Over half of UK business leaders want government to prioritise EU relationship

30 Jun 2026

A majority of UK business leaders now calling on the government to prioritise its relationship with the European Union, according to research from the Institute of Directors (IoD).

Ahead of the introduction of the proposed European Partnership Bill and the upcoming UK-EU Summit, currently scheduled for 22 July, the IoD's latest data shows that 52% of business leaders believe the government should make the EU its top trading priority.

This represents a significant increase from 35% in April 2025, underlining growing recognition of the EU's importance to UK business.

In contrast, the proportion of respondents who believe the government should approach all trading partners equally has fallen to 35%, down from 41%.

Support for prioritising the US has dropped sharply, with just 2% of business leaders identifying it as the top priority, compared to 10% last year.

Emma Rowland, Trade Policy Adviser at the IoD, said: 'Ten years on from the Brexit vote, the gravitational pull towards the EU has strengthened markedly. This data reflects the EU's enduring role as the UK's closest and largest trading market, and the one with which firms have the most integrated supply chains.

'In an increasingly uncertain global environment – characterised by geopolitical tensions, heightened protectionism and increased tariff barriers – business leaders are prioritising stability. The shift away from transatlantic trade is symptomatic of this strive for predictability, something that the US is not offering at the moment.'