Toelichting bij COM(2025)549 - Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034 - Hoofdinhoud
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| dossier | COM(2025)549 - Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034. |
|---|---|
| bron | COM(2025)549  |
| datum | 16-07-2025 |
Inhoudsopgave
- 1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
- Challenges/problems drivers
- Programme contribution and objectives
- Synergies with policies supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model
- Synergies with actions related to defence and security
- Synergies with policies for a global Europe
- Synergies with policies on sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature
- 2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY
- 3.RESULTS OF RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
- Erasmus+
- European Solidarity Corps
- For individuals, in particular young people
- For applicants and beneficiaries
- In addition, efforts will be made to simplify overall application and reporting procedures as well as harmonise rules, while ensuring proportionality between the grant level and the requirements.
- 4.BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS
- 5.OTHER ELEMENTS
- The Commission will report to the European Parliament, Council and all other relevant EU institutions regularly.
Reasons and objectives
Policy context
Education, training, youth and sport are the Union's strongest investment in human capital, nurturing skills, building bonds across Europe, thereby laying the foundation for a resilient and cohesive European Union, with citizens equipped with the right skills and competences from the earliest age, and who embrace a shared European identity in all its diversity. They are also drivers for social fairness, sustainable prosperity and competitiveness and key contributors to many of the EU's overall political priorities such as preparedness and the twin transition.
The importance of education, training, youth and sport for Europe’s future has been reflected in the EU’s recent policy agenda and strategic reports.
The EU leaders’ Strategic Agenda for Europe 2024 – 2029 1 makes investment in skills, training and education a priority, recognising that in an era where global competition coupled with political and social divergences are intensifying, education stands as a unifying force and is the bedrock upon which Europe must build its strategic autonomy, economic strength, democracy and cohesion.
In the political guidelines 2024-2029, President von der Leyen highlights the need to take a ‘radical step change in ambition and action – for all skill levels and for all types of training and education. This is as important for people’s careers and prospects as it is for our competitiveness.’ Moreover, the President pledged to ‘establish a Union of Skills 2 – focusing on investment, adult and lifelong learning, skill retention and the recognition of different types of training to enable people to work across our Union’, and to ‘strengthen Erasmus+ including for vocational training so that more people can benefit. This is key for people to develop skills and create shared experiences and a better understanding of each other. This will be part of a wider commitment to giving young people greater freedom and responsibility within our societies and democracies.’ She pledged to ‘continue to work towards a European Degree’. The President further underscored that she wants to make sure that ‘young people can use their voice – their own voice – to help shape our future.’
In its Resolution of 16 January 2024 on the implementation of the Erasmus+ programme, the European Parliament 3 emphasised that ‘the programme has been a driving force for the European Education Area and should continue to respond to future trends in education to keep up with societal and technological change’ and that the ‘programme is crucial in fostering a European sense of belonging’.
The two key reports that provide thorough analysis and insights into the future of the European Union, the Letta report 4 and the Draghi report 5 , underline the importance of investing in education and skills, including the key role of Erasmus+. In addition, the report by Sauli Niinistö 6 concludes that the resilience of the Union’s economy and societies, especially in sectors critical for maintaining societal and economic stability, such as education, is paramount in the face of potential large-scale crises, such as military conflicts and disasters.
The Erasmus+ programme goes hand in hand with the ambition in the Union of Skills Communication 7 of 5 March 2025, to develop quality, inclusive and adaptable education, training and skills systems to increase the EU’s competitiveness, and the European Education Area (EEA), a key enabler of the Union of Skills. This will lay the foundation to skills formation throughout life and provide a genuine common space for quality and inclusive education and lifelong learning across borders.
EU funding support to challenges that affect skills, education, training, youth, volunteering and sport has been provided through different programmes over the years. In the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF), support was provided mainly through Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, the European Social Fund+, the Framework for research and innovation, Horizon Europe. The proposal for the next MFF aims at addressing complexities, weaknesses and rigidities’ currently present in the Union’s overall funding instruments with a long-term budget more focused, simpler, with fewer programmes and more impactful.
The EU faces serious challenges in the areas of education and training as well as youth and sport. Europe needs people with the necessary skills and competences, for life and for jobs, for personal growth as well as a more sustainable, resilient and digital economy and society. Investing in the development of these skills is pivotal in ensuring a prosperous, cohesive and competitive Europe. Today, education and training systems struggle to provide people with a minimum proficiency level of basic skills and to foster the advanced competencies and soft skills needed, across all stages of life. The acquisition of transversal skills and competences such as flexibility, resilience, empathy, confidence, open-mindedness, critical thinking, digital and media literacy and teamwork will be equally important to empower individuals to drive change, thrive in a rapidly changing world and contribute to better mental health and wellbeing. These skills also increase employability and help to strengthen societal resilience and build a stronger Europe, that is better equipped to face crises. Europe is lagging behind in basic skills 8 and the underachievement rate has largely increased in mathematics (-18 points), reading (-12) and science (-3.4) compared to the OECD’s previous programme for international student assessment (PISA) in 2018. EU does not generate enough skilled graduates from higher education and vocational education, with nearly four out of five employers reporting difficulties finding workers with the right skills 9 . Overall, labour and skills shortages have been increasing in all Member States, which is impacting EU’s ability to embrace the green and digital transitions, and with it its competitiveness. Disparities in the level and access to quality and inclusive formal and non-formal education across the Union persist, including when it comes to rural and remote areas, accentuating economic, social and territorial disparities. In addition, there are still gender gaps, with almost twice as many men than women studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
There is a clear need to address these skills related issues and create an enabling environment that promotes better learning outcomes for all from an early age and sets learners up for success in the long term.
