Britain and the European Union will hold their annual leaders summit on Nov. 20 in Brussels.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed the date in a statement to the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.
Brussels and London want to use the meeting to sign off new agreements on agri-food trade, emissions trading, and a youth mobility scheme.
Burnham told the Commons he wanted to secure a deal on the agreements — begun by previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer — and then begin a “calm, clear-eyed, rational look” at even closer relations.
“If we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security, it is a conversation we must have,” he said.
“Sticking with the status quo is not good enough for Britain. Worse, it would be a major dereliction of duty to turn away.”
He added: “Our immediate priority is securing a successful outcome at the summit, and I believe we should then set up a serious dialogue about the different options for our relationship in the long term.”
The prime minister also said the meeting would present an opportunity to “raise our concerns about Made In Europe” — the EU’s program of protectionism which some countries want to exclude the U.K.
Burnham has previously suggested these future options could include rejoining the single market, customs union, or even the EU wholesale.
Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition Conservative party, criticized the prime minister for focusing on the U.K.’s relationship with the EU.
“His exact words earlier this year were, ‘The last thing we should do right now is rerun those arguments,’” she said.
“And yet, here he is unpicking the deal this country signed with the EU a decade after the referendum. He is not going to get a better deal. The EU are tough negotiators.”
She added: “Just like some people thought all of Britain’s problems would be solved by leaving the EU, some now think all our problems will be will be solved by rejoining. Neither of these are serious positions.”
In a statement issued while Burnham was speaking in Westminster, António Costa, president of European Council, which represents EU member countries, said improving cooperation was “essential.”
He said the three agreements under negotiation could be complemented by additional deals on a defence and security partnership, as well as on migration and law enforcement.
“The European Union and the United Kingdom are like-minded partners, united by common values and shared interests,” he said in a statement,” he said.
“Our security and prosperity are closely intertwined, making a strong partnership between us essential.
“By deepening our cooperation, we can strengthen our ability to address the challenges of our time, strengthen our resilience and promote stability in Europe and beyond.”
Costa and Burnham will be joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Nov. 20 meeting. Negotiations have been taking place since the previous summit in May 2025, which was attended by Starmer.
This year’s summit was intended to take place in July but was postponed following the collapse of Starmer’s administration.
Via Politico
