Sir Keir Starmer will be visiting Brussels for the first time since becoming Prime Minister to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The purpose of the visit is to discuss a new deal that will allow young people greater freedom to travel around Europe. European Union ambassador in the UK, Pedro Serrano, has suggested a scheme allowing young people to move freely during a gap year. However, Sir Keir has said that the government has “no plans for a youth mobility scheme.”
The European Union wants to provide young people in Europe with the ability to travel freely in the UK. In return, young people from the UK will be able to do the same in the EU’s 27 member states. The Prime Minister has talked about a “reset” with the UK’s European neighbours and has visited Germany, France, Italy, and Ireland since coming to power in July. Sir Keir has not yet visited Brussels.
EU officials have stated that changes to the agreements between the UK and the EU will need to be negotiated directly with Brussels. Any substantial changes in the post-Brexit deal between London and Brussels will require the approval of the EU. Brussels sources have praised Downing Street’s tone in recent months but have emphasized that talk alone will not unlock any significant changes.
The government has ruled out re-joining the EU, the single market, or the customs union. Single market membership would mean accepting freedom of movement, which many people consider to have been a driving force behind the referendum in 2016. The youth mobility scheme proposed by EU ambassador Pedro Serrano is viewed as a partial return of freedom of movement that some people may oppose. EU figures state that the youth mobility scheme has nothing to do with the perceived “fear of migration”
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