This paper explores how learning mobility effects the perceptions of young citizens. Using illustrative focus group evidence of young European Union (EU) citizens in Sweden and the United Kingdom, the paper provides an exploratory, comparative and in-depth examination of the likely effects learning mobility – a supposedly ideal type of free movement within the EU – has on young mobiles and stayers’ perceptions across three dimensions – EU identity, rights and participation. By doing so, the paper sheds light on whether citizens are creating ‘a community of Europeans’ – one that could, potentially, assist in settling the EU’s current economic and political crises. Overall, the evidence highlights that the disparity between the perceptions of EU mobiles and stayers may have been heightened recently. However, this disparity is likely to be much more deep-rooted and, instead, linked to citizens’ (lack of) mobility per se. The findings thus challenge propositions that increased learning mobility of young citizens may, one day, assist in building a ‘community of Europeans’. The paper thus calls for a reconsideration of the role EU learning mobility plays in creating ideal EU citizens.
