@eniko not gonna lie ... EU can be frustratingly over regulated, be slow as hell and still does have its fair share of your run off the mill corruption that is masked as "for the people".
We still do have a UK slot free now. Maybe just try to apply, fill out 10.000 pages of paperwork and wait for 10-25 years for consideration. Might get lucky 🤞
(In all honesty I still like and believe in the EU despite all of the frustrations).