Finance
French Minister: UK Would Be Met With 'open Arms' if It Returned to EU Single Market
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot said on March 17, 2026, that if the UK signaled willingness to return to the EU’s single market—with its privileges and responsibilities—the EU would welcome it “with open arms.” UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said Britain is prepared to align with many EU
French Minister States UK Would Be Welcomed Back to EU Single Market
French and EU Perspectives on UK Rejoining the Single Market
By Sudip Kar-Gupta
French Foreign Minister's Statement
BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - The European Union would welcome Britain with "open arms" if it decided to return to the bloc's single market, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday, as London pushes harder for a reset of relations with the EU.
Context of Barrot's Remarks
Barrot's comments, made at an event in Berlin alongside Germany's foreign minister, come after British finance minister Rachel Reeves said earlier on Tuesday that Britain was ready to align with many EU business rules to generate economic growth.
Discussion on Alignment and Customs Union
"Look at our British friends, the UK, who have been talking about reset, who are now talking about alignment, and some of whom mention the term customs unions," Barrot said.
"So let us say to our British friends that if they stand ready to come back to the single market, with all associated privileges and duties, they will be met with open arms," he added.
UK Government's Position on Brexit and the Single Market
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government has become increasingly vocal about the economic costs of Brexit, which was carried out by the previous Conservative administration in 2020 following a 2016 referendum.
Labour Government's Stance
However, it has ruled out rejoining the single market or entering a customs union.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta. Editing by Mark Potter)
Key Takeaways
- •French FM Barrot signals EU’s openness to UK re‑joining the single market, stressing both privileges and duties.
- •UK Chancellor Reeves emphasizes alignment with EU business rules to spur economic growth and reset relations.
- •Despite warmer rhetoric, Starmer’s Labour government continues to rule out re‑entry into the single market or customs union, citing manifesto ‘red lines’.
Frequently Asked Questions about French minister: UK would be met with 'open arms' if it returned to EU single market
1What did the French minister say about the UK's potential return to the EU single market?
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the EU would welcome the UK with 'open arms' if it chose to return to the single market.
2Is the UK planning to rejoin the EU single market?
The current UK government has ruled out rejoining the single market or entering a customs union, despite discussing closer alignment with EU business rules.
3Why are UK-EU relations being discussed now?
Recent statements by British finance minister Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government aim to reset relations and highlight economic impacts of Brexit.
4What is the current stance of the Labour government on Brexit?
The Labour government acknowledges the economic costs of Brexit but does not plan to rejoin the EU single market or customs union.
5Who made the comments about the UK and the EU single market?
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot made the comments, alongside Germany's foreign minister at an event in Berlin.