20/08/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 10 August, the European Commission launched the first call for proposals in the framework of the enhanced European Solidarity Corps, following the inter-institutional agreement reached in June on the draft regulation covering the period 2018-2020 (see EUROPE 12050). The call will run until 16 October (or 18 February 2019 in certain cases). The first time, this 'enhanced' framework will allow young people to make up a group of at least five participants and to arrange solidarity activities under their leadership. It will also cover short-term projects (from two weeks to two months) and organisations based in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey and other partner countries. Since the European Corps was created at the end of 2016, 72,000 young people have signed up and around 7000 of them have taken part in solidarity activities. (SPj)