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711. The UK in a Changing Europe guide to UK-EU relations

Author:
UK in a Changing Europe
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
The 2019 election was meant to ‘get Brexit done’. But, five years on, Brexit matters as much as ever. Its economic effects are only just becoming clear. We are still grappling with various outstanding issues, ranging from Gibraltar to border controls to implementing new arrangements in Northern Ireland. There are deadlines in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) which means aspects of the relationship must be renegotiated. EU rules and regulations continue to have implications for UK businesses and consumers. And the UK government is keen to ‘reset’ relations and add new areas of cooperation. Relations with the EU may not have figured much in the recent election, but it will continue to be an important area of public policy for the foreseeable future. This guide is intended as a snapshot of where we have got to with Brexit and what the prospects are for UK-EU relations. It provides a short, accessible assessment of what Brexit has meant for the UK and what options the current government has in terms of ‘resetting’ its relationship with Brussels.
Topic:
Bilateral Relations, Elections, European Union, Brexit, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom, Europe, and Northern Ireland

712. UK-EU climate and energy relations

Author:
Camilla Born and Joël Reland
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
As the new UK government sets out its plans for a ‘reset’ of EU relations, plenty of attention has been paid to the security and trade aspects of the bilateral relationship. Much less discussed has been the issue of climate and energy cooperation. But, as this report sets out, these policies are inextricably linked to issues of security and trade. What’s more, there is an unusually high degree of potential to deepen UK-EU cooperation on climate and energy. The European Commission actively wants a closer partnership, and there is plenty of low hanging fruit to picked under the current trade agreement. The report covers energy and climate cooperation under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, highlighting the significant untapped potential for closer relations in terms of pre-existing commitments which have lain dormant. The report also looks at areas where cooperation could be deepened beyond the TCA, such as around trade and supply chains, regulatory divergence, and climate diplomacy. It also considers the politics on both the UK and EU side.
Topic:
Security, Climate Change, Energy Policy, Bilateral Relations, European Union, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe

713. UK Trade Tracker Q3 2024

Author:
Stephen Hunsaker
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
The UK in a Changing Europe trade tracker focuses on three key areas: UK trade and its performance relative to historical data; UK trade with the EU and what has changed since Brexit; and UK trade in a global context and how it compares to the G7. This tracker reviews the first half of 2024 using ONS and OECD data. Following the election on 4 July, this data provides a final look at what the now-departed Conservative government achieved with its ‘Brexit freedoms’ on trade, and the situation the incoming Labour government has inherited. In this edition, we examine UK goods and services trade as a percentage of GDP as well as trade trends in the first two quarters of 2024. We then break down the data by goods trade with the EU and non- EU countries; exploring whether the previously puzzling trends of declining non-EU trade and stable EU trade continue to defy Brexit expectations. Additionally, we analyse UK total trade by country and region, including the top 10 UK trade partners, and how trade has changed over the past two quarters compared to the last few years. Lastly, we look at how UK trade fares when compared to its counterparts in the G7.
Topic:
Elections, European Union, Economy, Brexit, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe

714. General election 2024: manifesto analysis

Author:
UK in a Changing Europe
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
Manifestos provide an opportunity for political parties to lay out their plans for government. While not binding in any legal sense, a government is often judged, at least in part, by its success or otherwise in implementing the policies promised in the manifesto. At a time of increasing distrust of politicians, of falling faith in politics, and of concern about the proliferation of false or misleading information, it is more important than ever to ensure that manifestos are subject to scrutiny. This is what we attempt to do in this report. In it, Full Fact and UK in a Changing Europe have joined forces to produce a series of evidence-led, research-based assessments of the policies the Conservative and Labour parties say they will implement if they are to win the next election. The report contains chapters on growth; public spending; tax policy; living standards; housing; education/schools; further and higher education; energy and net zero; environment and farming; health; managed migration; small boats and asylum; security, defence and foreign affairs; the Union; and relations with the EU. The contributors are leading experts from a range of organisations including the Resolution Foundation, the Royal United Services Institute, the Health Foundation, the LSE, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Migration Observatory and the National Foundation for Educational Research.
Topic:
Elections, Public Policy, and Manifesto
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe

715. UK-EU relations 2024

Author:
Cleo Davies, David Moloney, Jannike Wachowiak, Joël Reland, and Anand Menon
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
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.
Topic:
Bilateral Relations, Elections, European Union, Economy, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe