Labour's EU 'reset' plans dealt major blow by Brussels

The National

05-05-2025

The Prime Minister is hoping to open a new chapter in Britain's relationship with the bloc after Brexit, but has hit a significant hurdle as the EU blocked the UK from accessing information, including the fingerprints of illegal immigrants, with British police and border officials, The Times reports.
UK negotiators had been seeking access to the Schengen Information System (SIS), which provides real-time alerts on criminal suspects but these requests have been turned down.
They had also been looking to use Eurodac, the EU's fingerprinting system, which has a record of all illegal immigrants coming into the bloc without permission.
Regaining access to Eurodac was seen as a 'gamechanger' within the Home Office, according to The Times, because it would help bring down the asylum backlog.
Having access to the database would mean caseworkers would be able to see where asylum claims had previously been denied and fast-track people for removal.
UK officials have blamed their 'intransigent' European counterparts, with one source saying: 'This is something that we would see as mutually beneficial but so far there has been no movement.
'The EU's argument appears to be that it would set a precedent and that third parties can't have access to Schengen databases. But it is frustrating, as it makes co-operation in areas like illegal migration much harder.'
Another said Brussels had been 'dogmatic' about accessing data, adding: 'No matter how clear the mutual benefit, they're not budging from the principle.'
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A third source said the UK Government was not seeking straightforward access to or membership of either database, but insisted a 'workaround' could be found to allow data to be shared or replicated.
The EU has long maintained that it is not able to give Britain access to the databases because of Brexit, though the country was never in the Schengen Area.
Starmer has previously spoken of the importance of getting access to EU data on crime and migration.
He said last year: 'I'm absolutely clear that when it comes to cross-border crime, particularly people smuggling, the more we can share the better. The more we can work together, the better. The more we know — whether, in this particular instance, people have claimed asylum in a previous country and something can be done about it — the better.'
The Times reports that the data impasse is expected to make it harder to agree to a youth mobility scheme, which was being touted to be announced in principle at a 'reset' summit on May 19.
A senior Government source told the paper: 'We are proceeding on the basis that it won't happen because it can't happen without at least some concession from the EU on data.'
It is now expected that the announcement will be scaled down to a commitment for both sides to explore the possibility of giving young people the chance to work and study in the EU.
A government spokesman said: 'We are not providing a running commentary on our discussions with the EU. These are ongoing and cover a wide range of issues. Together we want to build a safer, more secure and more prosperous UK and we have been clear that we will always act in the national interest to secure the best outcomes for the UK.'