Two days ago I wrote about what Andy Burnham said on the Today programme: that a customs union, the single market or rejoining the EU were all options, against the 2024 manifesto's red lines (my earlier piece). This one covers how the EU side has answered since. The answers differ by who is giving them.
The leaders
On Wednesday 30 September, Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sánchez held a press conference in Madrid at the end of Macron's first state visit to Spain. Macron called a British return "excellent news" and "a wise decision," and said Burnham was "right to show such boldness": "Welcome back." Sánchez said: "Spain would welcome Britain's return with open arms" (Politico, Reuters).
Reuters' piece is mostly about something else. Both leaders face elections next year in which the far right is expected to gain, and the Burnham answer came in the middle of a discussion of the EU budget and defences against Chinese competition.
The institution
Politico says Brussels itself was "more muted." A Commission spokesperson said it is "for the U.K. Government to set out how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU" and that the Commission "remain[s] open to engaging on the options it may put forward." That does not respond to the rejoining question.
The diplomats
Anonymous EU officials and diplomats told Politico the mood in Brussels was positive but wary. One asked: "Why bother with difficult negotiations on SPS, emission trading and youth mobility if the U.K. wants a completely new deal?" Another said: "We'll wait for concrete proposals from London." A third said it "will most likely take longer than November [to discuss], probably some time next year." The summit has no date yet, according to Politico.
Euronews (2 October) puts names on two of these views. MEP Sandro Gozi said Burnham "now needs to clarify what he means." Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform said the speech would be "a moral boost for leaders," but "many of them will be quite hostile to what the British are saying" once officials get to work.
What is already on the table
Euronews reports that the side-deals Starmer had nearly finished (agrifood rules, the electricity market, a youth experience scheme) were postponed when he stepped down. It also reports that Burnham urged von der Leyen, in a 22 September meeting, to give UK firms a carve-out from the EU's "Made in Europe" procurement scheme, and that European negotiators have tied that request, per EU sources, to cutting tuition fees for EU students to the rate British students pay. Euronews says it is unclear whether a deal can be reached by the summit.
Euronews also reports UK officials saying Burnham could use the 2029 general election to test support for rejoining, and that he has suggested it is not yet time to re-run the referendum. I haven't seen a primary statement for either point.
What I haven't checked
The Guardian reported on 30 September that Downing Street is sounding out thinktanks and pollsters on support for rejoining. I only saw the standfirst. I haven't read the full story. I also haven't seen the UK government's own account of what it will publish before the summit.
So far the welcome has come from capitals, the caution from Brussels, and nobody has published a proposal to answer.