Brexit & Beyond newsletter

12 May 2025

Welcome to the 12 May 2025 Brexit & Beyond newsletter

This newsletter looks back over the past fortnight. The UK Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds co-chaired a meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee alongside EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič. While in London, Commissioner Šefčovič took part in several diplomatic meetings, including with the Secretaries of State from the Foreign Office, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Northern Ireland Office.

Meanwhile, last Monday, the European Parliament discussed preparations for the upcoming EU-UK summit later this month. Last week EU foreign ministers met in Warsaw for informal talks.

Back in the UK, the government finalised trade deals with India and the US. At Westminster, the Foreign Affairs Committee held its evidence sessions for its inquiry into the UK-EU relationship reset. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee also continued its work, taking evidence on the implementation of the Windsor Framework.

Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee

The UK and the EU held a meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in London on 29 April. The UK Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations) Nick Thomas-Symonds co-chaired the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency Maroš Šefčovič.

Nick Thomas-Symonds on X: "Delighted to welcome @MarosSefcovic to London today as we review progress ahead of the UK-EU Summit next month. We have shared ambitions to build a safer, more secure, and prosperous future for people across the UK and Europe. https://t.co/7Bt59kn0K5" / X

The meeting included agreement to add four new acts to the list of EU law applying in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework – two acts relating to trade liberalisation measures for Ukraine and Moldova; parts of EU law on supply of critical raw materials; and one act on protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products. This last act was the subject of an applicability motion debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2024, where the Assembly did not agree with cross community consent that the act should be added to the Windsor Framework. Read more about applicability motions here. As we reported in last week’s newsletter, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland wrote to the Speaker of the Assembly saying that the government is “confident in our assessment that this regulation would not create a new regulatory border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.

Following the meeting, the co-chairs issued a Joint Statement. It recorded that the they “took note of the state of play of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement since the last meeting on 16 May 2024, renewing the EU and UK’s shared commitment to the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Agreement in all its parts.”

They also “reiterated that citizens’ rights are a key joint priority” and “welcomed the legislative step taken by the UK Government relating to legal clarity for EU citizens with status under the EU Settlement Scheme and look forward to its practical application. They highlighted the importance of ensuring a smooth transition for citizens from temporary to permanent residence over the course of the next two years.”

The statement recounted that the “co-chairs recalled the importance they attach to the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Windsor Framework for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland, while continuing to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and ensuring the protection of the EU Single Market, to which Northern Ireland has a unique access, and the integrity of the UK’s Internal Market.

They noted the considerable work undertaken to date in the implementation of the Windsor Framework, having delivered benefits across areas, including on agri-foods, trade, VAT and excise, and engagement with stakeholders. They recalled specifically that, since the last Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, the arrangements for human medicines had started applying effective from 1 January 2025. At the meeting today, they also completed important work on safeguards allowing new customs facilitations on parcels and freight to take effect on 1 May 2025.

They reiterated their unwavering commitment to stepping up the work for the full delivery of safeguards underpinning the facilitations, in particular in the agri-food area.”

The co-chairs also welcomed the Joint Committee newly adopted decisions on the implementation of the Windsor Framework.

Parcels and the Windsor Framework

Last Thursday (1 May), new arrangements for business-to-business parcel movements under the Windsor Framework came into effect. The major change is for business-to-business parcels which now require customs declarations.

The UK Internal Market Scheme allows eligible goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland for sale or final use by UK consumers to bypass full customs declarations and avoid duty

All Business to Business (B2B) parcels must be recorded on the Customs Declaration Service. The parcel carrier may handle this as part of their service, but the sender will need to provide them with additional information. In some cases—such as goods bound for the EU—senders may need to pay duty, which can be reclaimed if the goods remain in Northern Ireland.

Goods sent to consumers in Northern Ireland for personal use don't require individual customs declarations, incur no duty, and don't need to be presented to customs.

Šefčovič in the UK

Ahead of the UK-EU summit on the 19^th of May summit, EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič visited London on his first official visit to the UK under the new government. The UK government noted that Commissioner Šefčovič’s visit follows the recent engagement with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen “providing a significant opportunity to review the progress of ongoing discussions between the UK and the European Union.”

