The European Movement was founded by Winston Churchill in 1949 to promote European unity. For over 75 years, we have worked to build a closer relationship with our European neighbours.  

The European Movement is a cross-party, single-issue organisation. We are powered by our 27,000 members, over 275,000 campaign supporters, over 100 local groups, and our strong networks in Westminster and the EU. 

The UK shares deeply held values and a common history with our European neighbours. The EU and its member states are natural trading, security, diplomatic and cultural partners for the UK and, together, we can exercise powerful influence on the world stage. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that Britain’s decision to leave the EU is not working out well in practice and isn’t going to. The UK’s economic and political interests, and the global pursuit of our shared values of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law are best achieved through the UK rebuilding closer ties with the European Union. 

Over 75 years, we have worked to build a closer relationship with the rest of Europe. We played a significant role in securing the UK’s membership of the European Community in 1975.

Today, we are tracking and spotlighting, with grave concern, the practical impacts of the UK’s decision to leave. We are continuing that long legacy of pro-European campaigning.

Unlike many political organisations, we aren't tied to any one political party.

Our members and activists come from across the political spectrum including Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Greens, and those with no party affiliation. We are all united by the belief that the UK is stronger together, and not apart from, Europe.

The vast majority of our funding comes from individual memberships and small-scale donations from people across the UK, and not from major donors.

We are a grassroots movement of hundreds of thousands of people from all over the UK.

The European Movement UK is a founding member of European Movement International.

This gives us a seat at the table with similar pro-European organisations in over 30 countries, ensuring our campaigns are coordinated with our neighbours across the continent.

Our International Committee leads work on liaising with our sister organisations across Europe, and we are proud to be part of a pan-European network of like-minded organisations.

European Movement International has direct links to, and works closesly with, civil society and governments across the continent.

The Leave campaign told us that the UK sends £350 million per week to the EU, and that this money could be spent on the NHS instead.

In fact, the UK did not send £350 million per week to Brussels. EU membership cost less than half of that figure in 2015 as it didn't include what came back in EU spending or the British rebate.

The UK decides our own laws and policies, and has ultimate sovereignty.

We chose to pool some of our sovereignty in the EU, to achieve things that we can't achieve on our own.

The Leave campaign told us that we had to leave the EU in order to secure our borders.

The UK could control our own borders, and being in the EU didn't change that. We also had the power to restrict EU migration and to deport foreign criminals, including those from the EU.

People all across the EU, including in the UK, directly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

It is the European Parliament, consisting of those directly elected MEPs, that votes on all laws and decisions.

While the UK officially left the EU in January 2020, this could be reversed if both sides agree.