The European Union's former chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has said the United Kingdom should be allowed to rejoin the bloc without adopting the euro or joining the Schengen passport-free travel zone, should it decide to seek closer ties.
Speaking at POLITICO's European Pulse Seminar on Thursday, Barnier, now a French lawmaker, said Brussels should be flexible on the two issues if the UK chose to rejoin. “The door is open,” he said. “If the British sovereignly choose to seek closer ties with [the EU], I don’t believe we can make it mandatory for them to adopt the euro, abandon the pound or rejoin Schengen.”
The comments come after POLITICO reported last month that the EU would be flexible on Britain retaining its currency and staying outside the Schengen area in any future reapplication. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants the UK to eventually rejoin the EU, even suggesting the proposal could feature in Labour’s next election manifesto. Burnham has floated options including membership of the single market or customs union, as well as full rejoinment.
Barnier said there could be “no cherry-picking” when it comes to joining the single market, a line he often used during the Brexit negotiations. Barnier served as French prime minister for roughly three months in 2024 before falling to a no-confidence vote.
Turning to French politics, Barnier described the current atmosphere as “pre-insurrectionary” and expressed regret that two radical candidates, far-right Marine Le Pen and far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon, are leading in polls for next year's presidential election. While Le Pen has abandoned her previous calls for France to leave the EU, Barnier said her public comments point “clearly towards the end of the European project as we have been building it for the past 40 years.” He cautioned against comparing Le Pen to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whom he called “pragmatic” and “pro-business,” despite ideological proximity between the two nationalists on some points. Barnier added that Le Pen’s platform “in some respects, is not very different from the economic platform of Mr. Mélenchon.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A former top EU negotiator publicly signaling flexibility on euro and Schengen membership could reshape the terms of any future UK reapplication, making it politically more palatable for a country that values its currency and border controls.
- The comments feed into an ongoing debate in British politics about the extent of rapprochement with the EU, with Prime Minister Burnham already hinting at a manifesto commitment to rejoin.
- Barnier's warning against cherry-picking on the single market underscores that the EU will still demand core obligations in exchange for access, a point that could become a flashpoint in negotiations.
Background
Michel Barnier was the European Commission's chief negotiator for Brexit from 2016 to 2020, a role that made him a central figure in the UK's departure from the EU. He briefly served as French prime minister in 2024. The UK left the EU in 2020 and has since navigated a series of trade agreements. Current Prime Minister Andy Burnham has adopted a more EU-friendly stance than his predecessors, while the UK remains outside the single market and customs union.
Key Perspectives
Michel Barnier (former EU negotiator, French lawmaker): The door is open for the UK to rejoin without adopting the euro or joining Schengen, but there can be no cherry-picking on joining the singe market.
Andy Burnham (UK Prime Minister): Wants the UK to eventually rejoin the EU, has suggested options including single market or csutoms union membership, and may put the proposal in Labour’s next election manifesto.
Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon (French presidential candidates): Both are leadin in polls for next year’s election. Barnier says Le Pen’s platform points to the end of the EU project and is economically not very different from Mélenchon’s.
Giorgia Meloni (Italian Prime Minister): Barnier describs her as pragmatic and pro-business, contrary to Le Pen.
What to Watch
- The Labour party’s next election manifestto: whether it formaly includes a committment to seek EU rejoinement or a specific intermediate status.
- The French presidential election campaign: whether Le Pen or Mélenchon maintais their poll lead and how their positions on the EU evolve.
- Any official EU response to Barnier’s remarks: whether EU institutions or member states publicly endorse or distance themselves from his proposals.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe UK could rejoin the EU without adopting the euro or joining Schengen if it chooses.Politico Europe: “The United Kingdom should be given the option to rejoin the European Union without adopting the single currency or joining the passport-free travel zone”
- SupportedThe former EU negotiator says the door is open but warns against cherry-picking on the single market.Politico Europe: “Barnier, however, said there can be “no cherry-picking” when it comes to joining the single market”
- SupportedBarnier said, “The door is open,” and said the UK should not have to adopt the euro, abandon the pound or rejoin Schengen if it seeks closer ties.Politico Europe: ““The door is open,” said Barnier, who now serves as a French lawmaker, at POLITICO’s European Pulse Seminar. “If the British sovereignly choose to seek closer ties with [the EU], I don’t believe we can make it mandatory for them to adopt the euro, abandon the pound or rejoin Schengen.””
- SupportedBarnier made the comments at POLITICO’s European Pulse Seminar on Thursday and is now a French lawmaker.Politico Europe: “said Barnier, who now serves as a French lawmaker, at POLITICO’s European Pulse Seminar.”
- SupportedPOLITICO reported last month that Brussels would be flexible about Britain staying outside the euro and Schengen if it applied to rejoin the EU.Politico Europe: “POLITICO reported last month that Brussels would be flexible on letting Britain stay out of the euro and the Schengen area if it ever applied to rejoin the EU.”
- SupportedAndy Burnham has said he wants the UK eventually to rejoin the EU and that the proposal could be in Labour’s next election manifesto.Politico Europe: “British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants to eventually see the U.K. rejoin, even suggesting the proposal could make it into Labour’s next election manifesto.”
- SupportedBurnham has floated membership of the single market or customs union, as well as full rejoining.Politico Europe: “Burnham has said that options could include membership of the single market or customs union, but also rejoining wholesale.”
- SupportedBarnier said there could be “no cherry-picking” when joining the single market.Politico Europe: “Barnier, however, said there can be “no cherry-picking” when it comes to joining the single market”
- SupportedBarnier was French prime minister for roughly three months in 2024 before a no-confidence vote.Politico Europe: “Barnier, who spent roughly three months as French prime minister in 2024 before falling to a vote of no confidence in parliament”
- SupportedBarnier called the current atmosphere in French politics “pre-insurrectionary” and regretted that Le Pen and Mélenchon were leading in polls for next year’s presidential election.Politico Europe: “He called the current atmosphere in French politics “pre-insurrectionary” and said he regrets that two radical candidates who want to fundamentally reshape the EU, Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, are leading in the polls .”
- SupportedBarnier said Le Pen’s public comments point “clearly towards the end of the European project as we have been building it for the past 40 years.”Politico Europe: “Barnier said the far-right candidate’s public comments point “clearly towards the end of the European project as we have been building it for the past 40 years.””
- SupportedBarnier said Le Pen should not be compared with Meloni, described Meloni as “pragmatic” and “pro-business,” and said Le Pen’s platform was “in some respects, is not very different from the economic platform of Mr. Mélenchon.”Politico Europe: “He also insisted that Le Pen should not be compared to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — whom Barnier described as “pragmatic” and “pro-business” — despite the ideological proximity between the two nationalists on some points. Barnier added that Le Pen’s platform, “in some respects, is not very different from the economic platform of Mr. Mélenchon, who is on the far left.””