2021/2009(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the under- resourcing and understaffing of Erasmus+ national agencies and national authorities and the insufficient efforts to reduce administrative barriers to mobility and ensure that diversity and inclusion are at the core of the programme; believes that national agencies should appoint an inclusion and diversity officer to reach out to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities and provide them with advice regarding possible difficulties they may experience during their Erasmus+ programme, such as delayed reimbursements2or, any obstacles caused by external factors such as the COVID-19 crisis3 or bureaucratic disparities; _________________ 2 As seen from Petition 2466/13. 3 As seen from Petition 0125/21.

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Points out that some petitions submitted to the European Parliament raise the issue of the administrative obstacles Erasmus+ students face on their arrival in host countries4 a; supports initiatives at European level aimed at facilitating student mobility, such as the Erasmus + mobile application, ‘paperless Erasmus’ or the European Student Card, which make managing administrative steps more flexible and enable each student to benefit from the same services; _________________ 4 a See reference in petition 1106/2018

Amendment 12 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that Erasmus+ should encourage stakeholders to share their expertise at an institutional level, learn from each other, build administrative capacity and ~~fos~~creater in~~clusion and diversity~~novative educational tools that foster diversity and the integration of people with specific needs; welcomes, in this sense, specific efforts to support cooperation between different stakeholders and to develop and implement inclusive policies that seek to integrate ~~children and young people from migrant backgrounds into education; considers, however, that these efforts should be expanded in the field of higher education;~~ people who have fewer opportunities, for economic, social, cultural, health and disability and geographical remoteness reasons, into education; considers, however, that these efforts should be expanded in the field of higher education; stresses the driving role of teachers and institutions in raising awareness of the programme and informing and supporting future learners;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that Erasmus+ should encourage stakeholders to share their expertise at an institutional level, learn from each other, build administrative capacity ~~and~~in view of fostering inclusion and diversity; welcomes, in this sense, specific efforts to support cooperation between different stakeholders and to develop and implement inclusive policies that seek to integrate children and young people from migrant backgrounds into education; considers, however, that these efforts should be expanded in the field of higher education;

Amendment 14 #

Moritz KÖRNER, Jana TOOM

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that Erasmus+ should encourage stakeholders to share their expertise at an institutional level, learn from and connect with each other, build administrative capacity and foster inclusion and diversity; welcomes, in this sense, specific efforts to support cooperation between different stakeholders and to develop and implement inclusive policies that seek to integrate children and young people from migrant backgrounds and ethnic minorities into education; considers, however, that these efforts should especially be expanded in the field of higher education;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that Erasmus+ should encourage stakeholders to share their expertise at an institutional level, learn from each other, build administrative capacity and foster inclusion and diversity; welcomes, in this sense, specific efforts to support cooperation between different stakeholders and to develop and implement inclusive policies that seek to integrate children and young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds into education; considers, however, that these efforts should be expanded in the field of higher education;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Regrets that the Covid19 pandemic has had several negative effects1 on education as well as on the implementation of Erasmus+ programme, hindering inclusion; highlights the often serious economic difficulties that several households face because of the Covid19 crisis, that do not permit the participation to the Erasmus+ programme. 1 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repos itory/handle/JRC121071https://erasmus- plus.ec.europa.eu/coronavirus-impact

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4 b. Believes that poverty or economic difficulties is an important obstacle for learners’ mobility; calls for the elaboration of a system that, based on the socioeconomic background of the participants, could offer greater financial support and/or other supporting measures to those who need it; additional financial support should be considered also for participants with special needs, including their caregivers when necessary;

Amendment 18 #

Tatjana ŽDANOKA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Believes that the risk of stigmatisation in the participants’ country of residence may discourage them from self-identifying as disadvantaged, which may hamper their mobility, the collection of reliable data by authorities and the monitoring of their participation in Erasmus+4 ; calls for EU-wide recognition of disability status and encourages host institutions to guarantee Erasmus+ participants the same reasonable accommodations ~~as home~~ , transport, social and administ~~itution~~rative benefits available for national students; _________________ 4 Bunescu, L., Davies, H., Gaebel, M., ERASMUS+ International Credit Mobility – a study of the mobility of disadvantaged students from Partner Countries, Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts (SPHERE), January 2020.

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Believes that the risk of stigmatisation in the participants’ country of residence may discourage them from self-identifying as disadvantaged, which may hamper their mobility, the collection of reliable data by authorities and the monitoring of their participation in Erasmus+4 ; calls for EU-wide recognition of disability status and encourages host institutions to guarantee the same reasonable accommodations as home institutions; considers that the specific needs of people with disabilities must be taken into account in order to facilitate their participation in the programme, by providing them with suitable accommodation and with specialised attention before their departure as well as during their mobility period; _________________ 4 Bunescu, L., Davies, H., Gaebel, M., ERASMUS+ International Credit Mobility – a study of the mobility of disadvantaged students from Partner Countries, Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts (SPHERE), January 2020.

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines the need to ensure that inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity are at the core of the implementation of Erasmus+, one of the EU’s most successful programmes; ~~regret~~highlights that offering equal opportunities is and must be inherent to EU fundamental values, and thus should not be presented merely as a matter of philanthropy; regrets calls on the EU and MS to take measures in order to address the different definitions and categories of learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities1 across Member States and the lack of reliable data on the profiles of the beneficiaries; believes that an instrument should be developed to monitor whether ensure that participants from vulnerable, and disadvantaged and all less represented groups are being reached by the programme~~; _________________ 1~~ , leaving no one behind;Term used in Article 23(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 on Erasmus+.

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Believes that the risk of stigmatisation in the participants’ country of residence may discourage them from self-identifying as disadvantaged, which may hamper their mobility, the collection of reliable data by authorities and the monitoring of their participation in Erasmus+4 ; calls for EU-wide recognition of disability status and encourages host institutions to guarantee the same reasonable accommodations and facilities as home institutions; _________________ 4 Bunescu, L., Davies, H., Gaebel, M., ERASMUS+ International Credit Mobility – a study of the mobility of disadvantaged students from Partner Countries, Support and Promotion for Higher Education Reform Experts (SPHERE), January 2020.

