UK-EU summit on relationship reset faces delay over youth mobility deadlock
EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič says the summit will ‘probably’ occur in July, though EU diplomats warned momentum is being lost.
The UK-EU summit aimed at resetting bilateral relations, originally scheduled for late June, has been tentatively rescheduled to 13 July, with further delays into the autumn possible. Negotiations remain deadlocked primarily over a youth mobility scheme for under-30s, alongside issues regarding veterinary standards and food and drink red tape. EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič stated at a Brussels conference that the summit will “probably” take place in July, although he acknowledged it could be postponed after the summer.
EU sources indicate that 20 of the 27 European ministers expressed strong support for the youth mobility scheme, treating it as a significant priority or “red line”. The core impasse involves the EU insisting that EU citizens studying in the UK pay home tuition fees, while the UK seeks to cap the number of EU citizens entering under the three-year visa scheme at between 40,000 and 50,000 annually. One EU source accused the UK of trying to introduce new issues, noting that London keeps wanting to link the youth mobility scheme to other matters such as business mobility.
UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle held a one-hour meeting with Šefčovič in Brussels, describing the discussion as “positive” and filled with “hope and optimism”. Kyle confirmed that the UK is seeking to cap the number of EU citizens entering the UK under the youth scheme at between 40,000 and 50,000 annually. He asserted that UK-EU relations have “healed” and that the UK must address British voters’ concerns regarding migration to secure a deal, stating that the way to win over the British people is to show that the EU delivers for them.
The annual summit, the second of its kind since Brexit, was originally due to be held in May, exactly a year after the first, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Lancaster House in Westminster. But with talks over a youth experience scheme and a veterinary deal taking longer than anticipated, 29 June was pencilled in for this year’s summit, according to sources. That has now shifted to a tentative date of 13 July and there is speculation it may move again.
Kyle described his meeting with Šefčovič as “positive” and full of “hope and optimism” in trying to nail a deal on three areas – youth mobility, food and drink red tape and carbon emissions. Asked why there was still no date for the summit, Kyle said: “We’ve never set a date for it, but it’s incoming … we are throwing our heart and soul into this reset.” He added that the UK is determined that each summit is a big step forward, rather than just looking over their shoulder to assess past performance.