The EU's strategic autonomy and competitiveness also relies on its ability to nurture, attract, and retain talent, particularly in the face of global competition. The Union must also prioritise the development of education with a view to developing advanced skills, including digital, technical, and transversal skills.
The skills challenge exceeds mere economic considerations and addresses the need for a healthy, resilient, engaged, united and prepared society. It will be crucial to equip individuals from an early age onwards with skills and competences for life, enabling them to navigate the complex and rapidly changing world we live in, engage and take an active role in society and in democratic processes. Young people’s belief in equal opportunities has declined sharply, with a 16-percentage point drop in the last decade 10 . Many feel marginalised due to their socio-economic status, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or political views, particularly those with fewer opportunities or those living in rural or remote areas, with 24% (close to 18 million) of young people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the Union; 11% of young people aged 15 to 29 are still neither in employment nor in education or training . The lack of affordable housing further exacerbates this vulnerability, limiting young people’s access to education and learning mobility opportunities.
Young people tend to participate less in institutional politics and other democratic processes than other age groups and much less than young people in the past 11 . They can be confronted with obstacles in their participation in democracy, such as insufficient knowledge of their democratic rights, difficult access to information and limited involvement in decision-making processes. Democratic institutions and processes themselves can be inaccessible and unwelcoming to young people. These challenges, including multiple skills requirements, cannot be met through formal education and training only. Non-formal and informal learning, involvement in activities such as volunteering, or sport bring complementary value. They can offer valuable opportunities for people to develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours to grow and become active and engaged citizens. However, opportunities for such actions are limited, thus negatively impacting social capital development, particularly among young people.
The future Programme can contribute to address these challenges, through learning opportunities for all and capacity building achieved through cooperation and policy support.
Learning mobility starting from an early age is at the core of Erasmus+. It exposes learners to different and diverse learning environments, new teaching and training methods, institutional settings and different social context. These experiences allow individuals not only to expand disciplinary knowledge but also develop critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills, as well as improve resilience, adaptability, autonomy and self-confidence. These skills are highly transferable to the professional world, increasing employability and contributing to a skilled and competitive workforce. For staff, learning mobility boosts professional development, networking, and collaboration opportunities and leads to improved quality teaching practices. This is particularly crucial in today’s educational landscape where teaching careers at all levels need to be made more attractive and continuous professional development must be encouraged.
The goal is to make learning mobility a reality for all, as early as possible, ensuring that opportunities are accessible across all sectors of education and training as well as in youth and sport, in line with the Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move - Learning opportunities for everyone’ 12 . EU action will help address the obstacles to mobility, providing sufficient funding and support measures to promote diversity and ensure equal access for individuals regardless of their cultural, social, economic, or geographical background, or any special needs they may have.
Through boosting mobility and accompanying support measures, the future Erasmus+ should strengthen its contribution to the fifth basic skill of democratic citizenship and to the development of a sense of European identity and commitment to EU values. It is a cornerstone programme for promoting democratic and societal participation, by integrating citizenship and engagement in all Programme fields, in particular school education, better aligning with new priorities like preparedness, and unlocking the full potential of the sport field notably through expanding mobility activities in the field of sport to involve athletes alongside coaches.
By offering volunteering opportunities and activities to engage and express solidarity, the Programme will further promote the development of a culture of solidarity, care and understanding among citizens, especially the youngest generations and will contribute to advancing social inclusion and cohesion. To develop solidarity with people in need in non-EU countries, this proposal also includes the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps, supported by the European Solidarity Corps under the 2021-2027 programming period. The European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps supports volunteering activities in post-crisis long-term humanitarian aid and development cooperation operations, aimed at preventing and alleviating human suffering, maintaining durable human dignity, reinforcing disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction, linking relief, rehabilitation and development and contributing towards strengthening the resilience and capacity of vulnerable or disaster-affected communities to cope with and recover from crises.
The Programme should also support students in engaging in critical sectors and continue to boost innovation and excellence in education and training systems, including in developing skills and competences in strategic areas, addressing Europe’s skills and talent shortages, and making the Union a more attractive destination for EU and global talent.
Supporting and facilitating transnational and international cooperation between organisations in the fields of education, training, youth and sport is instrumental in addressing the challenges described above, enabling organisations to pool expertise and to combine complementary strengths not available in any single institution. Cross-border cooperation between education and training, youth and sport organisations encourages the required mutual learning and exchanges of good practices. It also facilitates networking, enabling the organisations and their staff to experience new approaches and methodologies and increase their own capacity to deliver high quality teaching, training and learning. To increase the effectiveness of its action in this area, the Programme should refine the focus of its cooperation activities, including by reviewing funding models, raising the relevance of target groups involved and better focus on increasing capacity building and raising quality. The Programme should reinforce its support to cooperation in the school sector by supporting school alliances, addressing obstacles to cooperation and mobility and continuing to offer opportunities that enable the roll-out of the European degree label and a possible European joint degree to support the increase in the number of transnational joint study programmes.