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Calls on the Commission and Members States to take specific measures against stigmatisation of underrepresented groups and ensure that relevant campaigns and other communication tools support this goal and do not put the targeted audience into an uncomfortable or embarrassing position;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Highlights that offering equal opportunities should not be presented as philanthropy but as an obligation of any EU programme, according to EU fundamental values;

Amendment 23 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Reminds Member States of the Bologna Process principles and the principles and guidelines to strengthen the social dimension of higher education in the European Higher Education Area, both of which call on them to draft national strategies and plans to enhance inclusion as soon as possible;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to develop an integrated and coherent approach to inclusion within the different EU programmes for youth and education, including European Solidarity Corps and ESF+; welcomes the Commission’s proposal for the 2022 as European Year of Youth and considers this proposal as an opportunity to develop such integrated approach; calls on the Commission to look closely at the possibility of combining the Erasmus+ and Interrail programmes5 , and thus foster more equality and inclusion; _________________ 5 As called for in Petition 0681/2021.

Amendment 25 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to look closely at the possibility of combining the Erasmus+ and Interrail programmes5 , and thus foster more equality and inclusion~~; _________________ 5 A~~ and to continue tackling climate change; nevertheless, the funds call~~ed for in Petition 0681/2021.~~ocated to the two programmes should be safeguarded and not decreased in the case of such a combination;

Amendment 26 #

Moritz KÖRNER, Jana TOOM

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to look closely at the possibility of combining the Erasmus+ and Interrail programmes5 , and thus ~~foster more equality and inclusion~~support European students, especially in higher education, in order to foster more equality and inclusion, taking into account the beneficiaries´ actual income; _________________ 5 As called for in Petition 0681/2021.

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Calls on the Commission to develop synergies between the Erasmus+ Programme and relevant policies developed on the international macro- level concerning learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities; highlights that possible complementarities can be sought with the Sustainable Development Goals and UNESCO’s priorities and policies;

Amendment 28 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. CStresses that national policy- making regarding learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities should be further stimulated; calls on the Member States to ~~launch and~~ support Erasmus+ projects to attract participants with disabilities and learners from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to their countries;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Member States to launch and support Erasmus+ projects to attract participants with disabilities, and learners from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to their countries; , ensuring equal participation for female [girls/women] and LGBTQ participants, as well as for people at risk of poverty1 or of lower financial status; 1Peopleat risk of poverty present a not negligible percentage in EU according to theofficial statistics: https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/s how.do?dataset=ilc_li07⟨=en

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines the need to ensure that inclusion and diversity are at the core of the implementation of Erasmus+, one of the EU’s most successful programmes; regrets the different definitions and categories of learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities1 across Member States and the lack of reliable data on the profiles of the beneficiaries; believes that an instrument should be developed to monitor whether participants from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are being reached by the programme, taking into account their experiences under the programme; _________________ 1 Term used in Article 23(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 on Erasmus+.

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Member States to launch and support Erasmus+ projects to attract participants with disabilities and learners from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups to their countries; considers that the European Disability Charter could be a useful tool for ensuring greater accessibility and inclusion in the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Member States to launch and support Erasmus+ projects to attract participants with disabilities and learners from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups ~~to their countr~~; calls on the Member States to further enhance the individual mobility projects and experiences of persons with disabilities;

Amendment 32 #

Moritz KÖRNER, Jana TOOM

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase their efforts to support through Erasmus+ the access of women to and their advancement in the academic areas of mathematics, informatics, natural sciences and technology;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all information regarding Erasmus+ is accessible to persons with vision, hearing or any other accessibility problems;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8 b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the visibility of all potential participants on the visual materials, in the context of promoting diversity and tackling stigmatisation; videos and photos on Erasmus+ websites, posters, leaflets, etc. should also include persons of all genders and cultural backgrounds, as well as persons with disabilities in order to promote inclusion and diversity;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the lack of familiarity with the Erasmus+ programme, information barriers, obstacles to the application process, accommodation problems faced by learners, support services abroad and the challenges relating to the portability of grants faced by persons with disabilities and other participants from vulnerable and disadvantaged ~~groups, including ethnic~~ groups;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the lack of familiarity with the Erasmus+ programme, information barriers, obstacles to the application process, support services abroad and the challenges relating to the portability of grants faced by persons with disabilities and other participants from vulnerable and disadvantaged ~~groups, including ethnic~~ groups;

Amendment 37 #

Tatjana ŽDANOKA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

Amendment 38 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the lack of familiarity with the Erasmus+ programme, information barriers, bureaucracy and other obstacles to the application process, support services abroad and the challenges relating to the portability of grants faced by persons with disabilities and their caregivers as well as other participants from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including ethnic groups;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to properly address the lack of familiarity with the Erasmus+ programme, information barriers, obstacles to the application process, adequate support services abroad and the challenges relating to the portability of grants faced by persons with disabilities and other participants from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including ethnic groups;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Reminds that definition of vulnerable, disadvantaged or underrepresented groups (and then the potential beneficiaries whose participation in Erasmus+ should be augmented )vary widely between Member States and even may depend on the political and social situation in MS in a given moment; calls the Commission and MS to agree a basic set of definitions, which may include groups such as women, LGBTQI people, migrants and refugees, people from low income households, ethnic or linguistic minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. welcomes the establishment of the ‘Erasmus Days’, which make it possible to communicate better with a broader public, to connect people who are leaving for the same destination, to share experiences informally and thus to enhance the benefits of mobility; believes that, in order to make the programme more inclusive, it is necessary to provide appropriate and accessible information material, and to use the means of communication available, such as social networks or local level events, in partnership with local structures and specialised organisations;

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Calls on the Commission to take specific measures to ensure that Erasmus+ promotes the european priorities and especially the green and the digital transition; however the monitoring of the individual carbon footprint of the participants should take into account the distance needed to be covered, especially in the case of remote areas and MS on the geographical borders of EU ;

Amendment 42 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Calls on the Commission to continue its work on making the Erasmus+ programme inclusive, on its geographical deployment and on targeted financial support;

Amendment 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes, in this regard, the ~~Commission’s approach to promoting~~recent adoption by the Commission of the framework to increase diversity and inclusionveness in the current Erasmus+ programme. as well as in the current European Solidarity Corps; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the future implementation of this framework at national level;

Amendment 44 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes, in this regard, the ~~Commission’s approach to~~new Erasmus+ framework of inclusion measures for the period 2021-2027 proposed by the Commission, which defines the target objectives promoting diversity and inclusion in the current Erasmus+ programme.

