EU’s youth mobility offer still on table as Starmer plans talks with Spain

Brussels said the EU’s offer to the UK of a youth free movement deal was still on the table on Sunday after it emerged Sir Keir Starmer had discussed a similar pact with the Spanish. 
 
A spokesman for the Commission said proposals for the scheme known as “youth mobility” was still on for consideration in the bloc despite the earlier knock backs by Labour. 
 
“The commission proposed some idea to the council concerning youth mobility spread With this proposal passed by the council, the commission will be able to open negotiations with the United Kingdom,” the official said. 
 
The Telegraph traced that the Prime Minister made the discussions on a youth mobility deal on the margins of a summit meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace with Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish PM. 
 
At the same time, ex-Brexit officials have claimed that Sir Keir will surrender to many demands in a bid to mend relations with Brussels. 
 
Bolster post-Brexit relations 
 
Some further specifics of the discussed youth mobility arrangement are not well-defined; however, Brussels is likely to demand its member states refrain from entering into bi-lateral arrangements while there is some attempt being made to strengthen post Brexit EU-UK relations. 
 
It is believed that among the EU’s 'defensive interests' in any negotiations with Sir Keir’s government is agreeing a free movement pact for the 18 to 30 year olds. 
 
The commission only sought to table an EU-wide scheme as late as April 2023 because the preceding Conservative government sought to lure the member-state concerned, including Poland, for similar schemes. 
 
Germany and Spain had previously been seduced by previous dangles from the UK, but declined the advances unless there was an EU mutual plan in place. 
 
In a question and answer document that the commission put out at the time, Eurocrats boasted that their plan was further than any of the bilateral youth mobility agreements Britain had been making with European capitals. 
 
The Model of Europe on offer would have done away with expensive visa costs together with a fee for migrants who wish to access the NHS. 
 
This expected that the EU students would pay the £9,250 a year university fees like the British students in contradiction to the overseas charges of two or three times that. 
 
Another implication of EU’s scheme was elimination of quotas; consequently, any number of young Europeans could travel to the UK. 
 
Some of the architects of the trade deal agreed by Boris Johnson unveiled concerns that PM might either compromise on the freedoms they negotiated for, to get back into the good books of the EU. 
 
“‘Starmer’s plan seems to be to turn up in Brussels like the new kid trying to make the right impression on his first day at school, with neatly slicked-back hair, a smile on his face and a pocket full of concessions to hand out like sweets to get in with the big boys,’ a former British negotiator told the Telegraph. ” 
 
“Sadly for the UK, he will soon find out how it really feels to negotiate with the EU : any given sweeteners shall be immediately snatched first and then he shall get a taste of his – and the UK’s – lunch money next. ” 
 
The Sunday Telegraph last week exposed that the EU negotiating team will initially insist on wanting to keep fishing in British waters, although the existing deal will end in 2026 before it considers Sir Keir’s suggestions to rework Mr Johnson’s Brexit deals. 
 
Exhibit more readiness to bloc 
 
Brussels is also to force the Government accept a ‘youth mobility’ plan that does not restrict citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 from coming to work or study in Britain for four years with the right to bring in their families. 
 
Sir Keir has promised to take the UK in a new direction with Brussels that his Conservative predecessors tarnished. 
 
This Prime Minister seeks to demonstrate more desire for cooperation with the block in order to attain agreements on enhanced relations in areas such as agricultural, chemicals, and professional qualifications besides the new security and foreign cooperation deal. 
 
Lord Frost, the former Brexit minister who was driving the final part of the final part of Britain’s deal and the subsequent trade agreement, stated that Brussels will only use any initiative by Sir Keir as a bait to apply more pressure in future negotiations. 
 
‘The EU never returns good will, ‘ Lord Frost cited in a statement to the Telegraph. 
 
‘It is rather unwise to give in before a conflict starts, in the hope that this will be reciprocated in similar vein at a later date. ’ In the case of an EU side it will just stuff it in their pockets and continue with the same activities as before. 
 
“If Keir Starmer wants to get anything out of the EU he will actually have to rock up and be completely mercenary. ” 
 
Negotiations between London and Brussels will not give indications about the general situation in the near future since Ursula von der Leyen, the commission’s president, is set to reshuffle her governing team. 
 
The officials in Brussels have also stated that Sir Keir’s team has not yet laid out the potential areas of concession in any detail. 
 
Potential dates for a meeting between Sir Keir and Mrs von der Leyen could be in August of 2024 or early September of 2024. 
 
The foreign secretary, David Lammy, might also be in attendance for a meeting of his EU counterparts in October for a dialogue on the security accord.