Erasmus+ and Brexit: students and staff to be protected in no-deal scenario

On 19 March the Council of the EU adopted a series of legislative acts as part of its contingency preparations for a no-deal Brexit scenario, including measures concerning the Erasmus+ programme and social security coordination.

These measures would allow EU students and staff currently in the UK as part of an Erasmus+ mobility to continue their stay and receive their scholarship even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Likewise, this would apply to UK Erasmus+ students and staff in the EU, provided the UK honours its financial commitments under the current EU budget. Furthermore, the measures adopted concerning social security coordination would help to safeguard the rights of EU citizens currently working in the UK, as well as UK citizens currently working in the EU.

EUA applauds this swift adoption following the European Commission’s proposal in January and the recent adoption by the European Parliament. EUA underlines the need for further technical guidance from the European Commission and/or the Erasmus+ national agencies on the practical implementation of subsequent measures required for universities to advise their students and staff on the matter.

The legislation adopted is temporary in nature, limited in scope and adopted unilaterally by the EU. It would only start to apply the day after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in the case that there is no approved withdrawal agreement.