David Phinnemore

Talks on food and meat sales between EU and UK could be completed ‘in less than a year’ It had been understood that they could take until 2027

Sefcovic: “Based on the trust we have rebuilt over the last years, I’m convinced that we can proceed with the SPS negotiations very quickly. We are now very well advanced in getting the mandate from the member states to do that.”

www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

Brits want Nigel Farage to step away from the Brexit shredder Polling commissioned by POLITICO shows wide public support for Labour’s EU reset.

‘versus just 22 percent who are opposed’

www.politico.eu/article/uk-w...

‘Polling commissioned by POLITICO shows the government’s agri-food deal agreed in principle with Brussels is popular with Remainers and Leavers alike — even when they're told it means following EU rules.

‘Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of voters back the deal…

Joint Statement from today's EU-UK Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework.

Work still to be done on 'full, timely and faithful' implementation.

More detail than in past statements

Value of stakeholder engagement flagged

commission.europa.eu/document/dow...

Macron’s big European meeting is turning into a speed-dating exercise The once-hyped European Political Community hasn’t produced major deliverables, but it’s still useful for dialogue and showcasing policy initiatives.

Latest European Political Community summit in Copenhagen today.

'While the gathering hasn’t lived up to the hype set by Macron, most of those who spoke to POLITICO said it would be wrong to consider it a failure. Dialogue doesn’t hurt anyone, after all.'
www.politico.eu/article/macr...

Next meeting of the EU-UK Specialised Committee on the Windsor Framework meets tomorrow, 2 October 2025.

Agenda 👇 (same as for previous meeting in June)

commission.europa.eu/publications...

‘on Turkey’s membership, just as Bulgarians want to be able to draw the line on North Macedonia, and Croats to block Serbia.’

Hungary’s Orbán has unlikely potential allies in bid to keep Ukraine out of the EU Other European leaders may disagree with Hungary, but several support his right to veto EU membership bids at every step.

‘The plan faces pushback from several EU countries, including France, the Netherlands and Greece, … they would also be limiting their own ability to block membership bids they see as problematic… It’s important to the Greeks…to show they can hold up talks on…
www.politico.eu/article/hung...

EU moves to advance Ukraine’s accession by sidestepping Hungary Brussels advises Kyiv to advance technical work despite Budapest holding up talks

‘The European Commission has proposed adjusting its own rules to circumvent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s veto by starting the technical work in several “clusters” even in the absence of a formal decision to open talks in those areas… officials said.’
www.ft.com/content/3642...

Pro-EU party in Moldova set to win vote mired in claims of Russian interference The election was seen as critical for Moldova's EU path, and President Maia Sandu warned the country's future was in danger.

‘[The] Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured 50% of the vote, with most of the 1.6m votes counted, far ahead of the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc on under 25%. Turnout was 52%, higher than in recent years.’
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Costa seeks to bypass Orbán’s veto on Ukraine’s EU membership bid Brussels’ rules requiring all 27 member countries to agree on new entrants will face scrutiny at a summit this week in Copenhagen.

‘Under Costa’s proposal, so-called negotiating clusters — key legal steps on the path to membership — could be opened with the assent of a qualified majority of EU countries rather than unanimous agreement. Closing a cluster would still require [unanimity]’
www.politico.eu/article/anto...

“immediate sphere of influence, and at the same time it would embolden both Ukraine and other neighbors.”

Moldova’s Election Is a Test for Russian Influence in Europe Moldova’s parliamentary election is make-or-break for the country’s European future. The outcome will test whether Chișinău will stay on the EU accession path or fall prey to Russia’s multi-domain int...

“EU accession is both Moldova’s opportunity and its vulnerability. For citizens, it represents a way out of Russia’s grip and a path to stability. For Moscow, it is a make-or-break issue. Losing Moldova to Europe would expose weakness in what it considers…
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...

EU and Russia on the ballot in Moldova’s existential election Maia Sandu’s pro-European party fights to preserve its parliamentary majority as Russia ramps up vote-buying and disinformation campaigns.

"undecided voters and Russian vote-buying could tip the scales on Sunday. If PAS does not get the majority, which looks increasingly likely, experts predict it will be left without reliable coalition partners — and Champagne corks will be popping in the Kremlin"

www.politico.eu/article/maia...

UK students get chance to study in Europe from January 2027 under new Erasmus deal The EU is pushing for a rapid agreement for Britain to rejoin the student exchange scheme

As so often the headline misleads

It's a question of 'may'.

And so much depends on each side's priorties, the trade offs they are willing to make and securing the requisite progress across a complex set of parallel negotiations.

inews.co.uk/news/politic...

How to radically simplify and streamline the EU enlargement process – CEPS Over the last year the EU’s enlargement process has seen the implementation of a new ‘gradual integration’ concept, allowing for some modest elements of single

"The Commission should abandon waiting for Member States’ unanimity at every single step in the negotiation process. This relatively recent practice has no basis in EU law and should be dropped" - Michael Emerson and @stevenblockmans.bsky.social at @ceps.eu
www.ceps.eu/ceps-publica...

France proposes ceiling on value of UK components in €150bn EU defence fund Negotiations soon to begin on UK’s entry to Safe scheme, which it hopes will secure bigger role for its defence firms

'A large majority of member states oppose restrictions on UK participation, as they want flexibility over defence procurement. One EU diplomat described the proposed 50% limit as “the classic French obsession”.'
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

And a nod to a previous Bruges speech 37 years ago…

Latest speech on UK-EU relations from Nick Thomas-Symonds… in Bruges

“Sovereignty is not some delicate fossil…

…it should be a modern tool which helps us to make pragmatic decisions about the future.

All this means some alignment on standards…”

www.gov.uk/government/s...

Norway is increasingly disadvantaged outside EU, foreign minister says Espen Barth Eide and centre-right rival say Oslo is vulnerable while it remains outside bloc but neither plan a vote on joining

‘Both the Labour party and [the] Conservatives want Norway to join the EU but neither want to call for a new referendum imminently, as opinion polls show most voters reject membership of the bloc’

www.ft.com/content/6c89...

DUP leader Gavin Robinson says post-Brexit review fails to deliver solutions Gavin Robinson says an independent review "has not challenged the reality" of Northern Ireland being subject to EU laws.

Post-Brexit review fails to offer solutions, says DUP leader
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Small businesses ‘bewildered’ by post-Brexit trade rules, says major review An independent review into Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade arrangements has found that small and medium-sized companies are “often bewildered” by new rules and processes.

Coverage of and reaction to the report:

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...

For background 👇

bsky.app/profile/dphi...

Initial response from UKG 👇

... to be followed by written response to the recommendations of the report within six months

questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

'Issues for Business and Trade'... and Article 2

Recommendations made regarding 'Democratic Deficit'

Review's purpose: to 'examine issues required to be addressed for the Windsor Framework arrangements to command cross-community support'... and make 'practical recommendations'

noting 'context that the [WF] is an international commitment to which [UKG] has committed to implement in good faith.

Lord Murphy's Independent Review of the Windsor Framework published today

Follows consultations with NI political parties, businesses, trade organisations, trade unions and civil society representatives, and 500 written submissions.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b59a...

Latest Eurobarometer looks at attitudes towards EU enlargement.

Majority support in most member states.

Among exceptions: France… where default constitutional position is ratification of future accession treaties will be subject to a referendum

europa.eu/eurobaromete...

Latest UK Government report on TCA implementation

www.gov.uk/government/p...