The Programme will further enable long-term strategic transnational cooperation at institutional level under key flagship initiatives, serving as testbeds for innovative instruments that deepen links with the private sector and drive sustainable impact and transformation. Through the provision of sustainable support and a clear strategic steer, partnerships for excellence and innovation will directly address new policy priorities stemming from the Union of Skills, the Competitiveness Compass 13 , the Clean Industrial Deal 14 , and the Preparedness Strategy 15 .
The Programme will support policy development at European level, helping shape policies that can trigger modernisation and reforms, at European, national, regional and systems' level, in the fields of education and training, as well as youth and sport. It can contribute to the development and circulation of skills, including by setting up basic skills support scheme and boosting quality assurance, transparency, the recognition of skills, competences and qualifications, their digitalisation, and the validation of non-formal and informal learning, skills management and guidance. The Programme should also increase the impact, scale, accessibility and sustainability notably by reinforcing synergies with other Union funding programmes and instruments such as the next EU framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, the European Competitiveness Fund, Global Europe, as well as the National and Regional Partnership Plans under the next MFF.
The international dimension of the Programme is a fundamental and cross-cutting element that is relevant for learning, cooperation as well as for policy dialogue. There is a need, in particular, to bring candidate countries and potential candidates closer to their goal of becoming an EU Member State through their engagement in the Programme and including by facilitating their association with key EU initiatives such as the European Education Area and the Union of Skills. There is as well a need to support priorities of other instruments such as Global Europe, notably in relation to the Global Gateway strategy.
The Programme should be simplified and made more accessible to a broader audience including smaller and less experienced organisations, notably by removing some challenges through the change of management mode of some actions, bringing them closer to the field. The Programme will become more relevant, attractive, and inclusive, with a focus on reaching learners with fewer opportunities with further measures to facilitate their participation and activities that better fit with their needs.
• Consistency with existing policy provisions
The proposal is fully aligned with the Union of Skills, an overarching strategy that focuses on investment, adult and lifelong learning, vocational education and training, skill retention and recognition, and improving skills intelligence. It sets the framework for EU cooperation in education and skills policies, supporting the development of the EU's human capital to strengthen its competitiveness. The proposal supports the Union of Skills by delivering on its objectives, including the Action Plan on Basic Skills and the STEM Education Strategic Plan. These aim to improve basic skills, provide lifelong learning opportunities, and attract and retain the skills and talents needed in the European economy. In addition, the Programme will support the implementation of the overall European strategic cooperation in education and training, including its underlying sectoral agendas in the fields of school education, adult education, vocational education and training and higher education.
The proposal is consistent with the objectives of the European Education Area (EEA), which lays the foundation for skills formation throughout life and supports cooperation and peer learning between countries. The EEA promotes high-quality and inclusive education and training for all, facilitates the mutual recognition of learning outcomes across borders, and supports the mobility of learners of all ages. The Digital Education Action Plan, part of the EEA, further supports the development of digital education across EU Member States equipping people with the digital skills and competences necessary for the digital transformation. The proposal also aligns with the Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’, a building block of the EEA, to enable learning mobility for everyone.
The proposal is also in line with the EU Youth Strategy 16 , the policy framework in the field of youth for 2019–2027, structured around the pillars of Engage, Connect, and Empower. It aims to foster youth participation in democratic life, social and civic engagement, ensuring that all young people have the necessary resources to take part in society.
In the field of sport, the proposal is aligned on the objectives of the EU Work Plan for Sport 17 (2024-2027), outlining a strategic approach that recognises the role of sport in social cohesion, promoting well-being, building inclusive communities, strengthening cultural ties, and enhancing solidarity among people. The work plan prioritises integrity, sustainability, and social inclusion within sporting contexts, encouraging cross-border cooperation and the sharing of best practices.
The Programme will also contribute to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, in particular to Sustainable Development Goal 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Consistency with other Union policies
The initiative is aligned with the Commission’s overarching 2024-2029 policy priorities 18 , namely 1) supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model; 2) protecting our democracy, upholding our values; 3) Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness; 4) a new era for European Defence and Security 5) a global Europe and 6) Sustaining our quality of life: Food security, water and nature. It will also contribute to strengthening social and territorial cohesion within the EU and intergenerational fairness.
The Programme will contribute to putting into practice the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights 19 and implementing the flagship initiatives of the European Skills Agenda 20 , to help individuals and businesses develop more and better skills and put them to use, including the Pact for Skills which aims to mobilise and incentivise relevant private and public stakeholders to partner up and take action for lifelong skills development. The programme will also be in line with the future European Strategy on vocational education and training, which aims to increase the attractiveness, excellence and inclusiveness of VET. Particular attention will be given in the Programme to promoting gender equality, for example the participation of girls and women in STEM, including through the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) approach, also in line with the Roadmap for Women’s Rights and the Gender Equality Strategy. The Programme will also address differences in relation to access and use by underrepresented groups, as part of a Union of Equality, in line with the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, the Anti-Racism Action Plan, and the Roma Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion and participation 21 . The proposal is also in line with the European Child Guarantee, and the EU Strategy on the Rights of the child, comprehensive framework for the protection and promotion of the rights of all children.
