UK could rejoin EU ‘within months’ with ‘Switzerland plus’ deal, MEP says
German MEP Bernard Lange says the UK could secure a deal giving it access to the EU single market within months by adapting Switzerland’s relationship with the bloc. He supports closer ties as a possible step towards rejoining, but says the Swiss-style arrangement would leave Britain outside full EU political decision-making.
Switzerland’s access includes accepting the free movement of people and paying €375 million (£317 million) a year into EU economic and cohesion funds. The UK government plans to use a summit in Brussels next month to pursue a Brexit reset focused on growth, immigration and security; a recent poll cited in the article found 61 per cent support for EU membership, the highest since the Brexit vote.
- Lange says a Swiss-style deal could bring the UK closer to the EU within months.
- Switzerland accepts free movement and pays €375m a year for market access.
- The UK plans to push for a Brexit reset at next month’s EU summit.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A Switzerland-plus arrangement could restore access to the single market relatively quickly, supporting trade, investment and growth while allowing Britain to build closer ties with the EU in stages. Accepting free movement and contributing to EU funds may be reasonable costs for those benefits, and a closer relationship could reflect growing public support for membership.
The case against
Single-market access on Swiss-style terms would require accepting obligations such as free movement and financial contributions while leaving the UK outside EU political decision-making. Critics could argue that this limits Britain’s ability to shape rules it must follow, and that a quick, partial arrangement may not be worth the trade-offs or may distract from negotiating a relationship better suited to the UK.