What changed

Recital 2: (2) The Union is built on solidarity, both among its citizens and among the Member States. That universal value guides the actions of the Union and provides the unity necessary to cope with societal challenges, which individuals are willing to help address in practice, notably through volunteering.

Recital 2: deleted

Recital 3: (3) The Union needs to support and prepare its people, starting from an early age, with the knowledge, skills and competences needed for success in learning, work, and life. To enable this, the Union needs high-quality, performing, agile, innovative and inclusive education and training systems, able to nurture, attract and retain talent across the Union. The Union should also support learners’ personal and professional growth, active citizenship and lifelong learning, to keep up with the pace and scope of the ongoing societal, digital, environmental and economic transformations, respond to the demographic challenges and the society’s and economy’s skills needs, bridge skills gaps, including in critical sectors.

Recital 2 a (new): (2a) The Union is built on solidarity, both among its citizens and among the Member States. That universal value guides the actions of the Union and provides the unity necessary to cope with societal challenges, which individuals are willing to help address in practice, notably through volunteering.

Recital 3: deleted

Recital 3 a (new): (3a) The Union needs to support and prepare its people, starting from an early age, with the knowledge, skills and competences needed for success in learning, work, and life. To enable this, the Union needs performing, agile, innovative and inclusive education and training systems, able to nurture, attract and retain talent, to keep up with the pace and scope of the ongoing societal, digital, environmental and economic transformations, respond to the demographic challenges and the society’s and economy’s skills needs, bridge skills gaps, including in critical sectors.

Recital 5: (5) Building inclusive, cohesive and resilient societies, and sustaining the competitiveness of the Union requires investing in learning and training opportunities for all, regardless of background and means, in cooperation between Member States, regional and local authorities, institutions and organisations active in the field, and in innovative policy development in the fields of education and training, youth and volunteering and sport. Such ana strategic investment also contributes to strengthening European identity, fundamental rights and values and a more democratic Union.

Recital 7: (7) Common areas of action and objectives between the 2021-2027 European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ programmes highlight the potential for enhanced synergy and regulatory coherence.coherence, while keeping the specificities of each programme. The integration of the European Solidarity Corps into Erasmus+ should preserve the visibility and accessibility of volunteering and solidarity activities, and should not reduce the quality or monitoring of those activities. Bringing all learning mobility, volunteering, solidarity, cooperation and active citizenship opportunities together provides a single-entry point to all opportunities offered by the Union for young people and organisations active in the field of youth and volunteering, allowing for a more coordinated and effective approach, and easier access for potential participants and beneficiaries.beneficiaries, while ensuring that each opportunity’s potential is maximised.

Recital 9: (9) Experience shows that, in a rapidly evolving economic, social and geopolitical environment, Union spending programmes should be able to respond in a flexible manner to changing needs. Such flexibility should, however, remain compatible with sound financial management, budgetary transparency, legal certainty, predictability for beneficiaries and effective parliamentary scrutiny. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of the Erasmus+ programme, the funding should duly consider the evolving policy needs and Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, while ensuring sufficient predictabilitypredictability, transparency and accountability for the budget implementation. The need for flexibility, however, should be balanced with the need for predictable, sustainable and stable multiannual funding to preserve the beneficiaries’ ability to design, plan and sustain high-quality mobility and capacity-building initiatives, which form the core of the Programme. Detailed choices on annual priorities, eligibility conditions and operational arrangements should not weaken the legislator’s control over the implementation of the Programme.

Recital 10: (10) The Programme should support further development of the European Education Area, the implementation of the Union of Skills6 and the overall strategic frameworks for Union policy cooperation in the fields of education and training, including the policy agendas for school education, higher education, vocational education and training and adultadult, non-formal and informal learning, including up-skilling and re-skilling, to allow citizens to develop competences and skills at all stages of their life to thrive in society.

Recital 11: (11) In line with the EU Youth Strategy7 , the European Youth Work Agenda8 and the 2024 Communication on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 20229 , the Programme should support meaningful participation of young people and youth organisations in decision and policy making, youth mainstreaming across policy fields, the validation of non-formal and informal learning, high-quality youth work and competence development of youth workers. The programme will continue to support all young people to participate in learning mobility and non-formal learning mobility, including youth exchanges, volunteering and youth participation and solidarity activities, with the objective to engage and empower young people to acquire and develop skills and competences for life and their professional future, to become active citizens and participate in economic, social, cultural, democratic and political life, and to connect them to the European project and contribute to building an inclusive, competitive and resilient Union.

Recital 10 a (new): (10a) The Programme should support the cross-border European and international dimension of vocational education and training (VET), focusing on mobility, cooperation projects, use of common Union tools for transparency, comparability and recognition of qualifications and promote and facilitate inclusive mobility of VET learners, teachers and trainers, also in the context of the upcoming European VET strategy.

Recital 12: (12) The Programme should support participation in sport and physical activity for all, in line with the relevant EU Work Plan for Sport. Therefore, there is a need to focus, in particular, on grassroots sport, taking into account the important role that sport plays in promoting healthy lifestyles, interpersonal relations, participation, social inclusion and equality as well as building cohesive communities. / (deleted)

Recital 11: (11) In line with the EU Youth Strategy7, including the EU Youth Dialogue, the European Youth Work Agenda8 and the 2024 Communication on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 20229 , the Programme should support meaningful participation of young people and youth organisations in decision and policy making, youth mainstreaming across policy fields, the validation of non-formal and informal learning, high-quality youth work and competence development of youth workers. The programme will continue to support all young people to participate in learning mobility and non-formal learning mobility, including youth exchanges, volunteering and youth participation activities and solidarity activities, with the objective to engage and empower young people to acquire and develop skills and competences for life and their professional future, to become active citizens and participate in economic, social, cultural, democratic and political life, and to connect them to the European project and contribute to building an inclusive, competitive and resilient Union.

Recital 13: (13) Digital transformation, including the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), has changed society and the economy with an ever-deepening impact on everyday life and demonstrated the need for higher levels of digital readiness and capacity of education and training as well as the pressing need for digital skills development for all across the Union.

Recital 11 a (new): (11a) The Programme should strengthen the European dimension of school education through pupil and staff mobility, including short-term mobility, small-scale partnerships, European Teacher Academies and European School Alliances. Such support should widen participation from an early age, promote inclusion and territorial balance, support teachers, and ensure that schools with lower administrative capacity can progressively access European cooperation opportunities.

Recital 14: (14) Formal, non-formal and informal learning play an essential role in addressing climate change, raising awareness and instilling the skills and key competences needed for changing personal behaviours. The Programme will help empowering people to act in their respective communities and build up the needed skills for a successful clean transition, including in line with the Clean Industrial Deal.

Recital 12: (12) The Programme should support participation in sport and physical activity for all, in line with the relevant EU Work Plan for Sport. Therefore, there is a need to focus, in particular, on grassroots sport, taking into account the important role that sport and physical activity play in promoting healthy lifestyles, interpersonal relations, social inclusion and equality, intergenerational fairness, as well as building cohesive communities, and its contribution to employability, particularly through dual career pathways. / (deleted)

Recital 13: (13) Digital transformation, including the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), has changed society and the economy with an ever-deepening impact on everyday life and demonstrated the need for higher levels of digital readiness and capacity of education and training as well as the pressing need for digital skills development, including the ability to critically assess AI-generated content and synthetic media, throughout life for all across the Union.

Recital 14: (14) Formal, non-formal and informal learning play an essential role in addressing climate change, raising awareness and instilling the skills and key competences needed for changing personal behaviours to encourage them to have an active and informed position on sustainability and to become engaged citizens. The Programme will help empowering people to act in their respective communities and build up the needed skills for a successful clean transition, including in line with the Clean Industrial Deal. The Programme will also help to support the implementation of the European Sustainability Competence framework (Greencomp) across sectors of education and training.

Recital 15: (15) The international dimension of the Programme should aim to offer opportunities for learning mobility, cooperation and policy dialogue with third countries not associated to the Programme, building on the successful experience of predecessor programmes, including to contribute to partnership, global solidarity and competitiveness of the Union, while ensuring protection of the Union’s economic and knowledge security interests.interests and Union values. To increase the impact of those activities, it is important to enhance synergies between the Programme and Global Europe, taking into account the enlargement of the Union, the Global Gateway Strategy and the education and training, youth and sport policy frameworks. For the purposes of this Regulation, an action or activity with an international character or dimension is to be understood as one which involves at least one third country not associated to the Programme.

Recital 16: (16) The Programme should bring candidate countries and potential candidates closer to their goal of acceding to the Union. The Programme should promote stability, partnerships and skills development, with countries in the wider neighbourhood.neighbourhood, while also strengthening ties with like-minded partner countries, subject to fair financial conditions, respect for Union values and the protection of the Union’s financial and security interests. Moreover, the Programme should strengthen ties with long-standing partner countries such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Through cooperation with other countries across the globe, the Programme should as well attract talents worldwide, and shape partnerships, in particular those based on mutual learning, academic cooperation and shared values. The Programme should support countries in modernising their institutions and organisations and, more generally, enhancing the quality and inclusiveness of education, training, youth, volunteering and sport through international partnerships.

