Ever Closer To The Union And Beyond: Time To Reframe EU–UK Relations

Since the Labour victory in 2024, relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom have been moving from a managed divergence to a pragmatic so-called 'reset'. Furthermore, due to the geopolitical realities of our times, the United Kingdom is already actively involved in European security beyond the EU. It is part of the European Political Community and the Baltic build-up under the European pillar of NATO. It is at the E3 leadership wheel, together with Germany and France, when it comes to future security guarantees for Ukraine and dealing with Moscow, as well as in co-chairing coalitions of the willing with France.

Last year’s bilateral summit opened many technical dossiers for negotiation, for example, facilitating trade in agrifood products, linking carbon emissions markets and the divisive youth mobility scheme. The two sides are still far from a strategic framework that would set the tone of the future relationship, but ties are evolving. However, the questions on competitiveness and economic security are a different puzzle to solve. The institutional red lines around the Single Market and the Customs Union, inherited from the Brexit era, are still there and difficult to move. If the common aim is an ever closer relationship, a holistic and future-looking approach is needed. This paper aims to provide some pathways for manoeuvring while looking for a win-win landing zone.