Changes from plenary report to adopted text

135. Stresses the importance of coordinated planning and convergence in permitting procedures between the EU and the UK to ensure the development of renewables and in particular offshore wind, electricity infrastructure and CO2 storage, as well as hybrid energy projects in the North Seas; believes that both parties need to work closely together to transform the North Seas into a green energy hub that can also help to guarantee security of supply, inter alia through high levels of offshore wind energy production, in line with the non-binding EU goal of achieving around 360 GW of installed offshore generation capacity by 2050; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen regional cooperation on offshore grid planning and critical energy infrastructure development with the UK, as well as on all sea basins with neighbouring countries, in order to enhance system robustness and reduce the likelihood of infrastructure disruption and energy supply failures;

136. Recalls that making full use of offshore energy resources will require very significant investment in grid and interconnection capacity; emphasises, furthermore, the need to develop a meshed offshore grid, including hybrid interconnectors and suitable cost-sharing mechanisms; considers that the development of electricity infrastructure to harness offshore wind energy potential is a shared priority for the EU and the UK; underlines that harnessing shared renewable resources can be mutually beneficial for the EU and the UK, and can lower the cost of the clean energy transition for both sides;

137. Welcomes the UK’s active participation in the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC), building on the Memorandum of Understanding it signed in December 2022; maintains that UK participation in NSEC should eventually lead to viable joint projects that are consistent with the common goal of developing the North Seas as Europe’s green power plant, as set out in the Ostend Declaration, which the UK signed on 24 April 2023;

138. Notes that the Specialised Committee on Energy adopted both a recommendation and a roadmap on electricity trading towards the end of 2024, inviting both the EU and the UK to step up the technical work necessary to implement new trading arrangements between the parties, including a concept validation phase for Multi-Region Loose Volume Coupling (MRLVC), the proposed trading model set out in Annex 29 to the TCA;

139. Notes the agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the UK, concluded on 21 December 2020 under the framework of the TCA, which covers cooperation on the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy and is underpinned by commitments from both sides to comply with international obligations; underlines the mutual benefits of civil nuclear cooperation between the EU and the UK in areas such as next-generation reactors, waste management, small modular reactors, safety and health standards, supply chain resilience and fusion technologies, including through research, medical applications, mobility of nuclear researchers and access to joint scientific infrastructure, where appropriate;

140. Recalls the importance of maintaining high environmental and labour standards in energy projects; highlights the need for regulatory cooperation to ensure that energy initiatives promote upward convergence in workers’ rights, health and safety, and environmental protection;

Transport

General remarks

141. Welcomes the smooth implementation of the EU-UK TCA in the area of transport and the effective exercise of the mutually granted rights in this regard, maintaining effective transport connectivity since its provisional application in January 2021;

142. Calls on the Commission to continue its oversight of the implementation of the TCA and to enhance cooperation to further integrate the EU and UK markets, facilitate seamless cross-border mobility and infrastructure integration, and achieve mutual climate and transport objectives, in full compliance with the TCA framework, based on reciprocity and preserving a level playing field;

143. Expresses concern about the increasing potential for regulatory divergence between the EU and the UK, which could create barriers to seamless transport operations and diminish the benefits of connectivity; stresses, in particular, the need for continued cooperation on future updates to passenger rights regulations, which could create asymmetries in compensation thresholds for delays and protection for multimodal journeys, risking consumer confusion and undermining confidence in cross-border services;

144. Calls on the Commission and the UK to establish a joint rapid alert mechanism (RAM) for transport disruptions, ensuring the immediate exchange of information on incidents affecting Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors;

145. Acknowledges the security benefits of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) but warns of potential transport disruptions during its 2025 rollout; calls for swift implementation and infrastructure readiness at airports, as well as at ports such as Dover and Calais, to be prioritised, alongside passenger awareness campaigns to prevent border congestion; notes that since 2 April 2025, EU citizens have been required to obtain an ETA in order to enter the UK for short stays, at a cost of approximately EUR 19, thereby introducing a new administrative requirement for cross-Channel travel;

146. Recommends close collaboration between the parties in relation to education, professional training and recognition of the qualifications of transport workers, in order to combat the shortage of skilled labour for businesses and support worker mobility in accordance with the EU’s social and safety standards;

