EU Could Let Britain Rejoin Without Adopting the Euro or Schengen

Britain could negotiate a return to the European Union without adopting the euro or entering the Schengen passport-free area, two EU officials told POLITICO.

The officials, speaking anonymously because of the issue's sensitivity, said membership talks could accommodate Britain’s circumstances.

London has not submitted an application, and the EU has adopted no formal position on a British return.

Their comments suggest the terms of any future negotiation could be more flexible than euroskeptics contend.

Critics of rejoining have argued Britain would face demands for deeper integration than it accepted during its previous membership.

“In theory there is a standard approach, but in practice you see that it is more flexible,” one official told POLITICO. “There are different models.”

Membership Terms Shape Public Support

The distinction carries considerable political weight. A YouGov poll conducted earlier this month found 55% of Britons supported reversing Brexit, compared with 34% who preferred to remain outside the bloc.

When membership was made conditional on adopting the euro and joining Schengen, support fell to 35%, while opposition rose to 43%.

Britain previously held exemptions from both arrangements, secured through decades of negotiations.

Countries that entered the EU more recently have committed to working toward participation in both.

The officials’ account leaves open the possibility that Britain could secure comparable exemptions in a fresh negotiation.

It does not amount to an agreed offer from Brussels.

Burnham Weighs a Future Mandate

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has raised the possibility of including EU membership in Labour’s next election manifesto, while saying his approach will depend on public opinion.

He has ruled out action before the next general election, when he would seek a new mandate. The vote must take place by July 2029, although he can call it earlier.

Burnham has said Brexit “has caused more harm than good.”

He has identified single-market membership, a customs union and full EU membership as options for changing Britain’s relationship with the bloc.

Brussels Summit Comes First

Burnham is scheduled to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on November 20 to approve measures intended to ease post-Brexit frictions.

The package, negotiated initially under his predecessor Keir Starmer, covers easier food trade, visas for young people and links between emissions trading systems.

Burnham also intends to use the summit to outline options for a broader revision of the Brexit settlement.

The approach he selects is expected to form part of Labour’s platform at the next election.