{"id":1880601,"date":"2026-04-13T15:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T12:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1880601"},"modified":"2026-04-13T15:00:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T12:00:47","slug":"no-the-eu-hasnt-set-up-a-uk-harmonisation-office-in-brussels-to-help-undo-brexit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1880601","title":{"rendered":"No, the EU hasn&#8217;t set up a UK harmonisation office in Brussels to help undo Brexit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/71\/73\/57\/1200x675_cmsv2_d3a43502-a004-5875-ac29-099204a8fa21-9717357.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2885957-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2885957\" data-cid=\"9720703\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885957-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/07\/03\/189x106_cmsv2_85cebc62-8b73-54fb-b4e5-0c24a5aa57a9-9720703.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man stands at the site of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in central Beirut, 12 April, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Lebanon<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to cancel Tuesday meeting with Israel\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885930-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2885930\" data-cid=\"9720554\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885930-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/05\/54\/189x106_cmsv2_f7bc43a7-96a0-59f7-b155-85eb75196c1e-9720554.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Fatou, the oldest of Berlin's zoo and also believed to be the world's oldest gorilla, eats vegetables to celebrate her 69th birthday in Berlin\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Germany marks 69th birthday of zoo\u2019s oldest gorilla\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885948-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2885948\" data-cid=\"9720670\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885948-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/06\/70\/189x106_cmsv2_19fcc7bd-511d-5492-83bb-3ea39a534c37-9720670.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A worker poses for photographs by holding a copy of the Wall Street Journal in London, 12 October, 2011\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    USA<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Judge tosses Trump $10bn defamation suit against Wall Street Journal\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885928-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2885928\" data-cid=\"9720553\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885928-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/05\/53\/189x106_cmsv2_a2d23686-a23b-520a-aa6c-f56a3bc5fcbb-9720553.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Patients receive treatment at a hospital in Damaturu after Air Force strikes in northeastern Nigeria, 12 April, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Nigeria<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Up to 200 civilians dead in Nigeria after air force misfire on market\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885957-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2885957\" data-cid=\"9720703\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885957-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/07\/03\/189x106_cmsv2_85cebc62-8b73-54fb-b4e5-0c24a5aa57a9-9720703.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man stands at the site of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike in central Beirut, 12 April, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Lebanon<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to cancel Tuesday meeting with Israel\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885930-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2885930\" data-cid=\"9720554\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885930-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/05\/54\/189x106_cmsv2_f7bc43a7-96a0-59f7-b155-85eb75196c1e-9720554.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Fatou, the oldest of Berlin's zoo and also believed to be the world's oldest gorilla, eats vegetables to celebrate her 69th birthday in Berlin\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Germany marks 69th birthday of zoo\u2019s oldest gorilla\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885948-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2885948\" data-cid=\"9720670\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885948-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/06\/70\/189x106_cmsv2_19fcc7bd-511d-5492-83bb-3ea39a534c37-9720670.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A worker poses for photographs by holding a copy of the Wall Street Journal in London, 12 October, 2011\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    USA<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Judge tosses Trump $10bn defamation suit against Wall Street Journal\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885928-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2885928\" data-cid=\"9720553\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885928-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/05\/53\/189x106_cmsv2_a2d23686-a23b-520a-aa6c-f56a3bc5fcbb-9720553.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Patients receive treatment at a hospital in Damaturu after Air Force strikes in northeastern Nigeria, 12 April, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Nigeria<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Up to 200 civilians dead in Nigeria after air force misfire on market\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe Decoded<\/p>\n<p>                          The Cube<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            No, the EU hasn&#8217;t set up a UK harmonisation office in Brussels to help undo Brexit<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative u-max-width-1280 u-margin-x-auto\" data-video=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;xa5epvc&quot;,&quot;articleId&quot;:2885176,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;No, the EU hasn't set up a UK harmonisation office in Brussels to help undo Brexit&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/41\/32\/81\/06\/SHD_PYR_4132816_20260413122049.mp4&quot;,&quot;programId&quot;:&quot;the-cube&quot;,&quot;player&quot;:&quot;dailymotion&quot;,&quot;geoBlock&quot;:[&quot;&quot;],&quot;sources&quot;:[],&quot;description&quot;:&quot;It's true that the UK is seeking closer ties with the EU, almost 10 years after the Brexit referendum, but certain claims about how they intend to realign are false.&quot;,&quot;isLive&quot;:false,&quot;articleUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/video\/2026\/04\/13\/no-the-eu-hasnt-set-up-a-uk-harmonisation-office-in-brussels-to-help-undo-brexit&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:120000}\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/71\/73\/57\/1536x864_cmsv2_d3a43502-a004-5875-ac29-099204a8fa21-9717357.