Overview

• Keir Starmer and Pedro Sánchez signed a framework that organizes cooperation across politics, trade, social rights, tourism, climate, migration and mobility, marking the first formal bilateral agreement since Brexit.
• The governments committed to yearly foreign‑minister meetings and a periodic UK–Spain business forum, following a London roundtable with major companies including Iberdrola, Telefónica, Santander, Navantia, Indra, Aena, BP, SSE, Octopus and Barclays.
• The Gibraltar settlement unlocked the relaunch, with Brussels finalizing a legal text targeted for October and ratification in December, opening the way to remove the land barrier as early as 2026.
• Workstreams now focus on deeper defence‑industry collaboration and potential consortia, tapping the EU SAFE instrument and ties such as Navantia’s acquisition of the Harland shipyards serving the Royal Navy.
• The leaders highlighted alignment on Ukraine, Gaza and climate while gaps remain on NATO spending and migration, and the UK has signalled potential recognition of a Palestinian state this month contingent on Israeli actions.