(1)

In a context of rapid and profound changes induced by technological revolution and globalisation, Investing in learning mobility for all, regardless of social or cultural background and irrespective of means , as well as in cooperation and innovative policy development in the fields of education, training, youth and sport is key to building inclusive , democratic , cohesive and resilient societies and sustaining the competitiveness of the Union, while contributing to strengthening European identity , principles and values and to a more democratic Union. [Am. 2]

(2)

In its Communication on Strengthening European Identity through Education and Culture of 14 November 2017, the Commission put forward its vision to work towards a European Education Area by 2025, in which learning would not be hampered by borders; a Union, where spending time in another Member State for purposes of studying and learning in any form or setting would become the standard and where, in addition to one's mother tongue, speaking two other languages would become the norm; a Union in which people would have a strong sense of their identity as Europeans, of Europe's cultural heritage and its diversity. In this context, the Commission emphasised the need to boost the tried-and-tested Erasmus+ programme in all categories of learners that it already covers and reaching out to learners with fewer opportunities.

(3)

The importance of education, training and youth for the future of the Union is reflected in the Commission's Communication of 14 February 2018 entitled ‘A new, modern Multiannual Financial Framework for a European Union that delivers efficiently on its priorities post-2020’ (4), which stresses the need to deliver on the commitments made by the Member States at the Gothenburg Social Summit, including through the full implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (5) and its first principle on education, training and lifelong learning. The Communication stresses the need to step up mobility and exchanges, including through a substantially strengthened, inclusive and extended programme, as had been called for by the European Council in its conclusions of 14 December 2017.

(4)

The European Pillar of Social Rights, solemnly proclaimed and signed on 17 November 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, lays down, as its first key principle, that everyone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning in order to maintain and acquire skills that enable them to participate fully in society and manage successfully transitions in the labour market. The European Pillar of Social Rights also makes clear the importance of good quality early childhood education and of ensuring equal opportunities for all. [Am. 3]

(5)

On 16 September 2016 in Bratislava, leaders of twenty-seven Member States stressed their determination to provide better opportunities for youth. In the Rome Declaration signed on 25 March 2017, leaders of twenty-seven Member States and of the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission pledged to work towards a Union where young people receive the best education and training and can study and find jobs across the Union continent ; a Union which preserves our cultural heritage and promotes cultural diversity ; a Union which fights unemployment, discrimination, social exclusion and poverty . [Am. 4]

(6)

The mid-term evaluation report of the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ programme confirmed that the creation of a single programme on education, training, youth and sport resulted in significant simplification, rationalisation and synergies in the management of the Programme while further improvements are necessary to further consolidate the efficiency gains of the 2014-2020 Programme. In the consultations for the mid-term evaluation and on the future Programme, Member States and stakeholders made a strong call for continuity in the Programme's scope, architecture and delivery mechanisms, while calling for a number of improvements, such as making the Programme more inclusive , simpler and more manageable for smaller beneficiaries and smaller projects . They also expressed their full support for keeping the Programme integrated and underpinned by the lifelong learning paradigm. The European Parliament, in its Resolution of 2 February 2017 on the implementation of Erasmus+, welcomed the integrated structure of the programme and called on the Commission to exploit fully the lifelong learning dimension of the programme by fostering and encouraging cross-sectoral cooperation in the future programme. The Commission's Impact Assessment, Member States and stakeholders also highlighted the need to keep a strong further strengthen the international dimension in the Programme and to extend it to other sectors of education and training , as well as to youth and sport . [Am. 5]

(7)

The open public consultation on Union funding in the areas of values and mobility confirmed these key findings and emphasised the need to make the future programme a more inclusive programme and to continue to focus priorities on modernising education and training systems as well as strengthening priorities on fostering European identity, active citizenship and participation in democratic life.

(7a)

The European Court of Auditors, in its Special Report No. 22/2018 of 3 July 2018 on Erasmus+  (6) , underlined that the Programme has delivered demonstrable European added value, but that not all dimensions of that added value, such as a greater sense of European identity or enhanced multilingualism, are being adequately taken into account or measured. The Court considered that the next Programme should ensure that indicators are better aligned with the objectives of the Programme to ensure proper performance assessment. The Court's report also noted that, despite simplification efforts in the 2014-2020 Programme, administrative burdens remain too high and therefore recommended that the Commission further simplify Programme procedures, in particular application procedures and reporting requirements, and that it improve IT tools. [Am. 6]

(8)

