Downing Street released a read-out on 23 September of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s bilateral meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the previous evening in New York. The two leaders ‘emphasised the importance of working together to reduce illegal migration’, according to the statement circulated via PublicNow. While details were sparse, officials hinted that talks covered data-sharing on visa overstays and the pilot of a ‘rapid return mechanism’ modelled on Norway’s agreement with the EU. Brussels sources say the UK is also exploring observer status in the Joint Coordination Platform on Smuggling Networks, a move that could facilitate real-time intelligence on routes through the western Balkans. For corporates, closer UK-EU alignment could ultimately simplify short-term travel if mutual trust leads to streamlined security checks. However, any new data-sharing obligations may increase compliance overheads for sponsors who must upload worker-departure information into the Home Office’s Employer Checking Service. The migration dialogue forms part of a broader effort to reset relations damaged by years of Brexit acrimony. A joint communiqué is expected at the planned EU-UK summit in December, where business groups hope visa-waiver improvements for touring professionals and youth mobility top the agenda. Until then, policy remains unchanged, but mobility advisers should track developments—particularly those affecting posted workers who transit through the EU en route to third-country assignments.
