Policy paper

Fourth Civil Society Forum of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement 24 June 2025: conclusions

Published 12 September 2025

The fourth meeting of the Civil Society Forum (CSF) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) took place in London in a hybrid format on 24 June 2025.

The meeting was co-chaired by Dunstan Hadley (Deputy Director, EU Relations Secretariat, Cabinet Office) for the UK and Ignacio Iruarrizaga Diez (Head of Unit, Europe and Eastern Neighbourhood, DG Trade and Economic Security, European Commission) for the EU.

Between 150 – 200 (online and in person) UK and EU representatives from business, trade unions and other non-governmental organisations followed and participated in the CSF.

The agenda included: trade in services, trade in goods, energy and climate, and level playing field, sustainability and regulatory cooperation.

1. Chairs’ update on UK-EU Summit outcomes in the context of the implementation of the EU-UK TCA

The chairs remarked on the positive tone of the UK- EU summit and the importance of ensuring effective implementation, and continued work on further negotiations. The chairs set out the summit package and highlighted the three key outcomes: the EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership, the EU-UK Joint Statement, and the EU-UK Common Understanding.

This summit package aims to work towards; enhancing access to secure infrastructure, a common sanitary and phytosanitary area, linking emission trading systems (ETS), exploring the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market, a youth experience scheme, exploration of UK association to Erasmus+ as well as outlining shared commitments and areas for future cooperation. The chairs stressed that this forum was a platform to reflect on the summit outcomes in their capacity to support the implementation of the TCA.

2. Trade in Services

Participants noted the UK-EU summit outcomes on services and emphasised the need for further practical progress. Key priorities included improving mobility arrangements for youth and professional mobility, addressing the UK Sponsorship Scheme but also short-term business visitors, more clarity on visa regimes, as well as advancing mutual recognition of professional qualifications with clearer next steps to support cross-border service provision.

Participants also highlighted strengthening educational and research partnerships via programmes like Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe.

3. Trade in Goods

Participants raised a range of issues relating to customs, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Stakeholders welcomed the Common Understanding, including the agreement to establish a UK/EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone, but noted that barriers to trade still remained absent an agreement. Specific issues included rules of origin; economic security; divergence between the Parties and REACH, as well as concerns from the fishing industry. There were additional calls by stakeholders to consider Mutual Recognition Agreements and UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention.

4. Energy and Climate

The energy and climate item focused on continued implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the extension of the Energy Title until March 2027, with plans for annual renewals thereafter. Participants also discussed the possibility of linking UK and EU emissions trading systems (ETSs) to facilitate an exemption from respective carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs).

Representatives from both the UK and EU expressed optimism about the summit’s outcomes, highlighting the importance of efficient electricity trading and the need for ongoing cooperation to address decarbonisation goals.

5. Level Playing Field (LPF), Sustainability and Regulatory Cooperation

Participants noted the importance of abiding by the level playing field commitments of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that guarantee high standards on labour and social rights, environmental and climate protection as well as a common framework on subsidy control and competition that ensures fair competition between EU and UK businesses.

Participants noted that good progress had been made in terms of implementation of level playing field commitments and highlighted the 2025 Competition Cooperation Agreement, and Dialogue between UK and EU environmental regulators under Article 395 of the TCA as examples of such good cooperation.

Participants welcomed policy developments such as the Employment Rights Bill and enquired about developments regarding the European Works Council, the EU Competitiveness Compass, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the parties’ regulatory frameworks on Forced Labour.

Participants stressed that a key priority continues to be monitoring EU and UK regulatory divergences, notably in the area of chemicals and animal welfare. Participants agreed that continued dialogue and cooperation are crucial so that any new regulatory regimes work for businesses. UK-EU engagement through the TCA      helps to move these priorities forward.

6. Reflections from DAG Chairs on discussions and chairs’ Conclusions

The DAG chairs commented on the depth of shared expertise that the UK and EU DAGs hold, and their continued strong support for implementation of the TCA. The DAG chairs noted that their joint statement showed that there was a shared desire to transform the positive momentum and initiatives stemming from the Summit into concrete outcomes.

The CSF co-chairs thanked participants for attending and expressed that such meetings make a real difference. The chairs stressed the role that civil society has in the implementation of the TCA and their value in informing the upcoming trade specialised committees. The chairs reiterated that the intention is to focus on the deliverables of the Common Understanding and acknowledge the value of the input provided by civil society in that respect.