In its Communication on ‘A modern budget for a Union that protects, empowers and defends — the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027’ (7) adopted on 2 May 2018, the Commission called for greater investment in people and a stronger ‘youth’ focus in the next financial framework, notably by more than doubling the size of the 2014-2020 and recognised that the Erasmus+ Programme, has been one of the Union’s most visible success stories. The focus of the new Despite that overall success, the 2014-2020 Programme should be on inclusiveness, and to reach more young remained unable to meet the high demand for funding and suffered from low project success rates. To remedy those shortcomings, it is necessary to increase the multiannual budget for the successor Programme to the 2014-2020 Programme. Moreover, the successor Programme aims to be more inclusive by reaching more people with fewer opportunities. This should allow more young people to move to another country to learn or work , and incorporates a number of new and ambitious initiatives. Therefore, as underlined by the European Parliament in its resolution of 14 March 2018 on the next multiannual financial framework, it is necessary to triple the budget, in constant prices, for the successor Programme as compared to the multiannual financial framework for the 2014-2020 period . [Am. 7]

(9)

In this context, it is necessary to establish the successor programme for education, training, youth and sport (the ‘Programme’) of the 2014-2020 Erasmus + programme established by Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council (8). The integrated nature of the 2014-2020 programme covering learning in all contexts — formal, non-formal and informal, and at all stages of life — should be maintained reinforced in order to ensure a lifelong learning approach and to boost flexible learning paths allowing individuals to develop those people to acquire and improve the knowledge, skills and competences that are necessary to develop as individuals and to face the challenges and make the most of the opportunities of the twenty-first century. Such an approach should also recognise the value of non-formal and informal education activities and the links between them. [Am. 8]

(10)

The Programme should be equipped to become an even greater contributor to the implementation of the Union's policy objectives and priorities in the field of education, training, youth and sport. A coherent lifelong learning approach is central to managing the different transitions that people will face over the course of their life cycle , in particular older people who need to learn new life skills or skills for an evolving labour market. Such an approach should be encouraged through effective cross-sectoral cooperation and through greater interaction among different forms of education . In taking this approach forward, the next Programme should maintain a close relationship with the overall strategic framework for Union policy cooperation in the field of education, training and youth, including the policy agendas for schools, higher education, vocational education and training and adult learning, while reinforcing and developing new synergies with other related Union programmes and policy areas. [Am. 9]

(10a)

Organisations operating in a cross-border context provide an important contribution to the transnational and international dimension of the Programme. Therefore, where applicable, the Programme should provide support to relevant Union-level networks and European and international organisations whose activities relate to and contribute to the objectives of the Programme. [Am. 10]

(11)

The Programme is a key component of building a European Education Area and of developing the key competences for lifelong learning, as set out in the Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning  (9), by 2025 . It should be equipped to contribute to the successor of the strategic framework for cooperation in education and training and the Skills Agenda for Europe (10) with a shared commitment to the strategic importance of skills, and competences and knowledge for sustaining and creating jobs, growth and, competitiveness , innovation and social cohesion . It should support Member States in reaching the goals of the Paris Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education (11). [Am. 11]

(12)

The Programme should be coherent with the new European Union youth strategy (12), the framework for European cooperation in the youth field for 2019-2027, based on the Commission's Communication of 22 May 2018 on ‘Engaging, connecting and empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’ (13) , including the Strategy's aim of supporting high-quality youth work and non-formal learning . [Am. 12]

(13)

The Programme should take into account the Union work plan for sport which is the cooperation framework at Union level in the field of sport for the years […] (14). Coherence and complementarity should be ensured between the Union work plan and actions supported under the Programme in the field of sport. There is a need to focus in particular on grassroots sports, taking into account the important role that sports play in promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle , interpersonal relations , social inclusion and equality. The Programme should support mobility actions only in the context of grassroots sport, both for young people practising organised sport on a regular basis and sport staff. It is also important to recognise that sport staff can be professionals, in the sense that they earn a living through sport, and yet still be engaged in grassroots sport. Mobility actions should therefore also be open to this group. The Programme should contribute to promote promoting common European common values through sport, good governance and integrity in sport, sustainability and good environmental practices in sport, as well as education, training and skills in and through sport. It should be possible for all relevant stakeholders, including education and training institutions, to participate in partnerships, cooperation and policy dialogue in the field of sport. [Am. 13]

(14)

The Programme should contribute to strengthening the Union's innovation capacity notably by supporting mobility and cooperation activities that foster the development of skills and competences in forward-looking study fields or disciplines such as science, technology, arts, engineering and mathematics (STEAM) , climate change, the environment environmental protection, sustainable development , clean energy, artificial intelligence, robotics, data analysis and arts/design , design and architecture, and digital and media literacy , to help people develop knowledge, skills and competences needed for the future. [Am. 14]

(14a)

In line with its mission to drive innovation in education and training, the Programme should support the development of educational and learning strategies targeted at gifted and talented children, irrespective of their nationality, socio-economic status or gender. [Am. 15]

(14b)

The Programme should contribute to the follow-up of the European Year of Cultural Heritage by supporting activities designed to develop skills needed to protect and preserve European cultural heritage and to exploit fully the educational opportunities the cultural and creative sector offers. [Am. 16]

(15)