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – subparagraph 1 (new)

12. Underlines that, despite the fact that Erasmus+ 2014-2020 has been evaluated as more coherent, effective and more aligned with emerging needs, there is still a strong need to make the Programme more inclusive, able to reach out to more vulnerable and disadvantaged people and to facilitate the participation of smaller- size organizations;

Amendment 5 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove physical, psychological, social, socioeconomic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer qualitative support, including mentoring, for participants from underrepresented groups and/or with specific needs before, during and after a period abroad; stresses that the role of former Erasmus+ participants in promoting the programme among their peers should be developed; believes that support for the activities of alumni networks could prove a useful means of reaching a wider public;

Amendment 7 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Alex AGIUS SALIBA, Andris AMERIKS, Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO, Demetris PAPADAKIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove physical, psychological, social, socioeconomic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer accessible for all, clear and detailed information and qualitative support, including mentoring, for participants from underrepresented groups and/or with specific needs before, during and after a period abroad;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the under- resourcing and understaffing of Erasmus+ national agencies and ~~national authorities and~~ the insufficient efforts to reduce administrative barriers to mobility ~~and ensure that diversity and inclusion are at the core of the programme;~~; underlines that national agencies have a crucial role in ensuring that projects are as inclusive and diverse as possible; therefore, believes that all national agencies should appoint an inclusion and diversity officer to reach out to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities and increase their levels of information and awareness about the opportunities in place and how access them as well as to provide them with advice regarding possible difficulties they may experience during their Erasmus+ programme, such as delayed reimbursements2 or any obstacles caused by external and contingency factors such as the COVID-19 crisis3 ; stresses that a supportive approach to beneficiaries with special needs and/or fewer opportunities is key to help removing barriers preventing their full participation to the Programme; _________________ 2 As seen from Petition 2466/13. 3 As seen from Petition 0125/21.

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the under- resourcing and understaffing of Erasmus+ national agencies and national authorities and the insufficient efforts to reduce administrative barriers to mobility and ensure that diversity and inclusion are at the core of the programme; believes that national agencies should organise targeted information campaigns, and, in order to do so, they ought to appoint an inclusion and diversity officer to reach out to learners from vulnerable backgrounds, including learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities and all underrepresented groups, insuring gender equality[KTK1] and provide them with advice regarding possible difficulties they may experience during their Erasmus+ programme, such as delayed reimbursements2 or any obstacles caused by external factors such as the COVID-19 crisis3 ; ~~_________________ 2 As seen from Petition 2466/13. 3 As seen from Petition 0125/21.~~

source: 700.518

2022/04/01 CULT 124 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)

— having regard to the Commission communication of 12 November 2020 entitled ‘Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025’;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 e (new)

— having regard to the Resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, 25 September 2015, A/RES/70/1,

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Urges the Commission to simplify and optimise the complicated administrative procedures regarding application to Erasmus+, with a view to streamline and render the process easier to understand and more accessible to those without any prior experience with it; underlines that the administrative burden represents a barrier to access to all, and affects the most those with fewer opportunities or with special needs; stresses the importance of providing application procedures in all 24 languages of European Union;

Amendment 101 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Notes that administrative barriers prevent many potential learners to take part in the programme; calls on the Commission to simplify the application procedure and all related processes and mechanisms that will allow more participants to take part in the programme and enjoy mobility opportunities all over Europe; underlines the importance to develop additional tools in this regard;

Amendment 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Stresses the importance to fund more EU-wide research and studies in the new programming period in the field of inclusion regarding the practices and impact of inclusive measures by national agencies and stakeholders in engaging organisations and people belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities;

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Asks for the specific needs of persons with disabilities to be taken into account in order to facilitate their participation in the programme by offering them hybrid mobility by way of preparation for the mobility period, giving them the opportunity to be accompanied, and providing them with suitable and accessible accommodation and specialised support services based on their needs; stresses the need to collect their feedback after the period of mobility in order to improve the participation of future beneficiaries; underlines the need for specific support, guidance and tools allowing them to register and participate in the Erasmus+ programmes;

Amendment 104 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13 a. Asks for the specific needs of people from racial and ethnic minorities to be taken into account in order to facilitate their increased participation in the programme by addressing the institutional racism and structural discrimination that acts as a barrier to participation including by explicitly acknowledging such discrimination rather than referring to cultural differences and ensuring that such participants have adequate support and recourse to justice in case of experiencing discrimination; stresses the need to improve monitoring and evaluation data collection practices to ensure that specific feedback is collected following the period of mobility in order to improve the participation of future beneficiaries;

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13 a. Acknowledges that for participants with fewer opportunities language barrier turns out to be particularly severe, therefore calls for targeted and group specific support for language learning in preparation of mobility and insists that this support should not be limited to online courses;

Amendment 106 #

Željana ZOVKO, Loucas FOURLAS, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Requests the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all relevant information regarding Erasmus+ is accessible to peversyon~~s with disabiliti~~e regardless of their possible obstacles, in particular through adapted and barrier-free online tools in all European languages; welcomes the establishment of ‘Erasmus Days’ and stresses the importance of the role of former Erasmus+ participants and alumni networks in promoting the programme widely and serving as a One stop shop for all future learners;

