Times have changed in UK-EU relations. Negotiators from London and Brussels appear to have been in a negotiating “tunnel” in early April, and the outside world didn’t notice. In amidst the closer cooperation may even be a certain amount of joint briefing designed to suggest how both sides are fighting for their interests on difficult topics, such as fish, to be triumphantly announced as being solved at the May 19 Summit.

On 2 April, standing in the Rose Garden of the White House, Donald Trump announced new tariffs on UK exports to the US. Trump has since delayed the implementation of the higher rates of tariffs for 90 days. But what are tariffs? How will these new tariffs affect the UK? And how should the UK government respond to this change to the world economic order?

Today, a broad coalition of business groups and membership bodies from the EU and UK including the British Chambers of Commerce, CBI, FSB and the UK’s sole national accreditation service UKAS, has called for a mutual recognition agreement on conformity assessments between the UK and EU to help boost economic growth.

The House of Common’s Business and Trade Committee has published an important report on ways the Government can improve trade with the EU to achieve growth based on evidence from the UK trade and Business Commission.

On 2 April, President Trump announced a new set of global tariffs, including a 10% tariff on all UK imports to the US and a 25% tariff on all foreign manufactured automobile imports to the US.

Responding to the introduction of new tariffs on UK imports to the US, Andrew Lewin MP, Chair of the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission argues the UK should respond by increasing trade with the EU.

President Trump has in effect ended eighty years of close partnership between North America and Europe. While there have been tensions before, all previous US administrations thought of European relations as an essential security and economic alliance. Second time round, President Trump does not. His Vice-President seems to treat Europe as the enemy.

It is news to no one that Britain’s high streets have been struggling for some time. Boarded up windows, fewer independent shops, and a general loss of vibrancy have been a fixture of contemporary Britain. Whilst there are, of course, many factors at play from the rise of online shopping to COVID-19, one factor is constantly underplayed: Britain leaving the EU.

Recently there has been a discussion in the media as to whether UK or German trains are less punctual. This doesn’t say much for the state of the railways in either country, but it serves well as an analogy for the state of the UK-EU ‘reset’ in that both sides have been struggling to set out a vision that does justice to a shared desire to move on from Brexit towards a deeper relationship.

This week Best for Britain published research into the economic impact of closer EU-UK alignment, which also accounts for external factors including new tariffs imposed by the US. While we have been encouraged by the reception this work has received, from parliamentarians, commentators and the public, some commentators have questioned not only the validity of the exercise, but the justification for taking it on in the first place.

For years, British businesses have faced unnecessary costs, delays, and red tape when trading with our largest market: the European Union. Since Brexit, regulatory divergence has added friction and uncertainty, stifling investment and pushing up costs for consumers. But a major new study by Frontier Economics, commissioned by Best for Britain, has revealed a clear path to boosting the UK economy—closer regulatory alignment with the EU.

The UK Trade and Business Commission will host an event in Parliament today to officially launch landmark new research on the economic impact of UK-EU regulatory alignment.

What is the Government’s current advice on the new GPSR regulations, just over a month after the rules became enforceable? Find out in this helpful FAQ and find links to other helpful websites to guide you and your business.

Today, hidden from the icy January cold inside the Capitol, Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States. The President is riding on a high, fresh from hosting a rally for his supporters on Sunday where he promised to bring down inflation, bring back jobs to America and impose tariffs on competitors around the world. But whilst Trump may be insulated from the cold today, how might the UK’s economy fare when exposed to an increasingly protectionist United States? 

Mutual Recognition Agreements of Conformity Assessments (MRCs) might sound a bit technical, and in a lot of ways they are. But they are also pretty important, especially when it comes to economic growth and the ongoing UK-EU reset. So to help you out we have created a handy FAQ outlining what they are, why they matter and most importantly, how they impact our relationship with the EU, so that you too can be an expert on all things MRC related.

On 13 December, the European Union’s new General Product Safety Regulation (GPRS) law came into effect, impacting businesses across Britain by updating requirements on manufacturers, importers, and distributors of products into the EU and NI  by introducing new obligations around risk assessment.

Today is the United Nations' International Migrants Day, a day to shine a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of millions of migrants around the world. In a debate so often defined by negativity and misrepresented by those on the right of British and European politics, we want to highlight six ways immigration benefits the UK.

Today the European Union’s new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) comes into effect, impacting businesses across Britain by introducing new post-Brexit trade barriers with our closest overseas market, and delivering another blow to businesses exporting to Northern Ireland. 

What is the current status of the UK-EU relationship reset, and what should be the UK’s priorities for 2025? Analysis by trade expert David Henig.

Following Labour’s ascension to Government there has been a conscious effort to reset the relationship between the EU and the UK. From Starmer meeting von der Leyen, Lammy attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council and Reeves meeting the Eurogroup finance ministers, what progress has been made? And what more can we expect in 2025?

A major new poll reveals twice as many voters think the Prime Minister should prioritise trade with the EU over trade with the USA. The findings come as the influential UK Trade and Business Commission reconvenes.