"No Plans to Introduce"
The United Kingdom has rejected the European Union's (EU) proposal to ease mobility barriers for young people aged 18 to 30.
According to the UK political media outlet Politico on the 24th (local time), the Conservative government recently expressed its refusal to the EU Commission's proposed plan to "promote youth mobility." The main opposition Labour Party, which is trailing by a 20 percentage point gap, also showed a negative stance.
Both the Conservative Party, which has been pursuing similar agreements individually with major EU member states, and the Labour Party, which advocates for strengthening cooperation with the EU, are said to have rejected the proposal due to the upcoming general election scheduled for this year.
This is because easing mobility barriers for young people recalls the "freedom of movement within the EU," which was a key driver of Brexit (the UK's withdrawal from the EU). During the 2016 referendum deciding Brexit, issues such as the increase of Eastern European immigrants, social welfare costs, and border control became major points of contention.
The plan proposed by the EU Commission in its recent negotiation offer to the UK aims to relax related regulations, allowing EU or UK citizens aged 18 to 30 to stay in the other party's territory for up to four years.
This differs significantly from the EU principle of free movement of people and goods among member states. Additionally, the UK has already signed youth mobility agreements with more than ten countries and has been exploring individual negotiations with major EU countries such as Germany, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
A UK government spokesperson excluded EU-wide youth mobility negotiations on the 19th, stating, "Freedom of movement within the EU ended with Brexit, and there are no plans to reintroduce it." The Labour Party also said there are no plans for negotiations, adding, "Youth mobility is synonymous with freedom of movement."
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