Synergies with actions p rotecting our democracy and upholding our values
The Programme and in particular its focus on learning mobility, also at a younger age, will further contribute to the development of a sense of European identity, commitment to EU values and to the promotion of democratic and societal participation, in line with the upcoming European Democracy Shield which will provide a strategic framework to safeguard, strengthen and promote democracy in the EU, putting emphasis on young people. The programme will provide education and training, as well as youth and sport with resources to better embed citizenship education and develop all skills needed (e.g. critical thinking, media literacy, digital skills), across lifelong learning, so people can participate actively and responsibly in our societies. The Programme will also support the creation of opportunities and mechanisms for meaningful youth participation, including in debate and decision-making.
Synergies with actions for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness
The Programme will support the development of quality, inclusive and adaptable education, training and skills systems as a contribution to the Union’s competitiveness, in line with the Commission Communication ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ 22 . It will also be fully in line with the 2023 Green Deal Industrial Plan’s pillar on green and digital skills 23 , the 2025 Clean Industrial Deal 24 the ensuing Affordable Energy Action Plan 25 calling to reinforce skills in strategic sectors such as energy and the AI continent Action Plan and Apply AI strategy, as well as the European Ocean Pact 26 ’s pillar on advancing ocean research, knowledge, skills and innovation. The proposal is also in line with the Savings and Investment Union Communication 27 which foresees an EU wide strategy on financial literacy.
In line with the European Preparedness Union Strategy, Erasmus+ will promote preparedness, resilience, civic education, societal and democratic engagement through a bottom-up approach, encouraging organisations and institutions to apply for funding and promote digital and media literacy, critical thinking, civic engagement, democratic values and citizenship learning. Volunteering is also essential in fostering a culture of inclusive preparedness and societal resilience. The proposal is also aligned with the Communication on a Vision for a European Space Economy 28 , contributing to the acquisition of the relevant sector-specific skills.
The future Programme will complement actions financed through Global Europe. It will moreover contribute to attract global talent and enhance the EU’s influence and attractiveness on the world stage, as a trusted partner. The future Erasmus+ programme will include participation of third countries and support for international partnerships, allowing for synergies and contribution to EU’s policies on external action.
The proposal is also aligned with the priority on “sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature” and to the Vision for agriculture and food 29 contributing to the acquisition of the skills needed in key sectors enabling to build a competitive and resilient agriculture and food system or safeguarding our biodiversity.
• Legal basis
The Erasmus+ programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport is justified on the grounds of the objectives laid down in Articles 165 and 166 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). These give the Union a supporting competence to contribute to the development of quality education, the implementation of a vocational training policy, the development of youth exchanges and encouraging youth participation in democratic life in Europe as well as the promotion of European sporting issues. By extending its scope to provide support to solidarity activities addressing societal challenges and humanitarian aid operations in third countries, the proposal is also based on Article 214 i of the TFEU requiring the establishment of a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps, a framework for joint contributions from young Europeans to the humanitarian aid operations of the Union and the rules and procedures for the operation of the Corps.
• Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)
While Member States remain responsible for the content and organisation of their policies in the fields concerned, the challenges identified are common to all Member States and/or have a significant transnational dimension, that requires EU-level solutions, coordination, and support to be addressed effectively. EU actions can facilitate cooperation, capacity building, and mutual learning as well as cross-border activities, ultimately optimising the potential of the sectors concerned.
The Programme aims to enhance transnational mobility and capacity building through cooperation and support policy developments with a European dimension. However, due to the transnational nature, high volume, and broad geographical scope of the activities supported, as well as their strong international dimension, these objectives cannot be adequately achieved by Member States acting alone. For instance, cross-border learning mobility or volunteering is more complex to organise on a bilateral basis and is difficult for individual Member States to make it accessible to all. The Erasmus+ mid-term evaluation has demonstrated that single initiatives by education and training, youth and sport organisations or Member States, although effective at national level, lack the necessary scale and volume to achieve a European-wide impact. Furthermore, the cumulative coverage of individual country and cross-sectoral initiatives remains limited compared to the current Erasmus+ programme. Similarly, the European Solidarity Corps evaluation confirms that it plays an essential role and, in some countries, is the only option for youth volunteering and solidarity.
Furthermore, by extending the Programme’s scope to cover volunteering activities, including by integrating the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps, Erasmus+ will offer a single-entry point to EU opportunities for young people across the Union and abroad. Currently these are only accessible via distinct schemes. Erasmus+ will therefore ensure that all young people across the Union have equal opportunities to a broader variety of activities, and that they have easier access to them. Bringing the European Solidarity Corps’ opportunities under Erasmus+ will also help improve awareness of the opportunities available to young people and organisations working with them and give them greater visibility.
The added value of EU funding in the policy areas covered by the Programme was widely acknowledged by respondents to the open public consultation conducted by the Commission for the new MFF, with the vast majority highlighting its importance.
• Proportionality
This proposal covers all education and training sectors – school education, vocational education and training, higher education and adult education – as well as youth, volunteering and sport in a focused and streamlined way. It reinforces the tried-and-tested actions, whose impact has been evidenced by the mid-term evaluations of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Existing actions will be streamlined, including between Erasmus+ actions and those integrated from the European Solidarity Corps. This will reduce duplications and refocus them taking into consideration the results of the evaluations and stakeholder consultations. The use of flexible formats will be continuously promoted to broaden the Programme’s reach.
