Evian(France): British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Council President Antonio Costa on Tuesday (local time) agreed to hold the second UK-EU Summit in Brussels on July 22, marking another step in the UK Labour Party’s efforts to rebuild ties with the European Union nearly a decade after Brexit.
Following their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Starmer announced on X, “Today I’ve agreed with @eucopresident that we will hold the second UK-EU summit on 22 July.”
Today I’ve agreed with @eucopresident that we will hold the second UK-EU summit on 22 July.
My Labour Government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe.
Together we will tackle the cost of living, boost jobs and create…
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 16, 2026
He added, “My Labour Government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe. Together we will tackle the cost of living, boost jobs and create opportunities for young people.”
Antonio Costa also shared on X, “Good discussion with Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer.”
Good discussion with Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer.
Close EU–UK cooperation is essential for our shared European security, resilience, and prosperity. We are working closely together to make our upcoming second Summit in Brussels on 22 July a success. pic.twitter.com/tcbgxpTfqS
— António Costa (@eucopresident) June 16, 2026
He further stated, “Close EU-UK cooperation is essential for our shared European security, resilience, and prosperity. We are working closely together to make our upcoming second Summit in Brussels on 22 July a success.”
According to Politico, London and Brussels had initially planned to hold the summit on July 13. However, the date was finalised after uncertainty over whether some EU member states would oppose a proposed youth experience scheme that could allow British applicants easier access to visas.
The summit is expected to play an important role in the ongoing reset of UK-EU relations as Starmer seeks closer cooperation with Brussels while maintaining that Britain will not rejoin the bloc.
According to Euronews, the debate over Britain’s future relationship with the European Union resurfaced after Treasury minister Lord Spencer Livermore said in the House of Lords on June 1, “Should we in due course reenter the European Union, well of course, my personal view is that that is an inevitability.” He added, “Of course, the UK will at one point reenter the European Union,” while also stating, “In the meantime, we are doing the European reset, and that is incredibly important in helping growth in our economy.”
