European solidarity corps programme 2021–2027
The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution approving the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Solidarity Corps programme and repealing Regulations (EU) 2018/1475 and (EU) No 375/2014.
The proposed regulation establishes the European Solidarity Corps programme for the period of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
Objective
The overall objective of the programme is to increase the involvement of young people and organisations in solidarity activities, mainly through volunteering, with the aim of strengthening cohesion, solidarity, democracy, European identity and active citizenship in the Union and beyond, by addressing societal and humanitarian challenges on the ground. Special efforts will be made to promote sustainable development, social inclusion and equal opportunities.
The Programme aims to provide young people, including young people with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities to participate in solidarity activities that bring about positive societal change in the EU and abroad, while allowing them to strengthen and duly validate their skills and facilitating their continued participation as active citizens.
To this end, the programme sets up two strands of actions for the participation of young people, one in solidarity activities and the other in humanitarian aid activities (the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps).
Budget
The financial envelope for the implementation of the programme for the period 2021-2027 is set at EUR 1 009 000 000 in current prices.
With a maximum of 20 % for national volunteering, the indicative breakdown of this amount is as follows: (a) 94 % for volunteering and solidarity projects, (b) 6 % for volunteering.
Participation
The European Solidarity Corps will only offer voluntary activities to young people between 18 and 30 years of age. For volunteers in the field of humanitarian aid, the upper age limit will be up to 35, with the possibility of hiring experts and coaches without an upper age limit.
The programme will be implemented through work programmes adopted by means of implementing acts.
In a statement, the European Commission took note of the European Parliament's proposal to consider ‘the number of local actors applying the knowledge, principles and approaches learnt through the humanitarian activities in which the volunteer and the experts have participated’ when supplementing the regulation with provisions on the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework.