The increased cost of travel, complicated visa requirements, painfully long passport queues, recruitment complications and general chaos for inbound, outbound and even domestic transport – you don’t need us to rehash all the myriad problems that the travel and hospitality industries have had to deal with since the UK left the EU in 2020.
However, arguably one of the most lamented losses of Brexit was the freedom of movement – the opportunity for young people to travel, work, study or live in European countries was no longer available.
But now, a significant change to the post-Brexit rules might be considered. The European Commission is proposing a scheme that could relax visa rules for young people between the ages of 18 and 30 looking to travel, work or study in the EU for up to four years (and similarly for EU citizens looking to move to the UK).
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Currently, UK citizens looking to work or study in EU countries must fill out a series of convoluted and complicated forms and visa requirements. Once approved, they can stay in the EU and Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days, before leaving again for the same amount of time.
According to the European Commission, expected requirements in the proposal include “a valid travel document, valid comprehensive sickness insurance, proof of sufficient means of subsistence”. Crucially, the cost of the new visa “should not be disproportionate or excessive”, however a potential restriction of the visa is that it will only be valid for a single state – meaning that UK citizens may not be able to travel around EU or Schengen countries without alternative documentation.
The aim of the proposal is to “facilitate youth exchanges, making it easier for young citizens to travel, work and live in the UK, with reciprocity for young UK nationals in a member state,” according to a statement by the European Commission. It will mean that young people will have fewer barriers preventing them from exploring other European countries in full.
“The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has hit young people in the EU and UK who would like to study, work and live abroad particularly hard,” says European Commission vice president. “Our aim is to rebuild human bridges between young Europeans on both sides of the Channel.”
