Paperjam.lu

The UK offers to sustain and enhance cooperation in security and to continue participation in CSDP missions after Brexit.Picture credit: Olivier Bacquet 

The main thread is that both sides should maintain close cooperation after March 2019, as it would be in the interests of both the UK and the EU.

The UK wants to agree new arrangements with the EU that “enable them to sustain cooperation across a wide range of these structures and measures”. These arrangements should be based on a commitment to:

  • “build on and, where possible, enhance the strong foundation of existing cooperation and work collaboratively against shared threats;

  • cooperate across a range of measures, agencies and other fora and continue the facilitation of operational business across borders, avoiding operational gaps for law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities in the UK and the EU.”

The UK sets out that it wants to continue to contribute and benefit from the Schengen Information System, which alerts authorities of wanted or missing persons and objects.

It also wants to keep the European arrest warrant, which allows wanted individuals to be extradited between EU countries, and the European investigation order, which allows member states to conduct inquiries in other countries, another system that allows the sharing of DNA information.

The secretary of state for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, said in a press statement on Monday 18 September:

 “Together with the EU we have developed some of the world’s most sophisticated systems in the fight against crime--because cross-border cooperation is absolutely crucial if we’re to keep our citizens safe and bring criminals to justice. That is why we want to build a new partnership with the EU that goes beyond any existing relationship it has with non-member states, so we can continue countering these cross-border threats together.”

Foreign policy: continued cooperation

On 12 September, the UK also published a paper on future foreign policy cooperation.

The UK government offers a future partnership that:

“is deeper than any current third country partnership and that reflects our shared interests, values and the importance of a strong and prosperous Europe. This future partnership should be unprecedented in its breadth, taking in cooperation on foreign policy, defence and security, and development, and in the degree of engagement that we envisage.”

However, it also argues that there should be areas in which they need to do more together.

Crucially, the paper sets out “continued cooperation through Nato and CSDP missions and operations” and “will make available UK assets, capabilities and influence to the EU and European partners”.

The common security and defence policy of the EU (CSDP) is a cornerstone of European foreign policy, and would lose a lot of weight and capacity if the UK would not participate anymore.

The paper states that:

“The UK and EU should have regular close consultations on foreign and security policy issues, with the option to agree joint positions on foreign policy issues. This could include cooperation on sanctions listings, including by sharing information and aligning policy where appropriate.”

Currently, half the sanctions listings come from the UK.

It also wants to continue the close collaboration with the EU on counter terrorism and countering violent extremism.

On the other hand, the defence industry sector is also very important for both markets. The UK government proposes therefore “open markets and customs arrangements that are as frictionless as possible.”

The British government offers “future UK collaboration in European Defence Agency projects and initiatives. We could also consider options and models for participation in the Commission’s European Defence Fund including both the European Defence Research Programme and the European Defence Industrial Development Programme.”

According to The Guardian:

“Officials did not rule out a suggestion made by former foreign secretary Lord Hague that UK officials should be able to sit on the EU’s political and security committee, its premier decision-making body for EU diplomats and officials. The PSC sits just below the EU foreign affairs council, from which the UK will be excluded once it leaves the EU.”

Finally, the UK could also offer the exchange of foreign and security policy experts and military personnel, the classified information exchange to support external action, and the offer to provide reciprocal consular services in third countries where either EU member states or the UK lack a diplomatic presence and the continued co-location of diplomatic premises.

The paper ends with:

“The UK is unconditionally committed to maintaining European security.”