# UK could rejoin the EU within four years, Barnier suggests

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/uk-could-rejoin-the-eu-within-four-years-barnier-suggests/
- Published: 2026-11-08T11:55:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T12:21:45+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-rejoin-eu-four-years-barnier-brexit-b3081201.html
- Topics: Europe, Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Barnier says UK rejoining could take as little as four years.
- The £5bn annual rebate would probably not return.
- EU membership would require accepting free movement.

## Summary

Former EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says the UK could rejoin the EU in as little as four years, arguing that negotiations could be quicker than the talks over leaving. His comments reopen discussion about closer ties, while highlighting that membership would involve accepting obligations the UK had previously sought to avoid.

Barnier said the departure process was prolonged partly because Britain also left 600 international agreements. He ruled out restoring the £5bn annual budget rebate secured by Margaret Thatcher, though said the UK would pay the usual contribution expected of a member state. He also said rejoining would mean accepting free movement alongside the other three freedoms of the single market; Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said closer ties would involve trade-offs.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.