London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Ministers have restated their opposition to any deal with the European Union allowing young people to live and function in EU countries after a report stated some elements of this could be arranged as part of a wider set of negotiations.
How Could a Mutual Youth Mobility System Affect UK-EU Relations?
According to government sources as expressing UK ministers accepted they would have to “give ground” over parts of a suggested mutual youth mobility system if they were to get contracts in other areas, such as a decrease in checks on UK food entering the EU. “If we are deep about resetting relations with the EU then we need to be equipped to give them some of the things that they want,” they said.
A government spokesperson expressed this was not being looked at. “We are not feeling it, there are no plans for this, or any job being done on it,” they stated. Asked whether the problem might come up in future discussions with the EU, they stated: “Our negotiating team has very clear red lines, and none of the preparatory work involves this.”
While Labour has been stubborn it will never oversee a return to the free movement of people, the concept of a youth mobility scheme – which would permit EU citizens under 30 to work and study for a limited period in the UK, and vice-versa – would be more comparable to deals the UK has with countries such as Australia.
What Are the Key Red Lines for the UK in Current EU Negotiations?
In April, the EU drove a formal offer to arrange a bloc-wide youth mobility programme, but this was immediately denied by both Labour and Rishi Sunak, who was the Conservative prime minister at the time. According to sources, the proposal, which came out of the blue, was an endeavour by the European Commission to suppress a bid by the UK to do unilateral deals with six countries, including France, Spain and Germany. The French, in certain, were adamant that the UK should not be permitted to “cherry-pick” EU access post-Brexit.
What Role Does the Issue of University Fee Reciprocity Play in the Dispute?
Another apparent barrier to the EU proposal is the element that would permit UK and EU students to have home-fee position again at each others’ universities for four years. This would suggest EU students at UK universities spending notably lower fees. Representatives of UK universities have stated they would not be able to shoulder the extra cost and could not see how Labour would support them. Sources express a three-year version that would do zero to solve the financial burden.