Space for small municipalities and vocational training in the new programme

The next Erasmus+ Programme 2028/2034 must not only be richer, with an increase in the budget to 40 billion (+30%), but also more flexible. And, above all, it will have to strengthen its implementation at local level, by means of accompanying pathways dedicated to inland or peripheral areas, which are often more disadvantaged in the processes of access to calls for young people, allowing all young people in the 100,000 European municipalities access to intra- or extra-EU mobility pathways.

The opinion of the European Committee of the Regions on the new Erasmus+ Programme 2028-34, which was unanimously adopted last Wednesday, goes in this direction. The rapporteur for all 27 Member States was Roberto Pella, vice-president of Anci and mayor of Valdengo (Biella), who illustrated the contents in the presence of our Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, and the EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef.

In describing Erasmus+ as, on the one hand, 'the greatest European success story' and, on the other, 'a pillar of our common identity that we must always strive to strengthen', Pella called for further effort. Which does not only mean a higher budget for the next seven years. "We need flexible rules, simplified procedures and accompanying paths dedicated to the most disadvantaged areas, so that no municipality or community remains excluded," he added.

One of the levers to be activated leads to the inclusion of Vocational Training Centres among the beneficiaries of the funds alongside schools, universities, Its, companies, etc. More generally, the unanimously approved opinion called for: real support for disadvantaged municipalities through capacity building and practical support to participate in the Programme's actions; a stronger sport dimension, with more ambition and dedicated funding to support grassroots sport as a social and educational public policy tool, not only to improve well-being and health; a more decentralised implementation that strengthens the role of local and regional authorities in delivering results; a new public information campaign to enable more young people to access Erasmus+ related opportunities.

In the intentions of the European Commission, the new Programme, in addition to betting on degrees in the digital, green and Ai fields, must encourage the spread of microcredentials and other initiatives for the portability of skills. With an eye to the continuous training of workers and to the project leading to the European degree or at least to the EU 'label' for joint study courses.