Alongside the UK Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds, he met professors at Imperial College London who have benefited from Horizon funding for their projects. This visit comes as UK scientists, researchers and businesses working on the latest innovations in quantum and space technologies have been given access to more Horizon Europe funding, under the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programme published on the 25^th of April.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds with EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency Maroš Šefčovič at Imperial College London https://x.com/MarosSefcovic/status/1917340316342050924/photo/4

The Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds MP said:

“In just under a month, the United Kingdom will host the UK-EU Summit here in London. Today provides an opportunity to take stock of negotiations and the progress made. We are fully aligned in our ambitions to build a safer, more secure, and prosperous future for people across the UK and Europe.”

The government said the “breakthrough comes after a period of constructive collaboration between UK and EU teams and means that more British experts working on space and quantum can now confidently bid for a share of the c.£80 billion that is available through Horizon overall.

They can also build consortia with research partners across Europe, and beyond in Canada, Switzerland, and more. This includes complete access to all Horizon Europe quantum funding calls.”

During his visit to London, Commissioner Šefčovič also met with the Secretaries of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Northern Ireland Office.

EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency Maroš Šefčovič, Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn meet in London https://x.com/MarosSefcovic/status/1917243957446152571/photo/1

Hilary Benn MP, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, posted on X after the meeting that it had been “A really positive and useful discussion… about the Windsor Framework and the benefits that a UK-EU agreement on food, animal and plant standards could bring for Northern Ireland.”

Tory leader meets EU Ambassador

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch met with Pedro Serrano, the EU’s Ambassador to the UK, today in London. The Telegraph reports on a letter sent by Badenoch to Mr Serrano outlining her position on UK-EU relations and the upcoming summit on 19 May. Badenoch told The Telegraph “It’s time Keir Starmer shows some strength. An EU deal done out of weakness will make life harder for British families and businesses. If he gets it wrong, I will make it my mission to take back every power he hands over to Brussels. I will always fight for Britain’s national interest – not sell it off in a panic.”

European Parliament Plenary session on the preparation of the EU-UK Summit

On Monday (5 May) the Members of the European Parliament, together with Commission and Council representatives, debated the preparations for forthcoming EU-UK summit in London on 19 May - the first institutional bilateral gathering in Britain since the UK left the EU in 2020.

In his opening remarks, Commissioner Šefčovič identified “three broad areas where there is scope to further develop the EU-UK relationship:

First, security and resilience. This includes deeper and more structured cooperation between the EU and the UK as close partners and like-minded allies in the face of unprecedented geopolitical challenges in our neighbourhood. This means Defence and Security will likely be a focus of the Summit;
Second, people-to-people contacts, which includes rebuilding bridges for our young people. This reflects our long-standing policy of putting citizens at the heart of EU-UK relations.
Third, the protection of our planet and its resources. We aim to consolidate and advance cooperation on Sanitary and Phytosanitary matters, sustainable fisheries, climate, and energy.”

Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers

On 7-8 May, EU foreign ministers met in Gymnich format in Warsaw, Poland. The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy also attended. The purpose was an informal and open discussion among ministers on strategic issues.

Today, the Weimar+ grouping of the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, plus the EU High Representative met in London to discuss Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security. The group released a joint statement saying “An enhanced security and defence relationship between the UK and EU is key to improving the lives of our people and making our continent more safe and secure, as will enhanced cooperation between NATO and the EU on the basis of the three Joint Declarations, and greater co-operation with Ukraine.”.

UK-India Free Trade Deal

On Tuesday (6 May) the UK government announced it had concluded a free trade agreement with India describing it as a “huge economic win for the UK” and a “landmark trade deal”. It emphasised the potential of the Indian market with its economy expected to be the third largest in the world by 2028.

The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, described the deal as an “historic milestone”, while the UK’s government described it as “the biggest and most economically significant bilateral trade deal the UK has done since leaving the EU.”

The Government says that “Indian tariffs will be slashed, locking in reductions on 90% of tariff lines, with 85% of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.

Whisky and gin tariffs will be halved from 150% to 75% before reducing to 40% by year ten of the deal, while automotive tariffs will go from over 100% to 10% under a quota.

Other goods with reduced tariffs, which can open markets and make trade cheaper for businesses and Indian consumers, include cosmetics, aerospace, lamb, medical devices, salmon, electrical machinery, soft drinks, chocolate and biscuits. “

The Indian and UK delegations sit at a table during trade negotiations
Jonathan Reynolds on X: "Our landmark agreement with India is the largest ever trade deal secured by the UK. This deal will help deliver our Plan for Change, putting more money in working people's pockets, boosting our economy and bolstering British business. https://t.co/FvrstC0oR7" / X

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

“By striking a new trade deal with the fastest-growing economy in the world, we are delivering billions for the UK economy and wages every year and unlocking growth in every corner of the country, from advanced manufacturing in the North East to whisky distilleries in Scotland.

