Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, but today’s “Common Understanding” agreed by the UK and EU promises good news for BSS members.  For those not ready to pore over all 61 paragraphs, here are some highlights.

People to people ties

The European Commission and UK undertake to work towards a balanced youth experience scheme … to provide a specific visa route for under-30s to travel for work, studies, au pairing or ‘simply travelling’.  There are no specifics yet on numbers.  

Officials will also work towards the UK joining the Erasmus + programme, although a lot of funding detail has yet to be thrashed out.

There’s a vague promise to remove some of the impediments to touring artists and bands.  

One of the most aggravating consequences of Brexit for the excited holiday-maker is the long immigration desk queue.  The document teases that there will be no legal barriers to eGate use for British nationals travelling back and forth to EU member states.  It’s up to immigration services when to lift the current restrictions.

Movement of foodstuffs

The parties flag their intention to establish a common sanitary and phytosanitary area, which will ease many of the bureaucratic hurdles to movements of animal and plant products.  It should eventually be easier to access Scottish salmon in Santander and Iberico ham in Battersea.  

Business travellers

Paragraph 46 anticipates ‘dedicated dialogues’ … on entry and temporary stay arrangements for business travellers, including the sponsorship scheme, and the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.  

Law enforcement and judicial cooperation

Nine paragraphs promise enhanced cooperation between respective agencies.  It should get harder for criminals to hide away in each others’ jurisdictions, hoping to rely on bureaucratic obstacles to avoid a hand on the collar.  

So positive signs, let us wait and see what happens.