The EU | UK Forum
The United Kingdom has left the European Union but the UK will need – and want – to maintain a constructive and informed dialogue with its European neighbours, and vice versa. The EU-UK Forum – a joint initiative of Forum Europe and Encompass – aims to facilitate and nurture that dialogue.
Even with a minimalist agreement at the end of the transition period, there is a growing appreciation that ‘Brexit’ is a process, not a final destination, and that this process will mean ongoing discussions and negotiations for many years to come. There is no precedent for this state of affairs. Politicians and civil servants will be challenged to create and sustain the many kinds of dialogue that will inevitably flow from the UK’s departure from the EU.
The EU-UK Forum seeks to serve as a support to the official deliberations that will now become an everyday reality. It will strive to be non-partisan and will have as its primary objective to contribute to making future EU-UK relations as mutually beneficial as possible.
The Forum is conceived as a platform for discussion, debate and information exchange where participants will have the opportunity not just to stay informed about ongoing EU-UK relations but
also offer insights, expertise and ideas on how that relationship could evolve in the future.
Given current restrictions on large–scale ‘in-person’ gatherings, the Forum’s initial events will be virtual. The frequency, content and speaker choice will of necessity be a ‘work in progress’ and will, to a large extent, be determined by the input of participants.
Anyone who has an interest in making a success of – or simply staying informed about – the EU-UK future relationship is invited to take part.