In times of global uncertainty, a pragmatic approach to global trade that provides businesses and consumers with stability is more important than ever.”

The UK-India free trade deal was delayed partly due to India’s demands for more visas for professionals and students. The British government clarified the deal does not change immigration policy, including for Indian students. However, it includes a three-year exemption from social security payments for Indian workers on short-term UK visas. This provision, part of the Double Contribution Convention, was a key demand from India. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the deal will ease temporary work access for skilled individuals: “It opens up a small number of visas from an existing route for chefs and musicians and yoga teachers, very, very small, about 1,800.”

UK-US Free Trade Deal

The UK government announced a second “landmark” trade deal on Thursday 8 May. The Prime Minister said:

“This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel.”

President Trump said:

“The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.”

“The UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products.”

As reported by the BBC, this is not a traditional free trade agreement but one that targets specific sectors, including automobiles, steel, and agriculture. The President does not have the authority to finalise a comprehensive free trade deal, such as the one agreed upon between India and the UK; that authority lies with Congress.

Any broader trade agreement would require congressional approval, a process likely to extend beyond the 90-day pause currently in place on some of the tariffs introduced during the Trump administration.

Sky news reports that under the agreement, tariffs on UK car exports to the US will be reduced from 27.5% to 10%, aligning with the rate introduced during the Trump administration. This lower rate will apply to the first 100,000 vehicles exported annually, roughly matching last year’s UK export volume.

The UK government says the steel industry will benefit from the removal of the 25% US tariff, with a new quota system set at most-favoured-nation (MFN) rates for steel, aluminium, and related products. A 10% tariff remains on other UK goods entering the US, which will be addressed in future negotiations.

In return, the UK has made concessions on agriculture. The deal allows reciprocal, tariff-free market access for beef, with an additional quota of 13,000 metric tonnes. The UK has also agreed to eliminate tariffs on US ethanol imports, offering a duty-free quota of 1.4 billion litres.

Sand eel fishing

On Friday, 2 May, the Permanent Court of Arbitration published the split decision of an arbitration panel in a post-Brexit fishing rights dispute between the UK and the European Union. The three-member Tribunal found that a during the decision-making process to ban sandeel fishing in English waters, the UK did not have sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality, specifically in relation to EU rights during the adjustment period. The Tribunal directed the UK to take the necessary steps to comply with their decision.

However, the panel sided with the UK regarding the ban's application in Scottish waters, rejecting the EU's challenge.

The Guardian reports that a government spokesperson said: “We welcome the clarity provided by this decision, and we will undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance on the specific issues raised by the tribunal. The ruling does not mean the UK is legally obliged to reverse the closure of English waters, and the decision to close Scottish waters was fully upheld.”

k Thomas-Symonds MP, the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office confirmed that a youth mobility scheme is not part of the UK government’s plans for the UK-EU reset. He said: “A youth mobility scheme is not part of our plans. We have always said that we will listen to sensible EU proposals, but we will not go back to freedom of movement.”

Chloe Chaplain, writing in the i newspaper, reports that the Government may be willing to sign off on a youth mobility deal with the EU. An agreement to allow people to live and work abroad for a limited period has been a key demand of the EU in the talks with the Government. The report states that the Government is looking more positively at such a deal, provided that the number are capped.

Speaking to the Sunday Times at the weekend, Chancellor Rachel said “we do want to enable young people from Europe and the UK to be able to work and travel overseas”. But she cautioned that net migration must fall.

What’s next for the UK-EU relationship?

On Tuesday 29 April, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee held its first evidence session in its inquiry into the UK-EU reset. Naomi Smith and Professor Anand Menon from think tanks Best for Britain and UK in a Changing Europe gave evidence alongside Professor David Paton from Nottingham University Business School.

Professor Paton observed that “[t]here is an important balancing act in improving our EU relationship where we can, but also not risking other relationships and other potential relationships in some of the faster growing parts of the world, where there may be quite a lot of potential for future growth and economic benefit.”

