. Notes with regret the adverse effects that the withdrawal of the UK from the EU has had on the operating conditions for defence industrial actors, including supply chain challenges, skills shortages and staff visa issues, as well as border controls for components; urges both parties, in light of the need to urgently strengthen the EU and UK defence technological and industrial bases, to find mutually beneficial solutions to enable their defence industries to respond to the profoundly changed European security landscape; welcomes, therefore, the conclusion of the Security and Defence Partnership on 19 May 2025, representing a framework for dialogue and cooperation on security and defence, including regular exchanges on defence industry;

 

 

 

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[58], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure. 

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	62 11 7
Members present for the final vote	Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Barry Andrews, Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Michael Bloss, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Elena Donazzan, Matthias Ecke, Christian Ehler, Sofie Eriksson, Jan Farský, Niels Fuglsang, Jens Geier, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Bart Groothuis, Christophe Grudler, András Gyürk, Niels Flemming Hansen, Eero Heinäluoma, Ivars Ijabs, Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Seán Kelly, Rudi Kennes, Sarah Knafo, Michał Kobosko, Ondřej Krutílek, Eszter Lakos, Morten Løkkegaard, Yannis Maniatis, Sara Matthieu, Marina Mesure, Letizia Moratti, Jana Nagyová, Angelika Niebler, Ville Niinistö, Aleksandar Nikolic, Mirosława Nykiel, Daniel Obajtek, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Jüri Ratas, Julie Rechagneux, Aura Salla, Elena Sancho Murillo, Paulius Saudargas, Benedetta Scuderi, Diego Solier, Marcin Sypniewski, Dario Tamburrano, Bruno Tobback, Matej Tonin, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Elena Yoncheva, Anna Zalewska
Substitutes present for the final vote	René Aust, Christophe Bay, Alessandro Ciriani, Per Clausen, Annalisa Corrado, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Martin Hojsík, Michael McNamara, Dario Nardella, Gaetano Pedulla’, Oliver Schenk, Susana Solís Pérez, Raffaele Stancanelli, Francesco Torselli, Dimitris Tsiodras
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Pär Holmgren, Tomáš Kubín, Ilia Lazarov, Marcos Ros Sempere

 

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

62	+
ECR	Alessandro Ciriani, Elena Donazzan, Ondřej Krutílek, Daniel Obajtek, Diego Solier, Francesco Torselli, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Anna Zalewska
NI	Elena Yoncheva
PPE	Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Christian Ehler, Jan Farský, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Niels Flemming Hansen, Seán Kelly, Eszter Lakos, Ilia Lazarov, Letizia Moratti, Angelika Niebler, Mirosława Nykiel, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Paulius Saudargas, Oliver Schenk, Susana Solís Pérez, Matej Tonin, Dimitris Tsiodras
Renew	Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Barry Andrews, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Bart Groothuis, Christophe Grudler, Martin Hojsík, Ivars Ijabs, Michał Kobosko, Morten Løkkegaard, Michael McNamara
S&D	Annalisa Corrado, Matthias Ecke, Sofie Eriksson, Niels Fuglsang, Jens Geier, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Eero Heinäluoma, Yannis Maniatis, Dario Nardella, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Marcos Ros Sempere, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback
Verts/ALE	Michael Bloss, Pär Holmgren, Sara Matthieu, Ville Niinistö, Benedetta Scuderi

 

11	-
ESN	René Aust, Marcin Sypniewski
PfE	Christophe Bay, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, András Gyürk, Tomáš Kubín, Jana Nagyová, Aleksandar Nikolic, Julie Rechagneux, Raffaele Stancanelli

 

7	0
ESN	Sarah Knafo
NI	Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
The Left	Per Clausen, Rudi Kennes, Marina Mesure, Gaetano Pedulla’, Dario Tamburrano

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE INTERNAL MARKET AND CONSUMER PROTECTION (15.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Sandro Gozi

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
A. whereas the EU and the UK, as part of the same continent and bound by shared values, are facing a serious volatile global security situation marked by rising geopolitical tensions; whereas they have demonstrated the political determination to work together and continue to be strong partners in addressing global challenges and security threats, most visibly in supporting Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression;	A. whereas the EU and the UK, bound by geographical proximity, shared values and strategic interests, are facing a serious volatile global security situation marked by rising geopolitical tensions; whereas they have demonstrated the political determination to work together and continue to be strong partners in addressing global challenges and security threats, most visibly in supporting Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s aggression;

 

Amendment  2

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
B. whereas multilateralism and free trade are core principles of both the EU and the UK; whereas the TCA provides the necessary legal certainty to foster trade and promote smooth cooperation;	B. whereas multilateralism and free trade are core principles of both the EU and the UK; whereas the TCA provides a framework that could be enhanced over time to meet shared strategic and economic goals; whereas the TCA provides the necessary legal certainty to foster trade and promote smooth cooperation;

Amendment  3

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
D. whereas the TCA covers areas such as trade, energy, fisheries, transport, judicial and law enforcement cooperation, and social security coordination, providing a comprehensive framework and ensuring a level playing field;	D. whereas the TCA covers areas such as trade, energy, fisheries, transport, judicial and law enforcement cooperation, and social security coordination, providing a comprehensive framework and ensuring a level playing field and fair competition;

Amendment  4

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Da. whereas the TCA also includes a non-regression clause ensuring that neither the EU nor the UK lower their standards on social, labour, environmental or climate protection below the levels in force at the end of 2020, in order to maintain a level playing field and fair competition;

Amendment  5

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital H

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
H. whereas the Windsor Framework, concluded in 2023, addresses the practical challenges that have arisen in the operation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland over the first years of its implementation and creates legal certainty, therefore, paving the way for full implementation; whereas the Windsor Framework covers a wide range of areas, such as customs, agri-food, medicines, State aid, VAT and excise duties;	H. whereas the Windsor Framework, concluded in 2023, addresses the practical challenges that have arisen in the operation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland over the first years of its implementation and creates legal certainty, therefore, paving the way for full implementation; whereas the Windsor Framework covers a wide range of areas related to democratic governance and trading rules, such as customs, agri-food, medicines, State aid, VAT and excise duties;

Amendment  6

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital I

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
I. whereas the conclusion of the Windsor Framework as well as the UK Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘reset’ the UK’s relationship with the EU in July 2024 opened a new chapter in relations between the EU and the UK;	I. whereas the conclusion of the Windsor Framework as well as the UK Prime Minister’s pledge to ‘reset’ the UK’s relationship with the EU in July 2024 opened a new and ambitious chapter in relations between the EU and the UK;

Amendment  7

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital Q a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Qa. whereas both EU and UK consumers would benefit from strengthened cooperation between the EU Consumer Protection Cooperation Network and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority; whereas, in line with Article 211(1) of the TCA, the EU and the UK have agreed to cooperate on various aspects of digital trade regulation; whereas addressing the challenges arising from the existence of two separate customs markets requires constructive engagement and timely information sharing between EU and UK customs authorities, particularly in the implementation of new obligations;

Amendment  8

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital Q b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Qb. whereas the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) has a key role in monitoring the implementation of the TCA; whereas the Civil Society Forum, established under Article 14 of the TCA, serves as a vital platform for civil society organisations, EU businesses, trade unions and other workers’ organisations to express their views on the implementation of the TCA and plays an essential role in supporting the Commission’s dialogue with the UK;

Amendment  9

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Highlights that the EU and the UK are close like-minded partners and allies, sharing common values and facing a common volatile security situation in Europe and its neighbourhood;	1. Highlights that the EU and the UK remain close like-minded partners and allies, sharing common values and facing a common volatile security situation in Europe and its neighbourhood; stresses that strengthening the EU-UK relationship enhances Europe’s overall competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

Amendment  10

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Recalls that the EU-UK relationship is based on full respect for, and the faithful and timely implementation of, the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the TCA;	3. Recalls that the EU-UK relationship is based on full respect for, and the full, timely and faithful implementation of, the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the TCA;

Amendment  11

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Underlines that the TCA is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive trade agreements which the EU has concluded with a non-EU country; stresses, however, that while it does not and cannot be a substitute for EU membership and the corresponding access to the single market and the Customs Union, it nonetheless holds significant potential for future cooperation;	4. Underlines that the TCA is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive trade and cooperation agreements which the EU has concluded with a non-EU country; stresses, however, that while it does not and cannot be a substitute for EU membership and the corresponding access to the single market and the Customs Union, it nonetheless holds significant potential for future cooperation;

Amendment  12

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	5a. Stresses that both the EU and the UK are bound by their obligations under the WTO agreements; regrets unilateral UK measures affecting trade that raise concerns over compliance with WTO principles of non-discrimination, transparency and proportionality; calls on the Commission to ensure that TCA implementation fully respects WTO obligations and to initiate dispute settlement procedures where appropriate;

Amendment  13

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Welcomes that the implementation of the TCA continues to progress smoothly with all commitments due in 2023 and in 2024 either completed or on track; calls on the Commission to continue closely monitoring the correct application of the TCA;	6. Welcomes that the implementation of the TCA continues to progress smoothly with all commitments due in 2023 and in 2024 either completed or on track; calls on the Commission to continue closely monitoring the correct application of the TCA and address identified cases of divergence, which can lead to lower social, labour, and environmental protection standards for both EU and UK citizens and consumers;

Amendment  14

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Underlines the specific situation of Northern Ireland, due to its unique position with access to both the EU and UK internal markets, as a result of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, which was concluded in order to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement despite the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; calls for the full, timely and faithful implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework in order to ensure lasting benefits as well as certainty and predictability for businesses and people in Northern Ireland, protect the all-island economy, safeguard the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, and ensure smooth trade and cooperation, as well as protecting the integrity of the single market and the Customs Union; recalls that the EU has reacted quickly to implement the Windsor Framework and now expects the UK to promptly fully and faithfully implement its part thereof;	7. Underlines the specific situation of Northern Ireland, due to its unique position with access to both the EU and UK internal markets, as a result of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland, which was concluded in order to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement despite the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; calls for the full, timely and faithful implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework in order to ensure lasting benefits as well as certainty, long-term stability, practical support and predictability for businesses and people in Northern Ireland, protect the all-island economy, safeguard the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, and ensure smooth trade and cooperation, as well as protecting the integrity of the single market and the Customs Union; recalls that the EU implemented the Windsor Framework swiftly and now expects the UK to promptly fully and faithfully implement its part thereof;

Amendment  15

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Calls for deepening the EU-UK partnership and fully exploiting the potential of the TCA in areas of mutual interest;	8. Calls for deepening the EU-UK partnership and fully exploiting the potential of the TCA in areas of mutual interest, including through voluntary sectoral alignment, mutual recognition mechanisms and dialogue on regulatory innovation;

Amendment  16

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10a. Welcomes the announcement of a new Strategic Partnership at the EU-UK Summit on 19 May 2025; stresses that this new agenda must remain flexible and responsive to future challenges in order to maximise opportunities for cooperation and competitiveness, enhance consumer protection, improve cross-border trade and access to goods and services, and promote a safe and healthy digital environment for all;

