The European Commission has proposed opening negotiations with the UK to allow mobility enjoyed before Brexit to millions of 18- to 30-year-olds in a major concession
Under the envisaged agreement, EU and UK citizens aged between 18 and 30 would be able to stay for up to four years in the destination country, the European Commission said in a detailed statement.It said it would now seek approval from individual EU leaders to start the talks, which could partly eliminate one of the most controversial elements of Brexit , a block on the right to live in one another’s countries, albeit for a limited period and with conditions.
The decision by the commission, which has in the past been vehemently opposed to making any concessions to the UK sought since Brexit, is seen as a breakthrough in UK-EU relations. It may also make it easier for UK and EU universities to recruit researchers, particularly those involved in the Horizon science research programme. Under the scheme it is also envisaged that the university student home-fee system would be restored in both directions, ending the crippling overseas fees which sometimes amounted to more than £40,000 a year.
UK ministers have argued that it would not be a backtracking on one of the key elements of Brexit, the end of free movement for British citizens. They argued that France already had such an agreement with Canada, and Australia had a similar deal with the UK, and that it would be an important way to foster cultural exchange for future generations.
The commission’s statement raises a possibility that it could pave the way for university places in one another’s countries if member states and the UK saw fit. And agreement “would also provide for equal treatment between EU and UK citizens in respect of higher education tuition fees”, the statement said.
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