The EU has proposed an “emergency brake” mechanism as part of ongoing negotiations with the UK over a new youth mobility scheme, aimed at allowing young people to live and work across both regions.

The proposed scheme lets UK and EU youth live, work, and study abroad, like existing deals with Australia and Canada, to regain post-Brexit opportunities.

The UK government is pushing for a strict upfront cap on numbers, reflecting concerns about immigration levels and political pressure to ensure the scheme is not viewed as a return to free movement. In contrast, the EU has rejected a fixed cap and instead proposed a flexible “emergency brake” system, where numbers would be monitored and restrictions introduced only if participation rises significantly.

The scheme forms part of wider efforts to “reset” UK–EU relations, with negotiations ahead of a planned summit and alongside broader discussions on migration, defence and economic cooperation