Synergies with Horizon Europe should ensure that combined resources from the Programme and the Horizon Europe Programme (15) are used to support activities dedicated to strengthening and modernising European higher education institutions. Horizon Europe will, where appropriate, complement the Programme's support for actions and initiatives that demonstrate a research dimension, such as the European Universities initiative, in particular its research dimension as part of developing new joint and integrated long term long-term and sustainable strategies on education, research and innovation. Synergies with Horizon Europe will help to foster the integration of education and research , in particular in higher education institutions. [Am. 17]

(16)

The Programme should be more inclusive by improving its outreach to those participation rates among people with fewer opportunities . It is important to recognise that low levels of participation among people with fewer opportunities could stem from different causes and depend on different national contexts. Therefore, within a Union-wide framework, national agencies should develop inclusion strategies with measures to improve outreach, simplify procedures, offer training and support and monitor effectiveness. Other mechanisms for enhancing inclusion should be used , including through by providing more flexible learning mobility formats in line with the needs of people with fewer opportunities , and by fostering the participation of small and local organisations, in particular newcomers and community-based grassroots organisations that work directly with disadvantaged learners of all ages. Virtual formats, such as virtual cooperation, blended and virtual mobility, should be promoted to reach more participants, in particular those with fewer opportunities and those for whom moving physically to a country other than their country of residence would be an obstacle. [Am. 18]

(16a)

Where people with fewer opportunities are unable to participate in the Programme for financial reasons, whether because of their economic situation or because of the higher Programme participation costs that their specific situation generates, as is often the case for people with disabilities, the Commission and the Member States should ensure that adequate financial support measures are put in place. Such measures can include other Union instruments, such as the European Social Fund Plus, national schemes or grant adjustments or top-ups through the Programme. In assessing whether people with fewer opportunities are unable to participate in the Programme for financial reasons and the level of support they require, objective criteria should be used. The additional costs of measures to facilitate inclusion should never constitute grounds for rejection of an application. [Am. 19]

(16b)

The Programme should continue to focus its support on physical learning mobility and should open up greater opportunities for people with fewer opportunities to benefit from physical learning mobility actions. At the same time, it should be recognised that virtual formats, such as virtual cooperation, blended learning and virtual learning, can effectively complement physical learning mobility and maximise its effectiveness. In exceptional cases, where people are unable to participate in mobility actions and activities, virtual formats may enable them to enjoy many of the benefits of the Programme in a cost-effective and innovative way. Therefore, the Programme should also provide support for such virtual formats and tools. Such formats and tools, in particular those used for language learning, should be made as widely available as possible to the public. [Am. 20]

(16c)

In line with the obligations of the Union and the Member States under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular Article 9 thereof on accessibility and Article 24 thereof on education, special attention should be given to ensuring that people with disabilities enjoy non-discriminatory and barrier-free access to the Programme. To that end, additional support, including financial support, should be provided, where required. [Am. 21]

(16d)

Legal and administrative obstacles, such as difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits and in accessing support services, in particular health services, can impede access to the Programme. Therefore, Member States should adopt all necessary measures to remove such obstacles, in full compliance with Union law, and to facilitate cross-border exchanges, for example by issuing the European Health Insurance Card. [Am. 22]

(17)

In its Communication on Strengthening European identity through education and culture, the Commission highlighted the pivotal role of education, culture and sport in promoting active citizenship, and common values and a sense of solidarity amongst the youngest generations. Strengthening European identity and fostering the active participation of individuals and civil society in the democratic processes is crucial for the future of Europe and our democratic societies. Going abroad to study, learn, train and work or to participate in youth and sport activities contributes to strengthening this European identity in all its diversity and the sense of being part of a cultural community as well as to fostering such active citizenship, social cohesion and critical thinking among people of all ages. Those taking part in mobility activities should get involved in their local communities as well as engage engaging in their host country local communities to share their experience. Activities linked to reinforcing all aspects of creativity in education, training and youth and enhancing individual key competencies competences should be supported. [Am. 23]

(17a)

It is important that the Programme deliver European added value. Therefore, actions and activities should only be eligible for funding under the Programme if they can demonstrate potential European added value. It should be possible to demonstrate European added value in a number of ways, for example through the transnational character of the actions, their complementarity and synergies with other Union programmes and policies, their contribution to the effective use of Union transparency and recognition tools, their contribution to the development of Union-wide quality assurance standards, their contribution to the development of Union-wide common standards in education and training programmes, their promotion of multilingualism and intercultural and interfaith dialogue, their fostering of a European sense of belonging and their strengthening of European citizenship. [Am. 24]

(18)

The international dimension of the Programme should be boosted aiming at by offering a greater number of opportunities for both individuals and organisations for mobility, cooperation and policy dialogue with third countries not associated to the Programme , in particular developing countries. The international dimension should support skills development and people-to-people exchanges and, for nationals of developing countries in particular, should support the transfer of knowledge back to their countries of origin at the end of their periods of study. It should also strengthen capacity-building of education systems in developing countries . Building on the successful implementation of international higher education and youth activities under the predecessor programmes in the fields of education, training and youth, the international mobility activities should be extended to other sectors, such as in vocational education and training and sport . [Am. 25]

(18a)

To enhance the impact of activities in developing countries, it is important to enhance synergies between Erasmus+ and instruments for Union external action, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and the International Cooperation Instrument and the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance. [Am. 26]

(19)

The basic architecture of the 2014-2020 programme in three chapters — education and training, youth and sport — structured around three key actions has proved successful and should be maintained. Improvements to streamline and rationalise the actions supported by the Programme should be introduced.

