Negotiations on a post-Brexit youth mobility scheme between the UK and the EU have stalled, with a deal originally expected by the end of May now pushed back to late June or early July. The UK wants to cap the number of young EU citizens entering the country at below 50,000, while the EU has rejected any cap and is instead pushing for unlimited visas with an annual review mechanism.

The EU has also called for home tuition fees for its citizens studying in the UK, allowing them to pay the same rates as domestic students rather than international fees that can reach up to £70,000 at some universities. The UK argues this was never part of the reset negotiations and has refused to engage on the issue.

The youth mobility scheme, which would allow under-30s to travel between the UK and EU to work, study, au pair or simply experience life abroad, is described as the main priority for European capitals. EU sources have signalled there will be no summit if no deal is reached, warning that other elements of the reset have been designed to accommodate UK interests and asking what the EU gets in return.

A UK government spokesperson confirmed any final scheme will be “time-limited, capped and based on existing youth mobility schemes”, but declined to give further detail on the proposed limit beyond saying it would be in the “tens of thousands”