Erasmus+ — EU transnational partnerships in education, training, youth and sport
Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport. Erasmus+ aims to:
allow young people to gain skills and knowledge abroad to improve their employability;
improve teaching quality, innovation excellence of education and training organisations;
complement member countries’ policy efforts to modernise their education and vocational training systems;
increase the international dimension of education and training by means of partnerships between EU and partner-country higher education and vocational education and training (VET) institutions;
improve language teaching and learning;
support excellence in teaching and research in European integration among academics, students and citizens;
support organisations active in grass-roots sport (mainly public bodies and clubs) to exploit the potential of sport in promoting social inclusion and address the threats of doping, match-fixing, racism and intolerance.
KEY POINTS
Eligibility
Erasmus+ is open to all EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, as well as countries that have applied for EU membership and potential applicants. Partner countries, notably those covered by the EU’s neighbourhood policy, will be eligible for study and training opportunities, as well as youth activities.
Implementation and participation
Actions under Erasmus+ are divided between decentralised (managed in each country by national agencies) or centralised which are managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) in Brussels.
Budget
The overall budget allocation is €14.775 billion over the 2014-2020 period.
It is broken down as follows:
77.5% to education and training;
10% to youth;
3.5% to the Student Loan Guarantee Facility (for students undertaking a second-cycle degree, such as a Master’s);
1.9% to Jean Monnet (European integration teaching & research);
1.8% to sport;
3.4% as operating grants to national agencies; and
1.9% administrative expenditure.
It has applied since 1 January 2014.
BACKGROUND
For more information, see:
Erasmus+ (European Commission)
Studying abroad Erasmus+ (European Commission)
Erasmus+ (EACEA)
DOCUMENT
Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, pp. 50-73)
Successive amendments to Regulation EU No 1288/2013 have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Regulation (EU) 2018/1475 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 laying down the legal framework of the European Solidarity Corps and amending Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU (OJ L 250, 4.10.2018, pp. 1-20)
Mobility for students, trainees, young volunteers, teachers and trainers
Recommendation 2001/613/EC on mobility within the EU for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers.Following the European Council in Lisbon in 2000, this recommendation aims to support free movement in the field of education and training. It calls on European Union (EU) countries to take the necessary steps to encourage the mobility of students, teachers and training staff within the EU.
KEY POINTS
The recommendation calls for EU countries to remove legal, administrative, linguistic and cultural obstacles to people:
studying or undergoing training;
volunteering; or
teaching or providing training;
in another EU country.
Among the issues, aims and suggestions put forward are:
the goal of learning at least 2 EU languages, with linguistic and cultural preparation before travel;
encouraging awareness of EU citizenship in young people, as well as respect for differences;
easy access to information about opportunities in other EU countries;
financial support (grants, scholarships, subsidies, loans, etc.) to be facilitated and simplified;
assistance with transport costs, accommodation, meals and access to cultural resources on the same basis as host country citizens; and
better awareness of financial entitlements and reciprocal social security cover.
Measures which specifically affectstudents or those undergoing training
encourage students to complete a part of their studies in another EU country and facilitate the academic recognition of periods of study completed between countries;
encourage clearer models for training certificates, for example by providing translations and centralised information points;
enable students to show more easily that they have health cover or financial resources to obtain residence permits; and
facilitate the integration and support of students within the education system of the host country, as well as their reintegration in their home country.
Measures affecting young volunteers
ensure that the specific nature of voluntary activity is considered in legal and administrative issues;
promote the introduction of a certificate of participation with a view to a common EU format for job applications; and
avoid discrimination against volunteers in entitlement to social protection.
Measures which concern teachers and trainers
consider problems faced in mobility resulting from some national legislation and encourage cooperation;
temporary replacement of teachers and trainers on mobility;
facilitate integration in the host establishment;
introduce European training periods to make mobility easier;
encourage a European dimension in the profession through the content of training programmes, and through contact and exchanges between establishments; and
promote European mobility experience as a career component.
