Britain seeks “comprehensive security and law enforcement partnership” with EU post-Brexit
Britain will look to agree a comprehensive new security, law enforcement and criminal justice partnership with the European Union (EU) after Brexit to fight what the Government calls “our shared threats from terrorism and organised crime”. In the latest future partnership paper, which lays out the UK’s vision for a “deep and special partnership” with the EU, the Government stresses the need to build upon and enhance the internal security co-operation that already exists. Leaving the EU will change the nature of that co-operation, but it will do little to change the threats we all face or reduce the value of the UK as a security partner.
According to the Government, that’s precisely why it’s in the interests of Britain and the EU to continue to work together and develop a new framework for preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting criminal and terrorist activity across our borders.
The paper calls for a comprehensive model for co-operation between the UK and the EU on security, law enforcement and criminal justice, in turn reflecting the fact that Britain’s operational processes and data sharing systems are already uniquely aligned with the EU.
The Government’s three core objectives for these new arrangements are protecting the safety and security of citizens and upholding justice in the UK and across the EU, maintaining the closest and most co-operative partnerships between Britain and the 27 EU Member States and continuing to co-operate on the basis of shared democratic values and respect for the rule of law.
The UK has been one of the leading contributors to the development of effective information sharing and law enforcement co-operation at an EU level, all the while working through agencies such as Europol to bring criminals to justice and prevent crime from taking place.