The EU Council has confirmed the EU's mandate to negotiate a Youth Mobility Scheme with the UK.
Confirmation came after a meeting on Friday of the European Council who agreed to hold detailed talks with the UK on how many youth visas would be issued under what conditions. Negotiations are yet to take place but a YMS could enable young Brits and Europeans to travel, work and study in each other's countries, creating new opportunities to learn skills, boost cultural connections, and strengthen the bonds of friendship.
Coming just days ahead of the nine year anniversary of the Brexit referendum, the news also follows a YouGov poll which found 56% of the British public think it was wrong to leave the EU, and 65% want us to have a closer relationship with the trading bloc.
Andrew Lewin MP, Chair of the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission, who led more 60 Labour MPs to lobby the government for such a scheme said,
"I was so pleased to see our Labour Government embrace the return of a mobility scheme as a core part of the UK/EU reset.
“Giving young Brits and Europeans more opportunities to travel, work and study offers a host of cultural and economic benefits to the UK and the polls consistently show how popular it is with voters.
“Now the EU has given the green light to begin talks, it's my hope that both sides move forward as quickly as possible to design a scheme and turn this into a reality."
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, who were the first to campaign for such a scheme since May 2023, said,
“As the EU has now approved detailed talks, the ball is in the Prime Minister’s court and he shouldn’t delay in making a youth mobility scheme a reality.
“With Best for Britain’s polling showing two-thirds of Brits want the government to deliver an EU scheme, it’s time to say yes to YMS.”