The United Kingdom and the EU

Latest news about Great Britain and the European Union.

British SMEs face uncertain funding future — 14 September 2017, 19:10 CET

SMEs in Britain are increasingly concerned over their ability to gain funding in the run up to Brexit, a recent survey has revealed. The study, commissioned by specialist insurer Hiscox, has found that recent economic and political uncertainty has adversely affected business confidence, and caused concern for the future as Britain’s withdrawal from the EU becomes nearer. This should come as no surprise, as 38 percent of the 500 businesses surveyed admitted to accessing EU funding.

Britain will regret leaving the European Union: Juncker — 13 September 2017, 17:58 CET

Britain's departure from the European Union in March 2019 would be "a very sad and tragic moment in our history", said EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker Wednesday, and they will regret it.

MEPs look to shrink Euro-Parliament after Brexit — 13 September 2017, 00:15 CET

The European Parliament should be reduced from 751 to 700 MEPs, an EP committee urged Monday, with 22 British seats being re-distributed among the remaining 27 EU countries.

Brexit: EU sets out guiding principles for talks on Ireland — 07 September 2017, 23:30 CET

The EU's chief negotiator voiced concern Thursday over the UK's stance on Ireland and Northern Ireland, as the Commission set out its principles for the political dialogue in the Brexit negotiations.

Tragedy & Challenge: An Inside View of UK Engineering's Decline and the Challenge of the Brexit Economy — 17 August 2017, 18:47 CET

Tragedy & Challenge offers a unique insight into the challenges facing engineering companies post-Brexit, as well as the impact engineering has on the economy, on our exports, on people's working lives, and on society as a whole. The book draws from Tom's 45 years of experience in the industry to analyse the causes of the decline in UK engineering, considering its poor leadership, original analysis of the detrimental effects of government economic policy, and the destructive influence of the City including an insider's uninhibited view of fund managers, analysts, and private equity.

23 cities bid to host UK-based EU agencies after Brexit — 03 August 2017, 22:09 CET

The EU Commission began assessment Tuesday of Member States' applications to host the two European Union agencies currently based in the UK, with 23 cities putting in bids.

Start negotiating seriously, EU tells United Kingdom — 29 August 2017, 00:26 CET

The European Commission's chief negotiator Michel Barnier told the United Kingdom Monday that it needed to start "negotiating seriously" if progress was to be made on British withdrawal from the EU.

Brexit threatens UK flights to EU 27, says Ryanair boss — 13 July 2017, 23:47 CET

There could be no flights between the United Kingdom and the EU-27 immediately after Brexit, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary warned at meeting of the European Parliament's transport committee Tuesday.

State of play of Article 50 talks — 14 July 2017, 12:12 CET

The United Kingdom triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. What has happened since then on the EU side?

Comment by Nick Greenstock, Managing Director, Gatehouse Advisory Partners — 05 July 2017, 22:09 CET

The inconclusive UK election on June 8th 2017 has served to deepen consternation over the Brexit process.

Brexit: A Year In Retail - General Election 2017 Sees Biggest Dip In Online Spending Ahead Of Brexit Anniversary — 28 June 2017, 15:36 CET

To tie in with the one year anniversary of the European Union (EU) Referendum, new research today reveals how UK online shoppers reacted to key stages in the Brexit timeline over the past year.

EU referendum: one year on — 23 June 2017, 10:54 CET

The UK’s vote to leave the EU has given birth to new political identities, say the University of Kent’s Professor Richard Whitman and Professor Matthew Goodwin in a new report for The UK in a Changing Europe. The report, entitled EU referendum: one year on, was commissioned by the Political Studies Association and demonstrates how the referendum has produced new political allegiances based on the Leave-Remain divide.

Legal Aspects of Brexit: Implications of the United Kingdom's Decision to Withdraw from the European Union — 22 June 2017, 13:38 CET

In Legal Aspects of Brexit, Georgetown Law professors Jennifer Hillman and Gary Horlick present an overview of many of the legal issues raised by the United Kingdom's decision to withdraw from membership in the EU, with a particular focus on international trade issues

Brexit talks kick off in 'positive and constructive tone' — 19 June 2017, 14:26 CET

Brussels and the United Kingdom launched formal talks on Britain's exit from the European Union Monday, with the UK expressing a desire to build "a new, deep and special partnership with the European Union".

