London: A delegation of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the Committee on Culture and Education recently concluded a three-day visit to London, engaging in discussions with various stakeholders including representatives of the UK government, and the governments of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as members of the UK Parliament's Houses of Commons and Lords. The visit also included meetings with representatives from educational, youth, and creative sectors, alongside cultural institutions.
According to Cyprus News Agency, participants in the meetings expressed unanimous support for the UK's reassociation with the Erasmus+ programme by 2027, emphasizing its advantages over similar initiatives introduced by the UK post-EU exit. Both parties acknowledged the pressing timeline for launching the application process for 2027, underscoring the importance of the UK's successful participation to facilitate full association for the 2028-2034 period.
Regarding the Youth Experience Scheme, the UK government reaffirmed its commitment to negotiating an agreement with the EU before the upcoming EU-UK summit in 2026. This scheme aims to allow young individuals to engage in non-purpose stays for work, travel, and study. MEPs highlighted the primary challenge for EU students as the high international fees imposed by UK universities.
The discussions also addressed Creative Europe and the prospective AgoraEU programmes, which the UK government currently does not plan to rejoin. Representatives from the creative sectors conveyed to MEPs that exclusion from these EU programmes has limited their international opportunities and necessitated the search for alternative funding sources.
Touring artists' difficulties were a recurring topic during the meetings. EU artists touring in the UK encounter a complex sponsorship scheme, whereas UK artists face numerous challenges, including diverse visa requirements and the duration permitted for performances in various EU countries. Additional challenges include the cost of carnets for equipment transport and cabotage rules constraining UK haulage companies' travel through Europe. MEPs noted that these impediments affect not only artists but also the quality of European festivals.
Laurence Farreng (Renew, FR), chair of the delegation, emphasized the importance of strengthening EU-UK links beyond security, advocating for the revival of human exchanges through participation in EU exchange programmes like Erasmus+. Farreng noted that the discussions in London revealed a strong mutual desire among UK partners to reestablish these connections.
The delegation was led by Laurence Farreng and included Loucas Fourlas (EPP, CY), Hannes Heide (S and D, AT), Annam¡ria Vicsek (PfE, HU), Ivaylo Valchev (ECR, BG), and Sandro Gozi as delegation chair for the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (Renew, FR).
In December 2025, the Commission and the UK government announced the conclusion of negotiations for the UK's rejoining of the Erasmus+ programme in 2027. Commissioner Maro€š¬¦¡ €š¬¦ efcovic and UK Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds also pledged to finalize negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme by the next EU-UK Summit, although the UK government has not shown interest in joining the Creative Europe and AgoraEU programmes.