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United Kingdom·European Union·Diplomacy

New EU ambassador says Brussels ready to engage once UK decides what it wants

Monday, 5 October 2026, 06:18 · 1 min read

The European Union's newly installed ambassador to the UK, Jukka Salovaara, says the "ball is with the UK" to define its future relationship with the bloc, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham says all options, including rejoining, should be considered before Labour's next manifesto. Salovaara, a veteran Finnish diplomat, said he will act as a "facilitator" rather than a negotiator, and that Brussels will wait for London to set out its aims before engaging on options ranging from the single market or customs union to a new form of associate membership, as proposed for Canada. Burnham's first EU summit is pencilled in for November, with talks expected on food standards, linking carbon emissions trading schemes, security and a youth mobility scheme, on which the UK has offered 50,000 places a year against Brussels' demand for 150,000. The EU envoy also noted that full membership would likely need a strong consensus within the UK, though whether that requires another referendum is for Britain to decide.

Sources
The Guardian — Ball in UK’s court: EU ambassador says Brussels will be ‘ready to engage‘ after country decides what it wants ↗︎
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