United Kingdom ten years after Brexit faces economic slowdown and growing EU favorability across Europe

A BBC analysis notes that a decade after leaving the EU the United Kingdom’s economy appears smaller than earlier forecasts. Trade with the EU has fallen, administrative burdens have risen and some smaller exporters have stopped selling to the bloc altogether. While goods trade has contracted, services such as finance, law and consulting have performed better. The pound’s depreciation has raised import costs, and new UK‑EU trade agreements have so far had limited impact.

Pew Research data shows that public sentiment toward the EU has improved since 2016. In eight European countries the median favourable view of the Union rose from 49% to 62%, with notable gains in Germany (50% to 68%), France (38% to 52%), the Netherlands (51% to 63%) and the United Kingdom itself (45% to 67%). The increase accelerated after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although eurosceptic parties have continued to gain votes in several nations.