(20)

The Programme should reinforce existing learning mobility opportunities, notably in those sectors where the Programme could have the biggest efficiency gains, to broaden its reach and meet the high unmet demand. This should be done notably by increasing and facilitating mobility activities for higher education students and staff , school pupils and staff, including pre-school teachers and early-years education and care staff and learners in and staff in vocational education with targeted measures that take into account the specific educational needs of the intended beneficiaries. Mobility opportunities for vocational education and training . Mobility of low-skilled adult learners in border regions should be embedded in partnerships for cooperation further promoted in order to prepare them for the specific cross-border labour market context. The Programme should also offer mobility opportunities for adult education learners and staff. The main objectives of adult education are the transfer of knowledge, competences and skills and the promotion of social inclusion, active citizenship, personal development and well-being . Mobility opportunities for youth participating in non-formal learning activities should also be extended to reach more young people , especially newcomers, those with fewer opportunities and hard-to-reach population groups . Mobility of staff in education, training, youth and sport should also be reinforced, considering its leverage effect , with a particular focus on reskilling and upskilling and promoting skills development for the labour market . In line with the vision of a true European Education Area, the Programme should also boost mobility and exchanges and promote student participation in educational and cultural and sport activities by supporting digitalisation of digitalising processes to facilitate application procedures and participation in the Programme, by developing user-friendly online systems based on best practice and by creating new tools , such as the European Student Card. This initiative can be an important step in making mobility for all a reality first by enabling higher education institutions to send and receive more exchange students while still enhancing quality in student mobility and also by facilitating students' access to various services (library, transport, accommodation) before arriving at the institution abroad. [Am. 27]

(20a)

The Programme should ensure quality mobility experiences based on the principles laid down in the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on transnational mobility within the Community for education and training purposes: European Quality Charter for Mobility  (16) , which makes clear that the quality of information, preparation, support and recognition of experience and qualifications, as well as clear learning plans and learning outcomes drawn up in advance, have a demonstrable impact on the benefits of mobility. Mobility activities should be properly prepared in advance. Such preparation can frequently be done efficiently with the use of information and communication technologies. Where appropriate, it should also be possible for the Programme to provide support for preparatory visits for mobility activities. [Am. 28]

(20b)

The Programme should support and encourage the mobility of teachers and educational staff at all levels in order to enhance working practices and contribute to professional development. Given the vital role that pre-school and early-years education plays in preventing social and economic inequalities, it is important that teachers and staff at this level can participate in learning mobility under the Programme. With respect to teaching, the Programme should also encourage the piloting of policy innovations to address some of the common challenges facing education systems in the Union, such as attracting new talent into teaching for the most marginalised children and developing teacher training to help them in teaching disadvantaged learners. In order to maximise the benefits of Programme participation for teachers and educational staff, every effort should be made to ensure that they enjoy a supportive environment for mobility whereby it is part of their work programme and regular workload, they have access to proper training opportunities and they receive appropriate financial support based on the country and, where relevant, region in which the learning mobility is to take place. [Am. 29]

(20c)

In recognition of the vital role that vocational education and training plays in improving job prospects and promoting social inclusion, the Programme should help to reinforce the inclusiveness, quality and relevance of vocational education and training in line with the communication of the Commission of 10 June 2016 on a New Skills Agenda for Europe: Working together to strengthen human capital, employability and competitiveness  (17) . The Programme should promote stronger links between vocational education and training providers and employers, both private and public. It should also help to address vocational education and training sector-specific issues, such as language training, the fostering of high-quality mobility partnerships and competence recognition and certification, and encourage vocational education and training providers to apply for the Vocational Education and Training Mobility Charter as a mark of quality. [Am. 30]

(21)

The Programme should encourage youth participation in Europe's democratic life, including by supporting participation projects for young people to engage and learn to participate in civic society, raising awareness about European common values including fundamental rights, European history, culture and citizenship , bringing together young people and decision makers decision-makers at local, national and Union level, as well as contributing to the European integration process. The Programme should raise awareness about e-democracy tools, including the European Citizens' Initiative. It should also promote intergenerational exchange between younger and older people. In light of the key role played by youth organisations and youth work in achieving those objectives, the Programme should support the development of the youth sector in the Union. [Am. 31]

(22)

