Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it remains the Government’s assessment that the UK will automatically leave the European University Institute Convention on 29 March 2019.

The European University Institute Convention (EUIC) is an agreement between the Member States of the European Union. After 29 March 2019, the United Kingdom will cease to be a Member State of the European Union and, as such, the UK’s membership of the EUIC will automatically cease. Should Parliament approve the deal the Prime Minister has negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to apply the terms of the EUI Convention for the duration of the implementation period. The UK’s rights and obligations under the Convention would continue during that period, in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement.

Officials in my department and in the Department for Education have met with the EUI to explore options for future participation in its activities and we will work to ensure that UK students at the EUI will be able to complete their studies. Furthermore, UK universities will be able to continue to collaborate with the EUI in research projects even if the UK is no longer a member of the EUI Convention.