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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer held last-minute talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron, during the Political Community summit held in Albania, to salvage a Brexit backstop deal.
Key disagreements emerged days before the deal was due to be unveiled, including demands for lower tuition fees at UK universities for EU students and access to British fishing waters for EU fishermen.
These disagreements threaten to derail the deal, echoing similar last-minute issues faced during the initial Brexit negotiations.
The restored agreement aims to strengthen UK-EU ties, including closer cooperation on defence and regulatory harmonisation to reduce trade barriers.
This agreement is considered essential to Sir Keir's economic growth plans, following recent trade deals with India and the US.
Major differences emerged between the UK and the EU just days before the deal to restore relations was unveiled in London on Monday.
Ahead of Friday's discussions, Sir Keir stressed that Monday's talks are a "significant opportunity" for the UK.
The prime minister told reporters outside the European Political Community summit in Tirana that “in the last two weeks you have seen the United Kingdom make a trade deal with India, really important for our country and our national interest, a trade deal with the US, again really important for our country and our national interest.”
EU member states are demanding that EU students pay lower British tuition fees for universities, which could cost the UK around £1 billion.
President Macron is also leading a demand that EU fishermen be able to fish in British waters, as part of a deal to allow the removal of trade barriers.
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