Professor Menon acknowledged that “[t]he barrier to trade for all businesses is red tape.” He further identified an oversight gap saying: “If you are signing major trade deals, there should be room for parliamentary scrutiny and approval. It makes perfect sense to carry out negotiations in private… You now have the Product Safety and Metrology regulations, which allow a lot of alignment to be done by statutory instrument without scrutiny. You don’t have the European Scrutiny Committee any more. There is a bit of a hole in Parliament. A lot of the decisions about where to align and where to diverge are, by definition, massively political. They are about winners and losers and big issues of economic principle. I do worry that it is there, rather than in the reset specifically, that we are not scrutinising things as well as we should.”

The Committee heard oral evidence from Professor Richard Whitman (Professor of Politics and International Relations at University of Kent), Charles Grant (Director at Centre for European Reform) and Sophia Gaston (Visiting fellow at Kings College London ) on 6 May.

Charles Grant told the Committee he “would like to see a more ambitious agreement with the European Union” but “as long as the red lines remain, it is not going to be enormously different.”

He continued: “My answer is to go sector by sector. I think we can get closer to the EU in several sectors. We have already discussed SPS—plant and animal health. I think that will happen, because the British Government have committed to it. The next obvious sector to look at is energy, where there is a mutual self-interest in getting closer to the EU.”

Charles Grant further identified the following options: the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM); the mutual recognition to certification bodies; visa and mobility issues; and, touring artists and cabotage rules.

Professor Whitman added that the UK should actively ask the EU to identify where it has "best-in-class" agreements with other countries in various areas, such as foreign or defence policy. The UK should then press the EU to explain why similar agreements cannot be extended to it.

The operation of the Windsor Framework

As part of its rolling inquiry examining the operation and implementation of the Windsor Framework, the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee took evidence from Dr Kirsten Dunbar, President at British Veterinary Association NI and North of Ireland Veterinary Association. The Committee also heard from Dr Lisa Claire Whitten (Queen's University Belfast), Dr Anthony Soares (Centre for Cross Border Cooperation) and Joël Reland (UK in a Changing Europe).

Dr Dunbar highlighted two main issues in bringing medicines to Northern Ireland:

Batch testing requirements: Medicines must be batch tested within the EU. Since Great Britain (GB) is no longer part of the EU, batch testing carried out in GB is not sufficient for medicines entering Northern Ireland.
Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) location: The address of the Marketing Authorisation Holder must be within the EU. An MAH address in GB does not meet this requirement.

Asked about the specific effects of EU rules on Northern Ireland’s farming and agrifoods industries, Dr Dunbar said: “we thought that up to 50% of the current veterinary medicine could be lost to Northern Ireland... Recent insights now estimate a figure close to 10%. That is thought to be due to a number of companies now re-routing product from the EU through the Republic of Ireland, rather than through GB. Some alternative products have also been identified to replace those currently used. The problem is not really the percentage; the problem is if there is a critical medicine.”

Dr Dunbar confirmed stakeholders are yet to receive a list of critical medicines that may be at risk.

With the UK-EU summit in focus, Joël Reland suggested “the strongest indication is the fact that the two most significant policy issues being briefed around this 19 May summit are an SPS deal and emissions trading. What links those is that they both have a potentially significant benefit to facilitate the Windsor Framework and GB-NI trade. It is no surprise that the EU is more open to flexibility of increased UK access to its markets and systems, in those areas that are so integrally linked to Northern Ireland. Reading between the lines, both sides are concerned about making the Windsor Framework work as well as possible.”

With the second panel, the Committee discussed the work undertaken by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Democratic Scrutiny Committee. Dr Lisa Claire Whitten commented: “The Committee is an exceptionally valuable enterprise, effort, development, evolution of the full architecture of overseeing this and scrutinising it, but it also doesn’t have a comprehensive scope, parameters or mandate.”

Asked about the possibility of a small EU resource based in Northern Ireland, Dr Anthony Soares gave the perspective of civic society and said that in his view, “any channel that Northern Ireland can have to enable it to be upstream in terms of the development of policy and legislation within the Commission is absolutely vital.” He noted “a reliance in terms of that when the Commission presents its work programme to Northern Ireland stakeholders and tries to highlight where it thinks there are directives or proposals that might involve Northern Ireland.” Dr Soares said this may not always align with what organisations in Northern Ireland consider relevant submitting “[w]e all have to be attentive to what is coming out of Brussels.”

US tariffs

Last Monday (28 April and therefore prior to the UK-US deal reported above), the First Minister and deputy First Minister were asked for their assessment of the tariffs recently announced by the president of the United States of America.

