THE UK may now be out of the EU but the European Parliament (EP) has reiterated its intention to continue its engagement with UK youngsters and EU27 citizens who live in the UK.
The EP decided in 2019 to maintain its presence in the UK, most notably through its London Office, and its bureau – President David Sassoli and his vice-presidents – has agreed to adapt its communication programmes to ensure that particularly the UK’s younger generation and millions of EU27 citizens living here can still take part.
It followed a letter to Sassoli from more than 20 pro-Europe MEPs urging him to continue encouraging British visitors to the EP. They wrote: “We therefore urge you to consider extending the visitor schemes to include UK citizens and/or establishing a new scheme, to encourage and support British citizens – most especially young people – to continue to visit and learn about the European Parliament.
“We believe this would be an investment well worth making – an opportunity to nourish pro-European sentiment, understanding and values in the next generation.
“We would like to suggest that the newly established UK-EU Friendship Group in the European Parliament might be able to play a role in hosting such visits. We very much hope that this proposal appeals to you – we believe it fits very well with the Parliament’s ambitions to significantly increase its visitor engagement in the coming years.”
The move means that youth groups and organisations, along with opinion multiplier groups will be able to continue taking part in debates and other events organised by the EP – such as the European Youth Event, which brings together thousands of young Europeans every two years in Strasbourg and online.
British schools will also be able to participate in Euroscola, an immersive experience in the chamber of the Strasbourg parliament, allowing secondary school students to learn about European integration by experiencing it first-hand.
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