Amendment 107 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

14. Requests the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all relevant information regarding Erasmus+ is accessible to persons with disabilities, in particular through adapted and barrier-free online tools; recalls that planning and evaluation processes should be barrier- free; welcomes the establishment of ‘Erasmus Days’ and stresses the importance of the role of former Erasmus+ participants and alumni networks in promoting the programme widely;

Amendment 108 #

Željana ZOVKO, Loucas FOURLAS, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14 a. Stresses that, in order to improve implementation and to bring more benefits to future participants in Erasmus+, a special focus should be given to linguistic competences; furthermore, highlights that all channels for communication and information, such as brochures and websites should be provided on 24 official EU languages;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Asks the Member States to adopt targeted policies for all learners ~~with fewer opportunities and special nee~~of all age groups and of all backgrounds in order to increase participation in Erasmus+ and to foster exchanges of good practices in this field; notes that national agencies and voluntary Erasmus+ organisations play a key role in this; proposes the Commission to develop better strategic plans for future Erasmus+ programmes that will increase inclusion and diversity and help overcome the challenges and shortcomings;

Amendment 11 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas providing equal and inclusive opportunities for all is, and must continue to be, inherent to the fundamental values of the European Union, and whereas people from all backgrounds and walks of life ~~should~~must be able to benefit from Erasmus+; highlights that Erasmus+ benefits not only its participants but entire communities and societies;

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Asks~~Recommends to the Member States to ~~adopt targeted policies for learners with fewer opportunities and special needs~~evaluate their existing policies, programmes and actions targeting learners with fewer opportunities and special needs, and where necessary adapt and reinforce these measures based on concrete quantitative and qualitative data, taking into full account their national, regional and local specificities, in order to increase participation in Erasmus+ and to foster exchanges of good practices in this field;

Amendment 111 #

Željana ZOVKO, Loucas FOURLAS, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Asks the Member States, t~~o adopt targeted policies~~he Council and the Commission to establish new learning mobility targets and inclusive mobility strategies at national levels, prioritising access to mobility for learners with fewer opportunities and special needs in order to increase participation in Erasmus+ and to foster exchanges of good practices in this field;

Amendment 112 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to raise better awareness among citizens in all areas on the benefits of Erasmus+ through cooperation with media and social media outlets and by creating targeted campaigns in public learning places, libraries, schools and universities, organise online and physical events and assure good outreach; underlines that these dedicated actions will foster greater participation of learners from all disadvantaged categories, including participants with special needs, health problems, special needs, educational difficulties, cultural differences and geographical, social and economic obstacles;

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15 b. Regrets the consequences that Brexit imposed on UK students, disabling them from taking part in Erasmus+; calls on the Commission to further engage in negotiations with the UK and find ways to enable people from all parts of the UK to participate in the programme because education is a priceless investment and Erasmus+ is an opportunity that must be available to everyone regardless of their geographical, health, economic, cultural or social obstacles;

Amendment 114 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the European Year of Youth and related events to promote the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme; notes that the European Year of Youth should especially focus on the impact that the pandemic has had on mental health of young people; proposes the Commission, Member States and national agencies to find additional ways within Erasmus+ to support learners of all age groups to help them recover from the pandemic and continue their growth on all levels, including personal, social, and professional;

Amendment 115 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. ~~Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the European Year of Youth and related events to promote the opportunities~~With the aim of ensuring that the European Year of Youth is impactful and effectively improves living and learning conditions and democratic participation of young people in Europe, calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the Year and related events to better inform all young people about opportunities made available to them in application of public policies at EU, national, regional and local levels, including those offered by the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the European Year of Youth and related events to promote the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme; as well tu guarantee the involvement of young persons and youth organisations during the European Year of Youth; to realize the aim of the European Year of Youth: to develop policies together with and for the youth;

Amendment 117 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the European Year of Youth and related events to effectively promote the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme; encouraging especially those with fewer opportunities, from disadvantaged, rural or remote backgrounds, belonging to vulnerable groups, migrants and refugees to become active citizens;

Amendment 118 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the European Year of Youth and related events to promote the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme; regrets the low indicated budget for the European Year of Youth is insufficient to meet the needs of the initiative;

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17 a. Recalls the importance of ensuring automatic recognition of qualification’s and learning periods in the context of the European Education Area as a complementary and paramount tool to make inclusion measures within Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps fully effective;

Amendment 12 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas providing equal opportunities for all is, especially in the field of education and training, and must continue to be, inherent to the fundamental values of the European Union, and whereas people from all backgrounds and walks of life should be able to benefit from Erasmus+;

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Welcomes the Commission’s recent adoption of the 2021-2027 framework of measures aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in the current Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes, but nevertheless calls on the Commission to closely monitor the future national implementation of this framework and to inform the Parliament on annual basis; highlights that the full implementation of a dedicated framework of inclusion measures can serve as a useful experience and reference for other EU programmes that have a direct impact on citizens’ life such as Creative Europe and CERV;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Welcom~~Notes the Commission’s recent adoption of the 2021-2027 framework of measures aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in the current Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes~~, but nevertheless calls on the Commission to closely monitor the future national implementation of this framework~~;

Amendment 122 #

Catherine GRISET

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

Amendment 123 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18 a. Calls for an increase of the 2023 budget to be dedicated to the full implementation of inclusion measures in Erasmus + and the European Solidarity Corps and, in particular, to test the effect of pre-financing, lump sums and higher support grants on the participation rate of people with fewer opportunities or from disadvantaged backgrounds;

Amendment 13 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas providing equal opportunities for all is, and must continue to be, inherent to the fundamental values of the European Union, and whereas people from all backgrounds and walks of life should be able to benefit fully and equally from Erasmus+;