In responding, the First Minister told the Assembly said: “We have concentrated on building a globally competitive and outwardly focused economy. The US is an important trading partner for us. In 2024, alone, we exported £1·7 billion of goods to the US and imported £750 million of goods. Any actions that create barriers to trade with that significant market are always going to be unwelcome. We have therefore been working closely with our Economy Minister to understand what the announcements mean for businesses here, and, as international trade is a reserved matter, we continue to engage at political and official level to ensure that our economy and businesses here are protected as far as is possible. We also continue to engage with the Irish Government.”

On the subject of tariffs, the First Minister remarked “They are bad for business and create uncertainty... What is important right now is diplomacy, conversation and identifying our local priorities. Working with the Economy Minister, we have done so. We also continue to engage with the British Government and the Government in Dublin, and we have had such engagement over the past number of weeks. Unfortunately for us, international trade remains a reserved matter, so we need to continue to engage with Jonathan Reynolds, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to work out a strategy as far as one is possible.”

North/South Ministerial Council meetings

Last Monday, 28 April, the Minister of Education made a statement on the meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the education sector that was held on the 2 April which was also World Autism Awareness Day. The meeting took place in the Middletown Centre for Autism and was chaired by the Minister. Other attendees included Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Education in the Republic of Ireland, and John O'Dowd, Minister of Finance, who attended as the accompanying Minister. Minister O'Dowd has agreed the statement and that I make it on his behalf.

The following areas were discussed at the meeting: special educational needs (SEN); addressing educational disadvantage; digital literacy; school, youth and teacher exchanges; and promoting well-being and mental health in schools.

On Tuesday, 6 May, the Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, made a statement regarding a meeting of the NSMC in tourism sectoral format. The meeting was held in Armagh on 16 April. The Minister for the Economy represented the Northern Ireland Executive and was accompanied by Minister Gordon Lyons MLA. The Irish Government were represented by Minister Peter Burke TD, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, who chaired the meeting.

Minister Archibald was asked about the impact of the electronic travel authorisation.
She acknowledged the ETA’s “potential to disincentivise tourism in the North, particularly among visitors who come to the South and want to travel north. It can also be seen as a potential barrier for overseas visitors when they are planning their trips.”

Minister Archibald also made a statement on the NSMC in trade and business development sectoral format, which was held in Armagh on 16 April 2025. She represented the Executive with Minister Gordon Lyons MLA and she also chaired the meeting. The Irish Government were represented by Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

The NSMC welcomed the overall achievements of InterTradeIreland since the previous sectoral meeting in October 2024, including achieving a business development value of £115 million in 2024, which is well in excess of its target.

The Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA if “dual market access or the escalating global trade war” were discussed at the meeting.

Minister Archibald said: “The agenda had been agreed in advance of the tariffs issue, and the issue was strongly reflected in my comments, with our concerns about the potential impact of tariffs on the island as a whole and the North specifically. I have established a tariff working group, of which the Member will be aware and on which InterTradeIreland is represented, and will be engaging with InterTradeIreland and Ministers in the South, as I am with British Ministers on tariffs and on understanding what the potential impacts and implications are as the situation continues to develop over the next number of weeks.

Dual market access is a significant driver for our local economy, and InterTradeIreland and Invest NI obviously have a role to play in helping to support businesses to maximise the potential opportunities. That was discussed and raised.”

Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

On Thursday, 1 May, the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC) received legal advice and heard departmental oral evidence on a proposed EU act on detergents and surfactants (COM/2023/217). According to the Explanatory Memorandum, the proposal looks to update the rules on detergents primarily in the area of packaging, labelling and to account for technology advances in the market. It maintains the majority of the Detergents Regulation (EC 648/2004) and remains complementary to the general provisions applicable to chemicals, including detergents, notably the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, EU Biocidal Products Regulation and the EU REACH Regulation.

It continues to state that the proposed changes aim to simplify the rules applicable to detergents, reduce the regulatory burden for detergent manufacturers, account for new market developments and align detergents regulations more closely with other EU policies.

The Committee is gathering evidence on the proposed this proposed regulation and wants to hear your views. You can take part in the online survey which closes on 29 May here.

The DSC also received legal advice and considered written evidence on a proposed EU act on the safety of toys (COM/2023/462).

The DSC also met on 8 May when it received legal advice and heard departmental oral evidence on COM/2023/411 Proposal for a Regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their food and feed, and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

According to the Explanatory Memorandum, the EU has proposed a new regulation to create a new regulatory framework for plants, and derived food and feed, developed through new genomic techniques (NGT), such as gene editing (known in England as Precision Breeding and as targeted mutagenesis in the EU). The Food Standards Agency official noted that the proposal has not yet been agreed.

