Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted  a resolution on the implementation of inclusion measures within Erasmus+ 2014-2020 based on the recently published implementation report by MEP Laurence Farreng of Renew Europe. The resolution notes with satisfaction the perception of how inclusion measures have been developed in the previous Erasmus+ 2014-2020 programming period.

The MEPs call for the Commission and the Member States to further increase efforts in supporting people with fewer opportunities or disadvantaged students with tailored funding and grants, including flexible rules. This should be supported by a proper operation of newly introduced digital tools which are currently hindering the operation of the entire programme, not only the disadvantaged groups. Administrative barriers also prevent many potential learners from taking part in the programme and the Commission should further simplify and streamline the process, making it easier to understand and more accessible.

The MEPs encourage the Member States and national agencies to facilitate more educational seminars for Erasmus+ staff to carry out projects, develop inclusive methods and explore new ways to reach future beneficiaries of the programme. Likewise, providing adequate financial support for staff should be ensured so they can engage with the participants and beneficiaries.

Regarding the policy tracking, the MEPs regret the lack of reliable data on the participation of people with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme, as such data could be used to identify at which groups inclusion measures should be targeted. They underline the need to develop evaluation schemes to produce clear statistics and appropriately assess further problematic issues in order to create a management and steering tool for inclusion measures. More capacity-building for staff is needed too with regard to indicators and monitoring systems for inclusion. Similarly, more EU-wide research and studies on inclusion in the current programming period are needed to assess the impact of the measures undertaken by national agencies and stakeholders in engaging organisations and people with fewer opportunities.

Press release.