EU and UK Announce Summit to Discuss ‘Reset’ in Post-Brexit Relations

THE GUARDIAN: Meeting was delayed over details of youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s freedom to work and study in each other’s territory

The EU and the UK have announced they will hold their next summit to discuss the “reset” in relations between London and Brussels on 22 July.

The summit, which will be held in Brussels, has been delayed several times, with talks over a youth mobility scheme allowing under-30s to work, travel or study in each other’s territory deadlocked in recent weeks, fuelling speculation the summit would be postponed until the autumn.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, confirmed the date at the G7 meeting in Evian on Tuesday.

“Close EU-UK cooperation is essential for our shared European security, resilience and prosperity,” he said. “We are working closely together to make our upcoming second summit on 22 July a success.”

The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, who could be facing a leadership challenge after this Thursday’s Makerfield byelection, said: “My Labour government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe.

“Together we will tackle the cost of living, boost jobs and create opportunities for young people.” » | Lisa O’Carroll, Senior correspondent | Tuesday, June 16, 2026

UK Pitched Single Market for Goods with EU in Pursuit of Deeper Trade Ties

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Top British official presented idea in Brussels but sources say it was rebuffed

This screenshot has been taken from this Guardian article. | UK government sources denied the EU had definitively rejected a single market for goods. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA
The UK government pitched the creation of a single market for goods with the EU as the cornerstone of an ambitious attempt to reintegrate British trade back into Europe, the Guardian can reveal.

During recent visits to Brussels, the Cabinet Office’s top official on EU relations, Michael Ellam, presented the idea to deepen the UK’s economic relationship with the bloc.

But in a sign of the challenge Keir Starmer’s government faces in securing growth through a closer relationship with Europe, sources told the Guardian that EU officials rejected the idea – and instead suggested a customs union or economic alignment through the European Economic Area.

Those ideas are impossible under Starmer’s red lines. He said in 2024 the UK would not rejoin the EU, the single market or customs union in his lifetime. The EEA – a single market of 30 mostly EU countries – would also mean accepting free movement of people, another Labour red line.

UK government sources however, denied that the EU had definitively rejected a single market for goods and said it was among a range of options being discussed before a summit tentatively pencilled in for 13 July. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Rowena Mason | Friday, May 22, 2026

UAE’s Ruling Royal Family Benefits from More Than €71m in EU Farming Subsidies

THE GUARDIAN: Al Nahyans’ control over farmland in Europe has meant they receive proportion of payments to farms

This screenshot was taken from this Guardian article. | Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE, is at the helm of the Al Nahyan family. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
The United Arab Emirates’ ruling royal family is benefiting from tens of millions in EU subsidies to grow crops destined for the Gulf, it can be revealed.

A cross-border investigation by DeSmog and shared with the Guardian found subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyans collected more than €71m (£61m) in six years for farmland it controls in Romania, Italy and Spain.

The Al Nahyan family is the second richest in the world, with an estimated wealth of more than $320bn (£235bn), mostly derived from the Emirates’ vast oil reserves.

Subsidies under the common agricultural policy (Cap) make up a third of the EU’s entire budget, paying out about €54bn each year to farmers and rural areas across the bloc.

But an unknown proportion of this ends up in the hands of foreign investors – including those controlled by autocratic states. » | Clare Carlile | Thursday, May 7, 2026

How Hungary’s Election Result Could Change Europe | The Economist

Apr 13, 2026 | How could Hungary’s election result reshape Europe? Matt Steinglass, The Economist’s Europe editor and Rosie Blau, co-host of The Intelligence podcast, discuss how Viktor Orban was ousted after 16 years in power, by Peter Magyar, the leader of the opposition, and what the resounding result means for Hungary’s economy, democracy and its relationship with Vladimir Putin and the EU.

Orban Loss in Hungary Is a Big Moment for the E.U. Here’s Why.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stymied the European Union for years, and particularly in recent months. Peter Magyar’s election could change that, if only so much.

Viktor Orban has long been a challenge and a frustration for the European Union, and his concession in Sunday’s Hungarian election was greeted by top E.U. leaders as a potential moment for sea change after years of clashes between Brussels and Budapest.

“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, posted on social media as the votes came in.

Mr. Orban has often stood in the way of critical policy goals for the European Union, including blocking a loan to Ukraine and sanctions packages targeting Russia. His administration has long been viewed as a security risk at sensitive meetings because of its comparatively cozy ties to the Kremlin. With the victory of Hungary’s opposition party, led by Peter Magyar, that could begin to change.

Mr. Magyar and his Tisza party have struck a friendlier tone toward the European Union and NATO alike. As voting was underway, he pointed out that it was taking place on the anniversary of a 2003 vote in favor of Hungary joining the European Union — a potential signal that he wanted to break with Mr. Orban’s animosity toward Brussels.