The Programme should offer young people more opportunities to discover Europe through learning experiences abroad under the new initiative entitled DiscoverEU . Eighteen year olds Young people aged between 18 and 20 , in particular those with fewer opportunities, should be given the chance to have a first-time, short-term individual or group experience travelling throughout Europe in the frame of an as part of a non-formal or informal educational activity aimed at fostering their sense of belonging to the European Union and discovering its cultural and linguistic diversity. The initiative should have a robust and verifiable learning component and should ensure that experiences are properly disseminated and lessons shared in order to assess and improve the initiative on an ongoing basis . The Programme should identify bodies in charge of reaching out and selecting the participants with due regard for geographical balance and support activities to foster the learning dimension of the experience. Those bodies should also be involved, where appropriate, in providing pre- and post-mobility training and support, including with respect to language and intercultural skills. The DiscoverEU initiative should build links with the European Capitals of Culture, the European Youth Capitals, the European Volunteering Capitals and the European Green Capitals. [Am. 32]

(23)

The learning of languages contributes to mutual understanding and mobility within and outside the Union. At the same time, language competences are essential life and job skills. Therefore, the Programme should also enhance the learning of languages, in particular through on-site language courses and through widened use of accessible online tools, as e-learning offers can offer additional advantages for language learning in terms of access and flexibility. The language learning support provided through the Programme should pay attention to the needs of users, with a focus on the languages used in the receiving country and, in border regions, on the languages of neighbouring countries. Language learning support should also cover national sign languages. The Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support tool should be tailored to the specific needs of Programme participants and open to everybody. [Am. 33]

(23a)

The Programme should make use of language technologies, such as automatic translation technologies, with the aim of facilitating exchanges between authorities and improving intercultural dialogue. [Am. 34]

(24)

The Programme should support measures that enhance the cooperation between institutions and organisations active in education, training, youth and sport, recognising their fundamental role in equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed in a changing world as well as to adequately fulfil the potential for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, in particular within the digital economy. To that end, effective cooperation between all relevant stakeholders at all levels of the Programme's implementation should be ensured. [Am. 35]

(25)

In its Conclusions of 14 December 2017, the European Council called on Member States, the Council and the Commission to take forward a number of initiatives to elevate European cooperation in education and training to a new level, including by encouraging the emergence by 2024 of ‘European Universities’, consisting in bottom-up networks of universities across the Union. The Programme should support these European Universities , which should be excellence-driven and are intended to increase the attractiveness of higher education institutions in the Union and to improve cooperation between research, innovation and education . The notion of ‘excellence’ is to be understood broadly, for example also in relation to the ability to enhance inclusion. Programme support should aim for wide geographical coverage of ‘European Universities’ . [Am. 36]

(26)

The 2010 Bruges Communiqué called for support of vocational excellence for smart and sustainable growth. The 2017 Communication on Strengthening Innovation in Europe's Regions points to linking vocational education and training to innovation systems, as part of smart specialisation strategies at regional level. The Programme should provide the means to respond to these calls and support the development of transnational platforms of Centres of vocational excellence closely integrated in local and regional strategies for growth, innovation, and competitiveness , sustainable development and social inclusion . These centres of excellence should act as drivers of quality vocational skills in a context of sectorial challenges, while supporting overall structural changes and socio-economic policies in the Union. [Am. 37]

(27)

To increase the use of virtual cooperation activities, the Programme should support a more systematic use of the existing online platforms such as eTwinning, the School Education Gateway, the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe, the European Youth Portal and the online platform for higher education. The Programme should also encourage, where appropriate, the development of new online platforms to strengthen and modernise the delivery of education, training, sport and youth policy at European level. Such platforms should be user-friendly and accessible within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council  (18) . [Am. 38]

(28)

The Programme should contribute to facilitating transparency and automatic mutual recognition of skills, and competences, qualifications and diplomas , as well as the transfer of credits or units other proof of learning outcomes, to foster quality assurance and to support validation of non-formal and informal learning, skills management and guidance. In this regard, the Programme should also provide support to contact points and networks at national and Union level that facilitate provide information and assistance to prospective participants, thus facilitating cross-European exchanges as well as the development of flexible learning pathways between different fields of education, training and youth and across formal and non-formal settings. [Am. 39]

(29)

The Programme should mobilise the potential of former Erasmus+ participants and support activities in particular of Alumni networks, ambassadors and Europeers, by encouraging them to act as multipliers of the Programme.

(29a)

The Programme should put special emphasis on the validation and recognition of education and training periods abroad, including in secondary school education. In that regard, the award of grants should be linked to quality assessment procedures and to a description of the learning outcomes and to the full application of the Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships  (19) , the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on Validation of Informal and Non-Formal learning  (20) and European tools which contribute to the recognition of learning abroad and ensure quality learning, such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) and the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET). [Am. 40]

(30)

