The European Union has indicated that the upcoming summit between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU leaders, aimed at resetting bilateral relations, may still take place in July. However, growing concerns persist that the event could be postponed to autumn due to deadlocked negotiations over youth mobility.
Summit Date Uncertain
One EU diplomat noted that the summit was initially scheduled for mid-July but could be pushed back to after the summer. "There is common concern that momentum is being lost. Negotiations always continue until the moment the clock stops and then you have a text the next morning, but because there is no deadline, the pressure is off," the source said.
Speaking at a conference in Brussels, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič stated, "I believe that still the expectation is that we would have the summit, most probably in July." He acknowledged that youth mobility is one of the top three issues in the talks and one that EU ministers care deeply about.
Youth Mobility as a Key Issue
Šefčovič described a recent meeting of 27 European ministers, saying, "When we were discussing the relationship with the UK, 20 ministers took the floor and said how the youth experience is important for them. So I think this is something I see as an investment into the future." He added that his second daughter studied in the UK, making the issue personal for him.
UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who met with Šefčovič in Brussels on Friday, acknowledged the "strength of feeling" about youth mobility but stressed that any deal must be "respectful" to both sides. The annual summit, the second since Brexit, was originally planned for May but was pushed to June 29 and now to a tentative date of July 13.
Deadlocked Negotiations
Four EU sources reported that talks remain deadlocked over the EU's demand that its citizens studying in the UK under the youth mobility scheme pay "home" tuition fees. The UK wants to cap the number of EU citizens entering under the scheme at between 40,000 and 50,000 per year.
One EU source accused the UK of introducing new issues, stating, "The UK keep wanting to link the youth mobility scheme to other things." Kyle mentioned that business mobility is also a concern for the UK side.
Secrecy and Vision
An EU diplomat complained about the secrecy of the talks, which prevents leading politicians from providing the help needed to expedite a deal. "We are aligned on values, we miss them, we want them back and we want to help them but they are very difficult to help when we do not know what their plan is," the diplomat said.
Kyle told the conference that the relationship had "healed" and could become closer after the summit, but the UK must consider voters' concerns about migration. "The way to win over the British people is to show that the EU delivers for British people wherever you live in the country," he concluded.
