Five European leaders have written to the heads of the European Commission and the European Council calling for closer ties between the EU and Britain, the Guardian reported on Saturday.
According to the report, the leaders of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark told Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa that deeper cooperation on clean energy would benefit both sides. The newspaper said they also want work on Britain's return to the EU's internal electricity market to be speeded up.
The letter comes less than two weeks before the second EU-UK summit since Brexit, which the Council of the EU has confirmed will take place in Brussels on 20 November. Von der Leyen and Costa will host the prime minister, Andy Burnham, at the Europa building, where the Council says the leaders "will take stock of the progress made in the bilateral relations".
The Guardian said the five leaders described the UK as a "close partner in the energy transition" and argued that Britain's integration into the EU's internal electricity market was "necessary to unlock the full potential of the North Sea area and transform it into the largest clean energy hub in the world".
The newspaper also quoted the view that closer market integration "will lead to more efficient electricity trading, resulting in lower costs for UK consumers". No figure has been published for the size of any saving.
Negotiations on British participation in the EU's electricity market are already under way. A Council negotiating document records talks on UK access to the Union's trading platforms, and the Council and Commission issued a statement on a financial contribution on 13 November last year. The first EU-UK summit was held on 19 May 2025.
The EU is aiming to conclude two further deals as a single package by the summit, according to MLex: an agreement to ease food and agricultural trade by aligning health and safety rules, and the linking of the two sides' emissions trading systems. The Guardian reported that the two sides also hope to sign an agreement on youth exchanges.
The Guardian reported that Burnham has said the government will examine its options on Europe, including a customs union, a return to the single market or full membership. Downing Street has not published a transcript of those remarks.
Stella Creasy, the Labour MP who chairs the Labour Movement for Europe, told the Guardian there were "plenty of sensible changes" that could be made in the meantime. She said exports were down because leaving the EU had hit the UK economy substantially. Her group is campaigning for the party's next manifesto to include what the newspaper described as a de facto second referendum.
Industry groups have pressed for closer electricity trading for some time. An open letter from EU energy industries in May 2025 said more than 10 gigawatts of interconnectors already link the British and EU grids, with more under construction.
None of the five governments, the Commission or the Council has commented publicly on the letter. The Guardian did not name the signatories individually or say when the letter was sent.
Media accreditation for the summit closes at midday on Friday 13 November.
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