Written by Philippe Lefevre, CBE Associate Director and PhD candidate at the Politics Departments, University of Surrey

Ten years ago, Britain held an enviable position in Europe, with thousands of civil servants embedded across European institutions, free-movement of our people, and the country shaping European policy at its core and bringing that expertise back home. Although we only recognise it now, the UK was one of the leading advocates for the more moderate directions the European Union was taking, able to bridge the gaps that European Member States are striving hard to overcome now.

Times have changed, and Brexit can now be seen not just as an isolationist failure, but as a fundamental institutional disconnect between the British state, policy, and society. This has contributed to what I would call an “amnesia” of Europe — Europe as a whole, not just the EU. We’ve simultaneously forgotten that we are Europe, and whilst Europe has lamented the loss and moved on, we’ve remained in a period of stagnation where once the continent could be used to bounce our ideas and even people into new ways of thinking and growing.

Now we must redefine our sense of European identity in a practical, “normal” way. Approaching Europe from the continent’s perspective, there is still a sense that the UK doesn’t know where or what it is. Many of my generation are here to say we are Europe, and we need to bring back the expertise and understanding of Europe as a cultural and political experiment to Britain.

This is where the Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE) comes in. Emerging from the our Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, our work seeks to expand the understanding of where Britain and Europe fundamentally stand and where they wish to go. To achieve this, we will collaborate extensively with industry, policymakers, and those who have a genuine stake in the future of this relationship. Our goal is to foster a society and an economy driven by change and progress in a wide area of policy areas. We are not “Remainers”; I, myself, was unable to vote, being one of the many disenfranchised by my age. My generation is calling for a new relationship with Europe—not immediate rejoining, but a recalibration of British efforts to deepen cultural, commercial, and societal ties with all of Europe.

Similarly, Europe should become a normal topic of political discussion. We’re no longer dealing with the implementation of EU Regulations, and have to engage European countries as partners that co-create. We owe thanks to groups such as Labour Movement for Europe and the European Movement (both YEM and EM!) for focusing on practical ways Europe is understood in politics and Parliament. It’s a testament to many such groups and supporters that even under the Conversative government the dial was moved on Horizon, and that Erasmus remains a core part of the European discussion – highlighting the lacklustre efforts that the replacement Turing scheme provides.

Challenges will arise, both from within our political environment and, in some cases, from the media, which still enjoys blaming Europe and treating it as an “other.” This stems from a false imperialist understanding that we are somehow beyond Europe. These challenges must be addressed head-on, and only through the collaboration of academic, institutional, commercial, and societal groups can we achieve, if not a complete re-understanding of Europe, at least a resumption of the normal cognitive pathways that Europe should occupy in our collective British consciousness.

We look forward to working with a wide range of partners, both within the UK and internationally. The UK-Europe relationship was once an incredible form of interconnection, severed without an understanding of how to preserve the ties most important to our country and politics, but it can and will be rebuilt.

From Amelia Hadfield – Founding Director of the CBE

I’m proud to be welcoming a new chapter in the CBE’s history. For the past five years the CBE has been a world-class research centre for Britain and Europe, and we have now taken the step beyond academia to become an equally recognized thought-leader in the business, government, and institutional space.

So much is happening between the UK and Europe. The previous Conservative government may have kickstarted a bit of the entente cordial with France, and moved the dial on Horizon Europe, but beyond that, it’s a landscape littered with diplomatic detritus. The need for the CBE to provide research-led authoritative insights in its reports, its events and its outreach with key stakeholders is all the more important. There are a few key areas that I know CBE will want to examine at local, national and European levels:

The possibility of re-establishing robust student exchange programmes—whether through revisiting Erasmus or rethinking the Turing mobility scheme—stands at the forefront of youth mobility discussions. Beyond that, easing restrictions on group movement, from school trips to touring musicians, remains vital for fostering cultural and educational ties between the UK and the EU. And in going even further beyond, addressing the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, especially in areas like veterinary science, could unlock new avenues for collaboration.

Migration and asylum policies are also key areas where CBE’s insights will prove valuable. Working both bilaterally with key EU member states and multilaterally within the EU framework is essential to tackling this complex issue. The UK’s current trade barriers, coupled with staffing shortages, have stifled growth, but these challenges also present opportunities for UK-EU cooperation, especially in finding EU-oriented solutions. This is particularly relevant as we witness a shift in political landscapes, with new leadership in the UK aligning itself with European Commission staff, commissioners, and key figures in the European Parliament. Cooperative efforts on sustainability and energy security remain crucial, particularly in the context of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Lastly is the area in which I am most proud that our new Assistant Director Philippe will be able to focus on is the UK’s leadership role in security and defence within NATO, and its strategic involvement in Ukraine, solidifying its position as a critical player in Europe’s future stability.

All of these and more fall nicely within the CBE’s stable of expertise and its areas of interest, making it a reliable, high-quality partner capable of contributing to a fast-paced agenda.