Bombay Durpun - Britain's Starmer kicks off long road to EU 'reset' in Brussels

Starmer held talks with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen as his Labour government seeks a fresh start with the 27-nation bloc after ousting the Conservatives in July.

The two leaders agreed to start holding regular summits -- with the first one scheduled for the first half of next year -- as they look for areas where they could step up cooperation.

Starmer listed growth policies, climate change, energy security and illegal migration as potential broad domains for agreement.

But Starmer offered few details on how to improve the painstakingly negotiated deals governing ties since the UK quit the bloc.

"Today was as much about turning the page on the old way of doing these negotiations and starting a different way of doing it, a much more constructive way of doing it," Starmer said.

"It doesn't mean the challenges aren't there. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy."

The British leader, who voted in the 2016 referendum to remain in the EU, has insisted his reset will not mean reversing Brexit, which remains a politically toxic subject in the UK.

He reiterated his long-standing "red lines", including not returning to freedom of movement, which led him to pour cold water on an EU proposal for a "youth mobility scheme".

"There will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, no return to the single market," he said.

Von der Leyen, who also met Starmer during last month's UN General Assembly, said the tumult in the world highlighted the need for the neighbours to work together.

"In these very uncertain times, like-minded partners like us must cooperate more closely," she told Starmer.

"We should explore the scope for more cooperation while we focus on the full and faithful implementation" of the existing deals, she said.

- Give and take? -

Starmer has been under pressure to be more precise about what exactly he wants for Britain from the EU -- and what he is willing to give in return.

Labour wants improvements to the existing Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the UK and the EU that is due for renewal in 2026.

These include negotiating a possible new security pact, a veterinary agreement to ease border checks on farm produce and mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

"The detailed work to take this forward starts now," Starmer said.

Before heading to Brussels, Starmer first held bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni -- raising worries he was seeking to skip talking to the whole bloc.

- 'Gap year' -

The British leader has shunned the EU's big proposal so far -- a youth mobility scheme for 18- to 30-year-olds.

Brexit ended the free movement of EU citizens to live and work in Britain, and vice versa.

The EU would like younger people from its member countries to be able to move freely in the UK.

But Starmer has rejected the idea over fears it looks too much like freedom of movement, while the interior ministry is resistant to anything that increases levels of legal migration.

The EU's ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano, played down the notion that the proposal was a stumbling block last week. He likened it to a "gap year" that would not give EU citizens the right to work in Britain.

Analysts say Labour could be tempted by a limited exchange programme if it helps to achieve its overarching objective of boosting economic growth.

An EU diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said the mood in Brussels was generally upbeat -- but it was unclear what could be achieved.

"A lot of work would need to go into defining how anything could work," the diplomat said.

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O.Mallick--BD