As a way to ensure cooperation with other Union instruments and support to other policies of the Union, mobility opportunities should be offered to people in various sectors of activity, such as the public and private sector, agriculture and enterprise, to have a  training, internship or learning experience abroad allowing them, at any stage of their life, to grow and develop professionally but also personally, in particular by developing an awareness of their European identity and an understanding of European cultural diversity , and professionally, in particular by acquiring labour market-relevant skills . The Programme should offer an entry point for Union transnational mobility schemes with a strong learning dimension, simplifying the offer of such schemes for beneficiaries and those taking part in these activities. The scaling-up of Erasmus Erasmus+ projects should be facilitated; specific measures should be put in place to help promoters of Erasmus Erasmus+ projects to apply for grants or develop synergies through the support of the European Structural and Investment Funds and the programmes relating to migration, security, justice and citizenship, health , media and culture , as well as the European Solidarity Corps . [Am. 41]

(31)

It is important to stimulate teaching, learning and research in European integration matters and the Union's future challenges and opportunities , as well as to promote debates debate on these matters through the support of Jean Monnet actions in the fields of higher education but also in other across all fields of education and training. Fostering a  European sense of European identity belonging and commitment is particularly important at times when given the challenges to the common values on which the Union is founded, and which form part of our a common European identity, are put to the test, and when and considering that citizens show are showing low levels of engagement. The Programme should continue to contribute to the development of excellence in European integration studies and, at the same time, to enhance the engagement of the wider learning community and the general public with European integration . [Am. 42]

(32)

Reflecting the importance of tackling The Programme should be in line with the central aim of the Paris Agreement to strengthen the global response to climate change. In line with the Union's commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, this Programme will contribute to mainstream mainstreaming climate action and sustainable development in the Union's policies and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the Union budget expenditures expenditure supporting climate objectives over the period covered by the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, and an annual target of 30 % to be introduced as quickly as possible, and at the latest in 2027 . Relevant actions will be identified during the Programme's preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review process. [Am. 43]

(32a)

Given the Union's role as a global actor and in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and commitments made by Member States at the Rio+20 Conference, the Programme should mainstream inclusive, equitable and quality education and lifelong learning, including in recognition of the vital role that education plays in tackling poverty. The Programme should also contribute to the sustainable development agenda by supporting efforts to develop the necessary skills for sustainable development and to educate people about sustainability, environmental protection and climate change through formal, non-formal and informal education. [Am. 44]

(33)

This Regulation lays down a financial envelope for the entire duration of the Programme which is to constitute the prime reference amount, within the meaning of [reference to be updated as appropriate Point 17 of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (21)], for the European Parliament and the Council during the annual budgetary procedure. It should be ensured that, from 2021, there is a significant increase in the annual budget for the Programme, in comparison to the final year of the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, followed by linear and gradual growth in annual allocations. Such a budgetary profile would help to ensure wider access from the very beginning of the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework period and avoid disproportionate increases in the final years that might be difficult to absorb. [Am. 45]

(34)

Within a basic envelope for actions to be managed by the national agencies in the field of education and training, a breakdown of minimum allocation per sector (higher education, school education, vocational education and training and adult education) should be defined in order to guarantee a critical mass of appropriations to reach the intended output and results in each of these sectors. The exact budget allocation by action and initiative should be laid down in the work programme. [Am. 46]

(35)

Regulation (EU, Euratom) No [the new FR] (the ‘Financial Regulation’) (22) applies to this Programme. It lays down rules on the implementation of the Union budget, including the rules on grants, prizes, procurement and indirect implementation.

(36)

The types of financing and the methods of implementation under this Regulation should be chosen on the basis of their ability to achieve the specific objectives of the actions and to deliver results, taking into account, in particular, the costs of controls, the administrative burden, and the expected risk of non-compliance. This should include consideration of the use of lump sums, flat rates and unit costs, as well as financing not linked to costs as referred to in Article [125(1)] of the Financial Regulation. The principles of transparency, equal treatment and non–discrimination as set out in the Financial Regulation should be respected in the implementation of the Programme. [Am. 47]

(37)

Third countries which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA) may participate in the Programme in the framework of the cooperation established under the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, which provides for the implementation of Union programmes by a decision under that agreement. Third countries may also participate on the basis of other legal instruments. This Regulation should grant the necessary rights for and access to the authorising officer responsible, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) as well as the European Court of Auditors to comprehensively exert their respective competences. The full participation of third countries in the Programme should be subject to the conditions laid down in specific agreements covering the participation of the third country concerned to the Programme. Full participation entails, moreover, the obligation to set up a national agency and managing some of the actions of the Programme at decentralised level. Individuals and entities from third countries that are not associated to the Programme should be able to participate in some of the actions of the Programme, as defined in the work programme and the calls for proposals published by the Commission. When implementing the Programme, specific arrangements could be taken into account with regard to individuals and entities from European microstates. [Am. 48]

(38)

In line with Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Commission's communication on ‘A stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the Union's outermost regions’ (23) (the ‘strategic partnership communication’) , the Programme should take into account the specific situation of these regions. Measures will be taken to increase the outermost regions' participation in all actions. Mobility exchanges and cooperation between people and organisations from these regions and third countries, in particular their neighbours, should be fostered. Such measures will be monitored and evaluated regularly. [Am. 49]

(38a)

