The European Commission (EC) proposed contingency measures for learning mobility activities in Erasmus+ if the United Kingdom (UK) leaves the EU without a deal.
On 28 January 2019, the UK released a technical note in which it states its intention to stay in the Erasmus+ programme for future calls. In the case of a no-deal scenario, a remaining in the programme seems unlikely as the UK will receive the status of a third country. Therefore, the EC has proposed a legislation that allows all mobility activities of key action (KA) 1 under the current Erasmus+ programme that have started before 30 March 2019 to be funded until they are complemented (for a minimum of up to 12 months) as there will be 14’000 young people from the EU27 in the UK and 7’000 young people from the UK in the EU27 on 30 March 2019. Mobility activities include students, traineeships, apprentices and staff. As an example, a German student in London can continue his or her mobility period in Manchester, and the same applies to a UK apprentice in Prague. The measures are applicable to all Erasmus+ programme countries. The EC has hereby published a FAQ considering this regulation. As pointed out by representatives of the EU, this measure will have no budgetary implication as the overall budget of the programme was already approved under the current multiannual financial framework. What remains unclear, however, is how granted mobilities starting on 30 March 2019 will be handled.
In addition to the Brexit-Erasmus+ proposal, the EC has also published a proposal on measures concerning the implementation and financing of the general budget of the Union in 2019 in relation to the Brexit. This proposal regulates the participation of British institutions in EU-funding for 2019, such as Erasmus+ cooperation projects: it foresees that current KA2 and KA3 projects, with the UK as partners, will be financed until the end of 2019. However, the UK needs to fulfil certain criteria (e.g. that the UK respects its financial obligations regarding the EU household for 2019) in order that the implementation of the regulation is guaranteed.
As a non-EU partner country, Switzerland is not directly affected by both proposals. In case of a no-deal scenario, the Swiss Federal Council will rapidly undertake to make the necessary changes in the Swiss legislation in order to avoid any financial shortfall for mobility between Switzerland and the UK under the Swiss programme for mobility and exchange (see also the Factsheet by the Swiss Ministry). In order to integrate the contingency measures in the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway extend the EEA agreement to include the regulation containing the continuation of ongoing learning mobilities under the current Erasmus+ programme without any adaptations. According to Universities UK (UUK), 17’000 UK students would miss the opportunity of an exchange in 2020 if the UK government would not provide some funding. UUK accordingly started a campaign #supportstudyabroad to protect study abroad in case of a no-deal Brexit.
UUK also informed on measures for universities in the EU relating to citizen’s rights and future migration rules: Universities are asked to contact the responsible ministry or national migration office, identify and reach out to UK staff and students to understand their concerns about their residency status and to inform them on the consequences of their change in status from EU national to third country national. Specifically relating to Erasmus+, universities in the EU should contact the national agency for Erasmus+ for support and guidance and speak regularly with their UK partners. Furthermore, it should be checked if creating parallel or interim partnership agreements that mirror the current Erasmus+ programme should be considered. In another briefing – written by UUK and the European University Association (EUA) – universities are told how to prepare in the case of a no-deal scenario.