Former Brexit Negotiator Says EU Door Remains Open to UK After 10 Years

The relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union has resurfaced as a topic of discussion ten years after the historic referendum that led to the UK's departure from the bloc, with renewed talk about the possibility of the UK rejoining the EU.

Michel Barnier, the EU's former chief Brexit negotiator, told Euronews that the door to the union remains open for the UK, but emphasized that London cannot selectively adopt EU policies according to its preferences.

He added that the decision to return to the EU rests solely with the UK, while stressing that Brussels has made its conditions unmistakably clear.

Opinion polls indicate that a clear majority of the British public, cutting across various political affiliations, now regard the decision to leave the EU as a mistake.

Barnier, a prominent center-right politician who has served as France’s prime minister, described Brexit, approved a decade ago through a sovereign vote, as a matter of the past, but noted that the future remains open and the door remains ajar.

He further stated that the UK government and political parties are aware of the conditions for re-entry, underscoring that London must understand it "cannot have its cake and eat it too," in his words.

Barnier characterized Brexit as a "lose-lose game" for both sides. He explained that the UK could, for instance, join the single market—the European economic area without internal borders—without becoming a member of the EU, as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway have done.

He emphasized that the conditions for any country wishing to join the single market are very clear, including the respect for the four freedoms: the free movement of goods, services, people, and capital.

One of the main "red lines" for the Labour government under outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer was the refusal to join the single market.

Starmer viewed this stance as a way to fulfill his party’s election promises and to appease Brexit voters, while simultaneously managing a "reset" of relations with the EU.

Instead, Starmer sought to involve the UK in certain specific sectors, but such a partial or "tailored" arrangement has not historically been on the table within the EU framework.

Andy Burnham, a Member of Parliament and the leading candidate to succeed Starmer, has yet to clarify his position on this matter.

Barnier hinted at the possibility of a faster path for the UK's return if the current level of legislative alignment continues, which could spare the UK from the lengthy, complex, and multi-stage accession process faced by candidate countries like Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.

He said, "The answer to how long this process will take lies with the United Kingdom." He added, "If Britain, from now until the start of new negotiations, significantly diverges from standards, food regulations, and security norms, we will face a problem, and the process will take much longer."

Barnier proposed facilitating cooperation between the UK and the EU by establishing a new body, describing it as "a kind of European Defence and Security Council" operating "alongside existing institutions."

He explained that this body would be open to some countries that are no longer or have not yet become EU members, including the UK, as well as Norway and Ukraine.