Amendment 14 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

A a. Underlines the importance of mobility and both digital and in person inclusive learning opportunities for all interested persons regardless of their background or health, economic, social and geographic obstacles; notes that this leads to more democratic, stronger and more cohesive and resilient societies;

Amendment 15 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 Regulation puts emphasis on promoting social inclusion and on the participation of people with special needs or with fewer opportunities, as defined in the ‘Erasmus+ Inclusion and Diversity Strategy’, encompassing persons with disabilities, health problems, educational difficulties, cultural differences, and facing economical, geographical and social obstacles; underlines that the new Erasmus+ programme (2021-2027) is visibly improved, more inclusive and goes hand in hand with green and digital transition;

Amendment 16 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 Regulation puts emphasis on promoting social inclusion and on the participation of people belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities, as defined in the ‘Erasmus+ Inclusion and Diversity Strategy’, encompassing persons with disabilities, health problems, educational difficulties, ~~cultural differences,~~ and facing economical, geographical and social obstacles;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas the effects of the COVID- 19 pandemic severely impacted on the education sector as a whole, further exacerbating pre-existing inequalities in access to education and making effective inclusion measures even more relevant and urgent;

Amendment 18 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

B b. whereas a high-level of ambitions for the future of education are well captured by the UN SDGs, in particular by Target 5, under Goal 4, which aims at eliminating all discriminations and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities;

Amendment 19 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas no harmonised and mandatory inclusion strategy was established at European level for the Erasmus+ programme and these shortcomings significantly limit the impact of inclusion measures within the programme;

Amendment 2 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)

— having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 25 March 2021 on shaping digital education policy;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas no harmonised ~~and mandatory~~ inclusion strategy was established at European level for the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas physical mobility enables immersion in, and optimum interaction with, other cultures, and whereas virtual exchanges and learning arcan be a valuable complement to physical mobility, but do not provide the same ~~experience~~quality of experience and benefits;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas physical mobility enables immersion in, and optimum interaction with, other cultures, and whereas virtual exchanges and learning ~~are a valuable~~should only be envisaged as complementary to physical mobility, butecause do not provide the same experience;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas physical mobility enables immersion in, and optimum interaction with, other cultures, and whereas virtual exchanges and learning are a valuable complement to physical mobility, but do not provide the same experience and quality;

Amendment 24 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the experience of mobility offered by Erasmus+ ~~can be~~is a transformative experience for participants, and can positively influence their self- confidence, openness, critical thinking, employability and well-being by providing inclusive learning opportunities that enrich their lives and allow them to experience Europe's rich linguistic and cultural heritage while gaining lifelong knowledge; highlights the importance of these learning opportunities for their personal and professional development and building a more sustainable and stronger future;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the experience of mobility offered by Erasmus+ can be a transformative experience for participants, and can positively influence their self- confidence, openness, critical thinking, employability, understanding of the benefits of the united Europe and well- being;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the experience of mobility offered by Erasmus+ can be a transformative experience for participants, and can positively influence their self- confidence, openness, critical thinking, personal and professional development, employability and well-being;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the experience of mobility offered by Erasmus+ can be a transformative ~~experienc~~one for participants, and can positively influence their ~~self- confidence, opennes~~knowledge of other European cultures, their communication skills, critical thinking, employability and well-being;

Amendment 28 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the mid-term evaluation of the Erasmus+ programme 2014-2020 published by the Commission in 2018 underlined the necessity of reaching more people with fewer opportunities and smaller organisations; including people with economic and geographic obstacles, notably those living in remote or rural areas, islands or peripheral regions that are less connected with urban areas and cities; encourages national agencies in Member States to develop inclusive methods to enhance the participation of these learners in Erasmus+ and to update and optimise the existing infrastructure to reach more future learners;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 b (new)

— having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the EU Strategy for Gender Equality;

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

F a. Whereas financial barriers remain the biggest obstacle to the participation of learners belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities, as indicated by the Social Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility research report and other relevant literature;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)

F b. Whereas learners belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities, experience institutional, environmental and attitudinal barriers that require targeted solutions and a needs-based approach to support their participation in learning mobility opportunities;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Notes with satisfaction the overall stakeholders’ perception on the positive evolution of inclusion measures during the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 programming period;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Notes ~~with satisfaction~~ the overall positive evolution of inclusion measures during the Erasmus+ 2014-2020 programming period;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove the physical, psychological, social, socio-economic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under-represented groups and those with specific needs; to make more visible projects which have been funded under Erasmus+ to enhance the participation of people living on the country side or those who have a background or engage in the agricultural sector;

Amendment 35 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove the physical, psychological, social, socio-economic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under-represented groups and those with specific needs; encourages better partnership and engagement with national and local organisations from Member States, the Western Balkans, Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood countries and all participating countries;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should ~~support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans~~contribute to thate removeal of the physical, ~~psychological, social,~~ socio-economic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under-represented groups and those with specific needs in all 24 languages, considering that language barriers are a contributor to the lower number of Erasmus+ participants. in particular among those with fewer opportunities;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that address structural discrimination and remove the physical, psychological, social, socio-economic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and European projects that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under- represented groups and those with specific needs;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove the physical, psychological, social, socio-economic, linguistic and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under-represented groups and those with specific needs, and in particular participants with disabilities;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that Erasmus+ should support stakeholders’ and programme participants’ internationalisation plans that remove the physical, psychological, social, socio-economic, linguistic, digital and other types of barriers to learning mobility and that offer clear and detailed information and qualitative support for participants from under-represented, economic and social disadvantaged groups and those with specific needs;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 c (new)

— having regard to its resolution of 11 March 2021 on the declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone;

Amendment 40 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Deplores the dire humanitarian situation for the people in Ukraine and calls for increased assistance to Ukrainian students and young people via Erasmus+ to continue their contributions to European integration. Welcomes the measures announced by the Commission to make the projects under Erasmus+ more flexible for Ukrainian students and education staff; calls for additional support to allow Ukrainian higher education institutions and the academic community to sustain;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Calls on the Commission to adapt Erasmus+, and identify budgetary solutions, to support Ukrainian students, pupils and teachers affected by the war in continuing their education and their professional activity within Ukraine and in any of the EU member states;

