Which objectives does the Commission pursue?

Erasmus is a key instrument to support learning mobility, cooperation and innovative policy developments in the fields of education, training, youth and sport. The integrated nature of the programme covering formal, non-formal and informal learning at all stages of life will allow for flexible learning. The proposed programme for 2021-2027 is structured around three Key Actions: (1) learning mobility, (2) cooperation among organisations and institutions, and (3) support to policy development and cooperation.

In line with the findings of the mid-term evaluation and stakeholders’ opinions, the future programme will maintain stability, while proposing a limited set of new measures reflecting a broader ambition in line with new policy developments. The proposal also responds to the invitation of EU Leaders on stepping up mobility and exchanges, including through a substantially strengthened, inclusive and extended Erasmus+ programme.

The Programme is intended to be a key instrument for building a European education area, supporting the implementation of the European strategic cooperation in the field of education and training, with its underlying sectoral agendas, advancing youth policy cooperation under the Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and developing the European dimension in sport.

The Programme has the following specific objectives:

(a) promote learning mobility of individuals, as well as cooperation, inclusion, excellence, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of education and training;

(b) promote non-formal learning mobility and active participation among young people, as well as cooperation, inclusion, creativity and innovation at the level of organisations and policies in the field of youth;

(c) promote learning mobility of sport coaches and staff, as well as cooperation, inclusion, creativity and innovation at the level of sport organisations and sport policies.

The legislative proposal establishing the programme included a certain level of flexibility to adapt to new priorities and needs emerging in the course of the programming period.

Estimated savings and benefits

Regarding the specific REFIT objectives, the programme is expected to increase its accessibility to a wider number of individuals through increased financial incentives but also through a mix of measures, rules, design of actions and modalities of participation that allow for economies of scale, reinforce simplification and alleviate the administrative burden for the beneficiaries and implementing bodies, thus removing obstacles to mobility and increasing the relevance, attractiveness and inclusive character of the Programme.

A number of important simplifications were implemented already in the previous Erasmus+ programme. First, seven previously existing programmes were integrated into one, a simplification with widely recognised benefits. Further simplification measures include for example online forms for a simpler and faster application process. These measures can be seen as the stepping stones for further simplification of the post 2020 programme. Simplification would further take place in terms of processes, notably in the application and reporting, as well as in terms of efficiency of certain actions that will be streamlined and refocused, allowing the programme to work even more efficiently and effectively. Access to the programme for smaller organisations, such as grassroots organisations, newcomers and people who are hard to reach would be made easier.

For the 2021 – 2027 Erasmus programme, simplification measures have been proposed at several levels:

- the design of the actions will be improved, to simplify the access to the programme and attract newcomer and grass-root organisations, for example the new small-scale partnerships will bear simpler administrative requirements, hence reducing entry barriers to the programme for organisations with smaller organisational capacity.

- at implementation stage, for example by shortening application forms; requiring less information from applicants; setting leaner reporting obligations for the beneficiaries. Further simplification of the funding rules entails - for example - a greater use of lump sums, notably for small-scale projects.

- in an effort to achieve further simplification and digitalisation of procedures, the user-friendliness and inter-operability of IT systems will be increased.

- Another key initiative is the European Student Card. The card will electronically connect higher education institutions’ existing information systems to enable a secure digitalised management of the entire student mobility lifecycle, including electronic exchange of students' data, in full compliance with the data protection rules.

Building on the experience from 2014-2020, one of the guiding principles for the Commission’s proposal for the future Erasmus was to create a more conducive legal framework enabling synergies and complementarities with other EU Funding programmes in a more systematic manner, aiming to unlock additional impact on the ground. Combined resources from different instruments can have a high impact across policy areas, in particular to invest in people and develop their skills and competences, to contribute to personal development, employment, social innovation and inclusion, to develop long-term sustainable strategies on education, research, innovation, to provide more mobility for learners, notably for those with fewer opportunities, to strengthen and modernise the European higher education institutions.