Recital 17 a (new): (17a) The Commission should ensure, in close cooperation with national agencies and authorities, that Union funds are not granted, directly or indirectly, to entities engaged in activities incompatible with the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union or in criminal or security-related activities, in accordance with Union law. To that end, the Commission should provide common guidance for bodies implementing the programme and appropriate safeguards for applicants and beneficiaries and deploy due diligence, monitoring and control mechanisms to guarantee the respect of Union values in programmes financed by the Union.

Recital 18: (18) The Programme should encourage participation, in Europe’s democratic society through all stages of life, with a particular focus on engaging young people, including by supporting activities that contribute to citizenship education, nurture skills needed for civic engagement and enable to engage and learn to participate in civic society and intergenerational exchange, thereby raising awareness of European common values, including fundamental rights, facilitating interaction with decision-makers at local, national and European levels and contributing to the process of European integration. The Programme should also support the creation of opportunities and mechanisms for meaningful youth participation.

Recital 20: (20) Volunteering, both within and beyond the Union, constitutes a rich experience in a non-formal and informal learning context, enabling young people to show solidarity and engage in activities contributing to address societalsocietal, developmental and humanitarian challenges while enhancing their personal, socio-educational and professional development, active citizenship, civic participation and employability.employability; recognising the essential contribution of volunteers across sectors and the importance of ensuring that the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through volunteering are recognised across Member States. The Programme should thus also support “European Solidarity Corps” volunteering actions, including the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. Those actions were covered under the European Solidarity Corps programme in the 2021-2027 programming period. Synergies should be pursued between volunteering actions and relevant national policies and instruments in Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.

Recital 23: (23) In the field of sport, through mobility opportunities and capacity building, including cooperation, the Programme should foster common European values, volunteering as well as innovation and skills development in and through sport and physical activity. The Programme should promote good governance, safety and integrity in sport, and sport diplomacy. It should also support grassroots sports organisations, as well as offer people across Europe the opportunity to participate in cross-border sports initiatives, fostering personal growth, cultural exchange, solidarity and community engagement.

Recital 21 a (new): (21a) Stresses the need to equip the Programme with the necessary tools to effectively help the participants affected by crisis situations, including armed conflicts, geopolitical instability, pandemics or other major disruptions, including though targeted support measures and appropriate synergies with other Union instruments where necessary.

Recital 24: (24) The Programme brings a key contribution to the European Education Area and the Union of Skills, laying the foundation to skills and competences formation throughout life and providing a genuine common space for quality education and lifelong learning across borders. The European Education Area and the Union of Skills aim to step up the efforts to acquire knowledge and to achieve high quality education, training, and lifelong learning through delivering basic and advanced skills, providing opportunities for people to update regularly and acquire new and future-oriented skills, facilitating skills circulation and recruitment by businesses across the EU, and attracting, developing and retaining top talent in Europe. In line with the Union of Skills, the Programme should also reflect the importance of entrepreneurship education, financial literacy and AI literacy.

Recital 22: (22) Young people, in particular those with fewer opportunities, should continue to be given the chance to have a first time, experience travelling throughout Europe as part of an informal and non-formal educational activity that aims to foster their sense of belonging to the Union and to enable them to discover its cultural and linguistic diversity. The Programme should be implemented in a way that guarantees equal opportunities for all eligible young people.

Recital 27: (27) Europe faces a growing challenge in meeting the demand for skilled talent in strategic and evolving sectors, such as clean and circular technologies, transport, energy, water resilience, healthcare, digital technologies, aerospace and defence. To address this key need, it is essential to develop, attract and retain talented individuals in these fields. In line with the Union of skills, the Programme should among other support EU students to pursue studies in such critical sectors and attract as well top talent to Europe by enhancing the attractiveness of education and training and offering scholarships to students, including through Erasmus Mundus scholarships. This would contribute to address the skills needs for the labour market, including for sectors suffering severe staff shortages. Such actions should be supported through synergies with other Union or national instruments and the involvement of the private sector.

Recital 23: (23) In the field of sport, through mobility opportunities and capacity building, including cooperation, the Programme should foster common European values, volunteering as well as innovation and skills development in and through sport and physical activity. The Programme should promote good governance, safety and integrity in sport and sport diplomacy. It should also support grassroots sports organisations, as well as offer people across Europe the opportunity to participate in cross-border sports initiatives, fostering personal growth, physical and mental wellbeing, cultural exchange, solidarity and community engagement.

Recital 28: (28) Cooperation enables exchange of practices and capacity building and thereby leads to better outcomes and performance as well as efficiency gains by pooling resources and knowledge. The Programme should therefore support capacity building measures that enhance cooperation at different levels between institutions and organisations that are active in the fields of education and training, youth and volunteering and sport. This recognises the fundamental role of institutions and organisations in equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed in a changing world and helping institutions and organisations active in the field to adequately fulfil their potential for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, in particular within the digital economy.

Recital 24: (24) The Programme brings a key contribution to the European Education Area and the Union of Skills laying the foundation to skills and competences formation throughout life and providing a genuine common space for quality education and lifelong learning across borders. The European Education Area and the Union of Skills aim to step up the efforts to acquire knowledge and to achieve high quality education, training, and lifelong learning through delivering basic and advanced skills, providing opportunities for people to update regularly and acquire new and future-oriented skills, facilitating skills circulation and recruitment by businesses across the EU, and attracting, developing and retaining top talent in Europe. The Programme should also reflect the importance of entrepreneurship and digital education, financial, media and AI literacy and learning about sustainability.

Recital 29: (29) The Programme should support long-term strategic cooperation at institutional level to build excellence, competitiveness and attractiveness and generate sustainable and systemic transformation of education, training, youth, volunteering and sport organisations and institutions, in line with the EU’s priorities, including by acting as testbeds for innovative education, training and skills development instruments, supporting cooperation with business and industry. The Programme should continue to support the work of education and training institutions and Member States towards removing remaining barriers to transnational cooperation and multiplying the offer of transnational joint study programmes across all study fields, as well as inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary programmes, contributing towards a joint European Degree11.

Recital 24 a (new): (24a) The Programme should meaningfully contribute to the implementation of the EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda, not only by reinforcing the work of the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies but also by providing avenues for policy development linked to improving the recruitment and retention of educators, the diversification of staff profiles in education and training and the attractiveness of the educator profession, and contributing to staff learning mobility. Learning mobility of staff should include teachers, trainers and other education personnel in all sectors. Teachers' organisations and social partners should be involved in the implementation of the Programme. Member States and participating countries should ensure that staff mobility is recognised as working time and as part of continuing professional development and adopted to the realities of school based and vocational education settings.

Recital 30: (30) The Programme should support the core education mission of the European Universities Alliances to enable systemic impact achieved more efficiently through long-term Union level action, notably to reinforce excellence, reduce fragmentation and increase the attractiveness and inclusiveness of EU higher education systems, develop innovative instruments to increase quality of learning and teaching, develop future oriented skills and competences (such as AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, STEM), including the sectors already identified in the Union of Skills, through relevant and future-proof curricula, pedagogical innovation, joint degrees, lifelong learning, micro-credentials, to nurture and attract talent and facilitate transnational cooperation in education, including with business and industry. The actions of the European Universities Alliances should be implemented in synergy with other Union instruments, in particular Horizon Europe, the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans.

Recital 25: (25) It is important to stimulate and widen access to learning, teaching and research on EU, values and citizenship and provide skills essential to foster people’s resilience and empower individuals to actively promote Union values. Fostering a European sense of belonging and commitment is particularly important given the challenges faced today by the Union. The Programme should continue to contribute to learning on European integration matters, including the Union’s future challenges and opportunities, to promote debate on those matters and the development of excellence in European integration studies, also through Jean Monnet actions.

Recital 30 a (new): (30a) The Programme should support Centres of Vocational Excellence based on projects and collaborative networks at transnational, national, regional and local levels to strengthen and develop vocational education and training, enhancing its quality and innovation, and responding to the evolving requirements of learners, businesses and communities. Further support could be pursued through synergies with other instruments, such as the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans.

Recital 26: (26) The learning of languages contributes to mutual understanding between people and cultures, and fosters mobility within and outside the Union, as language competences are essential life and job skills. Therefore, the Programme should enhance the learning of languages, including, where relevant, national sign languages. To ensure broad and inclusive access to the Programme, it is important that multilingualism be a key principle in the implementation of the Programme, whilst lack of knowledge of the host country language should not become a barrier to participate in the Programme.