Amendment  17

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
12. Highlights the resumption of the EU-UK PPA in March 2025 after the 2024 European and UK elections; stresses its role in providing parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the TCA implementation; calls on the Partnership Council to consider PPA recommendations; emphasises the importance of the continued participation of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as observers;	12. Highlights the resumption of the EU-UK PPA in March 2025 after the 2024 European and UK elections; stresses its role in providing parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the TCA implementation; calls on the Partnership Council to consider PPA recommendations; emphasises the importance of the continued participation of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as observers; highlights the importance of the recommendation of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly of 17 March 2025 on strengthening the EU-UK partnership, which reaffirmed the centrality of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the TCA as the cornerstones of the relationship, emphasised the need for strengthened cooperation and set out clear priorities for enhancing the partnership;

Amendment  18

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
13. Welcomes civil society engagement in TCA implementation; highlights the well-balanced representation in the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and its valuable recommendations; calls on the Partnership Council to continue considering the diverse views of civil society;	13. Welcomes civil society engagement in TCA implementation; highlights the well-balanced representation in the EU Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and its valuable recommendations; calls on the Partnership Council to continue considering the diverse views of civil society; calls on all specialised committees to strengthen the dialogue with the EU DAG to ensure better oversight and transparency;

Amendment  19

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Recalls that the TCA provides a comprehensive and ambitious basis for the relationship between the parties, in particular for EU-UK trade, while ensuring a level playing field for fair competition and sustainable development; recalls that the TCA is the most unique free trade agreement in the history of the EU, as it focuses on limiting divergence rather than promoting convergence between trading partners; recalls that the TCA is also unique as it provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas for EU-UK trade;	14. Recalls that the TCA provides a comprehensive and ambitious basis for the relationship between the parties, in particular for EU-UK trade, while ensuring a level playing field for fair competition and sustainable development; recalls that the TCA is the most unique free trade agreement in the history of the EU, as it focuses on eliminating divergence while preserving high standards and open markets rather than promoting convergence between trading partners; recalls that the TCA is also unique as it provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas for EU-UK trade, but highlights that it does not offer the same level of market access or regulatory alignment as EU membership; stresses, however, that persistent non-tariff barriers continue to hamper market access and calls for pragmatic solutions to reduce technical barriers to trade, particularly through mutual recognition of conformity assessments and enhanced customs cooperation; recalls the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly’s recommendation on strengthening the EU-UK partnership, adopted ahead of the 19 May 2025 EU-UK Summit, which underlines the importance of reducing trade barriers, enhancing cooperation, addressing regulatory divergence and promoting sustainable economic growth through closer ties, including in the digital and green sectors;

Amendment  20

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16a. Welcomes the UK’s plans to legislate for the indefinite recognition of the CE marking across additional product regulations, which would further ease compliance challenges for EU manufacturers and facilitate the export of products that require such marking from the UK to the EU;

Amendment  21

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Reiterates that the EU and the UK should cooperate closely on the subject of customs, including by ensuring an effective exchange of information, constructive dialogue and effective methods of cooperation between customs administrations, with the aim of simplifying clearance processes in order to minimise administrative and financial costs for all stakeholders;	17. Reiterates that the EU and the UK should cooperate closely on customs matters, including by ensuring an effective exchange of information and data through the creation of a joint database on e-commerce irregularities and fraud, and on non-EU and non-UK traders, in respect of goods coming from outside the EU and the UK, constructive dialogue and effective methods of cooperation between customs authorities, with the aim of simplifying clearance processes in order to minimise administrative and financial costs for stakeholders, in particular businesses and consumers; supports the mutual recognition of conformity assessments and digital customs procedures to streamline trade;

Amendment  22

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17a. Stresses that the implementation of the UK’s border target operating model, the new import regime, has been causing some difficulties as a result of frequent changes in risk categorisation without proper notification, inconsistent interpretation of import requirements, waiting times in carrying out controls and failure to recognise the EU as a single sanitary and phytosanitary entity; is concerned that the UK’s responses have not yet fully addressed the related problems;

Amendment  23

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17b. Emphasises the need for simplified customs procedures tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including wider access to trusted trader schemes and the deployment of smart digital solutions to streamline processes; urges the Commission to actively engage with the UK to simplify customs procedures through the development of trusted trader schemes and the introduction of ‘green lanes’ for low-risk goods;

Amendment  24

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Takes note that the UK Government could reduce barriers to trade with the EU by committing to voluntary and dynamic alignment across key sectors; welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to negotiate a comprehensive Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU, as such an agreement would reduce the administrative and financial burdens on both sides and facilitate EU-UK agri-food trade, including trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland;	18. Takes note that the UK Government could reduce barriers to trade with the EU by committing to voluntary and dynamic alignment across key sectors; calls on the Commission to support this through incentives and enhanced cooperation with the UK; welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to negotiate a comprehensive Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU, as such an agreement would reduce the administrative and financial burdens on both sides and facilitate EU-UK agri-food trade, including trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, thereby ensuring fair competition and consumer protection; calls on the Commission to work towards the conclusion of such an agreement;

Amendment  25

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18a. Urges the Commission to swiftly launch negotiations with the UK to ensure strong alignment of conformity assessments for products, particularly in highly integrated sectors, in order to remove redundant testing, reduce business costs and strengthen the internal market;

Amendment  26

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18b. Encourages the Commission to build on this development by seeking sector-specific mutual recognition arrangements where regulatory convergence already exists, thereby eliminating unnecessary duplication of certification procedures, where appropriate;

Amendment  27

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
19. Reiterates the need for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the UK to maintain the current, fair and rules-based international trade order; calls, in this regard, for additional joint efforts in working towards an inclusive and comprehensive reform of the WTO, answering current and future challenges in a deeply interlinked world, and actively working against any new danger of divisions in the global political and economic order, as well as unilateral and unjustified trade measures and tariffs that have hit both the EU and the UK recently;	19. Reiterates the need for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the UK to maintain the current, fair and rules-based international trade order; calls, in this regard, for additional joint efforts in working towards an inclusive and comprehensive reform of the WTO, answering current and future challenges in a deeply interlinked world, and actively working against any new danger of divisions in the global political and economic order, as well as unilateral and unjustified trade measures and tariffs that have hit both the EU and the UK recently; calls, therefore, on both sides to support consumers facing strains linked to the cost of living;

Amendment  28

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19a. Encourages the EU and the UK to explore possibilities for deeper cooperation on regional supply chains, including the UK’s potential re-engagement with the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) Convention; stresses that such steps would support more flexible and resilient supply chains and help address tariff and non-tariff barriers linked to complex rules-of-origin requirements;

Amendment  29

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19b. Highlights that despite the introduction of the Windsor Framework, challenges remain in the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; notes that stronger cooperation between the authorities and the exchange of information on the future EU Data Hub would improve border crossing by providing the necessary data and documentation;

Amendment  30

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
20. Takes note of the Commission’s assessment that the implementation of the TCA in the areas of services and investment, digital trade, intellectual property, public procurement and small and medium-sized enterprises has generally proceeded smoothly, with no major issues except for the question of the application of the UK’s sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers;	20. Takes note of the Commission’s assessment that the implementation of the TCA in services, investment, digital trade, intellectual property, public procurement and SMEs has generally proceeded smoothly, with the exception of the UK’s sponsorship system for work visas to EU service providers, which remains an obstacle; calls for the acceleration of negotiations on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, including those of architects, and encourages similar sectoral agreements, alongside solutions to facilitate smoother short-term mobility and cross-border service provision across the EU and the UK markets;

Amendment  31

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20a. Calls on both parties to explore options for easing short-term mobility for service providers and entrepreneurs, particularly SMEs and liberal professions, through streamlined visa processes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, with full respect for their respective regulatory autonomy;

Amendment  32

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20b. Encourages close cooperation between the EU and the UK on various aspects of digital trade regulation; appreciates, therefore, the administrative arrangement on the supervision of risk assessment and mitigation efforts by providers of large online platforms, signed by the EU and the UK on 30 April 2024; believes that regulatory convergence and dialogue on digital legislation should be promoted, in particular with regard to online platforms and AI; calls for the establishment of an EU-UK AI forum to promote structured dialogue, regulatory cooperation and joint initiatives in the field of AI, in order to foster innovation, ensure high standards of safety and ethics, and strengthen mutual competitiveness;

Amendment  33

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20c. Calls for the urgent extension and long-term stabilisation of the EU-UK data adequacy decision beyond 2025 to prevent unnecessary compliance costs and ensure the stability of cross-border digital trade; encourages the exploration of a permanent data adequacy arrangement to provide long-term regulatory certainty for businesses; underlines that such an arrangement must remain conditional on the UK’s continued alignment with EU data protection standards and its upholding a high level of protection for personal data, as required under EU law;

Amendment  34

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20d. Calls for the EU and the UK to negotiate an ambitious agreement on business mobility to accompany the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, recognising that the effectiveness of arrangements for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications is intrinsically linked to simplified short-term entry and temporary stay provisions;

Amendment  35

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21a. Stresses the importance of proactive regulatory dialogue to avoid unnecessary divergence in product standards, labelling, packaging and sustainability-related product requirements, which risk fragmenting the internal market and creating new non-tariff barriers in EU-UK trade;

Amendment  36

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Calls on the Commission to continue to closely monitor regulatory divergences in the UK that could pose a risk of non-compliance with the TCA, notably in areas relevant to the level playing field such as subsidy control, taxation, labour and social standards, the environment and the climate; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with access to the data obtained by publishing annual reports; highlights the particular challenge that regulatory divergence poses for Northern Ireland including in the area of trade, and underscores the need to ensure adequate early warning mechanisms;	22. Calls on the Commission to continue to closely monitor regulatory divergences in the UK that could pose a risk of non-compliance with the TCA, notably in areas relevant to the level playing field such as subsidy control, taxation, labour and social standards, the environment and the climate; calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with access to the data obtained by publishing annual reports; highlights the particular challenge that regulatory divergence poses for Northern Ireland including in the area of trade, and underscores the need to ensure adequate early warning mechanisms; stresses the need to minimise the impact of regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK on Northern Ireland to prevent misalignment becoming a trade obstacle; urges both parties, therefore, to ensure that new legislation takes into account the potential implications for Northern Ireland;

Amendment  37

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. [opinion-giving committees];	24. Stresses that expanding the range of sectors covered under the TCA’s public procurement chapter would be a meaningful step toward strengthening the level playing field; welcomes the UK’s Procurement Act 2023, in particular the benefits it offers through the greater standardisation and streamlining of procurement processes, and highlights the need to ensure fair access to public procurement; calls on the UK Government and the Commission to improve market access for SMEs by reducing the bureaucratic burden and thus create economic opportunities and provide incentives for taking them; highlights, in this regard, the importance of reducing barriers to cross-border trade for SMEs and of supporting fair competition and economic opportunity in cross-border cooperation;

Amendment  38

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24a. Calls on the Commission to fully implement the SME chapter of the TCA by swiftly establishing the SME Committee, as provided for under the agreement, ensuring the active participation of organisations representing SMEs; considers that the SME Committee should be tasked with identifying barriers to trade, including to investment, that specifically affect SMEs, and proposing targeted solutions to reduce compliance costs and regulatory burdens, including through the exchange of best practices on SME support schemes and digital company registration; stresses the need for increased flexibility regarding business mobility by broadening the list of activities permitted under short-term visa-free arrangements and reducing the costs and complexities of visa processes for SMEs;