EU countries are asked to draw up a report every 2 years on the action taken in response to these recommendations.
BACKGROUND
The recommendations outlined applied originally to EU programmes such as Socrates (education), Leonardo da Vinci (vocational training) and Youth, all of which are now part of the Erasmus+ programme, and complement measures that now fall under ET 2020 which covers cooperation in education, training and lifelong learning.
Recommendation 2001/613/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 July 2001 on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers (OJ L 215, 9.8.2001, pp. 30–37)
DOCUMENTS
Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 — ‘Youth on the move’ — promoting the learning mobility of young people (OJ C 199, 7.7.2011, pp. 1–5)
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Youth on the Move — An initiative to unleash the potential of young people to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the European Union (COM(2010) 477 final, 15.9.2010)
Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the establishment of a European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) (OJ C 155, 8.7.2009, pp. 11–18)
Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 15 November 2007, on improving the quality of teacher education (OJ C 300, 12.12.2007, pp. 6–9)
Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, pp. 6–20)
Young volunteers — mobility within the EU
Recommendation — mobility of young volunteers across the EU. It seeks to encourage European Union (EU) countries to promote the international mobility of young volunteers.
It provides a system of more intensive cooperation between EU countries, on the basis of which new opportunities for mobility may be created.
KEY POINTS
This recommendation sets up a system of cooperation for EU countries designed to encourage cross-border voluntary activities for young people*. It does so with due respect for the diversity of the EU countries’ own national volunteering schemes.
Voluntary activities provide young people with a non-formal educational* and informal learning*experience. This helps to develop their professional and social skills, so increasing their chances of getting jobs and becoming active citizens and promoting their social inclusion. Volunteering offers young people a sense of purpose and responsibility, and gives them a structure in their lives.
The recommendation urges EU countries to strengthen cooperation among voluntary organisations and public authorities involved in organising voluntary activities, in order to promote the mobility of young volunteers throughout Europe. It recommends that EU countries take action for example to:
make more information available about national voluntary activities;
improve the access to information about cross-border voluntary activities for all those involved;
make it easier for young volunteers to access cross-border voluntary activities, in particular by simplifying the procedures;
develop opportunities for these activities through a flexible approach, taking into consideration aspects such as
hosting capacities;
establishment of contacts among volunteers;
use of European mobility mechanisms (e.g. European Youth Card);
mobility of youth workers*; and
training of those active in youth work;
promote the development of intercultural abilities and language learning to make mobility across borders easier;
support the development of self-assessment tools so that voluntary organisations may ensure the quality of their cross-border activities;
exchange information and cooperate with each other in order to assure the social and legal protection of volunteers;
promote the recognition of volunteers’ learning experience through the use of national and European level qualification instruments, such as Europass, Youthpass and the European Qualifications Framework;
promote the participation of young people with fewer opportunities in cross-border voluntary activities.
The recommendation endorses European Commission support for EU countries’ actions relating to the above. This support is by means of the EU cooperation framework in the youth field, the open method of coordination, as well as the European Voluntary Service which is funded by the Erasmus+ programme. Lastly, a European Youth Volunteer Portal disseminates information to all stakeholders
Cross-border voluntary activities: activities open to all young people, undertaken of their own free will in the general interest, for a sustained period, within a clear system, in a country other than their country of residence, unpaid or with token payment and/or covering of expenses.
Non-formal education: organised education led by a qualified teacher or leader. It does not result in a formal qualification. It helps build an individual’s skills and capacities, e.g. continuing education courses for adults and scouts for children.
Informal learning: no curriculum and no qualifications earned. The teacher is simply someone more qualified than the learner, e.g. a babysitter helping a child learn to read.
Youth worker: individuals who guide and support young people in their personal, social and educational development.
DOCUMENTS
Council recommendation of 20 November 2008 on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union (OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, pp. 8–10)
Council conclusions on language competences to enhance mobility (OJ C 372, 20.12.2011, pp. 27–30)
Council conclusions on a benchmark for learning mobility (OJ C 372, 20.12.2011, pp. 31–35)