UK-EU relations re-engagement proposals

The Tony Blair Institute has released a report, ‘Beyond Leave and Remain: A Path to Rejoining a Reformed Europe’, advocating for the United Kingdom to set a formal objective to rejoin the European Union within ten years. The proposal suggests that re-entry should be contingent on internal EU reforms to enable the bloc to compete with the US and China. Rather than an immediate return to previous single market or customs union structures, the report recommends a ‘structured formal relationship’ involving staged cooperation in sectors like defense, energy, and artificial intelligence.

Former EU Commissioner Danuta Hubner supported the call for a reset, stating that Brexit ‘is not working’ and noting that the geopolitical landscape has shifted since 2016. While the UK and EU currently align on security and support for Ukraine, Hubner noted that discussions often stall due to disputes over ‘cherrypicking and red lines.’

In response to these proposals, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has not ruled out including a commitment to rejoin the EU in the next Labour manifesto, though he indicated the matter remains for a later date. The push for re-engagement follows economic data suggesting the lack of a mutual recognition agreement for goods costs the UK up to £6.5 billion annually in exports to the EU.