Amendment  39

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24b. Calls, furthermore, for sustainability criteria to be considered in public procurement procedures for specific sectors, where appropriate and proportionate; highlights that measures should be adopted to promote the participation of SMEs, including by simplifying procedures, cutting red tape and ensuring the transparent publication of notices and criteria; notes that the EU and the UK should ensure reciprocal and non-discriminatory access to their respective public procurement markets;

Amendment  40

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. [opinion-giving committees];	28. Stresses that consumers in the EU and the UK face several risks stemming from unsafe and illicit products, and from manipulative selling techniques online; highlights, in this regard, the related challenges arising from e-commerce to which consumers are exposed; considers that closer cooperation and the exchange of important information between the EU’s and the UK’s consumer enforcement bodies are vital to tackling these challenges;

Amendment  41

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28a. Stresses that EU-UK cooperation must uphold a high level of consumer protection, with a particular focus on product safety, e-commerce and cross-border digital services; calls for enhanced collaboration to tackle the presence of unsafe products and unfair commercial practices; underlines the need for regulatory convergence on product safety and digital consumer rights to ensure a consistent and high level of consumer protection, thereby supporting consumer confidence and trust in cross-border commerce; demands that EU-UK cooperation commit the two parties to dialogue and information exchange in areas of shared concern, including product safety, digital consumer rights and unfair commercial practices; highlights that the EU and the UK must cooperate to prevent regulatory divergence that would negatively affect consumer confidence or cross-border trade;

Amendment  42

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28b. Regrets that the TCA does not include a cooperation arrangement related to the enforcement of consumer protection laws, and calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of establishing an arrangement between the EU Consumer Protection Cooperation Network and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority; stresses that such an arrangement would enable authorities to intervene more efficiently by exchanging information related to investigations and exploring joint actions; highlights that such cooperation should be considered under the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation1a, as this enables cooperation with non-EU countries to protect consumers’ interests; welcomes the agreement to resume discussions on regular information exchange between the EU’s Safety Gate system and the UK’s market surveillance and product safety database, in line with Article 96(4) of the TCA; ________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 (OJ L 345, 27.12.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/2394/oj).

Amendment  43

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28c. Calls on the EU to facilitate the accession of the UK to the Lugano Convention to enable mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments between the UK and EU Member States;

Amendment  44

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28d. Highlights the fact that, despite the introduction of the Windsor Framework, challenges remain in the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; notes that these issues have contributed to delivery disruptions and reduced product availability for consumers in Northern Ireland; calls for the full implementation of information sharing, and for better monitoring of new parcel processes and systems under the Windsor Framework and their impact on market access for consumers;

Amendment  45

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28e. Encourages both parties to pursue pragmatic arrangements for the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results in clearly low-risk product sectors, with a view to reducing unnecessary compliance costs and administrative burdens, particularly for SMEs, while safeguarding and further strengthening consumer safety and protection;

Amendment  46

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 39

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
39. Urges the EU and the UK to swiftly establish a Security and Defence Partnership through a joint declaration setting out concrete commitments and launching a structured dialogue to address shared security challenges in Europe, using the maximum potential of enhanced cooperation in this field;	39. Welcomes the fact that the EU and the UK will swiftly establish a Security and Defence Partnership through the joint declaration approved on 19 May 2025, setting out concrete commitments and launching a structured dialogue to address shared security challenges in Europe, using the maximum potential of enhanced cooperation in this field;

Amendment  47

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	40a. Welcomes the administrative arrangement signed on 30 April 2024 between the Commission and Ofcom, the UK’s regulator for broadcasting, telecommunications and postal services, with the aim of overseeing how large online platforms assess and manage risks, including the protection of minors, age-appropriate design, and platform transparency; expresses the hope that this marks the beginning of closer cooperation in addressing these and other common challenges;

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[59], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	15.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	46 2 2
Members present for the final vote	Peter Agius, Alex Agius Saliba, Pablo Arias Echeverría, Laura Ballarín Cereza, Katarina Barley, Arno Bausemer, Biljana Borzan, Anna Cavazzini, Stefano Cavedagna, David Cormand, Henrik Dahl, Dóra Dávid, Adnan Dibrani, Elisabeth Dieringer, Regina Doherty, Christian Doleschal, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Hanna Gedin, Sandro Gozi, Maria Grapini, Elisabeth Grossmann, Maria Guzenina, Svenja Hahn, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Virginie Joron, Arba Kokalari, Pierfrancesco Maran, Nikola Minchev, Piotr Müller, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Reinis Pozņaks, Christel Schaldemose, Andreas Schwab, Tomislav Sokol, Dimitris Tsiodras, Inese Vaidere, Kim Van Sparrentak, Marion Walsmann
Substitutes present for the final vote	Jaroslav Bžoch, Alexandra Geese, Sebastian Kruis, Judita Laššáková, Idoia Mendia, Zala Tomašič, Yvan Verougstraete
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Mireia Borrás Pabón, Bogdan Rzońca, Antonella Sberna, Volker Schnurrbusch, Diego Solier

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

46	+
ECR	Stefano Cavedagna, Piotr Müller, Reinis Pozņaks, Bogdan Rzońca, Antonella Sberna, Diego Solier
NI	Judita Laššáková
PPE	Peter Agius, Pablo Arias Echeverría, Henrik Dahl, Dóra Dávid, Regina Doherty, Christian Doleschal, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Arba Kokalari, Andreas Schwab, Tomislav Sokol, Zala Tomašič, Dimitris Tsiodras, Inese Vaidere, Marion Walsmann
PfE	Jaroslav Bžoch, Virginie Joron, Sebastian Kruis
Renew	Sandro Gozi, Svenja Hahn, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Nikola Minchev, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Yvan Verougstraete
S&D	Alex Agius Saliba, Laura Ballarín Cereza, Katarina Barley, Biljana Borzan, Adnan Dibrani, Maria Grapini, Elisabeth Grossmann, Maria Guzenina, Pierfrancesco Maran, Idoia Mendia, Christel Schaldemose
The Left	Hanna Gedin
Verts/ALE	Anna Cavazzini, David Cormand, Alexandra Geese, Kim Van Sparrentak

 

2	-
ESN	Arno Bausemer, Volker Schnurrbusch

 

2	0
PfE	Mireia Borrás Pabón, Elisabeth Dieringer

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND TOURISM (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Johan Danielsson

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Transport and Tourism submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

 

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Recital K a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ka. whereas easy, efficient and affordable road, rail, maritime and air transport between the EU and the UK is of crucial importance with a view to ensuring a high level of mobility for the many citizens of EU Member States living and working in the UK, and also for UK citizens travelling to the EU as tourists;

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	General remarks   29a. Welcomes the smooth implementation of the EU-UK TCA in the area of transport and the effective exercise of the mutually granted rights in this regard, maintaining effective transport connectivity since its provisional application in January 2021;

 

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29b. Calls on the Commission to continue its oversight of the implementation of the TCA and to enhance cooperation to further integrate the EU and UK markets, facilitate seamless cross-border mobility and infrastructure integration, and achieve mutual climate and transport objectives, in full respect of the TCA framework, based on reciprocity and preserving a level playing field;

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29c. Expresses concern about the increasing potential for regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK, which could create barriers to seamless transport operations and diminish the benefits of connectivity; stresses, in particular, the need for continued cooperation on future updates to passenger rights regulations, which could create asymmetries in compensation thresholds for delays and protection for multimodal journeys, risking consumer confusion and undermining confidence in cross-border services;

 

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29d. Recommends the creation of an EU-UK regulatory divergence observatory to monitor and report on future legislative changes in the areas of transport safety, environmental standards and passenger rights;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29e. Calls on the Commission and the United Kingdom to establish a joint rapid alert mechanism (RAM) for transport disruptions, ensuring the immediate exchange of information on incidents affecting Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29f. Acknowledges the security benefits of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) but warns of potential transport disruptions during its 2025 rollout; calls for swift implementation and infrastructure readiness at airports, as well as ports such as Dover and Calais, to be prioritised, alongside passenger awareness campaigns to prevent border congestion; notes that since 2 April 2025,  EU citizens have been required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in order to enter the UK for short stays, at a cost of approximately EUR 19, thereby introducing a new administrative requirement for cross-Channel travel;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29g. Recommends close collaboration between the parties in relation to education, professional training and recognition of the qualifications of transport workers, in order to combat the shortage of skilled labour for businesses and support worker mobility in accordance with the EU’s social and safety standards;

 

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29h. Supports, in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions and Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, the alignment of EU-UK cooperation, particularly in the planning and implementation of joint projects on military mobility, with broader European security and defence priorities, including the completion of the TEN-T network and dual-use infrastructure upgrades; highlights the need to prioritise digitalisation at border crossings and in transport infrastructure to speed up administrative procedures, and to tackle regulatory differences and infrastructure inadequacies, which continue to pose significant obstacles to the rapid movement of troops and equipment;

 

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29i. Supports the newly established EU–UK Security and Defence Partnership and underlines its strategic importance for the maritime transport sector, particularly in enhancing the resilience of critical transport infrastructure, countering hybrid threats and strengthening cybersecurity, including in the area of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS); calls for close coordination on ship and port facility protection through the consistent and harmonised implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code; underlines the need for continuous coordination on responses to the Russian shadow fleet, stressing that information exchange should be operational and up-to-date to allow both EU Member States and the UK to react in a timely manner;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29j. Stresses the importance of safe and efficient freight transport between the EU and the UK; recalls in this respect that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers are facing increasing challenges, including from illegal immigrants attempting to conceal themselves in their vehicles in order to cross the border illegally, and that some HGV drivers have been violently attacked near the port of Calais; stresses that EU shipping firms and HGV drivers must not bear the costs and consequences of security failures by the competent border authorities;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Aviation   29k. Notes with satisfaction the smooth transition in the area of aviation safety, with good cooperation and sharing of responsibilities between the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, particularly in terms of the validation of certification requests issued by each of the bodies;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29l. Welcomes the bilateral agreements signed to date on all-cargo and passenger air services, guaranteeing continuous and seamless air connectivity between the EU and the UK;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29m. Welcomes ongoing discussions in the Specialised Committee on Air Transport on the non-CO2 climate impact of aviation, and calls for sustained coordination in research, monitoring and reporting, to avoid future discrepancies in legislation;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29n. Welcomes the Specialised Committee on Air Transport’s role in keeping both parties informed of efforts to regulate and incentivise sustainable alternative fuels (SAFs) for aviation, and recommends aligning initiatives to maximise sustainability benefits, promoting innovation and supporting the competitiveness of the aviation sector;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29o. Takes note of the ongoing debate regarding wet-leasing provisions between the EU and the UK, now that the latter has to comply with additional restrictions applicable to non-EU countries, and notes the UK’s demands to streamline procedures in a post-Brexit context in order to cope with high seasonal demand;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 p (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29p. Highlights, however, that these demands must be considered in the context of the current requests for urgent clarification on intra- and extra-EU wet-lease rules and practices, including on oversight and enforcement, and increased efficiency of air services;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 q (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29q. Recommends, therefore, that the Commission propose the revision of the Air Services Regulation1a to the co-legislators, clarifying the rules, oversight mechanisms and enforcement provisions on intra- and extra-EU wet-leasing, to address any issues that may be raised in the context of the EU-UK TCA rather than laying down guidelines on issues where the co-legislators have not yet made a decision; ___________ 1a Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community, OJ L 293, 31.10.2008, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1008/oj.