A limited number of new actions will be introduced to address new challenges and policy priorities (such as the European School Alliances and Erasmus+ scholarships in strategic fields). These measures are also considered to be the most suitable for making the Programme more inclusive and more effective.
The changes proposed build on the existing programme architecture, keep the same types of intervention addressing individuals, organisations and systems, and aim to improve and increase the impact of the Programme rollout, using the existing effective delivery mechanisms of the predecessor programme. This initiative therefore does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve the objectives pursued.
• Choice of the instrument
The proposed instrument is a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.
• Retrospective evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation
The final evaluation of the 2014-2020 programme and the interim evaluation of the 2021-2027 programme 30 found that Erasmus+ performs strongly across key evaluation criteria and fulfils its objectives effectively. Both programme generations have proven successful in delivering a strong European added value, playing a key role in the fields of education and training, as well as youth and sport.
Despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Erasmus+ supported learning mobility abroad of over 6.2 million participants in the 2014-2020 period and around 1.6 million in 2021-2023 helping to increase their skills and competences. It also funded over 136 000 distinct organisations in the 2014-2020 Programme and more than 77 000 in 2021-2023, supporting their cooperation and improving their practices.
Erasmus+ significantly surpasses what could be achieved by individual countries at national or international levels. Its benefits stem from the opportunities it provides to the personal, educational and professional development of learners and staff, to cross-border cooperation of organisations and to policy development in the fields of education and training, youth and sport. It provides significant benefits to those who take part in the programme compared to those who do not. Without Erasmus+, the benefits from the Programme for individuals and organisations would be drastically reduced. Cross-border activities of education, training, youth and sport sectors would be reduced to close to zero in several countries, especially in the youth and sport sectors. Erasmus+ funds over half of credit mobilities in the Member States, and over 90% of short mobility in half of the Union countries.
Furthermore, the programme is responding to emerging needs related to new challenges posed by technological developments, aligning with the policy sectors and priorities of the European Competitiveness Fund, in particular the emergence of generative artificial intelligence and the provision of skills to support EU competitiveness. Erasmus+ is investing in helping develop the skills needed to provide the Union single market and industrial sectors with the future-proof skills to tackle the challenges of competitiveness, as highlighted in the Draghi and Letta reports. The funding of learning mobility – which is at the heart of the programme – appears key to ensuring that the younger generations are equipped with the right skills to face the challenges posed in a rapidly evolving context. The Programme has also become more inclusive and has increased the share of people with fewer opportunities among its participants, from around 10% in 2014-2020 to 15% in 2023.
Despite the clear progress, the evaluation has identified still existing barriers to the participation of people with fewer opportunities. Erasmus+ should thus keep addressing the most pressing accessibility challenges, continuing to expand its reach to participants with fewer opportunities. Further clarifying definitions of people with fewer opportunities and providing clearer guidance on the measures available to support their participation would also enhance inclusivity.
Reviewing the funding rules, simpler reporting procedures and streamlining across the various actions and fields should be assessed to simplify access for small and newcomer organisations. The evaluation also identified the need to simplify alternative funding, facilitate the transfer of funds between instruments and break down barriers between different operational modes and funding rules in order to build more synergies between Erasmus+ and other instruments and increase projects’ upscaling. This should also be done via better dissemination of project outcomes.
The evaluation shows the international added value of the programme, essential for fostering EU values, intercultural learning, raising awareness of civic and active participation but also for facilitating peer learning and bringing European expertise in the fields of education, training, youth and sport to other regions.
The Erasmus+ evaluation identified opportunities to improve coherence with the European Solidarity Corps and identify ways to address potential overlaps, improving overall efficiency and increasing clarity for stakeholders.
The final evaluation of the 2018-2020 programme and interim evaluation of the 2021-2027 programme 31 found that the European Solidarity Corps performs well across the five evaluation criteria (relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, coherence, EU added value). The European Solidarity Corps addresses European society’s crucial needs, by fostering civic participation and promoting inclusion and diversity. The programme fosters a sense of community, revitalising local initiatives and promoting a broader global perspective. Participation contributes to improved personal, professional and study skills together with social and civic awareness. The programme has also consistently met its targets on participants with fewer opportunities (30% in 2022 and 2023). The evaluation’s outcomes confirm that the European Solidarity Corps plays an essential role and, in some countries, is the only option for youth volunteering and solidarity. A number of areas for improvement have been identified. Key recommendations include (i) improving the identification of people with fewer opportunities to facilitate their further inclusion in the programme, (ii) aligning programme objectives and funding, (iii) addressing differences in the geographical distribution of results and impacts, (iv) improving visa arrangements for non-EU nationals (v) improving IT and monitoring tools, and (vi) clarifying the purpose of the humanitarian aid strand. Funding has generally proven very limited given the programme’s ambitions and objectives. The programme complements EU programmes like Erasmus+, but actual synergies are somewhat limited, suggesting a need for more structured efforts.
