Implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
This report assesses the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which governs the relationship between the EU and the UK after Brexit. It covers trade, energy, security, and other areas, aiming to ensure fair competition and sustainable development. The TCA affects businesses, citizens, and governments in both the EU and the UK. It replaced previous arrangements when the UK was an EU member, impacting trade, travel, and cooperation across various sectors. Key changes include the establishment of a new framework for trade with zero tariffs and quotas, but also new customs procedures and regulatory requirements. Recent developments include a new Security and Defence Partnership and renewed cooperation on foreign policy. The agreement includes dispute settlement mechanisms and requires regular reviews. The EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly facilitates cooperation between lawmakers. Recent summits have focused on deepening this partnership, with commitments to address areas like sanitary and phytosanitary measures and youth mobility.
Analysis
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) establishes a new framework for EU-UK relations, covering trade, energy, judicial cooperation, fisheries, transport, and social security coordination.
What changes
- The EU-UK Summit on May 19, 2025, resulted in a Security and Defence Partnership, formalizing cooperation in foreign policy, security, and defence.
- The EU-UK Summit on May 19, 2025, also led to a renewed agenda for cooperation, including progress on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and energy cooperation.
- The UK's participation in the Horizon Europe and Copernicus Programmes as an associated country is noted.
Expected impact
- The TCA aims to ensure a level playing field by requiring both parties to maintain high standards in environmental protection, climate change, carbon pricing, social rights, and tax transparency.
- The TCA provides zero tariffs and zero quotas on goods, but non-tariff barriers like increased customs declarations and compliance checks raise operational costs and cause delays for businesses.
- The TCA includes provisions for social security coordination to protect the rights of individuals moving between the EU and UK after January 1, 2021.
Limitations
- The document is a report on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and does not contain the full text of the agreement itself, limiting the ability to analyze specific legal provisions in detail.
- Specific financial details or quantitative data on trade flows, investment, or the impact of non-tariff barriers are not provided in this report, preventing a detailed economic impact assessment.
- The document focuses on the implementation of the TCA and related agreements, and does not provide analysis on areas outside of this scope, such as the full implications of the UK's participation in specific EU programs beyond Horizon Europe and Copernicus.
Shadow Rapporteurs
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