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 r (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29r. Points out that a number of local and regional airports in the EU operate many connections to the UK; underlines the need to ensure the availability of flights of this kind, which are used by EU citizens living and working in the UK, but also by UK citizens flying to Europe as tourists;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 s (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29s. Recognises that the continuing growth in air traffic and mounting pressures on the global air traffic management system demand strengthened cooperation between the EU and the UK to optimise the performance, efficiency and management of airspace; welcomes the UK’s continued coordination with Eurocontrol, and encourages the exploration of further avenues for mutually beneficial collaboration in this regard;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 t (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Road   29t. Stresses the importance of connecting the UK to the European Registers of Road Transport Undertakings (ERRU) and welcomes both sides’ commitment to make progress on data exchange between national electronic registers on (serious) infringements of road transport rules, contributing to the effective enforcement of the rules on road transport laid down in the TCA; calls on both parties to work on a bilateral agreement to further facilitate cross-border exchange of information in alignment with Directive (EU) 2024/32371a, to improve road safety while safeguarding the data protection requirements of drivers; ____________ 1a Directive (EU) 2024/3237 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences, J L, 2024/3237, 30.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/3237/oj.

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 u (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29u. Welcomes the decision to use the Smart Tachograph version 2 in newly registered EU and UK vehicles, to ensure a continuous high level of road safety and a level playing field on both territories in the carriage of goods by road;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 v (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Maritime 29v. Notes the concern over potential shifts in shipping routes and activity to UK ports to avoid the cost of maritime emissions under the EU emissions trading system (ETS), and urges the Commission to monitor port activity in UK ports closely; welcomes, in this respect, the common understanding reached at the UK-EU Summit of 19 May 2025 to establish a functioning link between the EU and UK emissions trading systems, which should include domestic and international maritime and aviation transport, stressing the importance of aligning carbon pricing and monitoring frameworks to maintain environmental ambition, ensure a level playing field and prevent carbon leakage and distortions in port competitiveness, as well as to protect EU port workers and businesses;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 w (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29w. Supports the Commission’s implementing decision1a to recognise, as of 11 October 2022, the UK system for training and certification of seafarers pursuant to Directive (EU) 2022/9931b, after determining that all training and certification requirements specified in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers had been satisfied; __________________________________ 1a Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1973 of 11 October 2022 on the recognition of the United Kingdom pursuant to Directive (EU) 2022/993 as regards the system for training and certification of seafarers, OJ L 270, 18.10.2022, p. 99, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2022/1973/oj. 1b Directive (EU) 2022/993 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2022 on the minimum level of training of seafarers, OJ L 169, 27.6.2022, p. 45, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/993/oj.

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 x (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rail   29x. Notes that rail transport remains excluded from the TCA’s scope, reflecting the EU and the UK’s reliance on bilateral agreements; welcomes, nonetheless, progress related to railway undertaking licences and safety certification;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 y (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	29y. Recalls the strategic importance of the Channel Tunnel as a vital infrastructure link between the UK and the EU; notes with concern that despite bilateral progress, rail freight and passenger volumes through the Channel Tunnel remain far below initial projections due to high costs, regulatory barriers affecting both freight and passenger services, and infrastructure capacity limits for onward travel within the UK, as much of the British rail network is unable to accommodate standard European freight containers and wagons;

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[60], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

The European Cockpit Association

The European Transport Workers' Federation

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

UK mission to the EU

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	31 3 6
Members present for the final vote	Daniel Attard, Adrian-George Axinia, Tom Berendsen, Rachel Blom, Nina Carberry, Benoit Cassart, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Valérie Devaux, Jens Gieseke, Sérgio Gonçalves, Roman Haider, Sérgio Humberto, Dariusz Joński, François Kalfon, Sophia Kircher, Elena Kountoura, Merja Kyllönen, Julien Leonardelli, Milan Mazurek, Alexandra Mehnert, Ştefan Muşoiu, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Philippe Olivier, Arash Saeidi, Marjan Šarec, Andreas Schieder, Volker Schnurrbusch, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Stanislav Stoyanov, Kai Tegethoff, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Kosma Złotowski
Substitutes present for the final vote	Markus Ferber, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Lena Schilling, Kathleen Van Brempt, Ana Vasconcelos
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Isabel Wiseler-Lima

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

31	+
PPE	Tom Berendsen, Nina Carberry, Markus Ferber, Jens Gieseke, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Sérgio Humberto, Dariusz Joński, Sophia Kircher, Alexandra Mehnert, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Isabel Wiseler-Lima
Renew	Benoit Cassart, Valérie Devaux, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Marjan Šarec, Ana Vasconcelos
S&D	Daniel Attard, Vivien Costanzo, Johan Danielsson, Sérgio Gonçalves, François Kalfon, Ştefan Muşoiu, Andreas Schieder, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Kathleen Van Brempt
The Left	Elena Kountoura, Merja Kyllönen, Arash Saeidi
Verts/ALE	Lena Schilling, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Kai Tegethoff

 

3	-
ESN	Milan Mazurek, Volker Schnurrbusch, Stanislav Stoyanov

 

6	0
ECR	Adrian-George Axinia, Kosma Złotowski
PfE	Rachel Blom, Roman Haider, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Isabelle Le Callennec

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Fisheries submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2021 establishing the Brexit Adjustment Reserve1a (BAR Regulation),
	_________________
	1a OJ L 357, 8.10.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1755/oj.

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, known as the Montego Bay Convention1a,
	_________________
	1a OJ L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 1.

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the ruling of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the matter of an arbitration pursuant to Article 739 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the decision of the United Kingdom to prohibit fishing for sandeel in English waters of the North Sea and in all Scottish waters1a,
	_________________
	1a Permanent Court of Arbitration, Case 2024-45, https://pca-cpa.org/en/cases/334/.

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Recital J a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ja. whereas, on 19 May 2025, the European Union and the United Kingdom adopted a political agreement leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 20381a;
	_________________
	1a Commission statement, ‘A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding’, 19 May 2025, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_25_1267.

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Recital L

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
L. whereas it is the general assessment of the Commission that the TCA is a modern and comprehensive agreement, reflecting the EU’s interests on trade and cooperation, while, at the same time, preserving the red lines that were established by the EU institutions and the Member States during the UK’s withdrawal process; whereas for the years 2021 to 2024, the Commission, in its annual implementation reports, established that, overall, the trade arrangements for goods and services established in the TCA have functioned well, despite minor implementation issues;	L. whereas it is the general assessment of the Commission that the TCA is a modern and comprehensive agreement, reflecting the EU’s interests on trade and cooperation, while, at the same time, preserving the red lines that were established by the EU institutions and the Member States during the UK’s withdrawal process; whereas for the years 2021 to 2024, the Commission, in its annual implementation reports, established that, overall, the trade arrangements for goods and services established in the TCA have functioned well, despite serious implementation issues, in particular on fisheries;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Recital M

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
M. whereas under the TCA, service suppliers or investors from the EU must not be treated any less favourably than UK operators in the UK and vice versa; whereas the non-discrimination principle applies to a wide range of economic activities, including the provision of services, the establishment of businesses, and the protection of intellectual property rights;	M. whereas under the TCA, service suppliers or investors from the EU must not be treated any less favourably than UK operators in the UK and vice versa; whereas the non-discrimination principle applies to a wide range of economic activities, including the provision of services, the establishment of businesses, the protection of intellectual property rights, and fisheries activities;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Notes with satisfaction the effective functioning of the TCA joint bodies; calls for the continued transparency of their work;	11. Notes with satisfaction the effective functioning of the TCA joint bodies; calls for the continued transparency of their work; calls for the Commission to share with Parliament the minutes of the sectorial specialised committee meetings in due time, as well as any documents on agreements reached, and to keep Parliament informed of, associated with and involved in ongoing political and technical discussions on a more regular basis;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	11a. Calls on both parties to maintain an open dialogue at the highest political level; notes with approval the EU-UK Summit that was held in London on 19 May 2025; calls for such a summit to be held annually;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading (new) (after subheading ‘Fisheries’ of the draft report)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	On the implementation of the ‘Fisheries’ heading of the TCA

 

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. [opinion-giving committees];	31. Takes note of the Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on the implementation of the TCA, in particular the points on the ‘Fisheries’ heading;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31a. Welcomes the improved cooperation between the parties in the annual negotiations on total allowable catches (TACs), which resulted in a timely agreement in 2023 and 2024 enabling the application of provisional TACs to be avoided, thus ensuring clarity and predictability for the fisheries sector as regards the fishing opportunities for the following year;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31b. Deplores the instability caused by Brexit in international fisheries relations with coastal states, which makes it more difficult to achieve a balance in the sharing arrangements and to exchange fishing opportunities; notes with concern the fact that some coastal states are taking advantage of this instability by unilaterally and unjustly trying to increase their fishing opportunities, to the detriment of those of the EU; recalls the importance of respecting historic fishing rights; calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and coastal states to achieve sustainable management of shared fish stocks, greater stability and predictability on fishing quotas, in particular in the context of annual consultations and trilateral arrangements;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31c. Recalls that the UK has introduced a fishing licence system for EU vessels to access its waters; notes that this system has significantly delayed the effective implementation of the TCA, as the UK has added many prerequisites to the granting of such licences, penalising in particular vessels under 12 metres in length, which were fishing historically in UK territorial waters, but have had difficulty proving their presence in UK waters; deeply regrets that this situation has led to many small-scale vessels not being issued licences, which has forced them to relocate to other areas or cease their activities, thereby adding to the negative situation and adverse effects caused by other additional costs and bureaucratic burdens associated with Brexit; regrets, furthermore, the fact that the TCA has rendered null and void the Granville Bay Treaty, which, until Brexit, governed fishing in the waters of Jersey; recalls, finally, that the issue of the global ceiling for licences issued by Jersey has still not been fully resolved, leaving some fishers very uncertain about their fishing activities in the waters of the Crown Dependencies;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31d. Recalls that, in accordance with Article 496 TCA, management and technical measures that may have an impact on the vessels of the other party must be notified sufficiently in advance to allow the other party to comment or seek clarification; stresses that such measures must be proportionate, non-discriminatory and based on the best available scientific advice, and must take into account long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability; regrets the fact that impact studies are not systematically carried out with equal participation of stakeholders from both parties and in good faith;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31e. Regrets the fact that the UK has unilaterally implemented numerous fisheries management measures, notably of a technical nature, including bans on certain fisheries, the introduction of minimum catch sizes for certain species, the closure of fishing in marine protected areas (for example in the Dogger Bank), and the establishment of wind farms, resulting in a drastic reduction in EU vessels’ access to UK fishing grounds and resources, particularly in the six to twelve nautical miles zone; regrets the fact that these measures, and those in the social field, have a greater impact on EU vessels than on British vessels, with socio-economic repercussions for the EU fishing industry and particularly for small-scale fishers; is concerned that this type of measure could ultimately exclude EU vessels from entire fishing zones, calling into question EU fishing rights in British waters;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31f. Calls on the Commission to carry out comprehensive and systematic assessments of the social, economic and environmental impacts of these measures, including in the Crown Dependencies, in order to determine whether they are proportional and non-discriminatory, and, where appropriate, to firmly react and use the dispute settlement mechanism or the retaliation measures provided for in the TCA, including compensatory measures such as the suspension of preferential tariff treatment granted to fishery products, as well as all other political and diplomatic means at its disposal;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31g. Welcomes, in this regard, the final decision of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the dispute between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the decision to close the sandeel fishery in the English waters of the North Sea and in Scottish waters; notes that the Tribunal, in this specific case, considered that there was no breach of the principle of non-discrimination, and that the measure was scientifically based; stresses that the Tribunal found that the ban on sandeel fishing in English waters breaches the principle of proportionality under the TCA and that the United Kingdom has failed to fulfil its obligation to grant full access to its waters for sandeel fishing; recalls that the UK is obliged to take the necessary measures to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Tribunal; considers that this decision provides an important legal precedent for safeguarding EU fishing rights and for responding to future similar measures taken by the UK; calls for the Commission to continue to closely monitor unilateral measures taken by the UK to ensure compliance with the TCA;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31h. Is concerned that unilateral measures have a chain effect on the economic and social viability of the EU fisheries sector and value chain; expresses, furthermore, its concerns that restricting access to UK waters is leading to a transfer of the fishing effort to the Channel and the North Sea, with increased pressure on TAC and non-TAC species; highlights the fact that the increased use of EU waters has consequences in terms of security and maritime space management, but also in terms of access to resources, especially for small-scale fisheries, calling into question the social, economic and environmental sustainability of fishing activities;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31i. Calls for both parties to swiftly address the increased pressure in the Channel and the North Sea by proposing a regional management plan to guarantee sustainable exploitation of resources and multiannual fisheries management; reminds the Commission, in this regard, of the North Sea multiannual plan rules, which also cover these waters, and believes that they should be adapted if needed to align any possible discrepancies and ensure legal clarity for the operators and the Member States;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading (new) (after paragraph 31 i (new) of this opinion)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	On the end of the adjustment period

