The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has today adopted unanimously an opinion by rapporteur Roberto Pella (IT/EPP), Mayor of Valdengo, calling for a significantly strengthened Erasmus+ programme under the European Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
The opinion welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for the future Erasmus+ programme while stressing that any reinforcement of the initiative must be backed by adequate new resources and not financed through cuts or reallocations from cohesion policy or other key social investment programmes. The opinion also underlines the essential role of local and regional authorities in the programme’s governance, implementation and outreach, calling for a reinforced decentralised approach that better reflects territorial realities and demographic challenges across Europe.
Commenting after the adoption, rapporteur Roberto Pella said: “Continuing to invest in Erasmus+ means investing in a peaceful future for Europe. It means believing in talent, solidarity, and social and territorial mobility. It means building a more competitive, more inclusive Union and, above all, one that is closer to young people by empowering them to shape their own future.
This is not just a question of numbers and budgets. It is about how Europe invests in people — and in its own future.”
The opinion stresses that Erasmus+ must become a genuine “social elevator”, ensuring wider participation for learners with fewer opportunities, young people from disadvantaged territories and communities facing structural challenges such as depopulation, demographic decline and geographical remoteness. In this context, the CoR also calls for greater support for institutions from less-represented regions participating in the European Universities Alliances.
Among the key proposals put forward by Roberto Pella are:
• support for pilot projects at regional level providing implementation support, technical assistance and capacity building for municipalities in inland, remote and disadvantaged areas;
• a stronger sport dimension within Erasmus+, including an assessment of creating a dedicated strand for sport-related objectives;
• reinforced decentralised management structures, recognising the central role played by local and regional authorities in project implementation, co-financing and adapting actions to local needs;
• a new public awareness and communication campaign developed together with local and regional authorities, social partners and businesses to increase participation and improve access to opportunities.
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The opinion also calls for stronger support for vocational education and training (VET) mobility, greater flexibility and simpler administrative procedures to facilitate participation by small municipalities and organisations, and enhanced dialogue between education institutions and the productive and industrial sectors to better anticipate future skills needs and improve young people’s employability.
In addition, the CoR warns against incoherent implementation choices and insufficient clarity regarding the allocation of resources across priorities and actions, stressing that flexibility, inclusion and territorial cohesion must remain at the heart of the future Erasmus+ programme.
