Report

The informal EU summit on 3 February 2025 in Brussels marked the first time a British Prime Minister participated since Brexit. For PM Keir Starmer, it was a crucial opportunity to reset the United Kingdom’s (UK) relationship with the European Union under the banner of a “Brexit Reset.” Unlike any other Prime Minister since Theresa May, Starmer has set a comprehensive revision of UK-EU relations as his goal. Accordingly, he has established a dedicated team within the Cabinet Office, led by EU Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, to handle negotiations with the EU. At the same time, the Prime Minister has publicly committed to substantive red lines, ruling out a return to the Single Market, the Customs Union, or freedom of movement. Instead, the UK seeks tailored agreements in trade policy, crime prevention, and security cooperation.