MEPs are holding firm: after a non-legislative resolution adopted by the entire European Parliament in November, it is now the Culture and Education Committee’s turn to call for the tripling of Erasmus funds for 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 12137) on Wednesday 20 February.
The parliamentary committee is calling for €46.7 billion to be mobilised for this programme, compared with the €30 billion proposed by the Commission and supported by the Council (see EUROPE 12030). It is also introducing a distribution key for the three fields of action of the programme (education and training, youth and sport), which is similar to that adopted by the Member States (see EUROPE 12143).
The draft report, prepared by Milan Zver (EPP, Slovenia), constitutes the European Parliament's negotiating position on the Erasmus sectoral regulation in the context of the next multiannual financial framework. It was adopted by 28 votes in favour and 1 against. It is accompanied by a statement that the European Parliament reserves the right to review its position if the financial envelope of Erasmus is less than the amount it has adopted.
Principal changes
MEPs retain the three areas of action of the programme, with the following distribution key: 83% for education and training, 10.3% for youth, 2% for sport and 3.2% to cover operational costs.
The most important changes include the target audience: MEPs broaden the definition of 'higher education students' and 'vocational education and trainees' to include anyone who has graduated from such an institution “in the previous 24 months”. They also refer to the DiscoverEU programme by stating that “young people aged 18 to 20”, especially those with fewer opportunities, should have the opportunity to have their first individual or group experience in the short term and to travel throughout Europe.
They also call on the European Commission to develop, by 31 December 2021 at the latest, a European student card for all students participating in the programme and to make it available to all students in the Union by 31 December 2025 at the latest.
For the rest, Parliament's position emphasises the importance of making the programme accessible to people with fewer resources. It specifies that the levels of financial support should be regularly reviewed and adjusted to the living and subsistence costs of the host country or region, on the basis of Eurostat figures, and that this adjustment should take due account of travel expenses to and from the host country or region.
It is also important to note the importance of supporting only actions and activities that offer “potential European added value”. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)