It is not precedents of Brexit. The European Union and the United Kingdom have embarked on the final negotiations to conclude an association agreement in the Defense Field, before a summit on Monday in London.
The strengthening of the Russian threat and the risk of an American disconnection of the European continent, consoled London and Brussels in their desire to tighten their ties.
Therefore, the British could attend some of the EU ministerial meetings, and vice versa, or participate, if they wish, on certain European military initiatives or missions, according to their draft agreement.
The idea is also to associate more to the British defense industry with European efforts to develop its own industrial base. The United Kingdom has a lot to win in such an agreement, which could benefit its defense companies, such as Bae Systems and Rolls-Royce.
New discussions
The signing of this association agreement is the necessary condition and then opened new discussions to allow London to join, in a second step, a European weapons purchase program, currently in negotiations between the 27.
The latter, called “Insurance”, plans loans of 150 billion euros to finance, in common, purchasing projects and armaments in Europe. Several non -members of the EU can already participate, such as Norway or Ukraine, as signatories of a defense and security association, similar to the negotiated between London and Brussels.
If the United Kingdom joined this program, a European manufacturer would be considered, in the same way as any other EU member country, he assured a European official.
The association agreement must still be signed in London.
No one in Brussels plans to fail, but there are several obstacles to cross, according to these diplomats.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will have the opportunity to achieve this during a summit of the European political community, which brings together these European states this Friday.
Tense negotiations
If the security subject does not present great difficulties, the Russian threat obliges, the adoption of this strategic agreement remains conditioned to other much more sensitive subjects, such as fishing, phytosanitary measures or mobility of young Europeans.
In all these areas, the situation has clearly spread in recent days, according to several diplomats in Brussels.
British negotiators have pressed several member states, hoping to break the European unity, in vain, one of them explained.
The discomfort is in the ranks of the EU, which has negotiated this meeting with Great Britain since officially abandoned the European Union in 2020, they have noticed these diplomats.
The arrival of work last year had changed the situation and facilitated an approach.
Source: BFM TV
