COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1286

of 20 June 2025

authorising the opening of negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for an agreement on a youth experience scheme

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 79(2), in conjunction with Article 218(3) and (4) thereof,

Having regard to the recommendation from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’) (1) has applied since 1 January 2021. It is, together with the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Withdrawal Agreement’) (2), the cornerstone for bilateral relations between the Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the ‘United Kingdom’).

(2) While the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for social security coordination that supports the mobility of persons under the domestic law of either Party and contains rules on the entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes that address instances of temporary stay for a specific purpose, such as the provision of services, it does not address mobility per se, i.e. the possibility for a national of one Party to reside or stay in the territory of the other Party. Instead, mobility between the Union and the United Kingdom is now governed by the respective domestic immigration rules of the Union and its Member States and of the United Kingdom. This has resulted in decreased numbers of persons exercising mobility between the Union and the United Kingdom. It has particularly affected the opportunities for young persons of the Union and the United Kingdom to gain experience abroad in each other’s territory and to benefit from youth, cultural and educational and research and training exchanges.

(3) In the course of 2023, the United Kingdom approached several Member States with the intention of negotiating bilateral arrangements on youth mobility, modelled upon the United Kingdom’s youth mobility visa scheme. Different arrangements at national level would result in differential treatment of Union citizens. Moreover, such an approach would not address the main barriers to mobility experienced by young people.

(4) Negotiations should therefore be opened with a view to concluding a supplementing agreement, within the meaning of Article 2 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, with the United Kingdom on a youth experience scheme (the ‘supplementing agreement’). The Commission should be nominated as the Union negotiator.

(5) A specialised committee should be established to address the matters covered by the supplementing agreement.

(6) In accordance with Article 3 of Protocol No 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Ireland has notified, by letter of 3 March 2025, its wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Decision.

(7) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the TEU and to the TFEU, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(8) The envisaged supplementing agreement should not affect the right of Member States to determine volumes of admission of third-country nationals in accordance with Article 79(5) TFEU. The protection of national security remains the sole responsibility of each Member State in accordance with Article 4(2) TEU,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Commission is hereby authorised to open negotiations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for an agreement on a youth experience scheme.

Article 2

The Commission is hereby nominated as the Union negotiator.

Article 3

The negotiations shall be conducted in consultation with the Working Party on the United Kingdom and in accordance with the directives contained in the addendum to this Decision, subject to any directives which the Council may subsequently issue to the Commission.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Commission.

Done at Luxembourg, 20 June 2025.

For the Council

The President

A. DOMAŃSKI

(1)

OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2021/689(1)/oj

(2)

OJ L 29, 31.1.2020, p. 7

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/treaty/withd_2020/sign

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1286/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)