A potential area of duplication highlighted by the evaluation concerns Erasmus+ Youth Participation activities and Solidarity projects funded under the European Solidarity Corps. They both support youth-led initiatives run by informal groups of young people, fostering active citizenship and a sense of initiative. Solidarity projects have a stronger solidarity component, supporting mostly bottom-up local solidarity activities with a view to addressing key challenges within the communities that the young people carrying the project live in. Nevertheless, the many common areas of action suggest the need to reflect on potential overlaps. The support activities that aim to increase the quality implementation of the two programmes also emerge as examples of possible overlaps. Both activities are run by the same national agencies, active in the youth field, and fund very similar activities, reaching out to target groups that are often the same. These activities represent opportunities for synergies between the programmes, they could also be examined for economies of scale and improved efficiency.
In conclusion, the European Solidarity Corps complements Erasmus+ by offering volunteering and solidarity experiences to young people outside of formal education and training frameworks. The evaluations of both Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps confirm the success of the programmes and highlight their effectiveness. While no major structural or implementation issue was identified, it is recommended to continue pursuing simplification and inclusion, enhance the international dimension, and address overlaps and synergies between the two programmes.
The future instrument will therefore build on these successes and strengths. It will better address the EU’s challenges related to sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, skills shortage, social inclusion, democracy but also the requirement for greater inclusion, stronger impact and simplification.
• Stakeholder consultations
Consultation activities took place between March 2024 and May 2025 and were designed to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders. These activities consisted of an open public consultation, two workshops with national authorities and national agencies, a large-scale stakeholder conference (with national authorities, national agencies, umbrella organisations, Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programme beneficiaries and participants as well as representatives of EU institutions) and incidental consultations.
The open public consultation was conducted between 12 February and 7 May 2025, and gathered 5 845 replies. It informed the impact assessment for EU programmes in the domains of cross-border education, youth, culture, media, values and civil society under the post-2027 MFF.
The responses revealed a clear affirmation of the EU’s continued role in fostering cross-border cooperation and supporting democratic and social objectives. Among the answers, ‘support for study/training abroad’ was ranked as ‘very important’ by 81% of citizens and 70% of organisations. This priority was frequently tied to the broader theme of long-term investment in skills, employability, and European identity. Respondents linked learning mobility not only with educational benefits but also with social integration, civic engagement, and labour market readiness. Many referred to the role of EU funding in supporting student exchanges, vocational training, language learning, and cross-border partnerships as levers for developing a more inclusive and competitive society. Similarly, ‘protect democracy, promote democratic standards’ received 80% support among citizens and 72% among organisations, showing high convergence between individual and institutional stakeholders.
Youth engagement stood out as a strong feature of the consultation. Almost 50% of citizen respondents were under the age of 30, and this age group consistently expressed strong support for funding initiatives that promote democratic engagement, equality, mobility and civic cooperation. Their feedback aligned well with the Commission’s strategic focus areas for youth, including those highlighted under the Youth Check initiative. Their engagement also demonstrated a high level of awareness and investment in the values-based and cross-border elements of EU programming.
The responses to the open public consultation also confirmed that EU funding provides added value compared to funding at national, local or regional level in the areas it covered. For example, 79% of respondents considered that ‘Protecting democracy and promoting democratic standards’ is an area where EU funding largely provides added value.
Asked to evaluate the obstacles that prevent the EU budget from fully delivering on its objectives in the policy areas, respondents generally welcomed the Commission’s focus on greater efficiency in funding, but not at the cost of ‘identity’ and ‘trust’, preserving thematic clarity and stakeholder ownership. Quantitative results show that the most frequently cited obstacles across all groups were administrative burden (identified by 52% of citizens and 58% of organisations) and complex, fund-specific compliance rules (50% of citizens and 53% of organisations). These issues reflect concerns not only with regulatory complexity but also with fragmentation between instruments and inefficiencies in delivery. Additional barriers included lack of flexibility to reallocate resources in response to emerging needs (32% of citizens and 32% of organisations), delays in programme implementation and funding disbursement, and insufficient communication or clarity about funding opportunities. Public authorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in particular emphasised delays as a source of reduced impact and local credibility.
The other consultations also revealed unanimous support for continuing with and improving Erasmus+ and the opportunities offered under the European Solidarity Corps emphasising their vital role in fostering EU values, supporting skills development and competitiveness. Stakeholders underlined the need for programme stability in terms of overall architecture and delivery mechanisms and maintaining mobility at the core of the programme. The feedback also stresses the value of the flagship actions, such as the European Universities Alliances, the Centres of Vocational Excellence, and the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies and the importance of investing in them.
In terms of main challenges facing the future programme, data collected shows that while stakeholders welcome the simplification measures introduced in the current programming period, there is room for more improvements in that area such as streamlining the programme rules and further reducing the administrative burden. The consultations highlighted the increased commitment from stakeholders to meeting the needs of individuals with fewer opportunities and the need to further enhance the strong inclusion dimension of the programme by effectively reaching out to the most disadvantaged target groups and facilitating the participation of grassroots organisations and newcomers. There were also calls by some stakeholders to simplify access and alleviate the administrative burden through a change of management mode - from direct to indirect management - for certain actions such as Jean Monnet in other fields than higher education and Partnerships for cooperation in the field of sport.
Additionally, stakeholders highlighted the importance of synergies that could be facilitated between the different EU instruments. This includes improved coordination by the European Commission at European level. There was a call for a strong international dimension, increased and improved communication and information, an impact assessment as well as data collection and use.
