Regulation (EU) 2019/499 laying down provisions for the continuation of ongoing learning mobility activities under the Erasmus+ programme in the context of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union

Summary:

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2019 providing for the continuation of learning mobility activities under the Erasmus+ programme in the context of the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union.

Further information:

The Erasmus+ programme is an EU flagship initiative which gives millions of young Europeans the opportunity for a learning mobility experience abroad. The programme is a key instrument for working towards a European Education Area. At the time of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, there are almost 14,000 EU27 learners in the UK, and around 7,000 UK learners in the EU27.

This Regulation is part of the preparedness and contingency plan put forward by the European Commission to mitigate the negative effects of the UK's withdrawal from the EU without the ratification of a withdrawal agreement. If a deal is not ratified, thousands of Erasmus+ participants may have to interrupt their learning mobility activities and many students could lose their academic credits.

The Regulation aims to remedy this by ensuring that in such a scenario, students and trainees abroad participating in Erasmus+ at the time of the UK's withdrawal can complete their studies and continue to receive the relevant funding or grants.

The proposed Regulation was presented on 30 January 2019 as part of a final set of contingency proposals adopted by the European Commission. The European Parliament approved the draft law on 13 March, followed by the Council of the European Union on 19 March.

Official

EUR-Lex: COM(2019)65: Proposal for a Regulation laying down provisions for the continuation of ongoing learning mobility activities under the Erasmus+ programme in the context of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2019:065:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 30/01/2019: Brexit preparedness: European Commission adopts final set of 'no-deal' contingency measures for Erasmus+ students, social security coordination rules and the EU budget http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-743_en.htm

European Parliament: Press Release, 06/02/2019: Erasmus+ will finance existing UK-EU mobility in the event of no-deal Brexit http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190205IPR25020/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 19/03/2019: Ensuring the continuation of Erasmus+ activities in the event of no-deal Brexit: Council approves contingency measures https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/03/19/ensuring-the-continuation-of-erasmus-activities-in-the-event-of-no-deal-brexit-council-approves-contingency-measures/

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News

The Irish Times, 30/01/2019: Erasmus students will be able complete stay in UK in event of no-deal Brexit https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/erasmus-students-will-be-able-complete-stay-in-uk-in-event-of-no-deal-brexit-1.3776412

BBC News, 06/02/2019: Student exchanges in no-deal Brexit threat https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47131426

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