EU and UK agree new deal ahead of summit

European trawlers will have fishing access to UK waters while EU will allow Britain access defence fund

Details of a new deal will be announced at the first UK-EU summit on Monday, at which British prime minister Keir Starmer will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The EU and the UK have agreed a new deal ahead of a major summit which will include giving EU fishing boats access to UK waters while the UK will have access to an EU defence fund. 

British government sources said talks were "down to the wire" on Sunday, there was a major breakthrough. The deal has now been approved by the EU ambassadors' committee, it is understood.

The UK has reportedly agreed to 12 years of fishing access for EU boats in UK waters. There will be no change to current access to fish for coastal communities and no reduction in the British quota or increase in the quota the EU is allowed to catch, it is understood.

Further details of the deal are expected to be announced at the first UK-EU summit on Monday, at which British prime minister Keir Starmer will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

Other issues under discussion included defence and security, with reports of talks on a potential agreement allowing British firms access to a €150 billion EU defence fund.

Deals on allowing British travellers to use e-gates at European airports, cutting red tape on food exports, and setting up a youth mobility scheme with the EU, were also thought to be on the table.

Britain's business secretary Jonathan Reynolds described the deal as a "solid eight" out of 10. "I'm not the kind of man to get hyperbolic about these things, but look, this is a good deal for borders, for bills, for security in the UK and for jobs," he told GB News.