This week’s meeting of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly reaffirms the importance of fostering enhanced cooperation between the UK and the EU and that, whilst progress has been welcome, the Government now needs to do more.

CEF welcomed the reset in UK-EU relations achieved by Rishi Sunak’s government in the Windsor Framework and hoped that this could be the starting point to realise more benefits for the UK. Since then, there have been important steps forward but in today’s challenging economic and geopolitical climate, the UK cannot afford to ignore opportunities that will deliver improved outcomes for Britain’s people and businesses.

Negotiations between the parties should now be expedited and urgent attention given to more areas where closer alignment with our European counterparts will bring benefits to both the UK and the EU, including on SPS, professional mobility, mutual recognition of qualifications, youth mobility, energy cooperation and the Security and Defence Partnership.

Where closer cooperation with the EU brings clear benefits for our economy and security, ministers should proceed with greater urgency and transparency.

Watch CEF Patron, Lord Kirkhope, reflect on this week’s meeting of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly:

Following the meeting of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (UK/EU) in Brussels it is now clearer than ever that we need to go further and faster to reset our positive relationship with Europe pic.twitter.com/IqJamk9GLf

— Lord Kirkhope (@LordKirkhope) March 19, 2026