EU leaders hold out post Brexit olive branch

After seven years EU leaders have indicated they want cordial relations with Great Britain.

Representatives from all member states (27 in total) said on Monday (8 May) that they wanted to “develop further ties between the EU and the UK” which came after a deal was agreed on Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland.

The Windsor framework was agreed at a meeting in London in March, and it appears that since then Rishi Sunak and the European Commission Chief, Ursula von der Leyen want to confirm the value of being “valuable partners with each other.”

Ambassadors and high commissioners of all EU member states said in an article written for the Guardian: “Rediscovery of common interests and concerns have thus led to the Windsor framework and to a much welcome and necessary regain in trust in EU-UK relations.

“The task ahead is therefore to build on this re-engagement and to develop further the ties between the EU and the UK.

“A strong UK and a strong EU are valuable partners for each other. To our mutual advantage, we have the solid relations between our societies, our business and academic communities, and the need to ensure they continue engaging and enriching each other in a mutually profitable and respectful manner.”

However, issues such as re-entry to the single market or the customs union will not be open to discussion as this would reopen the Brexit deal.