On the 27th of April the British Chamber in Brussels hosted a debate on one of the most discussed topics of 2016, the perspectives of young members of the parliament and other youth representatives on the UK referendum and the impact of a potential UK exit on young people, with Emilian Pavel MEP (S&D), Morten Messerschmidt MEP (ECR), Brando Benifei MEP (S&D), and David Garrahy, Head of Policy and Advocacy at European Youth Forum. During the debate the speakers mentioned that the current polls show that people under 35 years old may be keener on staying in the EU but are less likely to vote and elaborated on how we can involve more young people in the debate and analyzed the important issues for young people in the referendum. The emphasis was put not only on how UK referendum would affect young UK professionals in Brussels but on youth across Europe.
Mr Garrahy began his contribution by stating that the youth issue is at the heart of the US Presidential elections. He argued that there are no benefits to young people for leaving the EU and added that young people’s approach to politics is different than this they want to be engaged. EU should give them a reason to be engaged and lead it. The key to get young people is to deliver to them. It applies for UK referendum as well as to any government decisions. David Cameron instead of doing so keeps outsourcing the young people. He concluded by saying that the UK referendum is putting the future of Britain’s youth in a hostage situation.
Mr Messerschmidt argued that the UK is economically and militarily better than Denmark, Norway and Switzerland and subsequently, If they can work without EU, so can UK. In this regard he emphasized that in case of Brexit, the EU will not cut off all relations with the UK. He discussed the scare tactics used to get people to vote yes in the EU and claimed that we cannot look at the UK referendum and its impact on youth from the perspective of the young elite only. We do not know what leaving means. According to MEP Messerschmidt UKIP is rising because people think they do not have a fair share of the EU. EU needs to manage and lead those requirements and deliver to all the parts of populations.
Mr Pavel fully supports the UK staying in the EU. A possible Brexit would change the future of our young generation. He considers the UK referendum as a good test for the European institutions and expressed his hope that everybody will learn from it, even though the EU has to deliver more and be more pragmatic for the citizens. He wondered if the young people know what will happen after a Brexit. “They do not know or they may not care” added the Romanian MEP. He argued that the EU needs more solidarity, because we are more powerful when we are together. EU needs to improve projects and that can be achieved only with the help of member states. By concluding he wondered why the UK should remain in the EU and stated “because we give a lot to the EU but we also gain a lot”.
Mr Benifei approached the issue by elaborating on how we should make a positive case for UK to stay in the EU. There are many positive examples for the UK to remain IN. He explained that the EU needs to do more to support businesses, investments and economic growth as a whole. Young people will not benefit from the Erasmus program and business won’t benefit from trade. If Brexit happens the EU will ‘punish’ the UK to avoid a domino effect said the MEP. According to Mr Benifei young people just risk to be left out of this common project and the opportunities that go with. If UK wants to leave, then the EU has to ensure that they will be in the bottom of the line following the commands of the Treaties.