Erasmus+: PAN questions Commission on the rejection of quality applications

Brussels, 16 April 2020- MEP Francisco Guerreiro (PAN) questioned the European Commission about the financing model of the 'Erasmus +' Program and what measures will be taken to guarantee access to students with quality applications, since the interim report says these students are being excluded. 

“The report indicates a structural dysfunction in the attribution of Erasmus+ scholarships that has been unfairly harming several potential scholarship holders in Portugal. The European Commission has a duty to care for the social rights of its citizens and create a more equitable system, particularly for the countries and regions that need Erasmus + the most,” says the MEP.

Conducted by the European Commission in 2017, the report ((2017) 3350537) concludes that there is a shortage of funds allocated to the Program and that these are distributed unevenly among Member States as they do not positively discriminate against them. According to the conclusions, this discrimination should include taking into account the most disadvantaged countries and regions and the different types of academic or training pathways in the Member States, which are different in duration and cost.

The question addressed to the Commission aims to find out whether measures are planned or have been taken to address these funding irregularities.

According to the report, in Portugal, owing to budget limitations, the Erasmus+ Education and Training National Agency was able to approve just 36% of the applications it received during the 2014-2016 period, and the Erasmus+ Youth in Action National Agency 24%.

The Programme Erasmus+ National Evaluation Report for Portugal ((2017)3350537) can be accessed here.

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