On Tuesday 13 May, the European Commission put forward a proposal to provide the European Solidarity Corps with a legal basis and specific budget of €341.5 million for the 2018-20 period.
The Commission launched the European Solidarity Corps in December 2016 (see EUROPE 11684). This initiative offers young people aged between 18 and 30 the chance to take part in a range of solidarity activities through voluntary action or setting up a professional project backed up by a work contract.
The new initiative is inspired by the “European Voluntary Service” (EVS) programme that expires at the end of 2018. The Commissioner for Youth, Tibor Navracsics, stated that “Implementing on the EU Solidarity Corps we could rely on the rich experiences of the EVS. (...) EVS gave opportunity to young people over the past 20 years to take part in volunteering schemes. Now we would like to upscale the volume of these volunteering schemes and offer new opportunities for young people in 28 member states”.
At the end of April, the number of young people enrolled on the European Corps’ database went above the 28,000 benchmark. Since the opening of this database to organisations in March, more than 4,000 participants have been contacted, more than 80 offers presented and the first participants have already begun their projects.
So far, the initiative is based on existing EU financing programmes, through calls for proposals. It will also specifically benefit from existing financial resources within the Erasmus + programme, the EU programme for employment and social innovation (EaSI), the LIFE programme, the Asylum and Migration Fund, the “Health” programme, the “Europe for Citizens” programme, the European Regional Development Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Today’s proposal grants a specific budget to the European Solidarity Corps of € 341.5 million for a three-year period. One source at the Commission explained that, “this represents a 25% increase compared to current resources” and indicated that this money came from unused margins.
One of the novelties of the programme is that it will support group projects (10-40 people from different countries) for periods ranging from two weeks to two months. It will also provide financial support for popular initiatives developed by a minimum of five young people for periods ranging from two to twelve months. It will also create a quality label for organisations that participate in an exemplary way in the Solidarity Corps. These labels will be distributed by the Erasmus + national agencies.
Through the solidarity corps the Commission’s aim is to bring 100,000 young people on board by the end of 2020. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)