A delegation of six MEPs from the Trade Committee, along with the Chair of the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, will travel to London from 28 to 30 October.
The delegation’s aim is to meet with representatives of the UK government, UK parliamentarians, EU businesses and civil society to gain insight into the implementation of the trade provisions of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which is scheduled for review in 2026. MEPs are also keen to hear from businesses, civil society, and political parties regarding the implementation of the Windsor Framework, designed to address challenges faced by citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland.
This visit takes place against the backdrop of efforts by the new UK government and the European Commission to “strengthen cooperation” in EU-UK relations. Additionally, the Northern Ireland Assembly is set to vote later this year on key provisions of the Windsor Framework, adding urgency to the discussions.
The UK remains a key trading partner for the EU, and the Trade Committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation and monitoring of the EU’s common commercial policy and its external economic relations. Since Brexit, MEPs have been following closely the evolving EU-UK trade relationship. This will be the first official visit to the United Kingdom by Parliament’s Committee on International Trade in this new parliamentary term.
The delegation will be led by the Chair of the International Trade Committee (INTA), Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), and will include Nina Carberry (EPP, IE), standing rapporteur for the UK, Jörgen Warborn (EPP, SE), Brando Benifei (S&D, IT), Pierre Pimpie (PfE, FR), Barry Cowen (Renew, IE), and Sandro Gozi (Renew, FR), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.
Quote
“I am very pleased that our committee’s first mission of this new term will be to the UK. Although the UK is no longer part of the EU, we will always maintain a special relationship. I welcome that the new government is seeking a reset in EU-UK relations and look forward to meeting government members to explore how such a reset might look like in practice. Regarding the Windsor Framework and the TCA, we are keen to see how these arrangements work in practice and welcome the chance to speak with various actors on the ground. As we prepare to review the TCA, these insights will be valuable for our parliamentary work,” Bernd Lange said ahead of the visit.
Background
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) entered into force May 2021, and together with the Withdrawal Agreement, sets the framework for the EU-UK relationship. The Windsor Framework, reached in 2023, came up with joint solutions on for instance customs, agri-food products, VAT, state aid, and medicines to deal with the effects of Brexit in Northern Ireland. In October 2024, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met and agreed to identify areas where “strengthened cooperation” would be mutually beneficial. The EU remains the UK’s largest trading partner, accounting for 40% of the UK’s foreign trade in goods in 2022, while the UK is the EU’s third-largest trading partner, representing 9.8% of its trade according to the Commission.