French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the European Union is open to the UK if London decides to return to the EU single market.
Barrot emphasized the EU’s openness to closer economic cooperation with the UK after Brexit. “If the UK wants to return to the single market, it will be welcomed with open arms,” the French minister said, noting that such a prospect could be mutually beneficial in the face of growing global challenges.
The statement comes amid the ongoing “reset” of relations between London and Brussels under the Keir Starmer government. The UK has already achieved some rapprochement in agriculture, energy, and fisheries, but officially rules out a full return to the single market, the customs union, or the restoration of free movement.
Experts note that the French minister’s comments may signal a softening of Paris’s stance, which had previously taken a harder line in negotiations with London, specifically insisting on excluding British companies from a number of European “Made in Europe” programs and preferences.
Meanwhile, the UK government responded swiftly. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves confirmed that London has no plans to return to the EU single market, prioritizing sectoral convergence without losing sovereignty.
Barrot’s statement has already sparked heated debate among politicians. Supporters of closer ties with the EU see it as a chance for economic growth, while Eurosceptics warn of the risk of losing regulatory independence.