Building on the EU-UK Relationship: A Strategic Defence and Security Partnership for a Shared European Continent

Since the UK’s departure from the European Union, ample opportunities to tie the two sides into mutually beneficial defence and security relationships have been left dormant, recently resurrected by the new Labour administration. The Security and Defence partnership in May 2025 was a welcome addition to the agreements that have bound the UK and EU into closer relationships, and represents a new critical framework for cooperation. The accompanying political dialogue and avenues for new industrial and technological cooperation are welcome, yet there remains a lack of ambition in pursuing activity down these avenues that this report seeks to examine further.

Through the report, we analyse the current state of EU-UK Defence and security cooperation six months on from the agreement, and examine the strategic drivers and industrial imperatives that remain. The resumption of ongoing dialogue between the EU and UK on security and defence allows Westminster and Brussels the new opportunity to set the agenda on this partnership. And it is in this vein that we lay out a number of different areas of potential heightened cooperation that can turn what are currently a few initial agreements into a fully strategic partnership.

Europe remains a contested geopolitical continent, buffeted by global headwinds the likes of which haven’t been seen in generations. Close UK-EU cooperation remains as essential as ever for the successful ability of both sides to keep their people safe, support Allies against aggression, and ensure credible long-term commitment to Defence.

The discussion draws on the insights of a number of senior policymakers, defence experts, and industry stakeholders, and we thank all for engaging with the report and the ensuing discussion in Westminster.

This report was co-produced by The European Movement and The Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE) at the University of Surrey. Read the full report here.

Sir Nick Harvey is Chief Executive of European Movement UK and Former Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

Professor Amelia Hadfield is Founding Director of Centre for Britain and Europe.

Maria Martisiute is a Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre.

Philippe Lefevre is an Associate Lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University.

Margaryta Khvostova is a Doctoral Fellow at Centre for Britain and Europe.

Paul Taylor is Senior Visiting Fellow at the European Policy Centre.

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