Eurochambres input on future EU-UK Economic Relations

In an era of geopolitical rivalries, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently stated in her re-election speech at the European Parliament, Eurochambres believes it is more important than ever to reinforce economic links between our friends, neighbours and like-minded partners.

The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) are undoubtedly strong economic partners and allies. We face similar challenges, be they of a geopolitical nature such as the ongoing war on our European continent, or more of an economic nature such as the digital and green transformations of our economies.

Our geographic proximity and substantial economic interconnections make the case for a strong EU-UK coordination.

Where our interests align, it should therefore be in the interest of both sides to explore areas where life could be made easier for companies, especially SMEs.

This is all the more relevant given the start of a new EU legislative cycle and the election in July of a new UK government.

With this in mind, we conducted a flash survey in the early summer of 2024 to take stock of the EU-UK economic relationship and to provide insights and recommendations on areas where EU and UK businesses see room for improvement.