147. Stresses the importance of safe and efficient freight transport between the EU and the UK; recalls in this respect that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers are facing increasing challenges, including from illegal immigrants attempting to conceal themselves in their vehicles in order to cross the border illegally, and that some HGV drivers have been violently attacked near the port of Calais; stresses that EU shipping firms and HGV drivers must not bear the costs and consequences of security failures by the competent border authorities;

Aviation

148. Notes with satisfaction the smooth transition in the area of aviation safety, with good cooperation and sharing of responsibilities between the EU Aviation Safety Agency and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, particularly in terms of the validation of certification requests issued by each of the bodies;

149. Welcomes the bilateral agreements signed to date on all-cargo and passenger air services, guaranteeing continuous and seamless air connectivity between the EU and the UK;

150. Welcomes ongoing discussions in the Specialised Committee on Air Transport on the non-CO2 climate impact of aviation, and calls for sustained coordination in research, monitoring and reporting, to avoid future discrepancies in legislation;

151. Welcomes the Specialised Committee on Air Transport’s role in keeping both parties informed of efforts to regulate and incentivise sustainable alternative fuels (SAFs) for aviation, and recommends aligning initiatives to maximise sustainability benefits, promoting innovation and supporting the competitiveness of the aviation sector;

152. Takes note of the ongoing debate regarding wet-leasing provisions between the EU and the UK, now that the latter has to comply with additional restrictions applicable to non-EU countries, and notes the UK’s requests to streamline procedures in a post-Brexit context in order to cope with high seasonal demand;

153. Highlights, however, that these requests must be considered in the context of the current requests for urgent clarification on intra- and extra-EU wet-leasing rules and practices, including on oversight and enforcement, and increased efficiency of air services;

154. Recommends, therefore, that the Commission propose the revision of the Air Services Regulation to the co-legislators, clarifying the rules, oversight mechanisms and enforcement provisions on intra- and extra-EU wet-leasing, to address any issues that may be raised in the context of the EU-UK TCA rather than laying down guidelines on issues where the co-legislators have not yet made a decision;

155. Points out that a number of local and regional airports in the EU operate many connections to the UK; underlines the need to ensure the availability of flights of this kind, which are used by EU citizens living and working in the UK, but also by UK citizens flying to Europe as tourists;

156. Recognises that the continuing growth in air traffic and mounting pressures on the global air traffic management system demand strengthened cooperation between the EU and the UK to optimise the performance, efficiency and management of airspace; welcomes the UK’s continued coordination with Eurocontrol, and encourages the exploration of further avenues for mutually beneficial collaboration in this regard;

Road

157. Stresses the importance of connecting the UK to the European Registers of Road Transport Undertakings (ERRU) and welcomes both sides’ commitment to making progress on data exchange between national electronic registers on (serious) infringements of road transport rules, contributing to the effective enforcement of the rules on road transport laid down in the TCA; calls on both parties to work on a bilateral agreement to further facilitate cross-border exchange of information in line with Directive (EU) 2024/3237 to improve road safety while safeguarding the data protection requirements of drivers;

158. Welcomes the decision to use the Smart Tachograph version 2 in newly registered EU and UK vehicles, to ensure a continuous high level of road safety and a level playing field on both territories in the carriage of goods by road;

Maritime

159. Notes the concern over potential shifts in shipping routes and activity to UK ports to avoid the cost of maritime emissions under the EU ETS, and urges the Commission to monitor port activity in UK ports closely; welcomes, in this respect, the common understanding reached at the UK-EU Summit to establish a functioning link between the EU and UK ETS, which should include domestic and international maritime and aviation transport, stressing the importance of aligning carbon pricing and monitoring frameworks to maintain environmental ambition, ensure a level playing field and prevent carbon leakage and distortions in port competitiveness, as well as to protect EU port workers and businesses;

160. Supports the Commission’s implementing decision to recognise, as of 11 October 2022, the UK system for training and certification of seafarers pursuant to Directive (EU) 2022/993, after determining that all training and certification requirements specified in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers had been satisfied;