Hard Brexit threatens UK collapse — 14 June 2017, 23:28 CET

Following the Conservative’s General Election win, Treasury figures warning that a hard BREXIT could cost up to £66bn are just the tip of the iceberg, says Professor Nada Kakabadse, Head of Marketing and Reputation at Henley Business School.

Gibraltar and UK are single entity, says EU Court — 14 June 2017, 18:21 CET

Providing services by operators established in Gibraltar to persons established in the UK constitutes, in EU law, a situation confined in all respects within a single Member State, the EU's top court has ruled.

Unleashing Demons: The Inside Story of Brexit — 14 June 2017, 00:17 CET

Published on the anniversary of Brexit, David Cameron's Director of Politics and Communications, Craig Oliver takes us behind the scenes of the EU referendum. Craig Oliver's account of his time as David Cameron's Director of Communications in Downing Street during the EU referendum will almost certainly prove to be the most important document for understanding what happened and why it all ended as it did. Oliver has managed the difficult trick of being frank as well as loyal, and his words have a remarkable immediacy. I found his book utterly fascinating, and I suspect that every historian of the period will regard it as indispensable to appreciating this extraordinary phase in our history. (John Simpson) Part memoir, part diary, this is one of the most vivid, frank and exciting inside accounts to have been written for years. It points its forensic beam into the inner sanctums of power during one of the most crucial episodes in British history since the war. Stunning and highly readable. It will make uncomfortable reading for a few, but hugely enlightening and enjoyable reading for the many. (Anthony Seldon) Wish you could have been a fly on the wall of Number 10 during the EU referendum campaign? No need. This is the compelling insider's account of the man who was at the centre of the Downing Street web as David Cameron took the decisions which led to Britain voting to leave the EU. (Nick Robinson) A gripping fly-on-the-wall account of the frenzy in Downing Street during the EU campaign. (Robert Peston)

EU Council authorises start of Brexit talks — 22 May 2017, 23:27 CET

The EU Council of 27 Member States formally authorised the beginning of talks with the UK Monday, following the notification of its intention to leave the EU. The Commission was nominated as the EU negotiator.

Barnier urges transparency and trust in Brexit talks — 17 May 2017, 23:43 CET

Speaking to a European Parliament plenary session which underlined the EU's united approach, chief negotiator Michel Barnier called for transparency and trust in the upcoming Brexit talks with the UK.

Brexit and the UK oil and gas industry — 03 May 2017, 23:29 CET

The trade body for the UK oil and gas industry has written to the Prime Minister highlighting research findings that assess the potential impact and opportunities of Brexit on the sector.

Quick, painless Brexit talks an illusion: Barnier — 03 May 2017, 14:51 CET

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said Wednesday it was an illusion that Brexit would have no material impact on people's lives or that talks could be concluded quickly and painlessly.

Commission draft negotiating directives for Article 50 negotiations with the UK - Q&A — 03 May 2017, 14:43 CET

Q&A on the European Commission's draft negotiating directives for Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom, adopted on 3 May 2017.

EU 27 united in adopting guidelines for Brexit talks — 30 April 2017, 00:00 CET

A special European Council of 27 EU member states showed a united stance Saturday in adopting the guidelines for the upcoming Brexit negotiations with the United Kingdom.

Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union — 27 April 2017, 23:51 CET

A new book co-authored by the University of Kent’s Professor Matthew Goodwin has provided the first comprehensive and objective study of the United Kingdom’s historic vote to leave the European Union. Through the book, Professor Goodwin and his co-authors Professor Harold D. Clarke and Professor Paul Whiteley show that, although arguments about national sovereignty were prominent themes in the Leave campaign, strong public concern over the large number of migrants entering the country was front and centre to the Leave victory. They also discuss how Boris Johnson in particular had a significant, positive effect on the vote to Leave, helping to mobilise ‘polite Eurosceptics’, and the significant effect of UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage on the Leave vote. Their book, entitled Brexit – Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union (Cambridge University Press, Published in the UK on May 4th), is based on extensive analysis of more than 10 years of survey data on more than 150,000 voters. It also draws on an innovative pre and post-referendum panel survey and a unique survey of UKIP members.

The UK and European energy co-operation post-Brexit — 27 April 2017, 13:42 CET

The UK Government has said that Britain will not seek to remain part of the Single Market post-Brexit. However, sectoral deals to retain access to parts of the Single Market have not been ruled out.