Second UK-EU Summit: Scottish Government priorities

Wider objectives for deepening the UK-EU relationship

Beyond the ongoing core negotiations, we call on the UK Government to use the second Summit to commit to pursuing a much deeper relationship with the EU, across a much wider range of areas, and to set out how progress will be made on this ahead of the next Summit – including, for example, significantly more ambitious steps forward on:

• removing wider Brexit barriers to trade beyond SPS and energy, enabling greater alignment and integration with the EU Single Market – including seeking a Mutual Recognition Agreement on Conformity Assessment Bodies, and pursuing participation in the Pan Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) Convention on rules of origin
• improving market access for services – via closer cooperation on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ), and better arrangements for short-term business travel, including for touring artists and legal professionals 
• UK association to a wide range of EU programmes – including association to AgoraEU, European Territorial Cooperation, and the European Competitiveness Fund under the next Multiannual Financial Framework from 2028-2034, as well as continued participation in Horizon and Erasmus+
• closer law enforcement and judicial cooperation – including seeking to establish the reciprocal exchange of law enforcement alerts including real-time arrest warrant transmission and circulation, and enhanced cooperation around criminal records exchange with access to ECRIS-TCN
• closer security and defence links – including through joining the European Competitiveness Fund, exploring further opportunities for participation in PESCO projects and other programmes, as well as both parties reconsidering UK participation in any future SAFE funding rounds