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE - The UK-EU summit in London, 19 May 2025\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE &#8211; The UK-EU summit in London, 19 May 2025<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo\/Kin Cheung, Pool<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\/Kin Cheung, Pool\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspJames Thomas\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1776092447\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-04-13 17:00:47 +02:00\">13\/04\/2026 &#8211; 17:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center 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loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-partage-commentaire-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-partage-commentaire-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        It&#8217;s true that the UK is seeking closer ties with the EU, almost 10 years after the Brexit referendum, but certain claims about how they intend to realign are false.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>False claims are spreading on social media that the European Council has established a UK Office of Strategic Alignment in Brussels to bring the country back into the EU.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One post says the office has been set up in the &#8220;main EU building&#8221; and implies that Brexit will soon be over, while another says it shows the EU wants to move on &#8220;graciously&#8221; and urges Brits not to waste the opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>However, unfortunately for any Remainers or Re-joiners, this isn&#8217;t the case.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/71\/73\/57\/808x454_cmsv2_3ae8f133-5df7-5529-ae93-938dd26541e0-9717357.jpg\" alt=\"The posts allege that a new UK-EU office will effectively undo Brexit.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The posts allege that a new UK-EU office will effectively undo Brexit.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Euronews<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A spokesperson for the European Council described it as a &#8220;typical misinformation case&#8221;, as no such office has been set up.<\/p>\n<p>They said that the Working Party on the United Kingdom, the Council body responsible for managing post-Brexit relations with the UK, had also said the claims were inaccurate.<\/p>\n<p>However, it is true that the UK is trying to deepen its ties with the EU, almost 10 years after a referendum that eventually led to the country&#8217;s departure from the bloc and successive Conservative government measures to put even more distance between them.<\/p>\n<p>Euronews&#8217; fact-checking team, The Cube, also reached out to the UK&#8217;s Mission to the EU, which pointed us to a speech that Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave on 1 April this year, where he outlined his government&#8217;s desire to move closer to the continent.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is increasingly clear that, as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union,&#8221; the UK prime minister said while outlining his country&#8217;s response to the war in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Now, we have made progress on this front on agriculture, electricity, emissions, trading and more. But as the chancellor [Rachel Reeves] has rightly pointed out, Brexit did deep damage to our economy and the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Watch the video: EU-UK relationship \u2014 friends with benefits?<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">EU and UK to ramp up talks on closer ties 10 years after Brexit referendum<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;So in the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners,&#8221; Starmer continued. &#8220;And I can tell you that at that summit, the UK will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year&#8217;s summit. We want to be more ambitious: closer economic cooperation, closer security cooperation, a partnership that recognises our shared values, our shared interest and our shared future.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The most recent analysis from the UK&#8217;s fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), states that the long-term impact of Brexit remains a significant drag on the UK economy. It estimates that it will reduce the UK&#8217;s potential GDP by 4% in the long run (by the early 2030s) compared to what it would have been had London remained with Brussels.<\/p>\n<p>The 4% is driven primarily by a decline in productivity, with trade barriers stifling competition and preventing the UK from specialising in its most efficient industries, according to the OBR.<\/p>\n<p>Other figures from British think tank the Centre for European Reform put the economic loss of Brexit at around \u00a3130 billion (\u20ac149 billion), and US research organisation the National Bureau of Economic Research says that, by 2025, the UK&#8217;s departure from the EU had cut GDP by 6% to 8% since 2016.<\/p>\n<h2>How has the UK moved closer to Brussels so far?<\/h2>\n<p>The Labour government, which came into power in 2024, promised to &#8220;reset&#8221; the UK&#8217;s relationship with Europe, and it&#8217;s already taken some concrete steps to do so, including agreeing to rejoin the Erasmus+ exchange scheme.<\/p>\n<p>The two sides have also launched a Security and Defence Partnership and are working on deals on sanitary and phytosanitary standards and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, among other steps. <\/p>\n<p>Most recently, British newspaper <strong>The Guardian reported<\/strong> that UK government ministers are preparing legislation that could see the country adopt EU single market rules without a vote by parliament, if the government decides it&#8217;s in the national interest.<\/p>\n<p>Research <strong>from last year<\/strong> by Brussels-based consultancy Frontier Economics showed that deeper alignment in goods and services could grow the UK&#8217;s GDP by between 1.7% and 2.2%.<\/p>\n<p>With the next UK-EU summit scheduled for summer this year, it remains to be seen exactly how the two sides will align further, but there&#8217;s no doubt relations between the two are now deepening rather than distancing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                          Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Fact-checking JD Vance&#8217;s claims that Brussels is &#8216;harming Hungary&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Orb\u00e1n&#8217;s Fidesz bypassing Meta&#8217;s political advertising rules, researchers warn<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Old Paris riot footage resurfaces under fake claims<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    Fact checking<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    Brexit<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    United Kingdom<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    European Union<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2885862-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2885862\" data-cid=\"9720202\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2885862-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/02\/02\/320x180_cmsv2_03305279-00ae-5d52-ad35-d4f12fdd0869-9720202.