 

Amendment 21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31j. Calls for both parties to respect the principle laid down in Article 500 entitled ‘Access to waters’, to ensure a mutually satisfactory balance between their respective interests; recalls that access to the waters, including the six to twelve nautical miles zone, must be reciprocal and proportionate to the TACs or average catch levels of the other party; calls on the Commission to fully implement this article and develop within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries the necessary guidelines to facilitate its practical application;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31k. Stresses that the TCA sets out a review clause providing for a review in 2030 to strengthen and codify the implementation of the TCA, taking into account that this clause cannot be used to reduce the level of access to waters; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to make every effort to ensure predictable, continued and increased access to waters in the coming years;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31l. Welcomes the political agreement reached on 19 May 2025 between the European Union and the United Kingdom, in particular the renewal of reciprocal, stable and continued access to waters until 30 June 2038; welcomes the fact that fisheries held a significant place in these recent negotiations; encourages both sides to maintain a pragmatic and mutually beneficial approach in future negotiations;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31m. Welcomes the fact that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries formalised the political agreement; calls on the Commission to be vigilant in implementing this new agreement, including on access to the six to twelve nautical miles zone, in particular for French small-scale and coastal vessels;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31n. Reiterates that reciprocal and continued access to waters and fisheries resources must be maintained as a key part of the relations between the EU and the UK and must, therefore, be dealt with in conjunction with other parts of the TCA, such as trade, access to the internal market of fishery products and energy cooperation;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31o. Notes that the TCA provides for a gradual reduction by 25 % of the EU’s TACs in UK waters during the transitional period until the end of 2026; stresses that this reduction was a huge sacrifice for EU fishers and has had a considerable impact on EU fisheries, leading to fleet exit plans and the loss of vessels; welcomes the fact that, after 2026, fishing opportunities will be maintained at least at this level and will not be called into question;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 p (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31p. Regrets the lack of data or studies on the impact of Brexit; calls on the Commission to fully assess the repercussions of the adjustment period on the entire EU fisheries sector value chain;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 q (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31q. Stresses that the TCA provides for the possibility of considering the development of multi-year strategies for the conservation and management of TACs and non-quota stocks; calls for both parties to work towards greater stability and predictability in fishing quotas and to ensure sustainable management of stocks in the North Sea and North-East Atlantic for the fishing sectors of both parties;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading (new) (after paragraph 31 q (new) of this opinion)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	On EU-UK fisheries governance and cooperation

 

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 r (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31r. Stresses the importance of stronger and more stringent cooperation between the EU and the UK, not only on fisheries and marine protected areas management, but in general on maritime spatial planning, as well as on technical, control, customs and sanitary measures involving all bodies, including the Specialised Committee on Fisheries; calls for both parties to improve the functioning and transparency of governance bodies ensuring prior discussion ahead of setting measures, which should be based on sound scientific and socio-economic bases and should be neither discriminatory nor liable to prevent the actors concerned from reaching the quotas allocated to them;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 s (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31s. Calls on the Commission to be particularly vigilant that the conditions set and the agreed terms are complied with and to strongly respond if the UK were to act in a discriminatory manner; encourages, furthermore, the Commission, within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries, to adapt customs, sanitary and control constraints for landings by the vessels of one party on the territory of the other party, for example by putting in place a joint control plan between the UK and individual Member States, provided that equivalent guarantees of traceability and conformity of seafood products are given; stresses the need to secure logistical circuits for both imports and exports, by removing obstacles linked to the absence of health and customs controls in certain ports;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 t (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31t. Deplores the increasing number of infringements committed by UK vessels in EU waters; calls on the Member States’ authorities to strengthen maritime surveillance capacities, increase controls and apply appropriate sanctions;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 u (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31u. Calls for the parties to ensure the coherence, compatibility and interoperability of their control measures, including the remote electronic monitoring and camera systems put in place in order not to add an excessive administrative or financial burden, and not to deviate unreasonably from one another; reiterates that both parties should be in close dialogue with sector representatives before adopting these measures;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 v (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31v. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries has met nine times since the entry into force of the TCA; regrets, however, the lack of transparency and accountability of this body; requests that members of Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries be involved in and invited to attend the meetings to allow for proper scrutiny, and that meeting documents and the minutes be shared as soon as possible;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 w (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31w. Calls for the European Union and the United Kingdom to strengthen their efforts to promote the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, to increase cooperation and exchanges of good practices to improve selectivity and reduce the impact of certain fishing, and to fully implement the ecosystem-based approach;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 x (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31x. Calls for both parties to reinforce their cooperation and coordination at international level, within the framework of regional fisheries management organisation or with coastal states on shared fish stocks management; highlights the need for the EU and the UK to intensify their cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to support the actions needed to eradicate it in all international forums, with special attention paid to strengthening rules on the transparency and traceability of imported seafood products;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 y (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31y. Reminds both parties of the need for greater cooperation in their actions regarding maritime spatial planning, particularly with regard to conflicts between offshore windfarm projects and conservation objectives or with the fisheries sector; calls for a balanced approach between all interests concerning the use of maritime space, which should weigh environmental, economic and social dimensions, ensuring consistency and fairness across sectors;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 z (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31z. Calls for joint efforts by both parties to develop scientific research and exchange best practice in order to identify and remove ammunition from the seafloor;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 aa (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31aa. Calls for all the parties to ensure that the issuing of licenses and authorisations for EU vessels to fish in UK and Crown Dependencies waters is carried out without administrative, taxation or financial hurdles;

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 ab (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31ab. Calls on the Commission, given the specific situation of the Channel Islands, to facilitate collaboration between the parties through better links between regional dialogue and the Quad Meeting; calls for the parties to involve representatives of the fisheries sector, all relevant stakeholders, and local and regional authorities, and to promote the fisheries co-management model;

Amendment  41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 ac (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	31ac. Recalls that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) was established to counter the economic, social, territorial and environmental consequences of Brexit; recalls that this EUR 5.4 billion fund was intended to benefit the fisheries sector, including small-scale fisheries, which were disproportionately impacted by Brexit; recalls that the BAR Regulation required the Commission to inform Parliament and the Council on the state of play of the implementation process by June 2024; regrets the fact that the Commission has not provided any information on the matter so far; requests that, before the end of 2025, Parliament and the Council be informed on the state of play of the BAR implementation process;

 

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[61], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

Comité national des pêches maritimes et des élevages marins (France)

Comité régional des pêches des Hauts-de-France

Comité régional des pêches de Bretagne

Comité régional des pêches de Normandie

Région Hauts-de-France

Représentation de la région Bretagne à Bruxelles

Représentation de la région Normandie à Bruxelles

Union des armateurs à la pêche de France

Direction générale des affaires maritimes, de la pêche et de l’aquaculture (France)

Représentation permanente de la France auprès de l’UE

Ministère de la transition écologique, de la biodiversité, de la forêt, de la mer et de la pêche (France)

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies(3)

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	22 0 3
Members present for the final vote	Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Asger Christensen, Carmen Crespo Díaz, Ton Diepeveen, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Siegbert Frank Droese, France Jamet, Nora Junco García, Isabelle Le Callennec, Isabella Lövin, Giuseppe Lupo, Francisco José Millán Mon, Jessica Polfjärd, André Rodrigues, Sander Smit, António Tânger Corrêa, Emma Wiesner, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, Željana Zovko
Substitutes present for the final vote	Sebastian Everding, Idoia Mendia, Piotr Müller, Rasmus Nordqvist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

22	+
ECR	Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Nora Junco García, Piotr Müller
ESN	Siegbert Frank Droese
PPE	Carmen Crespo Díaz, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, Isabelle Le Callennec, Francisco José Millán Mon, Jessica Polfjärd, Sander Smit, Željana Zovko
PfE	Ton Diepeveen, France Jamet, António Tânger Corrêa
Renew	Asger Christensen, Emma Wiesner, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin
S&D	Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Giuseppe Lupo, Idoia Mendia, André Rodrigues

 

0	-

 

3	0
The Left	Sebastian Everding
Verts/ALE	Isabella Lövin, Rasmus Nordqvist

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND EDUCATION (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Laurence Farreng

 

 

AD_NonLeg

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Culture and Education submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

 

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the new strategic partnership between the UK and the EU, notably the renewed agenda for European Union-United Kingdom cooperation – Common Understanding and the association of the UK into Erasmus+, agreed at the UK-EU Summit of 19 May 2025,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union1a, ___________________ 1a OJ L, 2024/2509, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj.

