Fishing shouldn't block defence pact, says EU chief Kaja Kallas

BBC News

13-05-2025

Negotiations with the UK over future fishing quotas should not hold up a security deal, the European Union's foreign policy chief has suggested. Kaja Kallas told BBC Newsnight "a few elements" of a deal were still to be agreed but "I think we are over the fish".It comes as the UK and EU prepare to hold a summit in London next week at which they hope to announce a security and defence pact. There have been reports that some EU countries, particularly France, want to link future access to British waters for fishing with wider negotiations.
Kallas previously said she was "surprised at how important fish are" in the talks. Asked on Monday whether fish could hold up a deal on security, she told the BBC: "No, I think we are over the fish."Pressed again whether disagreements over fishing had been dealt with, she said: "As any deal is not together, unless everything is agreed, we still have a few elements there, but I hope that we'll get there."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to "reset" the UK's post-Brexit relations with the EU and seek closer ties with the bloc. The UK's aims include a defence deal, as well as a wider negotiation of its trading relationship.A security pact could pave the way for greater UK involvement in EU-wide defence procurement projects, as well as access to a loans scheme for British defence firms.However, one sticking point has been fishing arrangements, which are due to expire in June next year under the post-Brexit trade deal agreed in 2020. France wants a long-term deal that gives the EU continued access to the same levels of fish after 2026, rather than negotiating quotas every year.The fisheries industry is only small in the overall context of the UK-EU economic relationship, but has long occupied a prominent political importance.
One of the EU's key demands is for youth mobility scheme, which would make it easier for young people to study and work in the UK and vice versa, for a time-limited period.The UK previously said it has "no plans" for such a scheme, but its opposition to the idea has softened in recent weeks.Earlier this month, European relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the Financial Times the UK would consider "sensible EU proposals in this space".
Commons debate
The EU has been keen to stress that a youth deal would not replicate the bloc's rules on freedom of movement, under which EU citizens were automatically entitled to live and work in the UK without applying for a visa.But the Conservatives have suggested an agreement would "reintroduce free movement by the back door".In the House of Commons later, the party is seeking to force a symbolic vote on its demands, which also include calling on the government not to "surrender our fishing rights" or "create dynamic alignment between the UK and EU". Dynamic alignment means the UK would maintain similar regulations to the EU, reducing checks when food, animals or plants cross the border.Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: "Labour cannot be trusted with our Brexit freedoms. "Keir Starmer and many of his cabinet spent years campaigning to reverse the referendum, and this so-called reset is the first stage in their mission to betray Brexit."
Gibraltar talks 'not resolved'
Meanwhile, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has suggested an agreement over Gibraltar will be needed to secure a closer UK-EU relationship. Talks over the border rules between Spain and Gibraltar - a British overseas territory - have been ongoing since the UK left the EU in 2020. Albares told BBC Newsnight the issue was "not resolved yet". "There is no agreement, and it's very clear," he said."It's part of the withdrawal agreement. We need to solve the issue of Gibraltar in order to have a full European-Union-UK relationship."
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