Young people take a blow in the European Commission’s proposal for the post-2027 Erasmus budget
Today, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for the EU’s long term budget 2028-2034 (the new “Multiannual Financial Framework”, or “MFF”) , including the new Erasmus+ programme.
Insufficient budget, excessive focus on skills for the labour market, and disappearance of key elements from the youth field mean that young people and youth organisations will bear the brunt.
Updated on 17/07/2025.
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Insufficient Budget
The increase in budget from the current 26 EUR billion to 40.8 EUR billion seems significant. However, when adjusting to inflation and considering the merger of Erasmus+ with the European Solidarity Corps, the increase is nearly gone.
Erasmus+ should reach every young person in Europe, regardless of their background. It is the one crucial tool that the EU has in order to promote a society based on democratic participation and lifelong learning. In order to make sure that no young person is left behind, the EU should increase the budget five times, up to 130 EUR billion.
No Youth Chapter Earmarking
The existing Erasmus+ Programme Regulation for 2021-2027 includes a dedicated chapter focusing on youth. This Youth Chapter earmarks 10,3% of the Erasmus+ budget specifically for the youth field, including youth organisations and non-formal education initiatives. It is the basis for supporting the eco-system of youth activities from the local to European level.
If approved, the new proposal for Erasmus+ Programme will eliminate this dedicated Youth Chapter and the minimum funding for youth.
Without a dedicated focus, youth-led organisations and volunteer-run initiatives may be forced to compete with better-resourced universities and consultancies for the EU’s support. This change is detrimental for young people, especially those at risk of exclusion. Activities within the youth chapter have consistently been the most inclusive - 35% of its participants are young people with fewer opportunities compared with only 15% in the wider Erasmus+ Programme.
Skewing of objectives from active citizenship to the labour market
The specific objectives of the Erasmus+ Regulation have been significantly reworded towards skills for the labour market. Although the programme does have a positive impact on youth employability, Erasmus+ is not a labour market instrument. Its objectives have always been rooted in values of inclusion, cooperation, and lifelong learning.
Highjacking the educational and democratic goals to meet the skills agenda would see youth organisations and young people through a narrow prism of future employees, rather than focusing on the positive role they play as active citizens. This would effectively undermine the spirit of inclusive learning and community empowerment and may ultimately prevent youth organisations working with young people in their communities from accessing Erasmus+.
Merging Erasmus with the European Solidarity Corps
The European Commission’s proposal merges the European Solidarity Corps into Erasmus+, removing its status as an independent programme. This is a major downgrade for a programme designed to support youth volunteering, community engagement and solidarity-based learning — especially as these are core components of a democratic and resilient society and central to our European identity.
Dismantling of the Key Actions Architecture
In addition to its focus on Youth, Erasmus+ currently also clearly separates the funding for activities supporting learning mobility (named ‘Key Action 1’); activities supporting cooperation among organisations and institutions (‘Key Action 2’) and activities supporting policy development and cooperation (‘Key Action 3’). This structure helped ensure clarity and access for different actors — but it, too, has been deleted from the new proposal.
The disappearance of Key Action 3, which supported youth participation, democratic engagement, and youth policy development, is particularly worrying. Each Key Action previously responded to distinct needs in the youth field. Removing the Key Actions risks undermining the interconnected system that they create, and by extension those in the youth sector that count on it.
Lip service to Inclusion
The Commission’s proposal presents inclusion as a key priority, but without any clear definitions, or dedicated funding. There is no designated funding earmarked for inclusion and no mechanism to ensure that young people with fewer opportunities can effectively benefit from the EU’s support.
Our own data shows that many youth organisations working with marginalised communities still struggle to access the Erasmus+ programme due to its complexity and lack of resources. These challenges are not adequately addressed in the new proposal. Without structural support, and without adequate funding, inclusion risks becoming a rhetorical priority rather than a reality on the ground.
What Next?
There is still a lot that can be done. Now that the European Commission’s proposal is published, the EU Member States and the European Parliament will negotiate a common and final position. To save the youth sector and continue to support young people in the EU, here is what they need to agree on:
1. Increase the Erasmus+ funding five times in order to increase its outreach towards more young people, and to systematically facilitate the access of marginalised young people and young people at risk of exclusion
2. Keep the dedicated Youth Chapter of the Erasmus+ Programme regulation with a dedicated earmarking of minimum 15%
3. Reformulate the objectives of the Regulation closer to active citizenship and lifelong learning instead of its current focus on the labour market
4. Ensure the European Solidarity Corps is contained within the Youth Chapter of the Erasmus+ Programme with a dedicated earmarking
5.Maintain the structure based on the three Key Actions, and ensure that each one is adequately funded.
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