A delegation from the Committee on Culture and Education is visiting London this week on a three-day trip to talk about the process of bringing the United Kingdom (UK) back into EU-funded programmes, such as Erasmus+, for the post-2027 period. The MEPs also wish to take stock of negotiations on the EU-UK reciprocal youth experience scheme.
On the first day, the MEPs will have a round table with representatives from UK universities, colleges, students, and young people at King’s College. The second day will be devoted to meetings with government and Parliament representatives. The MEPs will meet members of the House of Lords European Affairs Committee and of the EU-UK Partnership Assembly. The delegation will also meet with delegates from the Scottish, the Welsh, and the Northern Irish governments.
On the last day of the visit, the MEPs will discuss the barriers to cultural collaboration between the EU and the UK with entities such as the British Film Institute, the Arts Council of England, and Creative UK, as well as the practical challenges facing touring artists. The UK left the Creative Europe programme on 31 December 2020.
“At a time when a new chapter is beginning between the EU and the UK, this mission to London takes on a special significance. The December agreement on the United Kingdom's return to Erasmus+ from 2027 marks a turning point. It is now up to us to go further, to facilitate the mobility of young people and remove the obstacles faced by touring artists. It is in this spirit that the delegation will engage in in-depth dialogue with our British partners," the chair of the delegation, Laurence Farreng (Renew, FR), said.
On 17 December 2025, the Commission and the British government announced the conclusion of negotiations for the UK to rejoin the Erasmus+ programme in 2027. The UK’s financial contribution to participate in the programme during the next multiannual financial framework (2028-2034) was one of the main points agreed upon. The UK government has not expressed any intention to take part in the Creative Europe or AgoraEU programmes
