Negotiate re-entry to the Single Market

Start negotiations to rejoin the EU Single Market

As a result of leaving the Single Market, UK farming,fishing and businesses are failing,resulting in massive unemployment, lost trading opportunities, and huge loss of revenue. Attempting to substitute EU trade with similar in separate far-flung countries, increases produce costs and delivery time-scales, and the urgency to complete these deals, exposes us to ransom by those with whom we seek to trade. They also increase the country's carbon footprint thus accelerating global warming.

In 2015, the Government was elected with a mandate to hold a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU. That referendum was held in June 2016 and the British public sent a clear message that they wanted to leave the EU. The Government was again elected in 2017 with a mandate reaffirming this and that the British public wanted the Government to trigger Article 50, the legal mechanism to leave the EU. The Government was, for a third time, re-elected in 2019 with a clear and overwhelming mandate from the British public to pass the necessary legislation to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement and negotiate a trade agreement in line with its manifesto commitment.

Since 31 December 2020, the UK has been outside the EU’s customs union and Single Market, and is now fully focussed on implementing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which was agreed at the end of 2020. The TCA is the world’s largest tariff-free quota-free free trade agreement. The agreement is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, centred on free trade, while establishing close cooperation in areas like transport, digital, and fighting crime.

We are already making huge strides to make the most of our newfound freedoms. For example, we have struck new free trade deals with over 70 countries; we have taken back control of our waters to allow us to better support the UK fishing industry and manage our fisheries; and replaced the Common Agricultural Policy. The Government is committed to ensuring that all businesses get the support they need to trade effectively with Europe, including through the free-to-use Export Support Service, and to seize new opportunities as we strike trade deals with the world’s fastest growing markets. Our 2025 Border Strategy sets out our ambition to create the most effective border in the world, as we aim to radically simplify the process of importing and exporting to reduce the cost of international trade.

We have also launched an ambitious Export Strategy to support British businesses exporting globally. The ‘Race to £1 trillion’ worth of exports per year by the end of this decade means more jobs, more opportunities and higher wages, helping to level up the UK and build back better.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office