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Aa. whereas the current geopolitical situation and global challenges show that closer cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom is necessary for the security, stability and prosperity of the whole continent;

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Recital J

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
J. whereas the first EU-UK Summit, scheduled for 19 May 2025, is expected to provide an impetus for exploring opportunities to deepen the EU-UK partnership in a mutually beneficial manner, with security and defence likely to be a key area of focus;	J. whereas the first EU-UK Summit, scheduled for 19 May 2025, has provided an impetus for exploring opportunities to deepen the EU-UK partnership in a mutually beneficial manner, with security and defence likely to be a key area of focus;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Recital R a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ra. whereas the United Kingdom is not part of the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme, the 2021-2027 European Solidarity Corps programme or the 2021-2027 Creative Europe programme;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Recital R b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rb. whereas the cultural and creative sectors are not included in the TCA, which mentions the term ‘education’ only in relation to cybersecurity and the need to educate citizens on related challenges;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Recital R c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rc. whereas, as a consequence of Brexit, EU citizens1a studying in the United Kingdom are no longer entitled to ‘home fees’, requiring them to pay higher international student fees; whereas this change makes it prohibitively expensive to study in the United Kingdom, penalising young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, in particular, as there is no price cap on tuition fees for international students; _____________ 1a with the exception of Irish citizens.

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Recital R d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rd. whereas the Turing Scheme cannot be considered a replacement for the Erasmus+ programme, as it only finances outward mobility; whereas during the UK’s final year of Erasmus+, 2019-2020, the funding allocation to the United Kingdom was GBP 200 million, a larger sum than the GBP 110 million allocated for the Turing Scheme in 2022-20232a; _____________ 1a UK Government, ‘Turing Scheme funding outcomes for the 2022 to 2023 academic year’, 13 March 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turing-scheme-funding-outcomes-2022-to-2023/turing-scheme-funding-outcomes-for-the-2022-to-2023-academic-year.

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Recital R e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Re. whereas from 2013 to 2016, 52.7 % of all mobility placements of UK students took place in an EU Member State1a; whereas 6 out of 10 mobility placements under the Turing Scheme for the academic year 2021-2022 were outside the EU1b; _____________ 1a Universities UK International, ‘Gone International: Expanding Opportunities’ https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/31640/1/Gone%20International_expanding%20opportunities_digital.pdf.   1b The three most popular Erasmus+ destinations for UK students, Spain, France and Germany, have seen a dramatic 43 % decline in average UK higher education participant numbers under the Turing Scheme (The British Academy, ‘The Turing Scheme – Understanding impacts and implications’, November 2023, https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/5022/The_Turing_Scheme_-_Understanding_Impacts_and_Implications.pdf).

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Recital R f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rf. whereas the number of EU students in the United Kingdom has decreased from 66 685 in the academic year immediately before Brexit to 28 375 in the academic year 2023-20241a; _____________ 1a Higher Education Statistics Agency, ‘UK, 2022/23 - Where students come from and go to study’, 8 August 2024, https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/08-08-2024/sb269-higher-education-student-statistics/location.

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Recital R g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rg. whereas the Government of Wales has put in place the Taith international learning exchange programme1a to offer outward and inward student mobility, targeting under-represented groups and smaller organisations; whereas the Scottish Education Exchange Programme’s Test and Learn project1b was introduced by the Scottish Government; whereas the Irish Government is funding Erasmus+ mobility for students from universities in Northern Ireland, irrespective of their nationality, by enrolling them in Irish universities for the duration of their exchange1c; _____________ 1a Universities Wales, ‘Wales beyond borders’, https://uniswales.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/Wales%20beyond%20borders%20FINAL.pdf. 1b Scottish Government, ‘Scottish Education Exchange Programme – Test and Learn: funded projects’, 15 January 2025, https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-education-exchange-programme-test-and-learn-funded-projects/. 1c Government of Ireland, ‘Minister Harris announces mobility funding for Northern Ireland higher education students’, 27 July 2023, https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/press-releases/minister-harris-announces-mobility-funding-for-northern-ireland-higher-education-students/.

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Recital R h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rh. whereas the UK’s International Education Strategy has set the objective of increasing the number of international students welcomed in UK higher education institutions each year from 400 000 to 600 000 by 20301a; _____________ 1a UK Government, ‘International Education Strategy: 2021 update’, 6 February 2021, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2021-update.

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Recital R i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ri. whereas the 2019 political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom stated that ‘the Parties agree to consider conditions for entry and stay for purposes such as research, study, training and youth exchanges’1a; whereas youth exchanges were considered one of the main priorities for EU-UK relations during the meeting of the General Affairs Council of 17 December 2024; _______________ 1a OJ C 34, 31.1.2020, p.1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/treaty/withd_2020/dcl_1/sign.

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Recital R j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rj. whereas UK artists and cultural workers are now subject to Schengen rules, which leads to difficulties, such as significant cost increases, transport permits for equipment and obtaining cultural performance visas, when touring in various European countries in a short period of time;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph R k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rk. whereas the TCA applies a cultural exception that excludes audiovisual services from its scope, despite the EU and the United Kingdom sharing many of the same values in the fields of culture and education; whereas the United Kingdom remains a party to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, and audiovisual works originating in the United Kingdom are considered ‘European works’ in accordance with Article 1(1)(n)(iii) of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive1a; _______________ 1a Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (OJ L 95, 15.4.2010, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/13/oj).

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph R l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rl. whereas the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025 mention working towards a future Youth Experience Scheme and UK re-association to the Erasmus+ programme, as well as the cultural and artistic exchanges and touring artists;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph R m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Rm. whereas since Brexit, EU sportspeople and athletes need a work permit to perform in the UK; whereas the TCA lacks any provisions linked to capacity-building of grassroots and professional organisations, partnerships and exchanges in the field of sports;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Culture, youth and sport	Education, culture, youth and sport

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
34. [opinion-giving committees];	Deleted

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34a. Welcomes the proposal by the Commission to establish a Youth Mobility scheme1a and the outcome of the UK-EU Summit of 19 May 2025 on the Youth Experience Scheme, allowing young Europeans and Britons to benefit from a tailor-made solution to travel, study and work, while removing unnecessary boundaries, paperwork and red tape; underlines that the temporary nature of this provision makes it a cultural and educational exchange not a migration policy tool; notes that the UK already has youth mobility schemes with other countries, such as Japan; emphasises that more equitable benefits can be gained if the EU conducts joint negotiations than if the Member States negotiate bilateral agreements individually; _________________ 1a Recommendation for a Council Decision of 18 April 2024 authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on youth mobility (COM(2024)0169).

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34b. Welcomes the conclusions of the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 20251a concerning the potential re-association of the United Kingdom to the Erasmus+ programme; calls on the Commission and the United Kingdom to start discussions without delay to find an association solution that would benefit both parties; stresses, in this context, the particular role of Erasmus+ as a driver of European values, cultural diversity, civic engagement and social inclusion, and the associated strengthening of Europe’s resilience; notes that the Youth Mobility Scheme and the UK’s re-association to the Erasmus+ programme might be launched simultaneously, highlighting the need for both initiatives to be complementary and mutually reinforcing; _________________ 1a European Commission, A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding, 19 May 2025, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_25_1267; Council of the European Union, ‘EU-UK summit, 19 May 2025’, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2025/05/19/.

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34c. Welcomes the reference to the cultural and artistic exchanges and to touring artists in the conclusions of the UK-EU Summit of 19 May 2025; notes that collaboration with stakeholders in the EU and UK will be vital to support cultural exchange and address barriers facing UK touring professionals; calls for a more concrete plan to tackle the issues artists are facing; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to continue its efforts towards the re-association of the United Kingdom to the Creative Europe programme;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34d. Notes with concern the uncertainties and difficulties that have arisen for students, teachers, touring artists and cultural professionals willing to learn, teach, perform and work on both sides of the Channel; underlines the need for reciprocity in existing or future procedures and measures; asks the Commission to assess the impact of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from EU programmes on cultural and educational exchanges;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34e. Notes with concern that school trips and youth mobility from the EU are hindered by the new UK entry rules; calls, therefore, for the creation of a youth group travel scheme for young people under 18;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34f. Is deeply worried by the decrease in the number of EU students studying in British universities; underlines the fact that this situation is clearly linked to the UK’s withdrawal from the Erasmus+ programme and the end of equal treatment rules regarding tuition fees and scholarships for EU students1a; urges the United Kingdom and the EU to reach an agreement on lowering tuition fees in order to allow more young Europeans to study in the United Kingdom; _________________ 1a with the exception of Irish citizens.

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34g. Strongly believes that the United Kingdom and the EU must deepen their academic cooperation in order to face current geopolitical challenges and enhance their respective soft power; highlights, in this regard, that the principle of international reciprocity enshrined in the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education is key to building stable and long-term partnership between higher education institutions;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34h. Notes the creation of the Turing Scheme by the UK Government, the Taith programme by the Welsh Government and the Scottish Education Exchange Programme’s Test and Learn project, which is currently in its pilot phase; regrets, however, that the Turing Scheme only covers outgoing student mobility and cannot therefore be seen as a full replacement for Erasmus+;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34i. Notes that UK universities are allowed to be part of European university alliances, but can no longer be included in their governance structure, which de facto relegates them to the status of second-class partners; encourages their continued partnership through the European Universities Alliances initiative, benefiting from the new form of a legal status allowing them to be a full partner;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34j. Underlines the fact that the United Kingdom1a continues to participate in the European Higher Education Area (‘Bologna process’); urges the United Kingdom, the Commission and the Member States to continue their work towards full mutual recognition of academic qualifications, diplomas, degrees and exchange periods; _________________ 1a The Scottish higher education system differs from the rest of the UK, which is why it is considered a separate entity within the Bologna Process (European Higher Education Area, ‘United Kingdom (Scotland)’, https://ehea.info/page-united-kingdom-scotland).