Overall, stakeholders provided valuable input on how to build on the progress made and address remaining challenges to ensure the long-term success of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps opportunities.
• External expertise
The Commission based itself on the findings and recommendations of the mid-term evaluations of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, which relied on the expertise of external contractors, as well as on other reviewed studies and external reports.
• Impact assessment
The proposal was subject to an impact assessment, which was carried out as part of the preparations for the next MFF. It covered EU funds that support cross-border education, training and solidarity, young people, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society.
In the impact assessment, the Commission explored several alternative policy options to address the challenges of the sectors covered by the cluster and determined which option better served the policy areas and priorities of the Commission. The various options were mutually exclusive. One option was to continue the existing Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes as stand-alone programmes, while introducing some incremental improvements. A second option consisted of bringing together Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, two programmes that share a common main objective to contribute to high quality lifelong learning, enhance skills and key competences for all, for life and for jobs, while promoting societal engagement and civic education, solidarity and social inclusion. A third option was the full integration of policies currently covered by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, and those covered by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme and Creative Europe under a single instrument.
Other alternatives were also considered but were discarded at an early stage. One was the discontinuation of Union funding in the fields currently covered by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, but it was rejected given the importance of the problems affecting the sectors concerned, the prominence given to these policies in the political guidelines and the added value of the Union intervention, underpinned by the respective mid-term evaluations.
The main potential impact of the three shortlisted options (continuity, full integration, and objective-based merger) was analysed against their social, economic and environmental dimensions. Where relevant, the analysis also covered costs and benefits, impacts on competitiveness and small businesses and on digitalisation, as well as the contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, the options were assessed based on their effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and proportionality, applying the Social Multi-Criteria Evaluation.
The evaluation of the options and their impacts highlighted that integration based on policy objectives (objective-based merger) would offer better potential compared to the two alternatives. It would allow for better coordination, targeted flexibility, and a more effective use of the Union budget – without sacrificing policy focus or accessibility.
This funding instrument will offer a more comprehensive approach and a coherent landscape of formal, non-formal and informal opportunities for young people, aiming to boost skills development, engagement, preparedness and social cohesion. Europe needs to ensure that young people are equipped with a minimum proficiency level of basic and digital skills and foster the advanced competencies and soft skills needed, across all stages of life. This is valid for professional development but also for their personal development. This is crucial given that close to 18 million young people in the EU are at risk of social exclusion 32 and, in 2024, almost half of them reported recent emotional or psychosocial problems 33 . Europe also has to address the insufficient knowledge among young people particularly of their democratic rights, difficult access to information, limited involvement in decision-making processes and the wider political debate. Addressing all those challenges is pivotal in ensuring a prosperous, prepared and cohesive Europe but cannot be satisfied through formal education only. Volunteering and other forms of non-formal and informal learning bring complementary value to formal education. In terms of implementation, by unifying the intervention logic for these areas (mainly covered by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps), Union funding would be significantly streamlined and simplified, leading to greater efficiency, economies of scale and a reduced administrative burden.
The new instrument will build on the success of the current programmes and best practices of the current MFF, as evidenced by evaluations. It will better address transnational and common challenges, filling funding gaps at Member State level, and enhance coherence between internal and external policies, while boosting synergies, efficiency and effectiveness, and reducing overlaps.
Based on the Better Regulation guidelines, this impact assessment report was submitted for quality scrutiny to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB). The RSB gave an opinion to the impact assessment on 13 June 2025. The RSB made a series of comments and recommendations on scope, problem definition and the use of evaluations, intervention logic and objectives, comparison of options and cost-benefit analysis, governance, coherence and future monitoring and evaluation. The impact assessment accompanying this legal proposal was reviewed in accordance with the Board’s comments.
• Simplification
The proposal introduces several simplifications.
By extending the scope and including volunteering and solidarity-projects, the initiative will bring all EU opportunities for young people under one programme. The proposal will thus offer a single-entry point to EU funding opportunities for young people and those working with them across the Union and abroad, providing easier access to them.
The proposal aims to increase coherence and rationalise the architecture of the programme by combining the cooperation and policy support actions, reshuffling actions (for instance by bringing all cooperation opportunities for organisations together or moving the support to platforms together with other tools and measures in order to support policy development and programme implementation) and removing the unnecessary chapters per field. Actions that share similar objectives and overlap will be merged. (e.g. learning mobility for higher education learners and staff). These will bring clarity in the Union funding opportunities offered, making it easier for potential applicants to find their way and identify the relevant opportunities for them.
Furthermore, the initiative will address the obstacles faced by grassroots, small- or first-time applicant organisations and increase its reach by changing the management mode of some actions (e.g. current Jean Monnet actions in other fields than higher education or cooperation partnerships for sport). It will also introduce very low value grant partnerships with a strongly reduced administrative burden for applicants.
The use of accreditation systems will continue to provide organisations with a structured framework for continuous improvement and simplified access to funding, ultimately facilitating long-term planning, increasing the quality of activities and enhancing transnational collaboration. The use of simplified grants in the form of lump sums, unit costs and flat rates will be used to the maximum possible extent.
In addition, efforts will be made to simplify overall application and reporting procedures as well as harmonise rules, while ensuring proportionality between the grant level and the requirements.
