UK-EU Relations 2024

UK-EU relations have not been a central issue in this election campaign. Yet this does not mean it will not be a major policy challenge following the election. This report is the second comprehensive UKICE stock take of UK-EU relations, following eighteen months after our first. It aims to see where we have got to, and to suggest how relations might develop in the future. EU relations continue to exert a major influence on our politics and economic performance, and the next government will not be able to ignore that reality. The report highlights that despite the Windsor Framework agreement, UK-EU political dialogue remains limited. The UK has failed to boost its trade with the rest of the world and the government lacks a clear strategy for coping with EU regulatory changes, which complicates life for British businesses. Furthermore, there will be a number of challenges after polling day. The full implementation of both GB border controls and the Windsor Framework could create new trade problems, while negotiations on Gibraltar and fisheries could cause friction. The application of EU law in Northern Ireland also looks likely to be a continued source of tension. Drawing on discussions with key stakeholders, the report covers, among other areas, trade and the economy, migration and mobility, the UK Union, public opinion in the UK and EU, upcoming deadlines and decision points, the impact of political developments on both sides of the Channel, and the wider geopolitical environment.