Amendment 42 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2 b. Underlines the positive impact of EU flagship programme Erasmus+ in third countries as a factor in the European integration process; stresses the need for increased inclusivity of Erasmus+ projects and cooperation in associated countries and other eligible countries, in particular in the Western Balkans, that would lead to strengthened EU visibility;

Amendment 43 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the crucial need for adapted funding and grants, such as pre- financing and lump sums, as financial barriers continue to be one of the biggest obstacles faced by people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+; calls on the Commission to further develop Erasmus+ financing tools and establish synergies with other programmes; encourages Member States and their national agencies to facilitate more educational seminars for Erasmus+ staff to carry out projects and explore new ways to reach future beneficiaries of the programme and better address the needs of every individual participant in order to customise their Erasmus+ experience;

Amendment 44 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the crucial need for adapted funding and grants, such as pre- financing and lump sums, as financial barriers continue to be one of the biggest obstacles faced by people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+; underlines the need to reduce the bureaucracy, for European and national calls, and provide specific integrated support for participants from disadvantaged groups and smaller organizations in order to increase their participation in the program;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the crucial need for adapted funding and grants, such as pre- financing and lump sums, as financial barriers continue to be one of the biggest obstacles faced by people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+; in this regard, stresses the need to apply flexible rules in the support of additional expenses for participants with fewer opportunities or from disadvantaged backgrounds and to provide sufficient financial amount to cover their needs;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the crucial need for adapted funding and grants, such as pre- financing and lump sums, as financial barriers continue to be one of the biggest obstacles faced by people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+; to enable participation of persons which do not have the necessary financial possibilities to pre-finance the exchange themselves;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the crucial need for adapted funding and grants, such as ~~pre- financing~~top-up grants and lump sums, as financial barriers continue to be one of the biggest obstacles faced by people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+; highlights the need to simplify the administrative burden in order to access the funds;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Stresses that the amounts of mobility grants are still insufficient in some cases, and constitute a reason for social exclusion for those students and families who cannot afford mobility; calls on regions and member states to ensure a substantial top-up to the Erasmus+ mobility grant to support those sections of the population who cannot afford the cost;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses the need to provide appropriate financial support for participants with disabilities both in finding suitable accommodation and in the expenses incurred for personal assistance services;

Amendment 5 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)

— having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 15 September 2020 on effective measures to "green" Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps;

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Calls on the Commission to consider providing from the Erasmus+ program financial support for member states integrating Ukrainian students and pupils in schools and universities;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Asks the Commission to reform the individual grant system to ensure that all participants in learning mobility receive their grants before their mobilities start;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Asks the Commission to ensure that grants for individual mobilities are properly adjusted to the cost of living of the hosting city, ensuring that they cover all the living costs of the mobile learner;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 c. Recalls that accompanying persons must also have access to those adapted funds and grants in order to participate in the mobility program and stresses that organisations should have the possibility to decide on the number of accompanying persons;

Amendment 54 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3 d. Calls on the Member States to increase the national and regional co- financing of learning mobility opportunities under Erasmus+, helping to remove barriers to participation among students belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities and calls to increase the available scholarships;

Amendment 55 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. UNotes how the pandemic accelerated the digital transition and highlighted the importance of being digitally skilled; underlines that Erasmus+ can contribute significantly in that regard; urges the Commission to tackle without delay the serious persistent issues related to Erasmus+ IT tools, which hamper not only the participation of smaller organisations and people with fewer opportunities, but also the participation of all kinds of beneficiaries, also older people from the EU and participating countries, including Western Balkans countries and the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood countries;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Urges the Commission to make sure that existing digital tools are working properly and at full extent and to tackle without delay the serious persistent issues related to Erasmus+ IT tools, which significantly hamper not only the participation of smaller organisations and people with fewer opportunities, but also the participation of all kinds of beneficiaries; with regard to the newly introduced IT tools, which should make the whole experience of mobility smoother, calls on the Commission to sufficiently test them on a large scale before their implementation;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Urges the Commission to tackle without delay the serious persistent issues related to Erasmus+ IT tools, which hamper not only the participation of smaller organisations and people with fewer opportunities, but also the participation of all kinds of beneficiaries; to simplify accession for participants and cooperation with teachers who are responsible to help with the administrational paper work before and during the exchange;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Urges the Commission to tackle without delay the serious persistent issues related to Erasmus+ IT tools, by making the process also easier and accessible for all groups, which hamper not only the participation of smaller organisations and people with fewer opportunities, but also the participation of all kinds of beneficiaries;

Amendment 59 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the role of civil society organisations, self-led organisations, teachers, youth workers and staff as the driving forces behind participating institutions in raising awareness of the programme, in informing and supporting future learners~~, and identifying people with fewer opportunities, and notes that without them, most participants~~; notes that without them, most participants belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities would not be able to take part; calls on the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to value and acknowledge their often ~~voluntary~~unpaid work, to support them by facilitating their own mobility and to provide them with adequate funding~~, while accompanying participants~~ and accompanying ongoing support, while accompanying participants belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities and offering them specific training adapted to their needs;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

— having regard to the Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights, 13 December 2017, (2017/C 428/09),

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the role of teachers, youth workers ~~and~~, youth organizations and representatives, parents, social workers, local authorities and educational staff as the driving forces behind participating institutions in raising awareness of the programme, in informing and supporting future learners, and identifying people with fewer opportunities, and notes that without them, most participants with fewer opportunities would not be able to take part; calls on the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to value and acknowledge their often voluntary work, to support them by facilitating their own mobility and to provide them with adequate funding, while accompanying participants with fewer opportunities and offering them specific training adapted to their needs;