In the strategic partnership communication, the Commission recognised that increased mobility of learners and staff in education and training, in particular under the Erasmus+ programme, would be highly beneficial for the outermost regions and undertook to further adjust financial support to participants travelling from and to the outermost regions by maintaining specific funding rules for those regions under Erasmus+, to explore the possibilities of extending regional Erasmus+ cooperation to further stimulate mobility between the outermost regions and neighbouring third countries, and to use the European Social Fund+ as a complement to Erasmus+ . [Am. 50]

(39)

Pursuant to [reference to be updated as appropriate according to a new Decision on OCTs Article 94 of the Council Decision 2013/755/EC (24)], individuals and entities established in overseas countries or territories are eligible for funding subject to the rules and objectives of the Programme and possible arrangements applicable to the Member State to which the relevant overseas country or territory is linked. The constraints imposed by the remoteness of these countries or territories should be taken into account when implementing the Programme, and their participation in the Programme monitored and regularly evaluated.

(40)

The Programme should maintain continuity in terms of its objectives and priorities. Nevertheless, given that it is to be implemented over a seven-year period, it is necessary to provide for a certain degree of flexibility in order to enable it to adapt to changing realities and political priorities within the field of education, training, youth and sport. Therefore, this Regulation does not define in detail how specific initiatives are to be designed and it does not prejudge all political priorities and respective budgetary priorities for the next seven years. Instead, the secondary policy choices and priorities, including details of specific new initiatives, should be determined by means of work programmes in compliance with the Financial Regulation, the Commission . The design of the new initiatives should adopt work programmes and inform the draw lessons from past and ongoing pilot initiatives in this field and should take due account of European Parliament and the Council thereof added value both in the substance and structure of the initiative . 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. Work programmes and any amendments to them should be adopted by implementing acts means of a delegated act. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level and in consultation with national agencies and stakeholders, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the examination procedure principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making . 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 . [Am. 51]

(40a)

The Commission, in conjunction with the national agencies, should monitor and report on the implementation of the Programme, both during the Programme's lifetime and after its completion. The final evaluation of the Programme should be carried out in a timely fashion such that it can feed into the mid-term review of the successor programme as relevant. In particular, the Commission should carry out a mid-term review of the Programme accompanied, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Regulation. [Am. 52]

(41)

Pursuant to paragraph 22 and 23 of the Inter-institutional agreement for Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016 (25), there is a need to evaluate the Programme on the basis of information collected through specific monitoring requirements, while avoiding overregulation and administrative burdens, in particular on Member States beneficiaries . Such requirements should include specific, measurable and realistic indicators which can be measured over time as a basis for evaluating the effects of the Programme on the ground. [Am. 53]

(42)

Appropriate outreach, publicity and dissemination of the opportunities and results of the actions supported by the Programme should be ensured at European, national and local level. The outreach, publicity and dissemination activities should rely on all the implementing bodies of the Programme, including, when relevant where applicable , with the support of other key relevant stakeholders. [Am. 54]

(43)

In order to ensure greater efficiency in communication to the public at large and stronger synergies between the communication activities undertaken at the initiative of the Commission, the resources allocated to communication under this Regulation should also contribute to covering the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, provided that these are related to the general objective of this Regulation. [Am. 55]

(44)

In order to ensure efficient and effective implementation of this Regulation, the Programme should make maximum use of delivery mechanisms already in place. The implementation of the Programme should therefore be entrusted to the Commission, and to national agencies , which should ensure consistent and straightforward application of the Programme rules across the Union and over time. To that end and in order to ensure effective Programme implementation, the Commission and the national agencies should work together, and in consultation with stakeholders, to develop consistent, simple and high-quality procedures and to facilitate the exchange of good practices that can improve the quality of projects under the Programme . Where feasible, and in order to maximise efficiency, the national agencies should be the same as the one designated for the management of the predecessor programme. The scope of the ex-ante compliance assessment should be limited to the requirements that are new and specific to the Programme, unless justified, such as in case of serious shortcomings or underperformance on the part of the national agency concerned. [Am. 56]

(44a)

In order to encourage project organisers with no experience of Union funding programmes to apply for funding, the Commission and the national agencies should provide advice and support and should ensure that application procedures are as clear and simple as possible. The Programme guide should be further improved to make it user-friendly and clear and application forms should be simple and made available in a timely manner. In order to further modernise and harmonise the application process, a common, multilingual, one-stop-shop tool should be developed for Programme beneficiaries and those involved in the management of the Programme. [Am. 57]

(44b)

As a general rule, grant requests and project applications should be submitted to, and managed by, the national agency of the country where the applicant is based. However, by way of derogation, grant requests and project applications for activities organised by Union-wide networks and European and international organisations should be submitted to, and directly managed by, the Commission. [Am. 58]

(45)

In order to ensure sound financial management and legal certainty in each participating country, each national authority should designate an independent audit body. Where feasible, and in order to maximise efficiency, the independent audit body should be the same as the one designated for the actions referred to in the previous programme.