Most immediately, the new leadership is widely expected to clear the path for a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine that has been frozen for weeks because of Mr. Orban’s objections.

“The election result is a game changer for Europe,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. » | Jeanna Smialek | Reporting from Brussels | Monday, April 13, 2026

NYT: What Orban’s Defeat Means for the Rest of the World »

Spain's Pedro Sánchez Attacks Israel: "Suspend the Agreement with the EU."

Apr 11, 2026 | In his speech at the European Pulse Forum 2026 in Barcelona, Pedro Sánchez takes a clear stance on the Middle East crisis, calling on the European Union to suspend the Association Agreement with Israel for violations of international law.

EU Says It Supports Spain Whilst Refusing to Disagree Fully with Trump | DW News

Mar 5, 2026 | Spain has denied US claims from the United States that Madrid has agreed to cooperate with the US military. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off trade links, after Spain refused to allow the United States to use its airbases to attack Iran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Spain has now backed down.

Is Trump Destroying the Western Alliance? Will Europe Ally with China?

Feb 1, 2026 | As Donald Trump hits the EU with tariffs and threatens to colonize Greenland (an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark), European leaders are improving relations with China and seeking new trade partners. Is this the end of the political West and the transatlantic alliance? Ben Norton explains.

Navidi: Trump-Forderung "ist absolute Frechheit und Zumutung"

Sep 16, 2025 | US-Präsident Donald Trump fordert von der EU, drastische Zölle auf Produkte aus China und Indien zu verhängen - bis zu 100 Prozent. Die US-Wirtschaftsexpertin Sandra Navidi hält dies für willkürlich und gefährlich - und warnt vor einer Eskalationsspirale im globalen Handel.

Britannia Unchained by Brexit SOLD OFF to USA

Jul 31, 2025 | £40bn LOST. Animal Welfare Downgraded. U.S. Corporations in Charge.

While the UK public is being distracted by talk of Brexit resets and animal welfare ‘carve-outs,’ the truth is far more alarming.

Keir Starmer has signed away Britain’s sovereignty to Trump’s America without a vote in Parliament. Using Henry VIII powers, his government is now rewriting UK laws by stealth, allowing U.S. agribusiness standards into our food system, including deregulated chicken handling (SI 2025/776) and backsliding on vital protections.

Meanwhile, a Judicial Review has just been granted to challenge this dangerous deregulation — proving we’re not imagining it, and we are not alone.

Breaking News: Trump and Ursula von der Leyen Announces Massive US-EU Trade Deal

Jul 27, 2025 | President Trump and European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announce a US-EU trade deal in Scotland.

Eat your hearts out, Brexiteers! – © Mark Alexander

Trump’s 30% Tariffs Would ‘Practically Prohibit’ EU-US Trade, Says Šefčovič

THE GUARDIAN: EU trade chief says his team felt ‘very close’ to an agreement before US president’s comments at the weekend

Donald Trump’s threat to impose 30% tariffs on European goods would “practically prohibit” transatlantic trade, the EU’s lead negotiator with the US has said.

Arriving for talks with European ministers in Brussels, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU trade commissioner, said a tariff of 30% or more would have a huge impact, making it “almost impossible to continue” current transatlantic trade, which is worth €4.4bn (£3.8bn) a day.

Expressing disappointment, he said his negotiating team thought they had been close to a deal. “The feeling on our side was that we are very close to an agreement,” as he said the two sides had been negotiating an agreement in principle – the outlines of a deal – for four weeks prior to Trump’s blunt announcement at the weekend. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Monday, July 14, 2025

NZZ erklärt: EU-Verträge: Ist der Schweizer Sonderweg am Ende?

Jan 25, 2025 | Die Schweiz ist umgeben von EU-Mitgliedsländern, doch ein eigener Beitritt ist in absehbarer Zeit kein Thema. Seit über 25 Jahren geht die Schweiz ihren eigenen Weg, den bilateralen Sonderweg. Nun steht das Land vor einem Wendepunkt in ihren Beziehungen zur EU: Scheitert das neue Vertragspaket, ist der bilaterale Sonderweg gefährdet. Wir erklären im Video, was das neue Vertragspaket beinhaltet – und welche Punkte besonders umstritten sind.

EU Trade Chief Says It ‘Could Consider’ UK Joining Pan-Europe Customs Deal

THE GUARDIAN: Maroš Šefčovič says ‘the ball is in the UK’s court’ as British ministers reportedly consult businesses

The EU’s new trade chief has said the bloc could consider including the UK in a pan-European trade agreement, but emphasised that “the ball is in the UK’s court”.

While the UK’s Labour government has ruled out returning to the single market and customs union after Brexit, the possibility of joining a continent-wide deal could open the door to closer cooperation with the EU and bolster much-needed economic growth.

Maroš Šefčovič, who led post-Brexit negotiations for the EU, told the BBC that allowing the UK to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) was “something we could consider”.