Amendment 61 #

Željana ZOVKO, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Milan ZVER, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Acknowledg~~Praises the role of teachers, youth workers and staff as the driving forces behind participating institutions in raising awareness of the programme, in informing and supporting future learners, and identifying people with fewer opportunities deriving from different obstacles they face, and notes that without them, most participants ~~with fewer opportunities~~ would not be able to take part; calls on the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to value and acknowledge their often voluntary work, to support them by facilitating their own mobility and to provide them with adequate funding, while a~~ccompanying participants with fewer opportunities~~ssessing their needs accordingly and offering them specific training a; notes the importance to updapte~~d to their needs~~ various tools that they use in identifying possible participants of the programme;

Amendment 62 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the role of teachers, youth workers and staff ~~as the driving forces behind participating institutions~~ in raising awareness of the programme, in informing and supporting future learners, ~~and identifying people with fewer opportunities,~~ and notes that without them, most participants with fewer opportunities would not be able to take part; calls on the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to value and acknowledge their often voluntary work, to support them by facilitating their own mobility and to provide them with adequate funding, while accompanying participants with fewer opportunities and offering them specific training adapted to their needs;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the role of teachers, youth workers and ~~staff~~associations as the driving forces behind participating institutions in raising awareness of the programme, in informing and supporting future learners, and identifying people with fewer opportunities, and notes that without them, most participants with fewer opportunities would not be able to take part; calls on the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to value and acknowledge their often voluntary work, to support them by facilitating their own mobility and to provide them with adequate funding, while accompanying participants with fewer opportunities and offering them specific training adapted to their needs;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Stresses that the presence of women in the last programme period of the Erasmus continues to be higher; welcomes the development of Erasmus projects related to and focused on improving gender equality and the inclusion of women in all sectors of education, especially in STEAM disciplines; calls on the European Commission and Member States to continue to support and develop measures, projects and actions that take advantage of the high presence of women in the programme to give visibility to gender equality;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Stresses the importance of the Erasmus+ programme in promoting the values of tolerance, respect for cultural, sexual, social, religious and ethnic diversity; welcomes the projects that promote and raise awareness of sexual diversity and encourage respect for LGBTIQ+ collective; calls on the Commission to improve synergies and create real links between the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the need for the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to provide better support for grassroots organisations in all areas, particularly those that are community led and those in the outermost regions and rural areas, and to ensure that resources and projects are distributed fairly in each Member State; Asks the Member States to consider the deployment of mobility programme engagement officers to ensure that national agencies engage with civil society, local and grassroot organisations, who have well established experience in reaching out to people belonging to marginalised groups, with special needs or with fewer opportunities;

Amendment 67 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the need for the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to provide better support for grassroots organisations in all areas, particularly in the outermost regions and rural areas, and to ensure that resources and projects are distributed fairly in each Member State; underlines that it is crucial to provide equal opportunities to all interested participants regardless of their background; highlights it is important to keep extensive records and statistics that should serve as a consultation base for future programmes;

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses the need for the Commission,~~Notes the Member States and national agencies ~~to provide better~~' support for grassroots organisations in all areas~~, particularly in the outermost regions and rural areas, and to ensure that resources and projects are distributed fairly in each Member State~~;

Amendment 69 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the need for the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to provide better support for grassroots organisations in all areas, particularly in the outermost regions and rural ~~area~~, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas, or less developed regions or territories, and to ensure that resources and projects are distributed fairly in each Member State;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’, 4 March 2021, COM(2021)102,

Amendment 70 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the need for the Commission, the Member States and national agencies to provide better support for grassroots organisations, including smaller ones, in all areas, particularly in the outermost regions and rural areas, and to ensure that resources and projects are distributed fairly in each Member State;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

Amendment 72 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Stress~~Underlines the importance of providing better financial and material support to staff, so that they can engage with participants and their families, in order to give them more confidence, while ensuring that mobility projects run smoothly; notes that national agencies in Member States can provide significant help by identifying the needs of organisations and institutions in this matter and provide the necessary support;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the importance of providing better financial and material support to staff~~, so that they can engage with participants and their families, in order to give them more confidence~~ in national agencies and key stakeholder organisations, so that they can engage with participants and beneficiaries, improving access, success and impact of the project, while ensuring that mobility and projects run smoothly;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the importance of providing better financial and material support to staff, in addition to further training and additional expertise, so that they can engage with participants and their families, in order to give them more confidence, while ensuring that mobility projects run smoothly;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the importance of providing ~~bet~~adequater financial and material support to staff, so that they can engage with participants and their families, in order to ~~give them more confidence, while~~ ensur~~ing~~e that mobility projects run smoothly;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Stresses the importance of providing appropriate training and support to educators on how to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by mobility and projects and to foster the exchange of good practices in the field; and stresses the need to collect their feedback after the period of mobility in order to improve the participation of future beneficiaries;

Amendment 77 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Notes the ~~positive~~ effect of short- term mobility of schoolchildren ~~in overcoming~~where mental and psycho-social barriers, a~~nd asks the Commission and national agencies to foster mobility projects aimed at children and teenagers~~re concerned ;

Amendment 78 #

Catherine GRISET

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Asks all national agencies to organise targeted information campaigns, both online and offline, and to appoint dedicated inclusion and diversity officers in order to reach out directly to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities; in this regard, calls also on those organisations that were selected to implement Erasmus+ actions to designate dedicated contact persons for people with fewer opportunities to be informed and accompanied as needed; and recalls that information on support services for people with special needs must be clear, up-to- date, complete and easy to access;

Amendment 8 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 c (new)

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030’, 3 March 2021, COM(2021)101,

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Asks all national agencies to organise targeted information campaigns, both online and offline, and to appoint dedicated inclusion and diversity officers in order to reach out to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities; calls upon the Commission to draft a report presenting the activities and actions deployed by Member States in tackling the issue of inclusion within the program;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Asks all national agencies to organise targeted information campaigns, both online and offline, and to appoint dedicated inclusion and diversity officers in order to reach out to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities; and asks national agencies to thoroughly consider a diverse outreach scheme, both in terms of information material and spatial locations;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Asks all national agencies to organise targeted information campaigns, both online and offline, ~~and to appoint dedicated inclusion and diversity officers~~ in order to reach out to learners with special needs and/or fewer opportunities;