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34k. Notes that the EU and the UK continue to be vital markets for cultural exchange, sharing long-standing links and mutual influences between their cultural scenes; recognises the high economic value of the UK cultural sector; calls for new and continuous cooperation between EU and UK artists and other professionals in the cultural and creative sectors and industries, and for their labour rights to be safeguarded;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34l. Notes that the Creative Europe programme was not replaced by any other programme dedicated to culture to support artists in the United Kingdom;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34m. Regrets the absence of any provisions linked to culture and the cultural and creative sectors in the TCA following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the end of UK participation in free movement, resulting in administrative obstacles facing touring artists, especially emerging and independent artists; notes that UK artists and cultural workers touring in the EU have to comply with multiple different visa, immigration and work permit systems; requests, therefore, that the Members State clarify the requirements regarding ATA carnets; calls for the inclusion of the cultural sector in the forthcoming review of the TCA;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34n. Calls for a solution to be found to the post-Brexit difficulties faced by artists and cultural workers, especially young and emerging ones, in relation to touring and participation in festivals, such as customs and VAT rules for merchandising and rules on international transport; asks the United Kingdom, the Member States and the Commission to work towards finding solutions that would foster easier ways for artists to operate across the Channel, addressing visas and work permits for short-term cultural stays and harmonised procedures for customs formalities;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34o. Notes the need to ensure convergence of the future digital regulatory environment for audiovisual and media services in the United Kingdom and the EU to provide stable, predictable and clear requirements for the cultural and creative sector and the sports sector in the face of growing challenges on a global level;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 p (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34p. Notes that the TCA applies a cultural exception that excludes audiovisual services from its scope; emphasises the need for strategic cooperation in the audiovisual sector to ensure the visibility of productions made in Europe and their global competitiveness;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 q (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34q. Encourages a closer cooperation between the UK and the EU to facilitate the participation of athletes in sporting competitions and exchanges of sports staff;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34 r (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	34r. Highlights the negative impact of the fragmented or non-existent recognition of mobility of students and staff, particularly in the fields of arts, culture and vocational education and training; stresses that this hinders efforts to address skills shortages across Europe; underlines that initiatives under the Union of Skills that address the skills gap, the green and digital transitions, vocational education and training, and lifelong learning could partially extend to partner countries associated with the Erasmus+ programme; highlights, in this regard, the added value of the UK’s re-association to the Erasmus+ programme and urges the UK and the Commission to continue their dialogue with a view to establishing an effective framework for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications;

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[62], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

 

 

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

Universities UK International (UUKi)

League of European Research Universities

Office of the Northern Ireland Executive Brussels

COIMBRA GROUP

Performing Arts Employers Associations League Europe

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

British Embassy in France

UK Mission to the EU

Scottish Government

British Council

 

 

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	25 4 0
Members present for the final vote	Nikolaos Anadiotis, Zsuzsanna Borvendég, Laurence Farreng, Catherine Griset, Hannes Heide, Lara Magoni, Eleonora Meleti, Nikos Pappas, Giusi Princi, Sabrina Repp, Diana Riba i Giner, Nela Riehl, Sandro Ruotolo, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Zoltán Tarr, Eugen Tomac, Ivaylo Valchev, Annamária Vicsek, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski
Substitutes present for the final vote	Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Isilda Gomes, Łukasz Kohut, Nikola Minchev, Carolina Morace, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Marcos Ros Sempere, Hélder Sousa Silva
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Niels Geuking, Antonio López-Istúriz White

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

25	+
ECR	Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Lara Magoni, Ivaylo Valchev
NI	Nikolaos Anadiotis
PPE	Niels Geuking, Łukasz Kohut, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Eleonora Meleti, Giusi Princi, Hélder Sousa Silva, Zoltán Tarr, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski
Renew	Laurence Farreng, Nikola Minchev, Eugen Tomac
S&D	Isilda Gomes, Hannes Heide, Sabrina Repp, Marcos Ros Sempere, Sandro Ruotolo, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus
The Left	Carolina Morace, Nikos Pappas
Verts/ALE	Diana Riba i Giner, Nela Riehl

 

4	-
ESN	Zsuzsanna Borvendég
PfE	Catherine Griset, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Annamária Vicsek

 

0	0

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade

on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

(2024/2108(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Loránt Vincze 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on International Trade, as the committees responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
36. [opinion-giving committees];	36. Welcomes the UK Government’s decision to reset its relationship with the EU and expresses its satisfaction at the fact that citizens’ safety remains pivotal under this new approach; reiterates the importance of the continued full implementation of existing UK-EU agreements, including the Good Friday Agreement and the Windsor Framework; welcomes the boost provided by the Joint Statement and Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation, adopted by the UK and the Commission at the first EU-UK summit on 19 May 2025, in terms of enhanced law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, strengthened cooperation in relation to drugs risks and threats, and deepened cooperation on challenges posed by irregular migration;

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36a. Welcomes the mutual commitment to uphold international law and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) expressed by the UK Prime Minister and the President of the Commission in their joint statement of 2 October 2024 on enhancing strategic cooperation and in the Joint Statement of the EU-UK summit of 19 May 2025; recalls that the general conditions for the application of Part Three, as stipulated under Article 524(1) of the TCA, are long-standing respect for democracy, the rule of law and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, including those set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ECHR, as well as the importance of giving effect to the rights and freedoms secured in the ECHR domestically; reiterates that these conditions must be fully guaranteed for the TCA to be applied and implemented;

 

Amendment   3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36b. Welcomes the commitments, set out in the Joint Statement and Common Understanding, to work together more closely in fighting human trafficking and people smuggling, drug trafficking, serious and transnational organised crime, and terrorism and violent extremism, including the online dimension thereof, by implementing Part Three of the TCA more quickly, more effectively and more deeply and by fully exploiting and building on its potential;

 

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36c. Welcomes the conclusion of the 2024 Commission implementation report that the TCA’s implementation in relation to law enforcement and judicial cooperation functioned smoothly over the past year;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36d. Welcomes, in particular, the fact that, by the end of 2024, all Member States and the UK had granted each other access to their national DNA databases for automated searching, in line with Article 530 of the TCA; welcomes the fact that, by the end of 2024, the UK had made 22 fingerprint connections and was ready to finalise the remaining 5; acknowledges the ambition, set out in the Common Understanding, for the parties to strengthen mutual and reciprocal exchanges of data on fingerprints, DNA, and criminal records of third-country nationals and to explore extending the exchange of data to facial images for the prevention, detection and investigation of criminal offences, while underlining that existing and extended exchanges depend on maintaining a high standard of data protection and ensuring that the UK’s evolving legal framework remains compatible with EU data protection requirements;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36e. Recalls the mutual benefit of and need for strong law enforcement and judicial cooperation to tackle shared challenges in areas such as counterterrorism operations, money laundering and human smuggling and trafficking; welcomes ​​the UK’s close cooperation with key EU agencies such as Europol, Eurojust and Frontex;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36f. Welcomes the fact that the UK Government has increased the presence of the UK National Crime Agency at Europol and that it is working, in a broader sense, towards a closer relationship with Europol, including on the ability to share data in real time;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36g. Takes note of the 2023 and 2024 Eurojust annual reports and expresses its satisfaction as regards the UK’s participation and involvement in the agency’s work, with the UK being the non-EU country most frequently asked to participate in new cases opened by national desks at the agency in both years;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 h (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36h. Welcomes the conclusion of a working arrangement between Frontex and the UK’s Home Office in 2024 on the basis of the joint commitment to enhance safety and security while upholding fundamental rights obligations; trusts that this arrangement will enhance cooperation on border management and security, including the deployment of staff for advisory and coordination duties;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 i (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36i. Encourages closer cooperation between the European Migration Network and agencies, including the European Union Agency for Asylum and Frontex, and the respective United Kingdom authorities, in line with the commitment made by the parties in the Common Understanding; encourages the conclusion of a working arrangement on the reciprocal exchange of information between the European Union Drugs Agency and the relevant United Kingdom authorities on drugs risks and threats, in order to facilitate the agency’s work;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 j (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36j. Notes the shared challenges that the UK and the EU face in terms of illegal migration; expresses its strong support for the parties’ engagement in cooperating more closely in multilateral forums and processes to counter migrant smuggling and human trafficking, in sharing operational information on returns to third countries, and in exploring deterrence mechanisms, in line with national, EU and international law, while maintaining their commitment to guaranteeing international protection for those who need it;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 k (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36k. Notes that the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, introduced in the UK Parliament on 30 January 2025, provides for the possibility to conclude agreements with G7 countries and key European partners to counter smuggling; welcomes the UK’s desire to work more closely with individual Member States, including France and the Calais Group, on fighting people smuggling and human trafficking, and, more broadly, on strengthening border security, including border surveillance;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 l (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36l. Recalls that the extradition system between the Member States and the UK, as laid down in Title VII of Part Three of the TCA, differs from the one provided for by the Council Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant1a; recalls that in its recent judgment1b, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that the executing judicial authority must undertake an independent examination of the risk of a breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which the person concerned claims to run if they are surrendered to the United Kingdom;
	__________________
	1a Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA of 13 June 2022 on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States (OJ L 190, 18.7.2002, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_framw/2002/584/oj).
	1b Judgment of the Court of 29 July 2024, Alchaster, C-202/24, ECLI:EU:C:2024:649.

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 m (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36m. Recalls that Part Three of the TCA allows for extended data flows between the EU and the UK, such as the exchange of DNA data, passenger name record data and criminal record information; underlines, therefore, that it is of the utmost importance that the UK ensures that the level of protection is essentially equivalent to that afforded by the EU in order to avoid putting EU standards, and therefore EU citizens’ fundamental rights, at risk when data is shared with the UK;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 n (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36n. Notes the ongoing reform of the UK’s data protection framework through the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which introduces a range of substantive changes to existing provisions of the UK General Data Protection Regulation; underlines the importance of ensuring that this reform does not lead to a weakening of protections for individuals whose personal data is processed in the UK, particularly where data originates from the EU; notes that the Commission has proposed adopting a six-month extension of the two 2021 adequacy decisions with the UK; notes that this extension would guarantee the free flow of data with the UK until 27 December 2025, which would allow time for the legislative process on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, introduced in the UK Parliament on 23 October 2024, to conclude in the UK, and for the Commission to assess the adopted legislation and decide on its adequacy;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 o (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36o. Stresses, in this regard, that the continued existence of the EU-UK adequacy decisions is essential for safeguarding cross-border data flows and ensuring that EU citizens’ fundamental rights continue to be respected under the TCA; notes that the renewal of these decisions will depend largely on the final content and implementation of the UK’s new legal framework;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 p (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36p. Takes note of European Data Protection Board (EDPB) Opinion 06/2025, which supports a technical and time-limited extension of the UK adequacy decisions until 27 December 2025, solely to allow the Commission time to assess the implications of the reform once it is adopted; recalls that the Commission is required to monitor all relevant developments in the UK during this period and to ensure that any future adequacy decision is based on a comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of the UK’s data protection framework;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 q (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36q. Underlines the value of continued EU-UK dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI) governance to promote shared principles and avoid regulatory fragmentation; calls on the Commission and the UK Government to explore avenues for structured AI cooperation and participation in setting standards, and to look into mutual recognition arrangements for conformity assessment;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 r (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36r. Regrets the absence of a dedicated commitment to AI cooperation in the Common Understanding on a renewed agenda for EU-UK relations, despite the strategic importance of fostering transnational alignment on the development of trustworthy AI, and recalls that Article 39 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act)1a allows for the recognition of conformity assessment bodies established in third countries under specific conditions and subject to an agreement between the EU and the third country concerned; ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (OJ L, 2024/1689, 12.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj).

