Remarks by Commissioner Šefčovič at the European Parliament Plenary debate on the EU-UK Summit: renewed ambition for a closer partnership

We have been working intensively with our UK partners to prepare our upcoming Summit on 20 November.  

This will be the second Summit at Leaders level since the UK's withdrawal from the EU, and it represents significant progress in our relationship.

We have been in close contact with our UK partners, with President von der Leyen meeting with UK Prime Minister Burnham in New York in September.

While I have been in close touch with my counterpart, Hamish Falconer, including a phone call just this morning.  

Our partnership with the UK remains of vital importance in the current geopolitical, security and economic context.

It is therefore in our best interests to make further progress in our relationship with a close partner and ally.

While of course always ensuring EU interests always remain at the heart of what we do.

I would like to highlight three points on our expectations for the Summit.  

First, in the Common Understanding agreed at the 2025 Summit, the EU and UK recommitted to the full, timely and faithful implementation of the existing agreements.

Namely, the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

As I have underlined many times, these agreements are the cornerstone of our bilateral relations and the essential foundation for our cooperation.

The Withdrawal Agreement protects almost 6 million EU citizens in the UK and about 1 million UK nationals in the EU.

We must ensure they can fully enjoy their rights, now and in the future. That is why we continue to push for solutions on all matters affecting them.

The Windsor Framework plays a vital role in avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, thus protecting the hard-earned gains of the peace process.

Work continues towards ensuring its full delivery, as flexibilities for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland go hand in hand with safeguards for the protection of the EU Single Market.