Amendment 84 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Calls on the Commission to improve guidelines for national policies that will enable better participation of learners with health problems, cultural differences,economic, geographical and social obstacles; proposes to increase the number of inclusion officers in national agencies in Member States and to enhance their collaboration with organisations to assure that all projects and learning opportunities are distributed fairly;

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Highlights the need to create special funding for organising targeted events for specific groups with tailored support to attend such events, focus groups and meetings with project coordinators. Face-to-face meetings, coaching and workshops should be priorities as a methods to promote the Erasmus+ programmes;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Calls on the National Agencies to support local and regional authorities and voluntary organisations with a view to encouraging young people with fewer opportunities and with special needs, such as those with disabilities, to participate in the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Calls on all the National Agencies to work with local and regional authorities to ensure that young people with disabilities are provided with support in finding suitable accommodation so that they can participate effectively in mobility projects;

Amendment 88 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Heléne FRITZON, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Supports ~~all EU~~ initiatives of the member states aimed at facilitating student mobility, such as the Erasmus+ mobile application, ‘paperless Erasmus’ and the European Student Card; calls on the Commission to look closely at the possibility of more closely linking Erasmus+ and Interrail, in order to foster greater equality and provide participants with better access to greener means of transport;

Amendment 89 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Supports all EU initiatives aimed at facilitating student mobility, such as the Erasmus+ mobile application, ‘paperless Erasmus’ and the European Student Card; calls on the Commission to look closely at the possibility of more closely linking Erasmus+ and other programmes and to foster cross-sectoral cooperation, including Interrail, in order to foster greater ~~equality and~~inclusion and equality that will provide participants with better access to greener means of transport; calls on the Commission to also improve the DiscoverEU initiative and allow even more people to participate and learn about Europe while exploring all its parts;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 d (new)

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘A union of equality: EU anti- racism action plan 2020-2025’, 18 September 2020, COM(2020)565,

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Supports all EU initiatives aimed at facilitating student mobility, such as the Erasmus+ mobile application, ‘paperless Erasmus’ and the European Student Card; calls on the Commission to ~~look closely at~~carefully examine the possibility of more closely linking Erasmus+ and Interrail, in order to ~~foster greater equality and provide participants with better access to greener means of transport~~improve access to better mobility options, particularly for those with fewer opportunities;

Amendment 91 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Calls on the Commission to facilitate international consultation (both digital and in person) between national agencies in Member States and participating countries to exchange good practices, advices and strategies; notes that this will further strengthen their cooperation and allow them to implement new solutions, ideas and lessons learned on the ground that will result in greater numbers of participants in the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Recognises the important role of Support, Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities (SALTO) Inclusion & Diversity for the implementation of inclusion measures for the Erasmus+ Youth strand, and notes that the extension of inclusion strategies to the Education & Training strand in the current programming period will have to be followed closely, as the target groups are different; stresses the need for national agencies to work more closely with employment agencies and other adult education stakeholders to facilitate the integration of adult learners into the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Recognises the important role of Support, Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities (SALTO) ~~Inclusion & Diversity~~ for the implementation of inclusion measures for the Erasmus+ Youth strand, and notes that the extension of inclusion strategies to the Education & Training strand in the current programming period will have to be followed closely, as the target groups are different; stresses the need for national agencies to work more closely with employment agencies to facilitate the integration of adult learners into the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme;

Amendment 94 #

Massimiliano SMERIGLIO, Victor NEGRESCU, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO, Marcos ROS SEMPERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Stresses the importance of providing training, in the form of dedicated courses, for staff at the National Agencies responsible for inclusion, so that they cater for the needs and difficulties of young people with disabilities wishing to participate in the Erasmus+ programme;

Amendment 95 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Regrets the lack of reliable data on the participation of people with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme; in this regard, highlights a dearth of qualitative data on criteria such as participants’ social and ethnic background, as well as gender, that could help to shed further light as to which groups inclusion measures should target; underlines the need to gather and monitor a critical mass of reliable data in order to create a management and steering tool for inclusion measures, using methods which respect privacy and the protection of personal data and do not add undue administrative burdens for organisations and participants;

Amendment 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Regrets the lack of reliable data on the participation of people with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme; underlines the need to gather and monitor a critical mass of reliable data in order to create, where appropriate and strictly following the data, a management and steering tool for inclusion measures,; stresses that using any methods ~~which~~for data collection must in all cases respect the privacy ~~and do not~~of participants, adnd ~~undue~~must contribute to the reduction of administrative burdens for organisations and participants, which is one of the primary barriers for inclusion of people with fewer opportunities and those with special needs;

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Regrets the lack of reliable data, both quantitative and qualitative, on the participation of organisations and people with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme; ~~underlines the need to~~requests the Commission and National Agency gather ~~and~~, monitor a ~~critical mass of reliable data~~nd disclose reliable data related to the participation of learners in the programme in order to create a management and steering tool for inclusion measures, using methods which respect privacy and do not add undue administrative burdens for organisations and participants; reaffirms the need for more capacity building of staff on indicators and monitoring systems for inclusion;

Amendment 98 #

Željana ZOVKO, Milan ZVER, Loucas FOURLAS, Michaela ŠOJDROVÁ, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Asim ADEMOV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Regrets the lack of reliable data on the participation of people with fewer opportunities in the Erasmus+ programme; underlines the need to gather and monitor a critical mass of reliable data in order to create a management and steering tool for inclusion measures, using methods which respect privacy and do not add undue administrative burdens for organisations and participants; calls on national agencies to develop evaluation schemes to gain clear statistics and appropriately assess further problematic issues in order to prevent it in future Erasmus+ programmes;

Amendment 99 #