In concrete terms, the Erasmus proposal allowed for combined funding for the same activity: for example topping up Erasmus grants with funding from the European Social Fund will optimise the level of financial support for individual mobility, especially for learners with fewer opportunities, and will actively contribute to enhancing the inclusive dimension of the programme, while contributing to convergent objectives of both programmes. The proposal also allowed for sequential funding, for example, using other sources to fund Erasmus proposals positively evaluated but rejected due to insufficient funding available. In this case, the Erasmus evaluation would offer the quality guarantee. Projects developed under Erasmus could become the stepping stone towards larger scale implementation - for example through the European Structural and Investment Funds - of tried and tested actions that are highly relevant for the national or regional objectives and that respond to concrete needs on the ground.

The Erasmus+ and its predecessors programmes’ mid-term evaluation has shown that the programme has a positive effect on the acquisition of skills and competences, increasing employability and entrepreneurship, and shortening the transition from education to employment (13% higher, compared to individuals who did not take part in Erasmus+ or its predecessor programmes). The evaluation indicated that the Erasmus+ programme fosters the development of foreign language skills (7% higher in tested proficiency), it influences individuals’ positive perception of the value of learning for their professional and personal development (+8%); and it improves students’ education completion rates (+2%).There is also evidence of a contribution to a more cohesive Union. The Erasmus+ programme fosters positive social/civic behaviour and a sense of feeling European (+19% compared to non-participants). It reaches out to disadvantaged young people (11.5% of the total number of participants in Erasmus+) more than its predecessors or comparable national schemes.

The impact assessment accompanying the Commission’s proposal analysed the cost intensity and the relevance with respect to the policy objectives of the different new measures proposed. Two scenarios combining the proposed measures have been scrutinised, subject to the final envelope and depending on the level of intensity and scope to be achieved in agreement with the priorities fixed at political level. The beneficiaries would benefit mainly from improved legal clarity, simplification, enhanced accessibility and inclusiveness.

Outcome of Legislative Procedure

The legal act adopted on 20 May 2021 confirmed most elements that the Commission proposed, such as:

• Offering mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education, vocational education and training, adult and school education (including early childhood education and care), youth and sport staff;

• Supporting priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 and in the European Skills Agenda;

• Implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027;

• Providing cooperation, capacity building, exchanges, networking and policy support for organisations;

• Expanding mobility and cooperation opportunities beyond Europe;

• Promoting young people’s participation in democratic life;

• Investing in forward-looking study fields or disciplines such as climate change, digital skills, clean energy, artificial intelligence, health sciences, etc.;

• Supporting flagship initiatives such as European Universities, Vocational Centres of Excellence and DiscoverEU;

• Developing the European dimension in sport;

• Promoting a healthy lifestyle by supporting grassroots sport projects.

Some other aspects from the Commission’s proposal were strengthened in the adopted legal act:

• Inclusion and diversity: The programme seeks to increase the qualitative impact of its actions and to ensure equal opportunities. To this end, the programme will reach out to people of different ages and from diverse cultural, social and economic backgrounds. It will focus on people with fewer opportunities, including those with disabilities, educational difficulties, or a migrant background, as well as those living in rural and remote areas.

• Digital Erasmus+: In line with the Digital Education Action Plan’s priorities, the programme will develop accessible and high-quality digital learning, foster the capacity of teachers, trainers and youth workers, etc. to use digital tools and content, test and promote distance, as well as blended learning.

• Green Erasmus+: In line with the European Green Deal, the programme will lead by example, by encouraging participants to use lower-carbon transport as an alternative to flying. Erasmus funding will also be channelled into building up knowledge and understanding of sustainability and climate action, so that Europeans acquire the world-leading competences needed to create sustainable societies, lifestyles and economies.

Finally, the legal act confirmed but also strengthened what the Commission proposal included in terms of simplification and burden reduction:

• Digitalised and simplified implementation of the programme for participants, in particular through the European Student Card initiative and a revamped IT architecture for beneficiaries and implementing bodies;

• Simplified financing of cooperation projects which offers the possibility for project beneficiaries in cooperation partnerships to apply for a lump sum for implementing their projects. This greatly reduces the administrative burden when applying, managing the project, and for the reporting tasks.

Estimated savings and benefits

A precise quantification of costs or benefits of Erasmus+ Regulation was not possible due to data and methodological limitations.

The changes introduced in the legal act are not expected to have major impacts in terms of savings and benefits compared to the initial Commission proposal: the digitalisation and further simplification of programme implementation can be expected to bring some limited additional savings in terms of administrative costs, while no major cost increase is expected as a result of the changes introduced in the legal act.