For stakeholders implementing the programme (national authorities, national agencies, European Commission)
By bringing under one framework two programmes that operate with similar processes duplicating each other in several areas (e.g. work programme, monitoring, communication), the proposal will offer significant simplification, leading to greater efficiency, reduced administrative burden and implementation costs. This will allow for a more efficient use of resources, both for the European Commission, the Member States and third countries that apply to be associated to the programme (i.e. implementing bodies).
• Fundamental rights
The proposal is in line with and respects the Union values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union. The objectives of the proposed initiative are closely linked to the promotion of fundamental rights and the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. As described in detail in the 2024 Annual Report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights 34 , the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme contributes to fundamental rights across all its fields. Similarly, this proposal will contribute to the promotion and protection of rights enshrined in Article 8 (protection of personal data), Article 11 (freedom of expression and information), Article 13 (freedom of arts and sciences, including academic freedom), Article 14 (right to education), Article 15 (freedom to choose an occupation and right to engage in work), Articles 20 and 21 (equality and non-discrimination), Article 22 (cultural, religious and linguistic diversity), Article 23 (equality between women and men), Article 24 (rights of the child), Article 26 (rights of persons with disabilities), 31 (fair and just working conditions), Article 33 (family and professional life), Articles 39 to 46 (citizens’ rights) of the Charter. This is mainly achieved by funding projects and initiatives that contribute to the practical application of these fundamental rights.
See Annex
• Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements
This initiative will be monitored through the common performance framework for the post-2027 budget. The performance framework provides for an implementation report during the implementation phase of the Programme, as well as a retrospective evaluation to be carried out in accordance with Article 34 i of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. The evaluation shall be conducted in accordance with the Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines and will be based on indicators relevant to the objectives of the Programme.
The Commission will report to the European Parliament, Council and all other relevant EU institutions regularly.
A significant part of the Programme will be implemented in indirect management, mainly through national agencies. The remaining parts of the Programme will be implemented in direct management, mostly by an Executive Agency under the supervision of the Commission services responsible for the Programme.
• Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal
The Regulation sets out the provisions for an Erasmus+ programme that covers education and training, youth and sport and integrates the opportunities offered by the European Solidarity Corps including the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps under the 2021-2027 MFF, offering a comprehensive EU instrument to contribute to high quality lifelong learning, enhance skills and key competences for all, for life and for jobs, while promoting societal engagement and civic education, solidarity and social inclusion. The Programme is a key instrument to support the implementation of the Union's policies in the field of education, training, youth and sport. The specific objectives are intervention based.
Chapter I – ‘General provisions of the proposed Regulation set out its subject-matter, the definitions of certain terms for the purposes of this Regulation, as well as the general and specific objectives of the Programme.
The Programme is structured around a pillar on learning opportunities for all and a pillar on capacity building that combines cooperation among organisations and institutions and support to policy development, covering all fields of education and training, youth and sport.
Chapter II – ‘Scope of intervention’ identifies the activities envisaged in order to achieve the objectives of the proposed Regulation. Under learning opportunities for all, the Programme will support learning mobility in all fields and volunteering opportunities in the field of youth on the one hand and talent and excellence development opportunities on the other. It also covers the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. This strand includes as well a new vision of extending mobility to ensure that all young Europeans get the possibility to have an Erasmus+ experience at an earlier age when values and attitudes are formed, as well as new opportunities (Erasmus+ scholarships) introduced to enable students to undertake studies in strategic educational fields and existing opportunities moved under this strand for coherence and clarity, including Erasmus Mundus scholarships and Jean Monnet actions in the field of higher education.
Chapter III – ‘Inclusion and diversity’ identifies the focus the Programme should have on inclusion and diversity as well as measures and tools to reach out to more participants with fewer opportunities.
Chapter IV – ‘Financial provisions’ sets out the budgetary envelope of the Programme for the programming period and the envisaged forms of Union funding. It also provides that an additional financial contribution should be allocated under other instruments. The Chapter identifies the forms and functioning of synergies as well with other funds and resources. In addition, this Chapter also specifies some specific rules applicable to direct and indirect management such as for the allocation of funds under indirect management.
Chapter V – ‘Participation in the Programme’ specifies criteria for the participating countries. It specifies which third countries can be associated to the Programme, either in full or in part and the conditions under which they can take part in. The Chapter also identifies which entities are eligible to receive funding.
Chapter VI – ‘Programming’ specifies that the Programme will be implemented by work programmes.
Chapter VII – ‘Information, communication and dissemination’ sets out the requirements for all the actors concerned in terms of dissemination of information, publicity and follow-up with regard to all actions supported by the Programme.
Chapter VIII – ‘Management and audit system’ establishes the provision for the establishment and functioning of the implementing bodies of the Programme. In management terms, the proposed delivery mechanism is a combination of indirect management and direct management. The combination of management modes builds on the existing structures of the current programme. National agencies will be in charge of managing the large majority of the Programme’s funds. The Chapter also lays down the necessary supervisory system to ensure that the protection of the financial interests of the Union is duly taken into account when actions financed under this Regulation are implemented.
Chapter IX – ‘Transitional and final provisions’ sets out the necessary provisions to ensure the transition between programmes. The final provisions set out the date of entry into force of the proposed Regulation which will be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.