A Decade of Brexit: The EU’s Gains and the UK’s Struggles

Ten years after the UK’s departure from the European Union, the country faces persistent divisions, economic challenges, and diminished global influence, while the EU has leveraged the absence of a Eurosceptic member to advance integration in key areas. Federico Fabbrini, director of the Brexit Institute and a professor of law at Dublin City University, argues that the UK’s exit has been a net loss, with the bloc emerging stronger in fields such as defense, energy, and fiscal coordination.

“The project empirically proved to be a failure. Economically, socially, politically, the UK is worse off,” Fabbrini states. “Economically, the UK is trading below its pre-Brexit trajectory, productivity has declined, and investment has slowed. The country now struggles with labor shortages linked to reduced EU migration and a weakening appeal of its universities.”

The 2016 EU referendum, framed as a return to sovereignty, has instead left the UK grappling with political instability and unresolved questions about its European identity. “The average British citizen has lost over £3,000 a year,” notes a recent study, highlighting the economic toll. Public opinion has shifted, with 52% of Britons now supporting rejoining the EU, according to an Ipsos poll.

Meanwhile, the EU has capitalized on Brexit to deepen integration. The NextGenerationEU recovery fund, coordinated sanctions policies, and renewed defense cooperation under the PESCO framework reflect a more unified bloc. “Without the UK, it was easier for the EU to advance in defense-related domains,” Fabbrini explains, citing the UK’s previous resistance to collective military structures.

Brexit’s political ripple effects persist. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has gained traction, capitalizing on migration debates that were central to the original Brexit vote. “The issue of migration continues to dominate British politics,” Fabbrini says, linking Farage’s influence to lingering Eurosceptic sentiments.

The EU, however, views Brexit as a catalyst for cohesion. “The UK had created obstacles to European integration, particularly in fiscal and defense areas,” Fabbrini notes. “Without the Eurosceptic UK, the EU has moved forward in ways that were previously unimaginable.”

As the UK navigates its post-Brexit reality, questions loom about its future relationship with the EU. While Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought closer ties, Fabbrini warns that hesitation risks emboldening Farage’s right-wing agenda. “If Labour had moved Britain back closer to the EU, economic growth would have returned,” he argues.

For the EU, Brexit has been a manageable challenge, not a crisis. “The EU transformed what was an existential crisis into another problem it could manage through technocratic processes,” Fabbrini says. “In a way, it slightly depoliticized the issue.”

Ultimately, the absence of the UK has allowed the EU to advance on defense, energy, and economic recovery, while the UK continues to confront the consequences of its decision.

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