(46)

Member States should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to that could prevent access to, or impede the proper functioning of the Programme. This includes resolving, where possible, and without prejudice to Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits. In line with Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council (26), Member States are encouraged to establish fast-track admission procedures. [Am. 59]

(47)

The performance reporting system should ensure that data for monitoring programme implementation and evaluation are collected efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner, and at the appropriate level of granularity. Such data should be communicated to the Commission in a way that complies with relevant data protection rules.

(48)

In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (27). [Am. 60]

(49)

In order to simplify requirements for beneficiaries, simplified grants in the form of lump-sums, unit-costs and flat-rate funding should be used to the maximum possible extent. In accordance with the principle of sound financial management and in order to simplify the Programme's administration, flat-rate payments based on the relevant project should be used for mobility activities across all sectors. The simplified grants to support the mobility actions of the Programme, as defined by the Commission, should take into account be regularly reviewed and adjusted to the living and subsistence costs of the host country and region . The Commission and national agencies of the sending countries should have the possibility to adjust these simplified grants on the basis of objective criteria, in particular to ensure access to people with fewer opportunities. In accordance with national law, Member States should also be encouraged to exempt those grants from any taxes and social levies. The same exemption should apply to public or private entities awarding such financial support to the individuals concerned. [Am. 61]

(50)

In accordance with the Financial Regulation, Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council (28), Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (29) and Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 (30), the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities and fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative sanctions. In particular, in accordance with the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 and Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) may investigate and prosecute Union fraud and other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union, as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council (31). In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the Union’s financial interests and grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, the European Anti-Fraud Office, the European Public Prosecutor's Office and the European Court of Auditors, and to ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.

(51)

It is necessary to ensure the complementarity of the actions carried out within the Programme with activities undertaken by the Member States and with other Union activities, in particular those in the fields of education, culture and the media, youth and solidarity, employment and social inclusion, research and innovation, industry and enterprise, agriculture and rural development with a focus on young farmers, cohesion, regional policy and international cooperation and development.

(52)

While the regulatory framework already allowed Member States and regions to establish synergies in the previous programming period between Erasmus+ and other Union instruments, such as the European structural and investment funds, which also support the qualitative development of education, training and youth systems in the Union, this potential has so far been underexploited, thus limiting the systemic effects of projects and impact on policy. Effective communication and cooperation should take place at national level between the national bodies in charge of managing these various instruments to maximise their respective impact. The Programme should allow for active cooperation with these instruments , in particular by ensuring that a high-quality application that cannot be financed under the Programme, owing to insufficient funds, can be considered for financing, through a simplified procedure, under the European structural and investment funds . In order to simplify the procedure for such actions, it should be possible to award them with a ‘Seal of Excellence’ in recognition of their high quality. Such cross-programme complementarity should enable increased overall project success rates . [Am. 62]

(52a)

In order to maximise the effectiveness of Union funding and policy support, it is important to foster synergies and complementarity across all relevant programmes in a coherent manner. Such synergies and complementarity should not lead to funds allocated to the Erasmus+ Programme being managed outside the Programme structure, nor should they lead to funds being used to pursue objectives other than those set out in this Regulation. Any synergies and complementarity should result in simplified application procedures at the implementation level. [Am. 63]

(53)

In order to review or complement the performance indicators of the Programme, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the Annex. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations are conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council should 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.

(54)

It is appropriate to ensure the correct closure of the predecessor programme, in particular as regards to the continuation of multi-annual arrangements for its management, such as the financing of technical and administrative assistance. As from 1 January 2021, the technical and administrative assistance should ensure, if necessary, the management of actions that have not yet been finalised under the predecessor programme by 31 December 2020.

(55)

This Regulation respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular, this Regulation seeks to ensure full respect for the right to equality between men and women and the right to non-discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, and to promote the application of Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Therefore, the Programme should actively support initiatives that seek to raise awareness and promote positive perceptions of any of the groups that might be subject to discrimination and to foster gender equality. It should also support efforts to tackle the educational gap and specific difficulties facing Roma by facilitating their full and active participation in the Programme. Respect for the rights and principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be mainstreamed throughout the Programme’s planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation process. [Am. 64]

(56)

Horizontal financial rules adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the basis of Article 322 TFEU apply to this Regulation. These rules are laid down in the Financial Regulation and determine in particular the procedure for establishing and implementing the budget through grants, procurement, prizes and indirect implementation, and provide for checks on the responsibility of financial actors. Rules adopted on the basis of Article 322 TFEU also concern the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States, as the respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective Union funding.

(57)

Since the objective of this Regulation cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of its transnational character, the high volume and wide geographical scope of the mobility and cooperation activities funded, its effects on access to learning mobility and more generally on Union integration, as well as its reinforced international dimension, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.

(58)

Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 should be repealed with effect from 1 January 2021.

(59)

In order to ensure continuity in the funding support provided under the Programme, this Regulation should apply from 1 January 2021,