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The European Economic and Social Committee, the task force for European integration, has urged the EU to reach an agreement with the UK on mutual free movement for young people.
The committee has already put forward a proposal on the matter, calling on authorities to give back the ability for under-30s to travel freely between the UK and the EU after Brexit.
In particular, on this proposal, the committee called for the reintegration of the UK into the Erasmus program which allows students from participating countries to study abroad under advantageous conditions, reports SchengenVisaInfo.
As The Independent explains, the Erasmus program has allowed around 200,000 young Britons to study at universities in EU countries at no extra cost.
However, after Brexit, the UK also left the Erasmus programme, making it more difficult and expensive for its young people to reach EU countries for study purposes.
Given the disadvantages that young people in the UK are currently facing, the committee wants both the UK and the EU to explore the possibility of negotiating a youth mobility partnership.
Speaking for the Independent, the European Youth Forum’s UK Youth Ambassador, Maurizio Cutton, said the UK’s exit from the Erasmus program was a “catastrophic loss”.
He further emphasized that the UK government has responsibilities towards its young people and should focus on providing them with opportunities that help unlock their potential and a prosperous future.
Brest’s chief executive for the UK said young Britons had been “robbed” of opportunities to have irreplaceable experiences.
Additionally, commenting on the move, which aims to provide relief to those under 30s in the UK who were unable to study and work in the EU before Brexit, campaign group Best for Britain said Naomi Smith, chief executive of That “the planets are aligning.”
Smith further emphasized that this is a great opportunity for the government to “return” to its young citizens who have had a lifetime of experiences.
If a youth mobility deal is signed between the UK and the EU, it won’t be just the British who will benefit. The simplified rules will also apply to young EU citizens who want to enter the UK for study purposes.
More recently, EU Commissioner Iliana Ivanona said she would ask the UK to simplify visa procedures as well as reduce the cost of visas for EU scientists.
According to him, the UK is at risk of losing some of the benefits of its Horizon Europe research program if it maintains stricter rules.
