“If Iceland and Monaco can be approved countries under the reciprocal U.K. youth mobility scheme, our closest neighbors like Ireland and France should be as well,” said Ian Roome, Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, during a grilling of Europe Minister Stephen Doughty in the House of Commons this month.
And it’s not just opposition MPs who are putting pressure on the government over the policy. Stella Creasy, who chairs the Labour Movement for Europe, was one of several representatives who raised the policy with ministers in signs of a growing appetite for the plan among the government’s own MPs.
“It’s important to be clear that a youth mobility scheme is not freedom of movement. When we already have schemes with Uruguay, with Japan, with Canada, New Zealand, Australia, we can absolutely see that there are strict conditions on when people can come here,” she told the same debate.
Doughty, who has a role overseeing relations with Europe alongside Cabinet Office Brexit minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, told MPs: “We’re not going to give a running commentary on our discussions with the EU, and the Minister for Cabinet Office [Nick Thomas-Symonds] and others have already given a clear statement on this issue.
“We’ll continue to look at EU proposals on a range of issues, but we will not return to freedom of movement, but we are committed to finding constructive ways to work together and deliver for the British people.”
But a Downing Street spokesperson gave a blunter answer earlier this month when quizzed on the policy at a regular briefing of journalists in Westminster, telling reporters: “Our position hasn’t changed. We’re not going to be joining an EU-wide youth mobility scheme. There will be no return to freedom of movement, and that remains our position.”
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Publish date : 2024-10-29 20:52:00
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The post Visas for under-30s ‘essential’ to Brexit reset, leaked EU document says – POLITICO first appeared on Love Europe.
Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2024-10-30 04:14:36
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