Recital 27: (27) Europe faces a growing challenge in meeting the demand for skilled talent in strategic and evolving sectors, such as clean and circular technologies, transport, energy, water resilience, healthcare, digital technologies, aerospace and defence. To address this key need, it is essential to develop, attract and retain talented individuals in these fields. In line with the Union of skills but without compromising the Programme’s core learning mobility objective, the Programme should among other support EU students to pursue studies in such critical sectors and attract as well top talent to Europe by enhancing the attractiveness of education and training and offering scholarships to students, including through Erasmus Mundus scholarships. This would contribute to address the skills needs for the labour market, including for sectors suffering severe staff shortages. Such actions should be supported through synergies with other Union or national instruments and the involvement of the private sector.

Recital 28: (28) Cooperation enables exchange of practices, capacity building and innovation and thereby leading to better outcomes and performance as well as efficiency gains by pooling resources and knowledge. The Programme should therefore support capacity building measures that enhance cooperation at different levels between institutions and organisations that are active in the fields of education and training, youth and volunteering and sport. This recognises the fundamental role of institutions and organisations in equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed in a changing world and helping institutions and organisations active in the field to adequately fulfil their potential for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, in particular within the digital economy.

Recital 29: (29) The Programme should support long-term strategic cooperation at institutional level to build excellence, competitiveness and attractiveness and generate sustainable and systemic transformation of education and training, youth, volunteering and sport organisations and institutions, in line with the EU’s priorities, including by acting as testbeds for innovative education, training and skills development instruments, supporting cooperation with business and industry, local and regional authorities, cultural and research institutions, and civil society actors. The Programme should continue to support the work of education and training institutions and Member States towards removing remaining barriers to transnational cooperation and multiplying the offer of transnational joint study programmes across all study fields, as well as inter- disciplinary and multi-disciplinary programmes, contributing towards a joint European Degree11 .

Recital 30: (30) The Programme should support the core education mission of the European Universities Alliances to enable systemic impact achieved more efficiently through long-term Union level action, notably to reinforce excellence, reduce fragmentation and increase the attractiveness and inclusiveness of EU higher education systems, develop innovative instruments to increase quality of learning and teaching, develop future oriented skills and competences (such as AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, STEM), including the sectors already identified in the Union of Skills, through relevant and future-proof curricula, pedagogical innovation, joint degrees, lifelong learning, micro-credentials, to nurture and attract talent and facilitate transnational cooperation in education, including with business and industry. The actions of the European Universities Alliances should be implemented in synergy with other Union instruments, in particular Horizon Europe, the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans, with a view to supporting their long-term sustainability and strengthening the full knowledge triangle.

Recital 30 a (new): (30a) The Programme should support Centres of Vocational Excellence to strengthen vocational education and training, enhancing its attractiveness, quality and innovation, and responding to the evolving requirements of learners, businesses and communities. Further support could be pursued through synergies with other instruments, such as the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans.

Recital 32: (32) User-friendly and accessible online platforms and tools for virtual cooperation can play an important role in supporting the delivery of education and training, and youth, volunteering and sport policy in Europe and beyond. To increase the use of virtual cooperation activities, the Programme should support more systematic and coherent use of online platforms. It should as well facilitate and support mobility processes through digitalisation. Digital mobility activities should complement but not replace in-person exchanges, which should remain the primary form of mobility supported by the programme.

Recital 34: (34) The Programme should provide for a set of measures to facilitate and increase the access for people with fewer opportunities, to remove the obstacles that may prevent such access, including financial ones, and to serve as a basis for further implementation guidance. Those measures include, among other, targeted financial support taking into account the difference of actual living and subsistence costs, accessible learning formats and assistance, housing support, preparatory activities and support for participants with fewer opportunities before, during and after their participation within the Programme, user-friendly and accessible documents available in different languages, support activities for staff dealing specifically with inclusion and diversity in organisations and raising awareness activities among potential participants with fewer opportunities, including in rural and remote areas in cooperation with regional and local authorities. In addition, the Programme should allow to give priority in the grant awarding process to quality projects that actively address the inclusion and involvement of participants with fewer opportunities. To that end, synergies with other Union funding instruments, such as National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as the European Social Fund, should be exploited.

Recital 33: (33) The Programme should be designed to promote inclusion, diversity and equal opportunities by widening access to mobility, volunteering and learning across the Union and beyond, and accessibility to the programme should be strengthened by removing barriers that hinder participation, including administrative burdens, thereby enabling all people to fully benefit from a transformative experience.

Recital 35: (35) In order to make the Programme more accessible for newcomer organisations, for small organisations and for organisations with smaller administrative capacity and to make the Programme more manageable for beneficiaries, the Programme should reinforce the measures to simplify and digitalise procedures at all stages. In that regard, Programme information technology systems should be user friendly and provide simple access to the opportunities offered by the Programme. Similarly, the procedures put in place to implement the Programme should be consistent and simple and should be accompanied by high-quality support measures and information.

Recital 34: (34) The Programme should provide for a set of measures to facilitate and increase the access for people with fewer opportunities, to remove the obstacles that may prevent such access, including financial ones, and to serve as a basis for further implementation guidance. Those measures include, among other, targeted financial support taking into account the difference of actual living and subsistence costs, accessible learning formats and assistance, housing support, particularly for participants moving to high-cost regions, preparatory activities and support for participants with fewer opportunities before, during and after their participation within the Programme, user-friendly and accessible documents available in different languages, support activities for staff dealing specifically with inclusion and diversity in organisations and raising awareness activities among potential participants with fewer opportunities, including in rural and remote areas in cooperation with regional and local authorities. The programme could allow using short and flexible mobility formats as tools to address barriers to equitable participation. In addition, the Programme should allow to give priority in the grant awarding process to quality projects that actively address the inclusion and involvement of participants with fewer opportunities. To that end, synergies with other Union funding instruments, such as National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as th…

Recital 34 a (new): (34a) In order to ensure that the system for setting funding rules for mobilities under this Programme better reflects the realities on the ground, it is necessary to revise it so that it addresses the barriers to participation and to review it periodically. The system should better reflect differences in subsistence and living costs in the host country, region and city, travel costs, take account of inflation, and improve transparency and predictability for participants.

Recital 34 b (new): (34b) The Programme should ensure that geographical remoteness, permanent insularity, or related connectivity constraints of programme countries located on islands do not result in reduced information about the opportunities or de facto unequal treatment of beneficiaries. The Programme should therefore provide appropriate support to guarantee equal treatment and effective access to all actions and funding opportunities for all beneficiaries.

Recital 35: (35) In order to make the Programme more accessible for newcomer organisations, for small organisations and for organisations with smaller administrative capacity and to make the Programme more manageable for beneficiaries, the Programme should reinforce the measures to simplify and digitalise procedures at all stages. In that regard, Programme information technology systems should be user friendly and provide simple access to the opportunities offered by the Programme. Similarly, the procedures put in place to for implementing the Programme should be clear, consistent, and easy to understand, and should be accompanied by high-quality support measures and information to strengthen implementation capacity while minimising unnecessary administrative burden. Access to the Programme should also be facilitated through dedicated mechanisms such as accreditations, which provide a simplified framework for the organisations and their long-term planning and quality of activities.

Recital 40: (40) In order to simplify requirements for beneficiaries, simplified cost options in the form of lump sums, unit costs and flat rates should be used to the maximum possible extent. Simplified cost options to support learning mobility under the Programme should be determined in line with the actual living and subsistence costs in the host country. In accordance with national law, Member States should be encouraged to exempt those grants from any taxes and social levies; grants awarded to individuals by public or private legal entities should be treated in the same manner.

Recital 38: (38) Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council12 applies to this Programme. It lays down the rules on the establishment and the implementation of the general budget of the Union, including the rules on grants, prizes, non-financial donations, procurement, indirect management, financial assistance, financial instruments, budgetary guarantees and protection of the financial interests of the Union. In line with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 (the ‘Financial Regulation’), the implementation of the Programme should fully respect the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union and the rights recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Recital 38 a (new): (38a) Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a applies to this Programme. It establishes a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union’s budget in the event of a breach of the principles of the Rule of Law in Member States. / 1a Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, pp. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2020/2092/oj).

Recital 40: (40) In order to simplify requirements for beneficiaries, simplified cost options in the form of lump sums, unit costs and flat rates should be used to the maximum possible extent. In accordance with national law, Member States should be encouraged to exempt those grants from any taxes and social levies; grants awarded to individuals by public or private legal entities should be treated in the same manner.

Recital 42: (42) In line with Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Programme should take into account the specific situation of the outermost regions referred to in that Article, including measures to facilitate their participation to the Programme. The Programme should therefore provide appropriate support to guarantee equal treatment and effective access to all actions and funding opportunities for all beneficiaries.

Recital 45: (45) In view to optimise the added value, increase scale and impact of investments, synergies should be actively pursued in particular between the Programme and other Union instruments, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as the European Social Fund and the Youth Guarantee, including through enabling mechanisms such as simplified procedures. The Programme should seek as well synergies that strengthen collaboration between education and the private sector.

