"We are still engaging in very regular talks, but there is a lack of progress on this one issue. The standoff over fees reveals not only that the EU will play hardball in these negotiations and insist on getting what it wants, but that the whole reset is perhaps more fragile than the government seems to think."
"The disagreement centres on whether European university students should be charged domestic fees of about 9,500 a year or international fees, which can reach over 60,000. Brussels believes it is not enough to reduce fees only for those coming in on the proposed youth mobility scheme. The European Commission wants lower fees for all EU students which would cost British universities an estimated 140m."
The British government is conducting a Brexit reset week to demonstrate commitment to strengthening relations with the EU a decade after voting to leave. Senior ministers, including the Cabinet Office minister, Europe minister, and trade minister, are meeting with EU counterparts, while the chancellor will emphasize EU alignment in her growth agenda speech. However, negotiations face significant obstacles, particularly regarding university tuition fees for European students. Brussels demands lower fees for all EU students, estimated to cost British universities £140 million annually, while the government initially proposed reduced fees only for youth mobility scheme participants. This disagreement highlights the EU's willingness to negotiate firmly and suggests the reset may be more vulnerable than government messaging indicates.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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