On Tuesday 16 January, the European Parliament voted on the draft reports evaluating three EU programmes for 2021-2027 (see EUROPE 13252/25): Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.
Erasmus+. The text by Milan Zver (EPP, Slovenia) on Erasmus+ (https://aeur.eu/f/aen ), approved with 486 votes in favour, 62 against and 61 abstentions, highlights the effectiveness of this student and teacher exchange programme. The rapporteur consulted extensively with a wide range of stakeholders and based his conclusions on a variety of written sources, including the results of surveys of Erasmus+ national agencies and other stakeholders, as well as studies evaluating the early implementation of the programme.
The report acknowledges that the Erasmus+ programme has faced unprecedented challenges, including the delay in approving the Multiannual Financial Framework, the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic repercussions of the war in Ukraine. These events highlighted a lack of flexibility in the management of the programme, particularly by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). However, the programme’s efforts to adapt to the Ukrainian crisis were widely appreciated.
The Erasmus+ programme from 2021 to 2027 aims to involve up to 12 million participants and plays a key role in the construction of a European Education Area. It also supports youth policy cooperation and develops the European dimension in sport. The report highlights the programme’s reinforced priorities in terms of inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, the fight against climate change and participation in democratic life.
Creative Europe. With 489 votes in favour, 87 against and 40 abstentions, MEPs voted by a large majority in favour of the text (https://aeur.eu/f/aep ) put forward by Massimiliano Smeriglio (S&D, Italian), which sets out the achievements and challenges of the Creative Europe programme, designed to support the cultural and audiovisual sectors.
Although the report’s analysis is based on limited data covering only the first two years, it shows that the programme has been effective overall, despite initial delays and major external challenges. The report highlights the programme’s responsiveness in the face of these challenges, noting in particular the increase in the budget and the adaptation of deadlines and co-financing rates. However, it is noted that high inflation could absorb a significant part of the budget increase.
The rapporteur highlights the need to improve the IT tools used for the programme and to maintain a reliable timetable for calls for proposals. Finally, he recommends more in-depth monitoring and evaluation of the programme's cross-cutting priorities to better understand its societal impact.
CERV. Ahead of a vote that approved by 476 votes in favour, 130 against and 14 abstentions his report examining the ‘citizen engagement and participation’ strand of the CERV programme, which is aimed at citizen engagement and the promotion of equality and fundamental rights, Łukasz Kohut (S&D, Polish) stressed the importance of education and civil society in the fight against propaganda and populism and in maintaining the Rule of law, using the recent elections in Poland as an example.
His report (https://aeur.eu/f/aeq ) puts forward a number of recommendations for the future of the CERV programme. It calls on the European Commission to establish a Civil Dialogue Group (CDG) to strengthen dialogue at all levels and with all stakeholders. He suggests capacity-building actions to encourage the broad participation of civil society and insists on the inclusion of non-citizens residing in the EU in the programme to foster democratic governance, the rule of law and social inclusion.
The report recommends as well the establishment of European networks of national contact points. In addition, the report recommends a simplification of administrative procedures and a review of co-financing requirements to support a greater variety of beneficiaries.
Above all, the text carried by Łukasz Kohut suggests increasing the budget for the CERV programme to €2.6 billion in the next multiannual financial framework to meet the growing demand for civic engagement and democratic participation initiatives. In addition the text stresses the importance of effective communication and awareness-raising activities for the success of the programme. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)