Paul Seddon
Political reporter
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The government will no longer rule out youth visa contracts with the EU ahead of next month’s summit in order to “reset” post-Brexit relations.
Labour has previously said that there is no plan for such a scheme, making it easier for young people to study and study abroad.
However, to promote cooperation, the agreement has emerged as an important European demand for continued negotiations between the two parties. Downing Street declined to repeat its previous opposition to reporters on Thursday, saying it would not provide a “running commentary” about the talk.
It comes when more than 60 Labour MPs appeal to pastors to sue “Newly Registered Youth Visa Schemes for UK and EU citizens under the age of 30.”
In a letter to the EU minister of Nick Thomas-Symonds, they argued that mutual transactions of time-limited visas covered by CAP “will expand new cultural, educational and economic opportunities for young people in the UK.”
Ir Keir Starmer is expected to meet European Commission President Ursula von del Reyen as preparations for the summit in London increase on May 19th.
The Labour Government aims to build close economic ties with the EU after Brexit. Both sides have also expressed renewed interest in defense and security agreements amid the war in Ukraine.
The defence agreement could unlock the EU-backed loan scheme with full UK access of 150 billion euros (£128 billion), with UK companies being limited to providing up to 35% of the value of projects funded under the programme.
At a meeting on Thursday, Germany’s UK ambassador Miguel Berger said he wanted to see progress in youth visa trading as part of his “package approach” to talks that link different topics.
He added that EU citizens have faced “many obstacles” in their migration to the UK since Brexit.
Existing Schemes
The UK currently offers visas that allow young people from 12 non-EU countries, including Japan, South Korea and Uruguay, to study or work in the UK for up to two years. People in Australia, Canada and New Zealand can be extended even further until 2018.
These visas have annual quotas ranging from 100 visas in Andorra to 42,000 visas in Australia and are made where the vote is being held.
Applicants from these countries require at least £2,530 in savings, are unable to apply for most benefits, and are required to pay an annual NHS surcharge of £776 for students and £1,035 for workers.
The European Commission proposed an EU-wide youth contract last April, claiming that Rishi Snack’s government had approached the European capital to discuss individual visa transactions, putting “discriminatory treatment” of EU citizens at risk.
Under the original proposal, people ages 18 to 30 can apply for visas that last for up to four years, with no limit on the amount of time spent.
He also said that EU applicants should not have to pay an NHS surcharge and should be able to pay the same university tuition fees as UK students, rather than the higher fees they had to pay after Brexit.
“Youth Experience”
It has been reported that home offices tasked with providing government plans are pushing for the final agreement to be subject to visa caps to reduce overall migration.
This contradicts the European Commission’s original plan and has no limits on the numbers.
When asked about the report, Berger declined to comment, saying, “We have to leave it to negotiations.”
The EU wants to emphasize that visa transactions do not replicate the bloc’s rules regarding freedom of movement, in which EU citizens are automatically entitled to live and work in the UK without applying for a visa.
Documents circulating across EU states also suggest that deals can be rebranded as a “youth experience” scheme with obvious bids to downplay links to transitions.
In comments Thursday, Berger argued that once the visa is over, “has nothing to do with the transition.”
