By Kaitlin Willoughby
On Monday 12th January, Young European Movement launched their ‘Open Doors, Open Futures‘ campaign, alongside the launch of the National Campaign for Erasmus+. They celebrated the successful outcome of the negotiations for the UK to rejoin the ERASMUS+ programme alongside supportive MPs in a reception in the Houses of Parliament. The event was the fruition of years of tireless activism, this victory is estimated to permit over 100,000 young people in the first year alone to study, train and live abroad in Europe.
Addressing the hard work that’s led to this moment, YEM President Alfred Quantrill asserts that “there’s a lot more that needs to be done, and we in YEM will keep campaigning for that. We have been for 52 years and we’re not going to stop anytime soon!”
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for Constitution and European Union Relations, describes the win as symbolic of the “grown-up relationship” the UK government has fostered with the EU. It demonstrates that we are “moving past the friction of the last decade,
rebuilding a relationship based on mutual respect, trust and shared interests.”
This is only the beginning, he adds, and there are ongoing negotiations for deals in more sectors, from food and drinks, to electricity and a wider Youth Experience Scheme.
On the subject of what’s to come, Nick Harvey, CEO of European Movement UK adds that “I think we’ll see more and more sectors, and this is the way we get closer to the European single market without actually rejoining it.”
Supporting the new government’s approach to relations between the UK and our European neighbours, Members of Parliament in attendance hope that this is only the beginning.
Manuela Perteghella, MP for Stratford-on-Avon, says she is so “so excited” that young people will once again be able to access the opportunities and experiences they have been deprived of, to connect with our European partners and friends. She describes the move as a
fantastic achievement and “a step in the right direction.”
Key themes of the night are the significance of the decision not only for mobility and opportunity, but also for greater inter-cultural understanding, language skills, as well as strengthening shared values and Europe’s position faced with geopolitical challenges and rampant division within society.
It is an investment not just in higher education, but in the entire workforce, from apprenticeships to sports professionals to adult learners as well, says Nick Thomas-Symonds MP.
The government is committed to ensuring that Erasmus+ is accessible for all, ensuring that no barriers stand in the way of the fantastic opportunities available within the scheme across all sectors.
In the words of Nick Harvey from the European Movement “We have won an opportunity and now we have to make a practical reality of it.”