UK Rejoins EU’s Erasmus Student Exchange Program That It Left After Brexit
The United Kingdom is re-entering a Europe-wide student exchange initiative that it left, much to the dismay of numerous young Europeans following Brexit. The British administration announced on Wednesday that it would invest about 570 million pounds, or roughly $760 million, to participate in the program in 2027, with the understanding that long-term financing still needs to be finalized. The Erasmus exchange program, established in 1987, enables young individuals to study or train for one year at institutions across Europe while paying fees equivalent to those at home. Besides providing students with opportunities to experience life in another country, fostering personal and language growth, it also had broader implications — including, as noted in a European Commission study, a million babies born to participants who met their partners through the program. However, in the years following Britain’s vote in a 2016 referendum to exit the European Union, the program became a victim of the escalating tensions between London and Brussels. In 2020, Boris Johnson, a pro-Brexit figure and former Conservative prime minister, withdrew Britain from Erasmus and initiated an alternative exchange scheme not limited to Europe. On Wednesday, the Labour government declared it was reversing that decision, indicating progress in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s initiative to mend relations with Brussels, which has proven to be more challenging in other respects. Last month, talks regarding British involvement in a European military funding initiative known as SAFE failed amidst disagreements over England’s financial obligations to participate. Some analysts viewed this as a setback for efforts to enhance military and security collaboration between Britain and the European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the British minister overseeing relations with the European Union, referred to the Erasmus agreement as “a significant achievement for our young people, dismantling barriers and broadening horizons to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has the chance to study and train abroad.” A joint statement from Mr. Thomas-Symonds and Maros Sefcovic, the European Union’s trade commissioner, indicated that the financial arrangements provided “a fair balance between the U.K.’s contributions and the benefits the program provides.” The £570 million contribution represents a notable increase compared to what Britain contributed before Brexit. Between 2015 and 2019, it contributed between £200 million and £300 million annually. In 2021, the Conservative government indicated that this figure would have grown to £600 million a year had Britain remained in the program post-Brexit. The government mentioned on Wednesday that it had secured a 30 percent discount compared to the standard terms available to nations outside the European Union. Negotiating had been challenging due to the significant appeal of the English language, which attracts many continental Europeans to study in the UK. Over time, this often led to an imbalance in participation numbers, with fewer British students going the other way. Nevertheless, the British administration asserted on Wednesday that over 100,000 individuals in the UK could benefit from the program in its inaugural year and highlighted that studying abroad could enhance the career prospects of participants, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. Under Mr. Starmer, the British government has been aiming to foster closer ties with the European Union. Polls indicate that a majority of Britons currently perceive Brexit more as a failure than a success. London and Brussels have yet to finalize an alternative plan to introduce a limited number of work visas for young Europeans in exchange for reciprocal rights. However, progress was achieved in other areas, with both parties also announcing on Wednesday that they had agreed to begin discussions regarding electricity market integration and established a timeline to finalize separate agreements for the trade of food and drink across the English Channel and to connect carbon markets.
Published: 2025-12-17 16:45:00
source: www.nytimes.com
