The European Commission is keen to start talks with the United Kingdom on a post-EU agreement to boost opportunities for young people to live, work and study abroad, GB News reports.
In a statement released on Thursday, the EU executive said it would ask EU Council member states for authorisation to negotiate a bloc-wide youth mobility agreement with London.
The youth mobility scheme, proposed yesterday by the European Commission, would allow Europeans aged between 18 and 30 to come to the UK for up to four years to work, travel and study. UK citizens will also be able to take advantage of the scheme, allowing them to move to the continent under the deal.
Maroš Sefčovič, the EU’s representative in the Brexit negotiations, said the scheme aims to “rebuild human bridges” between both sides of the Channel. He said:
The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and the UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard. Today, we take the first step towards an ambitious but realistic agreement between the EU and the UK that would fix this issue. Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel.
The EU is likely to have a Labour government in mind when striking a new deal, as Starmer has previously stated his intention to seek closer ties with the EU if he wins the general election. But a Labour spokesperson said:
This is a proposal from the EU Commission to EU member states, not to the UK. It has come about because the UK government is reportedly approaching other European countries to try to establish mobility arrangements. Labour has no plans for a youth mobility scheme. We have already suggested some tangible ways that we would look to improve the relationship and deliver for British businesses and consumers, including seeking a veterinary agreement to tackle trade barriers, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and improved touring opportunities for artists. A Labour Government would seek to improve the UK’s working relationship with the EU within our red lines – no return to the single market, customs union or free movement.
However, Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, welcomed the deal, saying young people had been “deprived of an irreplaceable formative experience”. In an interview with the Telegraph, she said:
This landmark intervention is a welcome acknowledgement of the immense impact that Brexit has had, not only on young Brits but young Europeans as well. The UK Government must now respond in kind. Until a reciprocal EU-UK youth mobility scheme is formalised, our young people will continue to be robbed of the irreplaceable formative experiences their parents and older siblings enjoyed, because of a failed Brexit project they did not vote for.
Charles Owen, of Seasonal Business in Travel, claimed:
A reciprocal youth mobility scheme is a win-win for both Europe and the UK, and in particular for struggling businesses suffering from chronic labour shortages, made worse by Brexit. Momentum is building to get this deal done and we implore the prime minister to talk to Industry and prepare for the upcoming negotiations appropriately. This is a serious economic and cultural opportunity for all.
