Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Has Reportedly Rule out Joining Youth Mobility Scheme with EU

The British government has rejected calls to bring back free movement for those aged 18 to 30 between the UK and the EU, dashing the hopes of campaigners for a return to pre-Brexit freedoms.

Ministers reiterated their opposition to a deal with Brussels that would allow young people to live and work in EU countries, following reports that some elements of the deal could be agreed as part of wider negotiations.

The Times cited unnamed government sources on Wednesday as saying that British ministers have accepted that they will have to “give way” on parts of a proposed reciprocal youth mobility scheme if they want to reach a deal in other areas, such as reducing checks on British food imported into the EU.

The source told the newspaper: “If we really want to rebalance our relationship with the EU, we have to be ready to give them something they want.”

However, a government spokesman said it would not be reviewed. “We are not considering it, we are not planning it and we are not working on it,” they said.

Asked if the issue would come up in future talks with the EU, they said: “Our negotiating team has very clear red lines but all the preparations have not addressed it.”

Labour has insisted it will never restore free movement. However, the idea of ​​a youth mobility scheme – allowing EU citizens under 30 to work and study in the UK for a period of time and vice versa – is more akin to deals the UK has with countries such as Australia.

In April, the EU formally proposed negotiations for an EU-wide youth mobility scheme, but was immediately rejected by Labour and then-Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Sources said the unexpected proposal was an effort by the European Commission to prevent Britain from reaching a unilateral deal with six countries, including France, Spain and Germany.
The French, in particular, insist that Britain should not be allowed to selectively join the EU after Brexit.

Another obvious obstacle to the EU proposal is to allow British and EU students to regain domestic student status at each other’s universities for four years.

This would mean a significant reduction in tuition fees paid by EU students at British universities. British university representatives said they could not afford the extra costs and could not imagine how Labour would subsidize them. Sources said a three-year version of the system would not ease the financial burden.

The Liberal Democrats called on the government on Thursday to agree to a common youth system. The party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Layla Moran said it would restore relations with the EU and “give our young people fantastic opportunities to live and work in Europe, while providing a much-needed boost to the UK economy – and our hospitality industry in particular”.

Explaining the Brussels proposal in April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the plan was an area where “closer cooperation” could be achieved.

She said: “The issue of youth mobility is in our common interest because the more youth mobility there is across the Channel, the more likely we are to get along because the next generation knows each other very well.”