UK to rejoin Erasmus+ exchange programme

Britain and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to allow UK students to rejoin the bloc's popular student exchange programme Erasmus+ from 2027, a small but symbolic sign of improved relations after Brexit.The UK contribution for the 2027/28 academic year will be 570 million pounds ($760 million), the British government said, adding that the deal included a 30% discount compared to the default terms under the current trade deal with the EU. The two sides have also agreed to start negotiations on electricity market integration, and have set a deadline to finalise a food and drink trade deal and carbon markets linkage next year, the statement said. Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed a "new era" in the EU relationship in May when the two sides agreed the most significant reset of defence and trade ties since the country's departure from the bloc in 2020."Today's agreements prove that our new partnership with the EU is working," EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said, calling the Erasmus+ deal "a huge win for our young people".More than 100,000 people in the UK could benefit from the scheme in the first year, the government said.Starmer has sought a different approach to the often tense relations between previous Conservative governments and the EU during the Brexit negotiations.Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the deal would open the door for new shared experiences for young people and marked a further step in the renewed partnership with Britain."Together, we are committed to continue delivering on our common agenda in time for our next EU-UK Summit," von der Leyen said in a post on X. The next summit is expected next year.The UK's return to the Erasmus+ scheme, which allows hundreds of thousands of EU students each year to study in another country in the bloc for up to a year, has long been a key EU demand for strengthening ties between the two sides. Britain previously left the programme following Brexit, and the Conservatives said the government had caved in to the EU without getting anything back for the money.But pressure group European Movement UK welcomed the deal as a "concrete example of thawing relationships", as did universities.Vivienne Stern, chief executive of advocacy group Universities UK, said the agreement was "a huge step forward in our relationship with the EU and will offer life-changing opportunities for thousands of students."