The officials told the DSC that the EU Commission impact assessment notes that the existing EU legislation does not reflect scientific and technological progress for some NGTs and their products. Further, the European Food Safety Authority concluded there are no new hazards specifically associated to these techniques. The proposal includes the creation of two NGT categories with different regulatory requirements for each category.

The DSC was told that once any proposal in the EU is adopted further assessment would be required to determine if any change would be required in Northern Ireland domestic law.

The DSC agreed to write to the UK government to clarify whether the proposed regulation would apply under article 133 or 134 or both articles of the Windsor framework.

European Political Community

The sixth meeting of the European Political Community will take place in Tirana, Albania, on 16 May, under the theme ‘New Europe in a new world: unity – cooperation – joint action’. 47 heads of state and government have been invited to participate including 27 EU Member States and the UK. The EU will be represented by the President of the European Council, António Costa, who will co-chair the meeting along with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama.

Leaders will first meet in a plenary session dedicated to security and a shared vision for the future of Europe. Three high-level roundtables will then take place around the following topics:

Europe’s security and democratic resilience, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
Competitiveness and economic security
Mobility challenges and youth empowerment

Other news

Research carried out by academics at Bangor University and the University of Liverpool has recorded a significant post-Brexit reduction in lending to SMEs in rural and peripheral areas. The research also revealed a 4.8% annual lending contraction to SMEs in the UK following the Brexit vote compared to similar European countries.
The German parliament elected Friedrich Merz as German chancellor on Tuesday, following a setback in the morning that saw him fall short of a majority on his first attempt. A total of 325 of the 630 delegates in the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, voted for the leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU). Merz needed 316 votes to secure a majority.
Lisa O'Carroll and Jessica Elgot writing for the Guardian last Tuesday report that a draft declaration - being drawn up by London and Brussels ahead of the UK-EU summit - points to a “common understanding” on a number of shared interests including “maintaining global economic stability and our mutual commitment to free and open trade”.
On Wednesday the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee heard from two civil society organisations, NICVA and Co-operation Ireland, in the third evidence session of its inquiry on Strengthening Northern Ireland’s voice in context of Windsor Framework. The Committee heard evidence which discussed the extent to which the voices of Northern Ireland civil society and voluntary sector organisations are currently being heard in the context of the Windsor Framework.
The European Movement Ireland has published its EU Poll 2025: Ireland and Northern Ireland. The survey finds that in Northern Ireland, a significant majority (60%) believe that changes in the EU-UK relationship following Brexit have not improved Northern Ireland’s relationship with the EU, only 29% agree, while 11% remain unsure.
The think tank, UK in a Changing Europe, has published analysis by Joël Reland that argues the UK-EU relationship appears set to increasingly resemble the EU-Swiss one.
The Times reports that the European Union will not allow the UK access to Eurodac, the EU’s fingerprinting system, or get access to real-time alerts on foreign criminal suspects through the Shengen Information System.
The Minister for the Cabinet Office has written to the Chairs of the House of Lords European Affairs Committee and Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee committing to appear before both Committees at least once a year. In his letter, he set out revised scrutiny arrangements for scrutiny of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The Independent reports that researchers from the University of Surrey say that after the 2016 Brexit vote, EU nurses left and were replaced by less experienced or skilled staff, which had a knock-on effect for patients. The study looked at patient-level data from 131 NHS hospitals in England, including mortality rates and unplanned emergency re-admissions.
Registration is now open for the 2025 All-Island Stakeholder Forum on the topic of ‘Mobility across the island of Ireland after Brexit’. It will take place on Wednesday 11th June 2025 in hybrid format from a venue in Dundalk Institute of Technology. Participation is free of charge and open to individuals and all types of stakeholders with an interest in the topic. Advance registration is essential and will close on 3rd June. Register here.
Andy Bounds in the FT reports that a new EU single market strategy to be published later this month will include a proposal for “legislation to establish common rules for the recognition and validation of qualifications and skills of third country nationals” . Such legislation would make it easier for UK workers such as lawyers, engineers and others to achieve recognition of their professional qualifications and thus work in the EU. The Labour manifesto stated that it would seek to “secure a mutual recognition agreement for professional qualifications to help open up markets for UK service exporters”.