UK Relations with EU: Defence
(asked on 21st October 2026) - View Source
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of negotiating a growth and defence partnership with the EU.
Answered by
Hamish Falconer
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 27th October 2026
The EU remains our closest partner and biggest market. In 2025, almost half [45%] of the UK’s total trade was with the EU, valued at nearly £860 billion. At the 2026 Summit, we are aiming to complete new deals on food and drink, emissions trading and Youth experience that will drive growth in every postcode and create opportunities for young people. We will also seek to deepen our security and defence partnership, with a focus on Ukraine, defence capabilities and industry, hybrid and cyber threats.
The EU remains our closest partner and biggest market. In 2025, almost half [45%] of the UK’s total trade was with the EU, valued at nearly £860 billion. At the 2026 Summit, we are aiming to complete new deals on food and drink, emissions trading and Youth experience that will drive growth in every postcode and create opportunities for young people. We will also seek to deepen our security and defence partnership, with a focus on Ukraine, defence capabilities and industry, hybrid and cyber threats.
Closer defence collaboration could lead to significant opportunities for the UK’s world leading defence industries, generating more high-skilled, unionised jobs across the UK.