Rail

161. Notes that rail transport remains excluded from the TCA’s scope, reflecting the EU and the UK’s reliance on bilateral agreements; welcomes, nonetheless, progress related to railway undertaking licences and safety certification;

162. Recalls the strategic importance of the Channel Tunnel as a vital infrastructure link between the UK and the EU; notes with concern that, despite bilateral progress, rail freight and passenger volumes through the Channel Tunnel remain far below initial projections on account of high costs, regulatory barriers affecting both freight and passenger services, and infrastructure capacity limits for onward travel within the UK, as much of the British rail network is unable to accommodate standard European freight containers and wagons;

Fisheries

Implementation of the ‘Fisheries’ heading of the TCA

163. Takes note of the Commission’s 2023 and 2024 reports on the implementation of the TCA, in particular the points under the ‘Fisheries’ heading;

164. Welcomes the improved cooperation between the parties in the annual negotiations on total allowable catches (TACs), which resulted in a timely agreement in 2023 and 2024 that enabled the application of provisional TACs to be avoided, thus ensuring clarity and predictability for the fisheries sector as regards fishing opportunities for the following year;

165. Deplores the instability caused by Brexit in international fisheries relations with coastal states, which makes it more difficult to achieve a balance in the sharing arrangements and to exchange fishing opportunities; notes with concern the fact that some coastal states are taking advantage of this instability by unilaterally and unjustly trying to increase their fishing opportunities, to the detriment of those of the EU; recalls the importance of respecting historic fishing rights; calls for enhanced cooperation between the EU and coastal states to achieve sustainable management of shared fish stocks and greater stability and predictability with regard to fishing quotas, in particular in the context of annual consultations and trilateral arrangements;

166. Recalls that the UK has introduced a fishing licence system for EU vessels to access its waters; notes that this system has significantly delayed the effective implementation of the TCA, as the UK has added many prerequisites to the granting of such licences, penalising in particular vessels under 12 metres in length, which historically have fished in UK territorial waters, but have had difficulty proving their presence in UK waters; deeply regrets that this situation has led to many small-scale vessels not being issued licences, which has forced them to relocate to other areas or cease their activities, thereby adding to the negative situation and adverse effects caused by other additional costs and bureaucratic burdens associated with Brexit; regrets, furthermore, the fact that the TCA has rendered null and void the Granville Bay Treaty, which, until Brexit, governed fishing in the waters of Jersey; recalls, finally, that the issue of the global ceiling for licences issued by Jersey has still not been fully resolved, leaving some fishers very uncertain about their fishing activities in the waters of the Crown Dependencies;

167. Recalls that, in accordance with Article 496 of the TCA, management and technical measures that may have an impact on the vessels of the other party must be notified sufficiently in advance to allow the other party to comment or seek clarification; stresses that such measures must be proportionate, non-discriminatory and based on the best available scientific advice, and must take into account long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability; regrets the fact that impact studies are not systematically carried out with equal participation of stakeholders from both parties and in good faith;

168. Regrets the fact that the UK has unilaterally implemented numerous fisheries management measures, notably of a technical nature, including bans on certain fisheries, the introduction of minimum catch sizes for certain species, the closure of fishing in marine protected areas (for example in the Dogger Bank), and the establishment of wind farms, resulting in a drastic reduction in EU vessels’ access to UK fishing grounds and resources, particularly in the six to twelve nautical miles zone; regrets the fact that these measures, and those in the social field, have a greater impact on EU vessels than on British vessels, with socio-economic repercussions for the EU fishing industry and particularly for small-scale fishers; is concerned that this type of measure could ultimately exclude EU vessels from entire fishing zones, calling into question EU fishing rights in British waters;

169. Calls on the Commission to carry out comprehensive and systematic assessments of the social, economic and environmental impacts of these measures, including in the Crown Dependencies, in order to determine whether they are proportional and non-discriminatory, and, where appropriate, to firmly react and use the dispute settlement mechanism or the retaliation measures provided for in the TCA, including compensatory measures such as the suspension of preferential tariff treatment granted to fishery products, as well as all other political and diplomatic means at its disposal;