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 s (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36s. Notes that Articles 103-107 and 109 of the AI Act amend existing EU product legislation that applies in Northern Ireland under Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework; takes note of the Commission’s proposal of 24 March 2025 to include certain provisions of the AI Act in Annex 2 to the Windsor Framework, with the aim of ensuring consistency in the regulation of goods and associated services in Northern Ireland; acknowledges that greater regulatory alignment in areas such as product safety and market surveillance may help to support legal clarity and market continuity; encourages continued dialogue between the EU and the UK within the framework of the Joint Committee, with a view to identifying mutually acceptable approaches that uphold high standards of consumer protection and regulatory coherence;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 t (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36t. Recalls the need to fully respect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, as stated in the Withdrawal Agreement; recalls the UK’s binding commitment, under Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, to ensure no diminution of rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement; underlines that the effective protection of these rights is also essential to maintaining trust and cooperation under the TCA, particularly in areas such as law enforcement, labour rights and access to justice; calls on the Commission to continue monitoring compliance with this obligation and to engage with the relevant UK authorities where risks of rights regression emerge; recalls that any amendments to the six EU equality directives listed in Annex 1 to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement must be reflected in Northern Irish law to ensure non-diminution of rights; calls for further efforts to enhance the democratic representation of birthright EU citizens living in Northern Ireland;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 u (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36u. Calls on the UK and the Member States to ensure that citizens’ rights remain a key joint priority in EU-UK relations, guaranteeing that all EU and UK citizens, for whose benefit the Withdrawal Agreement was concluded, can fully enjoy their rights; notes with satisfaction the renewal of the EU’s and the UK’s shared commitment to the full, timely and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in all its parts; welcomes the legislative step taken by the UK Government relating to legal clarity for EU citizens with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and trusts that it will ensure a smooth transition for citizens from temporary to permanent residence over the next two years; points out that the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements identified data-sharing between the EU and the UK as an area that can cause delays in EU Settlement Scheme applications, where Member States possess information relevant to the application; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member State authorities to increase their responsiveness to requests and guarantee a better exchange of information between the UK and the countries of the EU, the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association to prevent delays and ensure a smooth application process for citizens;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 v (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36v. Welcomes the shared commitment expressed in the Common Understanding as regards the establishment of a youth experience scheme; considers that the parties should be ambitious in developing the details of the scheme in terms of the scope, duration of stay and activities covered; strongly encourages the UK, in this context, to show openness towards the proposals presented by the Commission in this area in 2024; strongly believes that an agreement on youth mobility must be an essential component of any future revision of the TCA;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 w (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36w. Considers that such a scheme has significant potential to inspire a new generation of young Europeans and Britons by fostering lawful, people-to-people exchanges rooted in shared democratic values, cultural understanding and mutual trust, and that it could lay the foundation for long-term cooperation, social cohesion, and stronger transnational networks among youth; further encourages both sides to consider facilitating mobility between the UK and the EU even beyond the proposed youth experience scheme;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 36 x (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	36x. Stresses the potential mutual benefit of enhanced reciprocal short-term business mobility arrangements; agrees with the Commission that the UK’s sponsorship system for the granting of work visas to EU service providers is too cumbersome and onerous for both UK employers and EU beneficiaries of visas and calls on the UK to exempt service providers covered by the TCA from the sponsorship system; calls on the UK to continue to take all measures necessary to combat discrimination against EU citizens living in the UK;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[63]1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

 

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

UK Mission to the European Union

 

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

 

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	24.6.2025
Result of final vote	+ : 61 - : 0 0 : 12
Members present for the final vote	Magdalena Adamowicz, Abir Al-Sahlani, Giuseppe Antoci, Francisco Assis, Malik Azmani, Nikola Bartůšek, Saskia Bricmont, Krzysztof Brejza, Jaroslav Bžoch, Mélissa Camara, Susanna Ceccardi, Caterina Chinnici, Alessandro Ciriani, Lena Düpont, Marieke Ehlers, Estrella Galán, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Evin Incir, Paolo Inselvini, Irena Joveva, Erik Kaliňák, Marina Kaljurand, Mariusz Kamiński, Assita Kanko, Fabienne Keller, Moritz Körner, Murielle Laurent, Fabrice Leggeri, Jeroen Lenaers, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Michael McNamara, Ana Catarina Mendes, Verena Mertens, Nadine Morano, Matjaž Nemec, Ana Miguel Pedro, Chloé Ridel, Ilaria Salis Birgit Sippel, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Sander Smit, Petra Steger, Cecilia Strada, Tineke Strik, Georgiana Teodorescu, Tomas Tobé, Milan Uhrík, Tom Vandendriessche, Kristian Vigenin, Charlie Weimers, Sophie Wilmès, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, Alessandro Zan, Javier Zarzalejos.
Substitutes present for the final vote	Konstantinos Arvanitis, Fredis Beleris, David Casa, Laurent Castillo, Geadis Geadi, Monika Hohlmeier, Nikola Minchev, Hannah Neumann, João Oliveira, Leoluca Orlando, Oliver Schenk, Alexander Sell, António Tânger Corrêa, Pekka Toveri, Roberto Vannacci.
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Christian Doleschal, Pietro Fiocchi, Pär Holmgren, Andrey Kovatchev, Andrea Wechsler.

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

62	+
ECR	Alessandro Ciriani, Pietro Fiocchi, Geadis Geadi, Paolo Inselvini, Mariusz Kamiński, Assita Kanko, Georgiana Teodorescu
ESN	Alexander Sell, Milan Uhrík, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik
NI	Erik Kaliňák
PPE	Magdalena Adamowicz, Fredis Beleris, Krzysztof Brejza, David Casa, Laurent Castillo, Caterina Chinnici, Christian Doleschal, Lena Düpont, Monika Hohlmeier, Andrey Kovatchev, Jeroen Lenaers, Verena Mertens, Nadine Morano, Ana Miguel Pedro, Oliver Schenk, Sander Smit, Tomas Tobé, Pekka Toveri, Andrea Wechsler, Javier Zarzalejos
PfE	Nikola Bartůšek, Jaroslav Bžoch, Susanna Ceccardi, Marieke Ehlers, Fabrice Leggeri, Petra Steger, António Tânger Corrêa, Tom Vandendriessche, Roberto Vannacci
Renew	Abir Al-Sahlani, Malik Azmani, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Irena Joveva, Fabienne Keller, Moritz Körner, Michael McNamara, Nikola Minchev, Sophie Wilmès
S&D	Francisco Assis, Evin Incir, Marina Kaljurand, Murielle Laurent, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Ana Catarina Mendes, Matjaž Nemec, Chloé Ridel, Birgit Sippel, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Cecilia Strada, Kristian Vigenin, Alessandro Zan

 

0	-

 

12	0
ECR	Charlie Weimers
The Left	Giuseppe Antoci, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Estrella Galán, João Oliveira, Ilaria Salis
Verts/ALE	Saskia Bricmont, Mélissa Camara, Pär Holmgren, Hannah Neumann, Leoluca Orlando, Tineke Strik

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted	4.11.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	75 3 14
Members present for the final vote	Mika Aaltola, Lucia Annunziata, Petras Auštrevičius, Jordan Bardella, Christophe Bay, Wouter Beke, Brando Benifei, Robert Biedroń, Adam Bielan, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Lynn Boylan, Helmut Brandstätter, Anna Bryłka, Udo Bullmann, Benoit Cassart, Michael Gahler, Geadis Geadi, Giorgos Georgiou, Markéta Gregorová, Bernard Guetta, Enikő Győri, Céline Imart, Hana Jalloul Muro, Rasa Juknevičienė, Taner Kabilov, Sandra Kalniete, Karin Karlsbro, Łukasz Kohut, Ondřej Kolář, Rihards Kols, Andrey Kovatchev, Sebastian Kruis, Sergey Lagodinsky, Bernd Lange, Ilia Lazarov, Reinhold Lopatka, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Marion Maréchal, David McAllister, Vangelis Meimarakis, Sven Mikser, Francisco José Millán Mon, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Ştefan Muşoiu, Hannah Neumann, Leoluca Orlando, Urmas Paet, Kostas Papadakis, Tonino Picula, Daniele Polato, Thijs Reuten, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Mounir Satouri, Andreas Schieder, Villy Søvndal, Stanislav Stoyanov, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, António Tânger Corrêa, Dominik Tarczyński, Marta Temido, Cristian Terheş, Hermann Tertsch, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Inese Vaidere, Kathleen Van Brempt, Roberto Vannacci, Catarina Vieira, Jörgen Warborn, Iuliu Winkler, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Nicola Zingaretti
Substitutes present for the final vote	Jaroslav Bžoch, Nina Carberry, Daniel Caspary, Barry Cowen, Jan Farský, Tomasz Froelich, Merja Kyllönen, András László, Yannis Maniatis, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Gabriel Mato, Ville Niinistö, Branislav Ondruš, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Ana Miguel Pedro, Pierre Pimpie, Reinis Pozņaks, Jonas Sjöstedt, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Mariateresa Vivaldini, Tomáš Zdechovský

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

75	+
ECR	Adam Bielan, Rihards Kols, Daniele Polato, Reinis Pozņaks, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Dominik Tarczyński, Cristian Terheş, Mariateresa Vivaldini
NI	Taner Kabilov, Branislav Ondruš
PPE	Mika Aaltola, Wouter Beke, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Nina Carberry, Daniel Caspary, Jan Farský, Michael Gahler, Céline Imart, Rasa Juknevičienė, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Ondřej Kolář, Andrey Kovatchev, Ilia Lazarov, Reinhold Lopatka, Antonio López-Istúriz White, David McAllister, Gabriel Mato, Vangelis Meimarakis, Francisco José Millán Mon, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Ana Miguel Pedro, Inese Vaidere, Jörgen Warborn, Iuliu Winkler, Tomáš Zdechovský, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski
PfE	Jaroslav Bžoch
Renew	Petras Auštrevičius, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Barry Cowen, Bernard Guetta, Karin Karlsbro, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann
S&D	Lucia Annunziata, Brando Benifei, Robert Biedroń, Udo Bullmann, Hana Jalloul Muro, Bernd Lange, Yannis Maniatis, Sven Mikser, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Ştefan Muşoiu, Tonino Picula, Thijs Reuten, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Andreas Schieder, Marta Temido, Kathleen Van Brempt, Nicola Zingaretti
The Left	Lynn Boylan, Merja Kyllönen, Jonas Sjöstedt
Verts/ALE	Markéta Gregorová, Sergey Lagodinsky, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Hannah Neumann, Ville Niinistö, Leoluca Orlando, Mounir Satouri, Villy Søvndal, Catarina Vieira

 

3	-
ESN	Tomasz Froelich, Stanislav Stoyanov
NI	Kostas Papadakis

 

14	0
ECR	Geadis Geadi, Marion Maréchal
PfE	Jordan Bardella, Christophe Bay, Anna Bryłka, Enikő Győri, Sebastian Kruis, András László, Pierre Pimpie, António Tânger Corrêa, Hermann Tertsch, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Roberto Vannacci
The Left	Giorgos Georgiou

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

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• [34] Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) (OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj).
• [35] Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on markets in crypto-assets, and amending Regulations (EU) No 1093/2010 and (EU) No 1095/2010 and Directives 2013/36/EU and (EU) 2019/1937, (OJ L 150, 9.6.2023, p. 40, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1114/oj).
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• [37] Directive 2011/61/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on Alternative Investment Fund Managers and amending Directives 2003/41/EC and 2009/65/EC and Regulations (EC) No 1060/2009 and (EU) No 1095/2010, (OJ L 174, 1.7.2011, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/61/oj).
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• [45]Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1973 of 11 October 2022 on the recognition of the United Kingdom pursuant to Directive (EU) 2022/993 as regards the system for training and certification of seafarers (OJ L 270, 18.10.2022, p. 99, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2022/1973/oj).
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• [47] Directive 2014/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal workers (OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 375, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/36/oj).
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• [50] Recommendation for a Council Decision of 18 April 2024 authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on youth mobility (COM(2024)0169).
• [51] with the exception of Irish citizens.
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