Recital 44 a (new): (44a) It is essential that the provisions of this Regulation as well as its governance arrangements be conducive to proper decision-making by the budgetary authority and to appropriate parliamentary oversight. In particular, in line with Article 47(2) of the Financial Regulation, any specification of the Programme’s internal architecture should be duly reflected in the budget nomenclature through the introduction of corresponding budget lines.

Recital 46: (46) The Programme should allow for full and partial association of third countries. The Programme should also support the participation of third countries that are not associated to the Programme where those countries are identified in the work programme, their participation contributes to achieve the objectives of the programme and is essential for the implementation of the action. Association to the Programme should be subject to a fair balance of the contribution and benefits of the third country and ensure the protection of the financial and security interests of the Union. When deciding on the participation of third countries and on the arrangements for such participation, the respective prerogatives of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission under Article 218 TFEU are to be observed. Third countries which were previously associated to at least one of the predecessor programmes should not be considered for partial association. For other categories of third country, partial association should either be used as a step towards full association or be considered where there is no prospect of full association and such partial association is in the interests of the Union.

Recital 45: (45) In view to optimise the added value, increase scale and impact of investments, synergies should be actively pursued in particular between the Programme and other Union funding instruments, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as the European Social Fund and the Youth Guarantee, including through enabling mechanisms such as simplified procedures. The Programme should seek as well synergies that strengthen collaboration between education and the private sector.

Recital 46 a (new): (46a) Secondary policy choices and priorities, including details of specific new initiatives, should be determined by means of work programmes. When designing new initiatives, lessons should be drawn from past and ongoing pilot initiatives and due account should be taken of European added value. The work programme should also set out the measures needed for their implementation in line with the general and specific objectives of the Programme, the selection and award criteria for grants, as well as all other elements required. The power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of work programmes and any amendments to them. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Inter-institutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making1a. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. / 1a OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2016/512/oj.

Recital 45 a (new): (45a) The complementarity between the Programme and other Union instruments should not come at the expense of the traceability of expenditure or of the prerogatives of the budgetary authority. The contribution of the Programme to jointly funded actions should remain explicitly identifiable at all stages of the budgetary cycle and should be duly reflected in the Programme Performance Statement.

Recital 45 b (new): (45b) Each year, the Erasmus national authority and national agency as referred to in Articles 18 and 19 of this Regulation should consult the managing authority or authorities as referred to in Article 51 of Regulation (EU) [XXX] [NRPPs] regarding possible synergies between the NRP Plans and the Programme, including possible transfers to the Programme. The Commission should provide guidance on the process and different modalities and should be informed about the outcome of these discussions accordingly.

Recital 46: (46) The Programme should allow for full and partial association of third countries. The Programme should also support the participation of third countries that are not associated to the Programme where those countries are identified in the work programme, their participation contributes to achieve the objectives of the programme, is in accordance with the respect of the Union values and is essential for the implementation of the action. Association to the Programme should be subject to a fair balance of the contribution and benefits of the third country and ensure the protection of the financial and security interests of the Union. When deciding on the participation of third countries and on the arrangements for such participation, the respective prerogatives of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission under Article 218 TFEU are to be observed. Third countries which were previously associated to at least one of the predecessor programmes should not be considered for partial association. For other categories of third country, partial association should either be used as a step towards full association or be considered where there is no prospect of full association and such partial association is in the interests of the Union.

Recital 46 a (new): (46a) Secondary policy choices and priorities, including details of specific new initiatives, should be determined by means of work programmes. When designing new initiatives, lessons should be drawn from past and ongoing pilot initiatives and due account should be taken of European added value. The work programme should also set out the measures needed for their implementation in line with the general and specific objectives of the Programme, the selection and award criteria for grants, as well as all other elements required. The power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of work programmes and any amendments to them. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate regular consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, relevant stakeholders, including civil society organizations and the beneficiaries. Those consultations should be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Inter-institutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making1a. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. / 1a OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1, ELI: http:…

Recital 47: (47) Appropriate, effective and inclusive outreach, publicity of the opportunities supported by the Programme should be ensured at local, national and Union level and should take into account the main target groups of the Programme and, where relevant, a wide variety of other target groups. Furthermore, the Commission and the implementing bodies should facilitate the sharing of good practices and project results and gather feedback on the Programme.

Recital 51 a (new): (51a) The implications of this Regulation for the Union budget have been assessed1a pursuant to Article 310(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Sufficient financial, IT and human resources should be provided for its implementation, while considering the impact of the financing on other Union programmes or policies and ensuring its compatibility with the multiannual financial framework, the system of own resources and the corresponding interinstitutional agreement, as well as with the budgetary principles laid down in Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council1b. / 1a Budgetary assessment of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets of (XX) 2026 on the on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034, and repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/817 and (EU) 2021/888 (COM(2025)0549). / 1b Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L, 2024/2509, 26.9.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj).

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a1: (new):(1) (2a)‘adult ‘athlete’learner’ means a person who trainshas andleft competesor infinished sportinitial competitions,education whoseand involvementtraining isand notengages primarilyin commercialformal, ornon-formal profitor driven,informal andlearning, whoincluding doespersons not earn significant income fromin professionaleducation, contractsemployment or endorsements;training (NEET);

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3:2: (3)(2) ‘grassroots‘adult sport’learning’ means any sportform of formal, non-formal or physicalinformal activitylearning practicedfor regularlyadults, atencompassing non-professionalopportunities levelfor byskills peopledevelopment, ofsupporting allpersonal agesgrowth, forupskilling health,and educationalreskilling orfor competitiveness, enhancing social purposes;cohesion and supporting active participation in society;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4: (4) ‘higher education institution’ means an institution which, in accordance with regional, national, or international law or practice, offers recognised degrees or other recognised tertiary level qualifications, regardless of what such an establishment is called, or a comparable institution at tertiary level which is considered by the national or regional authorities or the European Commission as eligible to participate in the Programme in the respective territories;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new): (2a) ‘athlete’ means a person who engages in sporting activities on a regular or occasional basis and participates in sport competitions, whose involvement therein is not primarily commercial or profit driven, and who does not earn significant income from professional contracts or endorsements;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new): (2b) ‘Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs)’ means transnational networks of vocational education and training (VET) providers and relevant stakeholders that create skills ecosystems to deliver high-quality initial and continuing VET, applied research and innovation activities that respond to labour market needs, promote European cooperation, regional development and social inclusion;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3: (3) ‘grassroots sport’ means any sport or physical activity practiced regularly at non-professional level, mainly at local level, by people of all ages for health, educational or social purposes;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4: (4) ‘higher education institution’ means an institution which, in accordance with regional, national, or international law or practice, offers recognized degrees or other recognised tertiary level qualifications, regardless of what such an establishment is called, or a comparable institution at tertiary level which is considered by the national or regional authorities or the European Commission as eligible to participate in the Programme in the respective territories;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new): (5a) ‘European Solidarity Corps’ means the Union’s initiative offering young people opportunities to engage in volunteering and solidarity activities, both within the European Union and beyond, addressing societal challenges, carried out on a not-for-profit basis and contributing to strengthening solidarity, social cohesion and a European sense of belonging and values;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 b (new): (5b) ‘European Universities Alliances’ means groups of European higher education institutions that cooperate on a long-term, structural and transnational and mission-driven basis, that develop shared governance, interoperable structures and integrated strategies, providing joint education programmes with the objective of fostering high-quality education, joint research and innovation ecosystems, mobility and talent circulation across Europe;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8: (8) ‘joint study programme’ means an integrated curriculum coordinated and offered jointly by different higher education institutions from two or more countries and leading to the award of double ora multiplejoint, degreesdouble or a jointmultiple degree;degrees;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10: (10) ‘learning mobility’ means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence, in order to undertake study, training, teaching, or non-formal or informal learning, including blended learning;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13 a (new): (13a) ‘sport staff’ means a person involved in the instruction, training or management of a sports team or individual sports people,person, or involved in the operation of a sports organisation, either on a paid basis or on a voluntary basis;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14: (14) ‘staff’ means a person who, on either a professional or a voluntary basis, is involved in education, training or non-formal and informal learning at all levels, including sport; it includes academic staff, teachers, trainers, school leaders, youth workers, sport staff, early childhood education and care staff, non-educational staff and other practitioners involved on a regular basis in promoting participation and learning;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15 b (new): (15b) ‘vocational education and training’ means education and training which aims to equip young people and adults with the knowledge, skills and competences required in particular occupations or, more broadly, on the labour market;market and with the aim of personal development;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 17: (17) ‘volunteering’ means an unpaid activity carried out by individuals aged between 18 and 30 yearsyears, without prejudice to reimbursement of expenses and in-kind support linked to participation, that addresses societal or humanitarian challenges, contributes to solidarity, strengthens communities and civic participation, has a strong learning component and is not a substitute for or an equivalent of a traineeshiptraineeship, apprenticeship or employment;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 18 a (new): (18a) 'youth organisation' means a non-profit organisation, network or association whose primary purpose is to work with, for or on behalf of young people, promoting youth participation, non-formal learning, inclusion, volunteering or youth work;

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1: The general objective of the Programme is to promote high-quality and inclusive lifelong learning, enhancing skills and competences for life and for jobs for all, while fostering Union values, democratic and societal participation, solidarity, social inclusion and equal opportunities, in the Union and beyond, thereby contributing to a resilient, competitive, and cohesive Europe. The Programme shall place an emphasis on learning mobility and be a key instrument for further developing the European Education Area, responding to future trends in education to keep up with societal and technological change, supporting the implementation of European strategic cooperation in the fields of education and training, including its underlying sectoral agendas, and building the Union of Skills. The Programme shall foster a European sense of belonging and understanding between diverse cultures, enabling the strengthening of a European identity that exists alongside national identities.

