The EPP Group in the EU Parliament is among those who have warmly welcomed the agreement between the European Commission and the United Kingdom on the UK’s association with the Erasmus+ programme from 2027 onwards.
This means that the much sought-after educational scheme will now reopen to those involved in education, training, culture and sport from 2027.
Young people in Britain will be able to study or gain work experience through the Erasmus scheme for the first time since the country left the EU.
This comes after the UK government announced on Wednesday an agreement to rejoin the scheme.
It is thought that about 16,000 European students went to the UK as part of the scheme in 2019/2020, with almost 6,000 trainees on top of that figure. Figures show that some 9,800 UK students and 6,500 trainees went to Europe from the UK to study during this same period.
The Erasmus scheme started back in 1987 as a university exchange programme but has expanded over time to now include work and training placements and is enormously popular with young people.
Speaking exclusively to this site, David McAllister, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said,
“Five years after the entry into force of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the announced re-association of the United Kingdom with Erasmus Plus from 2027 is very welcome news.”
The deputy added,
“Prior to this, the number of European students in the United Kingdom had fallen by well over half, with a similar picture emerging for British students in the European Union.
This negotiating outcome therefore represents an important first step towards long-term cooperation in science, education and research, from which young people in both Europe and the United Kingdom will benefit. It is now essential that we build on this success for the period from 2028 to 2034.”
Former UK Liberal MEP Andrew Duff also told this site,
“This is very welcome. The EU has done well to secure this deal, benefiting all European youth. One small wound of the Brexit disaster is repaired.”
The decision has also been greeted by the EPP, the biggest group in the EU parliament.
Bogdan Zdrojewski MEP, the EPP Group’s negotiator on the Erasmus programme, said,
“This marks an important step in restoring and strengthening Europe’s most popular and successful student exchange scheme. The renewed participation will allow students in the UK to once again spend up to a year studying in Europe as part of their degree programmes without paying additional tuition fees. European students will likewise be able to study in the UK, strengthening academic mobility and educational cooperation across Europe.
“This is very good news ahead of Christmas. After Brexit, numerous efforts were made to maintain the United Kingdom’s participation in Erasmus+. Unfortunately, these efforts were followed by an interruption, which was particularly painful for the younger generation,”
said Zdrojewski.
The MEP noted,
“The UK’s absence from Erasmus+ after Brexit was a bitter loss. From 2027, young people from all backgrounds on both sides will once again be able to benefit from Erasmus+, including students, apprentices, and staff in education, youth, and sport. The programme offers opportunities to study abroad as well as work placements in leading European companies.
“Today, both sides welcome with satisfaction and delight the opportunity to return to an open, education-focused Europe with the participation of the United Kingdom. This development sends a very important signal at an extremely difficult time, demonstrating that countries across the continent recognise cooperation in education as a special value,”
added Zdrojewski.
