EU to Britain: Cut Tuition for European Students, or the Brexit Deals Can Wait

European Union diplomats met Wednesday, and at least six member states pushed back hard on a plan to park the tuition fee fight until after this month's summit, according to the Guardian. The stakes are pinned to 20 November in Brussels, where Andy Burnham sits down with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa to sign off on three agreements — food and drink, carbon markets and a youth exchange — plus a new 'trusted partnership' on steel and defence. The fee dispute is the thing standing in the way.

Here's the snag: Brussels wants EU students back on the pre-Brexit deal, paying the UK domestic tuition rate instead of international fees that can run four to six times higher for an undergraduate degree. European Commission negotiators floated a six-month delay to keep the November show on the road, but at least six member states — including several in central and eastern Europe — want it settled at the summit, four EU sources told the Guardian. Others want a firmer British commitment before they sign anything.

One EU diplomat didn't mince words: 'Having a youth experience scheme without an agreement on tuition fees has very little added value,' they said, pointing out that university is far cheaper across much of the bloc — so the exchange would tilt toward British students. A second diplomat described cautious optimism about the summit but said 'a large majority' of member states want a more convincing commitment from London. The British government has been contacted for comment.

The EU is hanging real money over the table. The food and drink deal — a Labour manifesto pledge estimated at £5.1bn a year for the UK economy — would only come into force if the fee question is settled, EU officials argue. The same goes for relinking the emissions trading systems split by Brexit, which shields British exporters from European carbon taxes. A leaked draft of the summit statement nods to the linkage, looking forward to the agreements' 'joint and timely entry into force'.

There's a possible trade in the works. The Guardian reported this week that the UK is ready to spend up to £450m a year on discounted fees for EU students if Brussels opens the door to its Made in Europe industrial programme. But the EU says no Made in Europe deal lands in November — it's still finalising the Industrial Accelerator Act, with France pushing a narrow definition and Germany leading a camp that won't shut out partners like the UK. The Franco-German compromise helps Britain, though it only covers cars, not renewables or nuclear. EU sources also suggest Brussels could slow talks on Britain rejoining the European electricity market next year, which would require the UK to pledge an 'appropriate' contribution to European cohesion funds.

One win is already drafted. The summit statement proposes a 'trusted partnership' on strategic industries, starting with steel and defence, designed to stop either side getting caught in the crossfire of the other's trade defence measures aimed at China's heavily subsidised imports.