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new): The Programme shall further develop the European dimension in sport. Sport plays a vital role as a driver for social inclusion, health, education, and community development.development strengthening democratic values as well as advancing equality, diversity and fairness. By investing in sport, the Programme shall aimaims to build stronger, more connected societies, and contribute to social cohesion at all levels.

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a: (a) support the improvement of education, skills and competences for learners and staff with particular regardattention to their relevance for thepersonal growth, while also supporting professional development and personalhelping growthrespond ofto theevolving individualneeds asof wellthe aslabour formarket and the labourdigital markettransformation and to their contribution to a competitive, sustainable and cohesive society;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b: (b) foster a European sense of belonging and active citizenship, enhance solidarity and active participation in society and democracy, inducing a positive societal impact, greater resilience and better preparedness to anticipate, prevent and respond to risks of different nature;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g: (g) promote the European Sport Model by investing in grassroots sport, especially voluntary activities, ensuring accessibility, promoting participation and solidarity, protecting integrity, supporting good governance, and reinforcing sport’s social, educational, and community role, through actions that focus on building a fair, inclusive, and sustainable sport system across Europe.

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d: (d) engage and empower young people to acquire and develop professional and personal competences, through formal, non-formal and informal learning and through quality youth work, and to encourage active participation in society and democracy and connect them to the European project, in line with the objectives of the EU Youth Strategy, the European Youth Work Agenda and other Union initiatives in the field of youth;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e: (e) support policy development, including for recognition of skills and qualifications, accelerating reforms and modernisation at systems' level, across all fields of education and training, youth and sport, ensuring that they are more effective, resilient, accessible and inclusive;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point f: (f) provide young people with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity, volunteering and humanitarian activities that induce positive societal changes in the Union and beyond (the latter through setting up the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps), while improving and properly validating their competences, including those acquired through non-formal and informal learning, as well as facilitating their continuous engagement as active citizens;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g: (g) promote the European Sport Model by investing in grassroots sport, especially voluntary and community-based activities, ensuring accessibility, promoting participation, healthy lifestyle and solidarity, protecting integrity, supporting good governance, and reinforcing sport’s social, educational, and community role, through actions that focus on building a fair, inclusive, and sustainable sport system across Europe.

Article 4 a (new): Article 4a / Learning mobility and volunteering in the field of youth / 1. In the field of youth and volunteering, the Programme shall support: / (a) the learning mobility of young people, including youth exchanges, DiscoverEU, activities supporting youth participation and the learning mobility of youth workers; / (b) ‘European Solidarity Corps’ volunteering; / (c) the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. / 2. Learning mobility under this Article may be accompanied by: / (a) support to teaching and learning about the Union, including European integration, values and citizenship; / (b) measures such as language support, preparatory visits, training and virtual cooperation.

Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point b: (b) measures such as language support, preparatory visits, training, virtual cooperation and mentoring as well as digital inclusion measures;

Article 4 b (new): Article 4b / Learning mobility in the field of sport / 1. In the field of sport, the Programme shall support the learning mobility of athletes and people active in grassroots sport and the learning mobility of sport staff. / 2. Learning mobility under this Article may be accompanied by: / (a) support to teaching and learning about the Union, including European integration, values and citizenship; / (b) measures such as language support, preparatory visits, training and virtual cooperation; / (c) actions designed to facilitate and promote dual career development opportunities.

Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point c (new): (c) measures to encourage sustainable mobility, where logistically viable and economically comparable, while ensuring such measures remain accessible and proportionate to the financial and geographical realities of all regions.

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) Erasmus+ scholarships in strategic educational fields, including in joint study programmes, when co-funded from additional resources as referred to in Article 10 or a Union contribution from another programme as referred to in Article 11;

Article 4 a (new): Article 4a / Learning mobility and volunteering in the field of youth / 1. In the field of youth and volunteering, the Programme shall support: / (a) the learning mobility of young people, including youth exchanges, DiscoverEU, activities supporting youth participation and the learning mobility of youth workers; / (b) ‘European Solidarity Corps’ volunteering and solidarity activities; / (c) the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps. / 2. Learning mobility under this Article may be accompanied by: / (a) support to teaching and learning about the Union, including European integration, values and citizenship; / (b) measures such as language support, preparatory visits, training, virtual cooperation and mentoring as well as digital inclusion measures.

Article 6 – paragraph 1 – introductory part: 1. In the field of education and training, the Programme shall support:

Article 4 b (new): Article 4b / Learning mobility in the field of sport / 1. In the field of sport, the Programme shall support the learning mobility of athletes and people active in grassroots sport and the learning mobility of sport staff. / 2. Learning mobility under this Article may be accompanied by: / (a) support to teaching and learning about the Union, including European integration, values and citizenship; / (b) measures such as language support, preparatory visits, training, virtual cooperation and mentoring as well as digital inclusion measures; / (c) actions designed to facilitate and promote dual career development opportunities.

Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) Erasmus+ scholarships in strategic educational fields, for the study period abroad in joint study programmes, when co-funded from additional resources as referred to in Article 10 or a Union contribution from another programme as referred to in Article 11; the monthly funding amount for these scholarships from Erasmus+ shall be limited to the maximum monthly amount of mobility grants according to Article 4(1) so as not to reduce funding available for learning mobility, inclusion measures and transnational cooperation under the Programme. The strategic educational fields eligible for support shall be defined on the basis of transparent criteria, evidence of Union-level skills needs, consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders, and consistency with the objectives of this Regulation. The Union’s investment in those scholarships shall be proportionate and designed to maximise its added value for the Union, including through appropriate follow-up measures that encourage beneficiaries to apply the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through Union support in ways that contribute to the Union’s skills base, competitiveness and strategic capacities, while avoiding outcomes that would contribute to brain drain from the Union.

Article 6 – paragraph 1 – introductory part: In the field of education and training, the Programme shall support:

Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) Partnerships for cooperation, including small-scale partnerships to foster wider and more inclusive and geographically balanced access to the Programme;

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) Experimentation, preparation and implementation of the Union’s policy agendas and tools covering skills, education and training, youth and sport21,tools, including through policy dialogue and cooperation with relevant stakeholders, including Union-wide networks and international organisations; and including tools for the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning: / (deleted)

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a – point i (new): i) in the field of education and training: the European Qualifications Framework (EQF); the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET); the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), the ENIC (European Network of Information Centres in the European Region) and NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centres in the European Union) Networks, the Euroguidance network, the common framework and tools for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass), the Eurydice Network, National Coordinators for Adult Learning, the Central and National Support Services for online platforms, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the National Reference Points on graduate tracking, Lifelong Learning Platform;

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii (new): ii) in the field of youth and volunteering: Youth wiki network, the Eurodesk network, the European Youth Forum, Youthpass, the National Working Groups implementing the EU Youth Dialogue;

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii (new): iii) in the field of sport: National Coordinating Bodies implementing the European Week of Sport at national level and support to the European not-for-profit sport events;

Article 8 – paragraph 3: 3. The Commission shall support access to the Programme from an early age and independent of socio-economic background. To achieve that, it shall ensure the provision of measures to facilitate the participation of people with fewer opportunities, including financial support mechanisms and pre-financing, targeted information, guidance, and tailored support services, where relevant.

Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c: (c) Dissemination and communication, ensuring transparency and accessibility.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – introductory part (new): 1a. The indicative distribution of the amount set out in paragraph 1 shall be:

Article 8 – paragraph 1: 1. When implementing this Regulation, the Commission, Member States and third countries associated to the Programme shall ensure an inclusive approach across all activities, paying particular attention to equal opportunities, accessibility and the removal of social, economic, geographical and structural barriers to participation.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a (new): (a) at least EUR XXXX, representing 73,4 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1, to actions in the field of education and training as referred to in Article 4, and Articles 5, 6 and 7, allocated as follows:

Article 8 – paragraph 2: 2. The Commission, Member States and third countries associated to the Programme shall take effective measures to promote inclusion, diversity and fairness, solidarity, and equal opportunities, in particular to ensure participation of people with fewer opportunities in the Programme. The Commission shall set quantitative and qualitative objectives for the participation of people with fewer opportunities in the work programmes and shall report regularly on the progress made towards them. At least 20 % of all mobility participants shall be individuals with fewer opportunities.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point i (new): (i) at least EUR XXXX, representing 34,6 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in Article 4(1), point (a), Article 5, first paragraph, points (a) and (b), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of higher education;

Article 8 – paragraph 3: 3. The Commission shall support access to the Programme from an early age and independent of socio-economic background. To achieve that, it shall ensure the provision of measures to facilitate the participation of people with fewer opportunities, including financial support mechanisms and pre-financing, targeted information, guidance, and tailored support services, where relevant. Information on support services for people with fewer opportunities in the context of Erasmus+ actions must be clear, up-to-date, complete and easy to access.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point ii (new): (ii) at least EUR XXXX, representing 21,5 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in Article 4(1), point (b), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of vocational education and training;

Article 8 – paragraph 4: 4. The Commission may adjust or may authorise the national agencies referred to in Article 19 to adjust, on the basis of objective and transparent criteria, the financial support mechanisms to improve access to people with fewer opportunities. Such criteria shall take into account differences in living costs, housing costs, inflation and purchasing power between host countries, regions and cities. Such criteria shall also take into account higher participation costs for individuals travelling from or to outermost regions, island territories, and overall expensive-to-reach locations.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point iii (new): (iii) at least EUR XXXX, representing 15,5 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in Article 4(1), point (c), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of school education;

Article 8 – paragraph 5: 5. The costs of measures to facilitate or support the participation of people with fewer opportunities shall not impact the quality assessment nor justify the rejection of an application under the Programme.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point iv (new): (iv) at least EUR XXXX, representing 5,2 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in Article 4(1), point (d), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of adult learning;

Article 8 – paragraph 6: 6. The national agencies referred to in Article 19 shall develop or update where relevant, national inclusion and diversity action plans, based on the framework, setting out measurable quantitative and qualitative objectives, and with particular attention to the specific challenges to access the programme within the national contexts. The national inclusion and diversity plans shall form an integral part of the national agencies’ planning documents as referred to in Article 19(2).

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point v (new): (v) at least EUR XXXX, representing 1,2 % of the total amount set out in point (a), to Jean Monnet actions as referred to in Article 5, first paragraph, points (c) and (d);

Article 8 – paragraph 7: 7. The Commission shall monitor on a regular basis the implementation of the inclusion and diversity measures, including the national inclusion and diversity plans. The Commission shall also provide support and guidance for national agencies to ensure consistent implementation of measures under this Article and shall publish regular assessments of participation trends, barriers to access and progress towards inclusion objectives at Union level, including by country and sector.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point a – point vi (new): (vi) at least EUR XXXX, representing 14,1 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions that are primarily directly managed and to horizontal activities as referred to in Article 4(4), Article 6(1), point (b), and Article 7;

Article 9 – paragraph 1: 1. The programme envelope for the implementation of the Regulation for the period 2028-2034 shall be set at EUR 47 387 963 000 in current prices (EUR 42 000 000 000 in 2025 prices).

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a –(new): 1a. The indicative distribution of the amount set out in paragraph 1 shall be: / (a) at least EUR XXXX, representing 74,6 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1, to actions in the field of education and training as referred to in Article 4, and Articles 5, 6 and 7, allocated as follows: / (i) at least EUR XXXX, representing 35 % of the total amount set out in point a(a) –of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in Article 4(1), point vii(a), (new):Article (vii)5, first paragraph, points (a) and (b), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of higher education; / (ii) at least EUR XXXXXXXX, representing 7,921,5 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, forto aactions marginas referred to in Article 4(1), point (b), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of flexibilityvocational thateducation canand betraining; used/ (iii) at least EUR XXXX, representing 15,5 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to supportactions anyas referred to in Article 4(1), point (c), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of school education; / (iv) at least EUR XXXX, representing 5,2 % of the total amount set out in point (a) of this paragraph, to actions as referred to in thatArticle point;4(1), point (d), and Article 6(1), point (a), carried out in the field of adult learning; / (v) at least EUR XXXX, representing 1,2 % of the total amount set out in point (a), to Jean Monnet actions as referred to in Article 5, first paragraph, points (c) and (d); / (vi) at least EUR XXXX, representin…

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point b (new): (b) at least EUR XXXX, representing 14,2 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1 of this Article, to actions in the field of youth and volunteering as referred to in Article 4a and Article 6(2);

Article 10 – paragraph 2: 2. Resources allocated to Member States under shared management may, at their request, be made available to the Programme. The Commission shall implement those resources directly or indirectly in accordance with Article 62(1), point (a) or (c) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. They shall be additional to the amount referred to in Article 9(1). Those resources shall be used for the benefit of the Member State concerned. Where the Commission has not entered into a legal commitment under direct or indirect management for additional amounts thus made available to the Programme, the corresponding uncommitted amounts may, at the request of the Member State concerned, be transferred back to one or more respective source programmes or their successors. Any such transfer shall be based on a prior written assessment by the Commission of its expected impact on the Programme and on the source programme, including on the achievement of their objectives, absorption capacity, control arrangements and audit trail. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council without delay of any such transfer.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point c (new): (c) at least EUR XXXX, representing 4,1 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1 of this Article, to actions in the field of sport as referred to in Article 4b and Article 6(3);

Article 11 – paragraph 1: 1. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes and funds, such as the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, Global Europe, National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as the European Social Fund and the Youth Guarantee. An action that has received a Union contribution from another programme may also receive a contribution under the Programme. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution, or a single set of rules may be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If the Union contribution is based on eligible costs, the cumulative support from the Union budget shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action and may be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the conditions for support. The Commission shall address synergies between the Programme and other Union programmes in the Programme Performance Statement set out in Article 41(3)(h) of the Financial Regulation and in relevant programming and reporting documents. Where possible, a single set of rules and proportionate reporting requirements shall apply to all contributions.

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point d (new): (d) at least EUR XXXX, representing 2,3 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1, as a contribution to the operational costs of the national agencies;

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point e (new): (e) at least EUR XXXX, representing 1 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1, for Programme support; and

Article 9 – paragraph 1 a – point f (new): (f) EUR XXXX, representing 5 % of the amount set out in paragraph 1, for a margin of flexibility that can be used to support any of the actions referred to in paragraph 1a.

Article 11 – paragraph 1: 1. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes, such as the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, National and Regional Partnership Plans and funding delivered through them such as the European Social Fund and the Youth Guarantee. An action that has received a Union contribution from another programme may also receive a contribution under the Programme. The rules of the relevant Union programme shall apply to the corresponding contribution, or a single set of rules may be applied to all contributions and a single legal commitment may be concluded. If the Union contribution is based on eligible costs, the cumulative support from the Union budget shall not exceed the total eligible costs of the action and may be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the documents setting out the conditions for support.

Article 12 – paragraph 3: 3. The Commission shall further specify those criteria and their underlying formulae in the work programmes referred to in Article 15. Those formulae shall, as far as possible, avoid substantial reductions in the annual budget allocated to Member States from one year to the next and shall minimise excessive imbalances in the level of funds allocated.

Article 11 – paragraph 2: 2. Award procedures under the Programme may be jointly conducted under direct or indirect management with Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties (‘partners to the joint award procedure’), provided the protection of the financial interests of the Union and the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union is ensured. Such procedures shall be subject to a single set of rules and lead to the conclusion of single legal commitments. For that purpose, the partners to the joint award procedure may make resources available to the Programme in accordance with Article 10, or the partners may be entrusted with the implementation of the award procedure, where applicable in accordance with Article 62(1), point (c), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. In joint award procedures, representatives of the partners to the joint award procedure may also be members of the evaluation committee referred to in Article 153(3) of Regulation (EU, EURATOM) 2024/2509.

Article 12 – paragraph 1: 1. The Programme shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, under direct management or under indirect management with entities referred to in Article 62(1), point (c) of that Regulation. Overall, at least 75 % of the Programme budget shall be implemented under indirect management by the national agencies.

Article 12 – paragraph 3: 3. The Commission shall further specify those criteria and their underlying formulae in the work programmes referred to in Article 15. Those formulae shall, as far as possible, avoid substantial reductions in the annual budget allocated to Member States from one year to the next and shall minimise excessive imbalances in the level of funds allocated. Those formulae shall also ensure that the financial weight of actions that strengthen inclusion, including those targeting people with fewer opportunities facing multiple and overlapping barriers, is preserved and not progressively crowded out by actions with more readily measurable outputs.

Article 12 – paragraph 5: 5. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as simplified cost options, in accordance with Article 125 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise.

Article 12 – paragraph 5 a (new): 5a. The system and the levels of funding to support actions under the Programme shall be revised and periodically updated to better reflect the actual travel costs, the differences in living and subsistence costs as well as inflation rates.

Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. Third countries that have participated in any of the predecessor programmes under Regulation (EU) 2021/817, (EU) 2021/888, (EU) No 1288/2013 or (EU) 2018/1475 and have established a national agency in the course of any of the relevant programming periods shall not be considered for partial association to the Programme. / The association agreements for third countries as referred to in paragraph 1 shall in principle aim for full association of those countries. However, partial association to the Programme may be considered in the following cases: / (a) for third countries as referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), where partial association constitutes a transitional step towards full association and the third country concerned is not yet operationally ready for full association; / (b) for third countries as referred to in paragraph 1, points (c) and (d), where no prospect of full association exists and where partial association of the country concerned is in the interest of the Union. / Association agreements shall ensure that all third countries subject to full or partial association to the Programme respect Union values.

Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d: (d) guarantee the rights of the Union to ensure sound financial management and to protect its financial interests including by explicitly granting full audit access and the necessary investigative powers, within their respective competences, to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and the Commission, as regards all final recipients in the third country;

Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2: For the purposes of point (d), the third country shall grant the necessary rights and access required under Regulations (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013, including the audit rights of the European Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and guarantee that enforcement decisions imposing a pecuniary obligation on the basis of Article 299 TFEU, as well as judgements and orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union, are enforceable.

Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new): Third countries that have participated in any of the predecessor programmes under Regulation (EU) 2021/817, (EU) 2021/888, (EU) No 1288/2013 or (EU) 2018/1475 and have established a national agency in the course of any of the relevant programming periods shall not be considered for partial association to the Programme. / Partial association to the Programme may be considered in the following cases: / (a) The association agreements for third countries as referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), shall in principle aim for full association of those countries. However, such association agreements may provide for a partial association phase provided that it is only a transitional step for those third countries not yet operationally ready for full association; / (b) The association agreements for third countries as referred to in paragraph 1, points (c) and (d), with no prospect of full association may aim for partial association provided that such partial association is in the interest of the Union. / Partial association shall not be limited exclusively to any single field of the Programme. A balanced participation across the Programme’s different actions shall be ensured in order to avoid selective participation. / Association agreements shall ensure that all third countries subject to full or partial association to the Programme respect Union values and may be suspended in the event of a failure by the third country to comply with the commitments undertaken under the agreement or …

Article 15 a (new): Article 15a / Monitoring and reporting / 1. Without prejudice and in addition to the relevant rules established by Regulation (EU) [XXX]* of the European Parliament and of the Council [Performance], indicators to report on the progress of the Programme towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives laid down in Article 3 are set out in the Annex. / 2. The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22a to amend the indicators set out in the Annex, where that is necessary to ensure the effective assessment of the Programme’s progress towards the achievement of its objectives. / 3. In the reporting on the Programme’s progress, it shall be ensured that data for monitoring Programme implementation and for evaluation are collected efficiently, effectively, in a timely manner and at the appropriate level of detail. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on beneficiaries of Union funds and, where appropriate, on Member States. / 4. The Commission shall ensure separate monitoring and reporting for activities supported under the European Solidarity Corps strand and the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps strand.

Article 16 – paragraph 1: 1. In cooperation with the Commission, the national agencies referred to in Article 19 shall develop a consistent communication strategy with regard to effective outreach, and to the dissemination and exploitation of the results of activities supported under the actions they manage within the Programme. The national authorities referred to in Article 18 shall support the national agencies in exploiting the results of projects with high potential for impact.

Article 16 – paragraph 2: 2. The national agencies referred to in Article 19 shall assist the Commission in its general task of disseminating information concerning the Programme, including information in respect of actions and activities managed at national and Union level, and its results. National agencies shall inform relevant target groups, particularly people with fewer opportunities, about the actions and activities undertaken in their respective countries.

Article 18 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1: The national authority shall provide the Commission with an appropriate ex ante assessment that the national agency satisfies the minimum requirements set out in Article 157(1) to (5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and the Union requirements for internal control standards for national agencies and rules for the management of Programme funds, including arrangements concerning anti-fraud, conflict-of-interest prevention, digital traceability and data protection.

Article 20 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. The Commission, in cooperation with national agencies, shall ensure that the award procedures, accreditation criteria and monitoring arrangements applicable to the Programme include appropriate and proportionate measures to verify compliance with the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, that a comprehensive ex ante screening is carried out as part of the award procedure for this purpose and ex post sanctions are applied if Union values are breached up to the recovery of funds.

Article 20 – paragraph 3: 3. The Commission shall provide the national authorities and the national agencies with appropriate information and guidance in order to ensure consistent and high-quality implementation and management of the Programme. That guidance shall include risk indicators and procedures for referral to the Commission in case of frauds or breach of Union values. In addition, the Commission shall specify planning, project management and reporting arrangements and ensure that these arrangements are simple, proportionate and predictable, applying digitalisation, including the ‘once-only principle’, and, where possible, that they are standardised across actions, with a view to reducing the administrative burden on applicants, participants and implementing bodies, ensuring accountability.

Article 20 – paragraph 8 a (new): 8a. In cases of breach of the rule of law by national governments and without prejudice to the application of Regulation 2020/2092, the Commission shall explore ways of ensuring that potential final beneficiaries can continue to benefit from Union funding.

Article 22 – paragraph 1: 1. The Commission shall be responsible for the supervisory controls with regard to the Programme actions and activities managed by the national agencies. The Commission shall set the minimum requirements for the controls by the national agency and the independent audit body. Those minimum requirements shall facilitate accountability, traceability, be proportionate, risk-based and regularly reviewed to reflect lessons learned from previous programme generations and audit findings, to correct control failures and to reduce, where possible, unnecessary administrative burden on national agencies and beneficiaries.

Article 22-a (new): Article 22-a / Protection of the financial interests of the Union / 1. The Commission shall take appropriate measures to ensure that, when actions financed under this Regulation are implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities, by effective controls and, if irregularities are detected, by the recovery of the amounts wrongly paid and, where appropriate, by effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative and financial penalties. / 2. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations related to all types of funding under this Regulation, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view of establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union. Furthermore, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is competent to investigate and prosecute fraud and other criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the Union. / 3. Any person or entity receiving Union funds under this Regulation shall fully cooperate in the protection of the Union’s financial interests. It shall grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, ECA and as appropriate the EPPO, and shall ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights. / 4. Where funds are managed by implementing partners, the Commission shal…

Annex I1 (new):- ANNEXIndicators: /ANNEX INDICATORS / The measurements of quantitative indicators shall be disaggregated, where appropriate, in accordance with data protection rules according to country, gender and type of action and activity. / 1. Areas to be monitored / - Participation in learning mobility and volunteering; / - Organisations and institutions with a reinforced European and international dimension. / 2. Elements to be measured / (a) Learning mobility and volunteering: / - The number of participants in learning mobilitymobility; and- The number of participants in volunteering activities;and /solidarity activities; - The number of organisations and institutions taking part in the Programme’s actions under Articles 4, 4a and 4b; / - The number of participants in virtual learning activities; / - The share of participants that consider they have benefited from their participation in learning mobility and volunteering activities; / - The share of participants that consider they have an increased European sense of belonging after their participation in learning mobility and volunteering activities; / (b) Cooperation among organisations and institutions: / - The number of organisations and institutions taking part in the Programme’s actions under Article 6; / - The share of organisations and institutions that consider they have developed high-quality practices as a result of their participation in the Programme’s actions under Article 6; / (c) Support to policy development: / - The number of organisations and institutions taking part in grant actions under Article 7; / (d) Synergies: / - The share of ac…un…

The nomenclature for the Erasmus+ Programme will include the following budget lines:

BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS

for the Committee on Culture and Education

on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034, and repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/817 and (EU) 2021/888

Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Lucia Yar

The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the proposal under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:

The Committee on Budgets,

A. whereas Erasmus+ is a flagship Union programme supporting education, training, youth and sport, as well as volunteering and active citizenship in the future programming period, and plays a central role in promoting European values, cross-border cooperation and youth engagement;

B. whereas the Erasmus+ programme plays a key role in building up learning mobility abroad and has a positive effect on participants’ attitudes towards the Union, increasing their sense of European identity, hence bringing EU added value;

C. whereas the Erasmus+ programme strengthens human capital, mobility and skills and thus contributes to European competitiveness, social and economic cohesion and the creation of the Union of Skills;

D. whereas demand for participation in the Erasmus+ programme through past programming periods has largely exceeded the available financial resources, resulting in reduced participation opportunities and a significant number of projects remaining unfunded;

E. whereas the Draghi report called for a fivefold increase in the budget of the Erasmus+ programme in order to reach its ambition of providing mobility opportunities to every young person in the Union; whereas investment in education, skills and human capital is a strategic condition for Europe’s long-term productivity, competitiveness and resilience;

F. whereas the programme has been affected particularly by rising living costs that exceed average grant levels for many cities, as well as by high rates of inflation over the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), both of which have created barriers to the participation of young people from less privileged backgrounds and from Member States with lower purchasing power, in particular from Central and Eastern Europe;

