UK Could Rejoin EU, Says Former Brexit Negotiator Barnier

Former EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier told a London conference that the European Union’s door remains open for a possible British re‑entry. Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the 2016 referendum, he remarked, “In Europe everyone regrets that Britain left the EU,” and added that the UK likely suffered a larger economic loss than the bloc.

Barnier said new talks could allow the UK to stay outside the Schengen and euro zones while it would have to accept the EU’s single‑market rules on the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. He cautioned that any re‑membership would take considerably longer than the original accession process. British business leaders, meanwhile, say the costs of Brexit are still being felt and a further referendum on re‑joining is not desired.

The comments come as the UK’s Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has not signalled a willingness to pursue EU membership, while some opposition figures have expressed openness to the idea.