170. Welcomes, in this regard, the final decision of the Arbitration Tribunal of 28 April 2025 in the dispute between the EU and the UK on the decision to close the sandeel fishery in the English waters of the North Sea and in Scottish waters; notes that the Tribunal, in this specific case, considered that there was no breach of the principle of non-discrimination, and that the measure was scientifically based; stresses that the Tribunal found that the ban on sandeel fishing in English waters breaches the principle of proportionality under the TCA and that the UK has failed to fulfil its obligation to grant full access to its waters for sandeel fishing; recalls that the UK is obliged to take the necessary measures to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Tribunal; considers that this decision sets an important legal precedent for safeguarding EU fishing rights and for responding to future similar measures taken by the UK; calls for the Commission to continue to closely monitor unilateral measures taken by the UK, to ensure compliance with the TCA;

171. Is concerned that unilateral measures have a chain effect on the economic and social viability of the EU fisheries sector and value chain; expresses, furthermore, its concerns that restricting access to UK waters is leading to a transfer of the fishing effort to the Channel and the North Sea, with increased pressure on TAC and non-TAC species; highlights the fact that the increased use of EU waters has consequences in terms of security and maritime space management, but also in terms of access to resources, especially for small-scale fisheries, calling into question the social, economic and environmental sustainability of fishing activities;

172. Calls for both parties to swiftly address the increased pressure in the Channel and the North Sea by proposing a regional management plan to guarantee sustainable exploitation of resources and multiannual fisheries management; reminds the Commission, in this regard, of the North Sea multiannual plan rules, which also cover these waters, and believes that they should be adapted if needed to align any possible discrepancies and ensure legal clarity for operators and the Member States;

End of the adjustment period

173. Calls for both parties to respect the principle laid down in Article 500 entitled ‘Access to waters’, to ensure a mutually satisfactory balance between their respective interests; recalls that access to waters, including the six to twelve nautical miles zone, must be reciprocal and proportionate to the TACs or average catch levels of the other party; calls on the Commission to fully implement this article and develop within the Specialised Committee on Fisheries the necessary guidelines to facilitate its practical application;

174. Stresses that the TCA sets out a review clause providing for a review in 2030 to strengthen and codify the implementation of the TCA, bearing in mind that this clause cannot be used to reduce the level of access to waters; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to make every effort to ensure predictable, continued and increased access to waters in the coming years;

175. Underscores the importance of a fair, sustainable fisheries agreement between the EU and the UK; welcomes the political agreement reached on 19 May 2025 between the EU and the UK, in particular the renewal of reciprocal, stable and continued access to waters until 30 June 2038, providing stability for fishing communities; welcomes the fact that fisheries played a significant role in these recent negotiations; encourages both sides to maintain a pragmatic and mutually beneficial approach in future negotiations;

176. Welcomes the fact that the Specialised Committee on Fisheries formalised the political agreement; calls on the Commission to be vigilant in implementing this new agreement, including on access to the six to twelve nautical miles zone, in particular for French small-scale and coastal vessels; stresses the imperative of robust monitoring and enforcement to uphold shared commitments, protect marine ecosystems, and secure the livelihoods of EU fishers and those living in coastal communities;

177. Reiterates that reciprocal and continued access to waters and fisheries resources must be maintained as a key part of the relations between the EU and the UK and must, therefore, be dealt with in conjunction with other parts of the TCA, such as trade, access to the internal market of fishery products and energy cooperation;

178. Notes that the TCA provides for a gradual reduction, by 25 %, of the EU’s TACs in UK waters during the transitional period until the end of 2026; stresses that this reduction was a huge sacrifice for EU fishers and has had a considerable impact on EU fisheries, leading to fleet exit plans and the loss of vessels; welcomes the fact that, after 2026, fishing opportunities will be maintained at least at this level and will not be called into question;

179. Regrets the lack of data or studies on the impact of Brexit on the fisheries sector; calls on the Commission to fully assess the repercussions of the adjustment period on the entire EU fisheries sector value chain;

180. Stresses that the TCA provides for the possibility of considering the development of multi-year strategies for the conservation and management of TACs and non-quota stocks; calls for both parties to work towards greater stability and predictability in fishing quotas and to ensure sustainable management of stocks in the North Sea and North-East Atlantic for the fishing sectors of both parties;

EU-UK fisheries governance and cooperation