Overview

• Sánchez and Starmer signed a memorandum in London that establishes a structured dialogue spanning the economy, climate policy, social rights, migration and mobility.
• The leaders met major Spanish and British companies in Downing Street, with an advisory business committee expected to form to encourage investment and future engagement.
• Both governments promoted deeper defence-industrial cooperation, including potential consortia in shipbuilding, cybersecurity and telecommunications, with Navantia’s Harland shipyards acquisition cited as a catalyst.
• Officials in Brussels, Madrid and London expect a final legal text on Gibraltar around October, a step that could enable border changes at the Rock early next year.
• The agenda includes coordination on the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, while differences remain over Palestinian recognition and migration policy, and the pact contains no dedicated Palestine section.