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Peter Magyar speaks to the media in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, April 13, 2026, after defeating Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party in the country's parliamentary elections. 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leave office<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2884678-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2884678\" data-cid=\"9718075\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Sensational find: Archaeologists recover 1000 objects from Swiss lake<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885015-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2885015\" data-cid=\"9716495\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Seismic shift: How 16 years of Hungarian politics changed in one day<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2885254-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2885254\" data-cid=\"9717732\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU\u2019s top 5 economies vs top 5 US states: How do they compare in GDP?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">False claims are spreading on social media that the European Council has established a UK Office of Strategic Alignment in Brussels to bring the country back into the EU.One post says the office has been set up in the &#8220;main EU building&#8221; and implies that Brexit will soon be over, while another says it shows the EU wants to move on &#8220;graciously&#8221; and urges Brits not to waste the opportunity.However, unfortunately for any Remainers or Re-joiners, this isn&#8217;t the case.A spokesperson for the European Council described it as a &#8220;typical misinformation case&#8221;, as no such office has been set up.They said that the Working Party on the United Kingdom, the Council body responsible for managing post-Brexit relations with the UK, had also said the claims were inaccurate.However, it is true that the UK is trying to deepen its ties with the EU, almost 10 years after a referendum that eventually led to the country&#8217;s departure from the bloc and successive Conservative government measures to put even more distance between them.Euronews&#8217; fact-checking team, The Cube, also reached out to the UK&#8217;s Mission to the EU, which pointed us to a speech that Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave on 1 April this year, where he outlined his government&#8217;s desire to move closer to the continent.&#8221;It is increasingly clear that, as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union,&#8221; the UK prime minister said while outlining his country&#8217;s response to the war in Iran.&#8221;Now, we have made progress on this front on agriculture, electricity, emissions, trading and more. But as the chancellor [Rachel Reeves] has rightly pointed out, Brexit did deep damage to our economy and the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.&#8221;&#8221;So in the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners,&#8221; Starmer continued. &#8220;And I can tell you that at that summit, the UK will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year&#8217;s summit. We want to be more ambitious: closer economic cooperation, closer security cooperation, a partnership that recognises our shared values, our shared interest and our shared future.&#8221;The most recent analysis from the UK&#8217;s fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), states that the long-term impact of Brexit remains a significant drag on the UK economy. It estimates that it will reduce the UK&#8217;s potential GDP by 4% in the long run (by the early 2030s) compared to what it would have been had London remained with Brussels.The 4% is driven primarily by a decline in productivity, with trade barriers stifling competition and preventing the UK from specialising in its most efficient industries, according to the OBR.Other figures from British think tank the Centre for European Reform put the economic loss of Brexit at around \u00a3130 billion (\u20ac149 billion), and US research organisation the National Bureau of Economic Research says that, by 2025, the UK&#8217;s departure from the EU had cut GDP by 6% to 8% since 2016.How has the UK moved closer to Brussels so far?The Labour government, which came into power in 2024, promised to &#8220;reset&#8221; the UK&#8217;s relationship with Europe, and it&#8217;s already taken some concrete steps to do so, including agreeing to rejoin the Erasmus+ exchange scheme.The two sides have also launched a Security and Defence Partnership and are working on deals on sanitary and phytosanitary standards and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, among other steps.Most recently, British newspaper The Guardian reported that UK government ministers are preparing legislation that could see the country adopt EU single market rules without a vote by parliament, if the government decides it&#8217;s in the national interest.Research from last year by Brussels-based consultancy Frontier Economics showed that deeper alignment in goods and services could grow the UK&#8217;s GDP by between 1.7% and 2.2%.With the next UK-EU summit scheduled for summer this year, it remains to be seen exactly how the two sides will align further, but there&#8217;s no doubt relations between the two are now deepening rather than distancing.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;http:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/04\/13\/no-the-eu-hasnt-set-up-a-uk-harmonisation-office-in-brussels-to-help-undo-brexit&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/71\/73\/57\/1200x675_cmsv2_d3a43502-a004-5875-ac29-099204a8fa21-9717357.jpg&#8221;] Lebanon Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to cancel Tuesday meeting with Israel No Comment Germany marks 69th birthday of zoo\u2019s oldest gorilla USA Judge tosses Trump $10bn defamation suit against Wall Street Journal Nigeria Up to 200 civilians dead in Nigeria after air force misfire on market Lebanon Hezbollah leader asks Lebanon to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1880601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1880601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1880601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1880601\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1880601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1880601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1880601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}