G. whereas volunteering, spearheaded by the massively oversubscribed European Solidarity Corps programme, proved to have a positive effect in contributing to Union leadership competences while addressing social and global challenges around the world;

1. Considers that the Erasmus+ programme envelope should be increased from EUR 40 827 000 000 in current prices to EUR 47 387 963 000 in current prices (EUR 42 000 000 000 in 2025 prices) enabling it to pursue its successful actions; recalls the need to ensure an optimal integration of the European Solidarity Corps programme;

2. Recalls the targets of the ‘Europe on the Move’ Council Recommendation, which, by 2030, aims to ensure that in higher education the share of graduates with a learning mobility experience abroad is at least 23 %, and in the vocational education and training sector, the share of vocational learners benefiting from a learning mobility experience abroad is at least 12 %; highlights that in order to meet these targets, the proposed budget appears insufficient and an increase is required;

3. Considers that sufficient resources, including human, technical and IT resources, must be available from the outset and throughout the entire programming period of the 2028-2034 MFF to ensure an effective implementation of the Erasmus+ programme;

4. Deplores the lack of a breakdown of the budget of the Erasmus+ programme, particularly compared to the situation in the current MFF; notes that this would give the Commission great latitude to shift and decide on spending priorities during implementation; stresses that simplification and flexibility must not come at the expense of transparency and oversight of the budgetary authority; recommends, therefore, that the basic act include appropriate sub-envelopes for three fields, namely, ‘education and training’, ‘youth and volunteering’ and ‘sport’, in order to ensure predictability, transparency and effective implementation of these programme fields;

5. Deplores the lack of a sufficiently detailed indicative budgetary nomenclature proposed in the Legislative Financial and Digital Statement (LFDS); considers that this will hamper oversight and the budgetary authority’s ability to steer accurately policy priorities in the annual budgetary procedure; expresses concerns that the overly aggregated budgetary architecture would dramatically increase the Commission’s discretion in transferring and reallocating resources without a decision from the budgetary authority, and would severely limit parliamentary oversight; recommends therefore a more detailed nomenclature that properly reflects the objectives and structure of Erasmus+ and enhances transparency, accountability and parliamentary control;

6. Recalls that the budgetary nomenclature must comply with Article 47(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 (the Financial Regulation), which provides that each title must correspond to a policy area and each chapter, as a rule, to a programme or an activity, in line with the principles of specification, sound financial management and transparency; recommends that the Committee on Culture and Education amend the proposal to include an annex defining the nomenclature of Erasmus+; insists that the budgetary nomenclature forms an integral part of Parliament’s negotiating position and must be discussed in interinstitutional negotiations; considers, in this regard, that the revised LFDS must form part of the final political agreement;

7. Insists that sufficiently detailed and sound legislation, with an appropriate level of governance, is a condition for proper budgetary decision-making and adequate parliamentary oversight during budget implementation; recommends introducing provisions to strengthen control over how the budget is mobilised and spent;

8. Believes that all substantive policy choices, such as programme objectives, spending priorities, financial allocations, funding rates, eligibility, selection and award criteria, conditions and definitions must be determined in the basic act, with full respect for Parliament’s prerogatives as a co-legislator and one arm of the EU’s budgetary authority and that any non-essential elements entailing policy choices that are not included in the basic act must be adopted through delegated acts, including work programmes;

9. Calls for the simplification of administrative procedures and reporting requirements for newcomer organisations, small organisations and organisations with smaller administrative capacity, including the reduction of application complexity and the harmonisation of rules across actions in order to improve uptake of the programme by such beneficiaries; points out that funding mechanism schemes, including rules related to pre-financing and co-financing, could constitute barriers to participation for these types of organisations and therefore recommends a review of these provisions;

10. Calls for effective synergies between Erasmus+ and other programmes, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund, Horizon Europe, Global Europe and the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs), as well as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and AgoraEU; stresses that enhanced synergies between instruments must not come at the expense of traceability of expenditure or the prerogatives of the budgetary authority; underlines that the contribution of Erasmus+ to operations financed jointly with other instruments must be explicitly identifiable at all stages of the budgetary cycle; stresses in this regard that any such contribution must be duly reflected in the programme performance statement for Erasmus+; insists that the budgetary authority retain full control over how resources are combined across instruments and over the effective contribution of each programme to Union priorities, specifically through detailed budgetary nomenclature; stresses that enhanced complementarity between programmes must not lead to disproportionate complexity for beneficiaries; calls for Union funding to be clearer, more accessible and more coherent in order to facilitate uptake and maximise the impact of investments;

11. Recommends that in order to foster the building of the Union of Skills and enhance the competitiveness of the Union, particular attention should be paid to synergies between the Erasmus+ programme and the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe; notes that such synergies may include financial contributions from other Union programmes, in particular the European Competitiveness Fund, contributing to the scholarships being introduced in Erasmus+ and falling under one or more of the windows as referred to in Article 1 of the proposed regulation on the European Competitiveness Fund, while Horizon Europe would provide added value in contributing to the partnerships for excellence and innovation, including for a seamless journey of young people pursuing a research career, especially the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) component of the ‘Excellent Science’ pillar of the proposed regulation on establishing Horizon Europe; suggests that an action plan by the Commission outlining the opportunities for synergies with other programmes and how to operationalise them would be an important step towards the materialisation of such synergies in practice;

12. Recalls that good practices from different Member States have shown that the ESF+ can be an important complementary element to the Erasmus+ programme, especially when it comes to enhancing the inclusion component of the programme and fostering the participation of people with fewer opportunities; insists that, with the ESF+ becoming an integral part of the National and Regional Partnership Fund (NRP Fund) under the 2028-2034 MFF, it is essential to allow and support the established synergies and complementarity between the programme and the NRP Fund and NRPPs;

13. Stresses that the use of external assigned revenue under the Erasmus+ programme must be clearly circumscribed, fully transparent and subject to effective parliamentary scrutiny; takes note in that regard of the provisions relating to additional financial contributions by any participating third country and other third parties; recalls the importance of ensuring the traceability of external assigned revenue; underlines that, should the Committee on Culture and Education consider amending provisions relating to external assigned revenue, this should be done in coordination with the Committee on Budgets and the other committees in order to ensure a consistent approach;

14. Recognises that contributions by third parties, including from the private sector, can be beneficial to Erasmus+; emphasises that such contributions must be implemented in accordance with the Financial Regulation, in particular with regard to independence and impartiality;

15. Recalls the proposal for a regulation on establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities (the ‘performance regulation’), which establishes a single streamlined list for performance indicators and monitoring and evaluation provisions, some of which are relevant for Erasmus+; underlines that any change to the architecture, objectives and eligible actions under the programme will need to be appropriately reflected in Annex I of the performance regulation, as part of the process of amending and negotiating that regulation; points out that, while sectoral legislation can supplement the performance regulation, for instance as regards programme evaluations, it should remain consistent with the provisions of that regulation;

16. Recalls that under Article 6(2) and 6(3) of the Financial Regulation, a general regime of conditionality applies to the establishment and implementation of the budget in case of breaches of the rule of law; underlines, furthermore, that Article 6(3) of the same regulation requires the Member States and the Commission must, in the implementation of the budget, ensure compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and respect the values on which the Union is founded, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union; in this regard, calls for a comprehensive ex-ante screening in the award procedure process under the programme;

17. Insists that in cases of breaches of the rule of law by national governments and without prejudice to the application of Regulation 2020/2092, the Commission should explore ways of ensuring that potential final beneficiaries and recipients can continue to benefit from Union funding; stresses that this principle lies at the core of a ‘smart conditionality’ approach;

18. Calls for at least 75 % of the programme’s budget to be implemented under indirect management, ensuring an adequate level of predictability of resources for the national agencies; emphasises the need to avoid substantial reductions in the annual budget allocated to the Member States from one year to the next; stresses that such management should be accompanied by robust oversight and reporting mechanisms, including adequate safeguards regarding transparency, good governance and prevention of conflicts of interest, in order to ensure the effective use of resources;

19. Recalls that one of the biggest barriers to participation in the programme, especially for people with fewer opportunities, seems to be an insufficient level of funding, which in many instances does not take into account the living and subsistence costs in the host country, inflation rates or student accommodation modalities; calls on the Commission to carry out an in-depth review of the current system for setting funding rules for mobility grants under the programme in order to ensure that grant amounts are adapted to the needs of those participating in the mobilities, and to enhance the Erasmus+ programme’s inclusion component, as well as to enable broader participation and support potential participants facing financial constraints;

20. Insists on a structured cooperation with national agencies in the preparation of the work programmes and the revised funding rules;

21. Stresses the need to equip the programme with the necessary tools to respond effectively to crisis situations affecting participants, including armed conflicts, geopolitical instability, pandemics or other major disruptions.