UK, EU Wring over students and traveling before reset Summit

(Bloomberg) – British and European Union negotiators over the weekend over measures to facilitate travel for students, young workers and tourists, as the two parties chased to resolve policy disputes before a summit intended to restore their ominous relationship. Hours before Prime Minister Keir Starmer would offer Ursula von der Leyen and other European leaders in London on Monday, the UK and the EU have not yet agreed on the plans for a youth exchange program, according to people familiar with the talks. The European team said it was considered an onambial offer that did not have its desire for Britain to join his Erasmus student exchange program, the people said, who requested anonymity to discuss private negotiations. The UK has so far been reluctant to support policies that can cause an influx of students and young workers, as Starmer tries to combat immigration for five years after Brexit. The lack of progress on youth mobility made the EU careful to sign off on other travel-related obligations expected in the agreement on Monday, including on tour in British artists and the right of British citizens to use e-gates in EU countries, people said. There was still hope that an agreement could be concluded on travel, the people said, although they warned that the language may be more limited than hoped. In a sign of the possible mitigation of the British position, Starmer told the Times newspaper that an agreement on students could be possible and said that “youth mobility is not freedom of movement.” Students were among several points that negotiators were in the weeks before the summit, which was intended to confirm Starmer’s connection to the restoration of relations with the continent since he was in power last year. Old disputes about things like fishing rights have risen between the two parties, despite their desire to show a united front, while US President Donald Trump breaks the global trading system and tries to force Ukraine to make concessions to resolve his war on Russia’s rusty. The UK hopes that the EU would indicate that it was ready to approve the British participation in a € 150 billion ($ 170 billion) European Defense Fund was also unresolved, with the top diplomat Kaja Kallas of the EU Friday that “we are not there yet.” Earlier this week, Defense Minister John Healey told Bloomberg that talks with European officials were in their ‘most difficult steps’. The UK and the EU are expected to set out their agreement in three documents: a defense and safety partnership build on their joint response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, a general understanding of future cooperation-which would include travel-related commitments-and a statement on a closer alliance in uncertain geopolitical times. While the EU is eager to rebuild ties with Britain, especially on security issues, many member states are careful to choose London the benefits of closer ties without accepting obligations such as the free moment of people. Starmer met Von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, on Friday about the margins of the European Political Community Summit in Albania, as negotiations went to the wire. The British Prime Minister refused to participate in what he described as “megaph ovulation” with the EU, although he said he was “positive” about the discussions. Under the pressure of Brexit Championeur Nigel Farage’s upcoming opposition party reform UK, this week, Starmer announced a migration oppression and announced criticism from left for claiming that Britain could become ‘an island of strangers’, rhetoric that highlighted his journey away from the politician. The top is coming in the midst of the busiest diplomacy by Starmer since he held office in July. Over the past two weeks alone, he visited Kyiv with other ‘coalition of the willing’ leaders, announced a free trade agreement with India and sealed an agreement with Trump to facilitate rates. “In this time of great uncertainty and volatility, the UK will not respond by turning in, but by taking pride in the world scene – to strengthen our alliances and conclude transactions in the interests of British people,” Starmer said in a statement on Saturday, adding that a new agreement with Europe “would be good for our accounts and our accounts.” More stories like these are available on Bloomberg.com © 2025 Bloomberg LP