Assessing Australia’s options in the context of Brexit: engaging with the UK and the European Union

ABSTRACT

The Brexit vote will fundamentally transform the European Union (EU) and will change how the UK relates to Europe and the rest of the world. What are the implications for Australia at this critical juncture? The UK has been a major player in the Australia–EU relationship, and Australia will now need to recalibrate its approach to both the UK and the EU across a range of policy areas. This article examines the future of Australia–UK and Australia–EU relations in the wake of Brexit, and assesses Australia’s options going forward. The authors advance three considerations. Firstly, Australia’s national interests are best served by adopting a pragmatic rather than nostalgic approach towards future relations with the UK and the EU. Secondly, Australia should avoid pursuing one relationship at the expense of the other and creating a zero-sum dynamic. Finally, Australia’s future strategy must consider broader global developments, such as events within its own region and the US presidency.

KEYWORDS:

• Australia
• Brexit
• European Union
• foreign policy
• trade
• UK

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Laura Allison-Reumann is Research Associate at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, Nanyang Technological University. She is also Associate Fellow of the EU Centre, Singapore. Her research covers regionalism, federalism and EU-ASEAN relations.

Margherita Matera is a lecturer and Honorary Fellow in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on security and defence cooperation within the European Union (EU), the EU as a foreign policy, security and crisis management actor, NATO and EU-Australia relations.

Philomena Murray is Professor and Jean Monnet Chair ad personam in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. She holds honorary positions at Trinity College Dublin; College of Europe, Bruges and United Nations University Centre for Comparative Regional Integration Studies, Bruges. Her research interests include challenges to the EU's relations with Australia and Asia; comparative regional governance and EU legitimacy.

Notes

1. Interviews conducted by Murray in December 2017.

2. Interviews conducted by Murray in December 2017.