The PEM is an agreement was originally agreed in 2012 and allows goods to flow tariff-free across borders. Members include the EU, as well as some north African countries, Switzerland, Norway, Georgia and Ukraine. » | Kalyeena Makortoff and Eleni Courea | Thursday, January 23, 2025

Lord Darroch Favours Joining EU Single Market to USA Deal

Dec 29, 2024 | Lord Darroch, former British ambassador to the US said he is frustrated that the U.K. chose to leave the world’s biggest free trading bloc on our doorstep.

Handelsgespräche zwischen der EU und den USA geplatzt

Die Spitze der EU mit dem amerikanischen Präsidenten in Elmau im vergangenen Jahr während des G-7-Treffens
GIPFEL IN WASHINGTON
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Brüssel und Washington können sich nicht auf ein dauerhaftes Ende der Stahlzölle einigen. Auch ein besserer Zugang zu den Milliardenhilfen des Inflation Reduction Act bleibt der EU verwehrt. Präsident Biden habe zu hohe Forderungen gestellt, klagt Brüssel.

Schlechter hätte der EU-US-Gipfel in Washington aus wirtschaftlicher Sicht kaum laufen können. Die Verhandlungen über die erhoffte dauerhafte Aussetzung der amerikanischen Schutzzölle auf Stahl und Aluminium sind vorerst gescheitert. Ebenso wenig wird die EU nach Informationen der F.A.Z. wahrscheinlich schnell einen breiteren Zugang zu den Milliardensubventionen aus dem US-Förderpaket für grüne Technologien, dem Inflation Reduction Act, bekommen. Die Amerikaner hätten an der angestrebten Einigung offenkundig kein Interesse gehabt, hieß es aus Verhandlungskreisen schon vor dem offiziellen Beginn des Gipfels. Mehr als eine Erklärung, dass beide Seiten eine Einigung anstreben, aber noch mehr Zeit dafür brauchen, sei deshalb „nicht drin“ gewesen. » | Von Hendrick Kafsack | Freitag, 20. Oktober 2023

Merkel Warns of Danger to EU of Singapore-style UK on Its Border

THE GUARDIAN: UK poses threat if it fails to match regulation standards of bloc, says German chancellor

Angela Merkel has highlighted the economic danger posed by Britain if it is allowed to become a Singapore-on-Thames as Boris Johnson’s Brexit envoy outlined a plan to ditch the UK’s commitments to stay aligned to the EU’s social and environmental standards.

In talks with European commission officials, the prime minister’s negotiator, David Frost, insisted that the UK is seeking a “clean break” from an array of the bloc’s regulations, a policy choice from the new British government that has caused alarm in other EU capitals. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels and Jon Henley in Paris | Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Is Nationalism Killing the EU? | State of Europe

Since the last European parliamentary elections in 2014, nationalist right-wing parties have made significant gains in many European states. Does the growing influence of right-wing nationalism pose a threat to the ideal of European unity?

To understand what moves Europe's citizens, DW's Max Hofmann traveled around the continent seeking the perspectives of key players and those directly affected by the major issues of today. For example, how the migration drama on the southern coast of Italy originates and ends partly in eastern Germany. Or how right-wing populists in France try to lure in voters - and how comparable political forces in Poland have used similar tactics to gain seats in government. In investigating the topics of environment and climate protection, Hofmann visits the EU Climate Change Dossiers and the EU's largest per capita plastic waste producer: Ireland. Through each trip, Hofmann seeks to better understand the connections and centrifugal forces at play across Europe.

Can Yanis Varoufakis Save Europe?

The Greek economist is back battling the EU establishment, this time at the helm of a new movement, DiEM25. Backed by Pamela Anderson and the world’s most famous cyborg, he is fighting ultra-right populism with a radical agenda he thinks can restore people's lost faith in democracy. As the European parliamentary elections approach, is anyone listening? Phoebe Greenwood finds out.

THE GUARDIAN: Varoufakis draws fire over run for German EU elections seat » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Friday, May 10, 2019

Trump Threatens Tariffs on $11bn of EU Imports Such as Food and Wine

THE GUARDIAN: White House says levies are response to Airbus subsidies it claims harm US interests

Donald Trump has threatened to impose US tariffs on $11bn (£8.4bn) of goods from the EU, raising the stakes in the transatlantic trade dispute between the world’s two largest economic superpowers.

The Trump administration announced the additional levies on EU goods – including roquefort and stilton cheese, wine and aircraft parts – as a response to subsidies for Airbus, the European aerospace and defence group, which it said were harmful to the US.

The latest threat by the White House to slap higher import tariffs on a major trading partner comes after a long-running dispute between the US and the EU over their state subsidy support for Airbus and Boeing, the world’s two biggest civil aerospace firms. » | Richard Partington, Economics correspondent | Tuesday, April 9, 2019