17. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/3 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion of Agreements between the 
European Economic Community, on the one side, and (*) on the other side, establishing 
cooperation in the field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus 
programme (European Community action scheme for the mobility of university students) 
(91/C 127/03) 
COM(91) 128 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 30 April 1991) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in 
particular Article 235 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Whereas by Decision 87/327/EEC (x) the Council adopted the European Community action 
scheme for the mobility of university students (Erasmus), amended by Decision 
89/663/EEC (2), 
"Whereas on 5 November 1990 the Council authorized the Commission to negotiate with the 
EFTA countries and Liechtenstein, in accordance with specific negotiating directives, bilateral 
agreements having as their objective cooperation in the field of education and training within 
the framework of the Erasmus programme, 
Whereas a cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the (*) by 
its nature enriches the impact of the Erasmus programme so as to develop inter-university 
cooperation and to strengthen the skill level of human resources in Europe, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
The Agreement between the European Economic Community and (*) establishing cooperation 
in the field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus programme is 
hereby approved on behalf of the Community. 
The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision. 
Article 2 
The President of the Council shall carry out the notifications as provided for in Article 13 of 
the Agreement. 
(*) Kingdom of Norway/Kingdom of Sweden/Republic of Austria/Republic of Finland/Republic of 
Iceland/Swiss Confederation/Principality of Liechtenstein 
(») OJ No L 166, 25. 6. 1987, p. 20. 
(2) OJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 23. 
No C 127/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
Agreement between the European Economic Community and (*) establishing cooperation in the 
field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus programme 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 
hereinafter called 'the Community', 
and 
o -Article 1 
Cooperation between the Community and ... shall be 
established in the field of inter-university cooperation 
and mobility in the context of the implementation of 
Erasmus. The actions of the Erasmus programme are set 
out in Annex I. 
hereinafter called '(2)', 
hereinafter both called the 'Contracting Parties', 
Whereas the Community has adopted the European 
Community action scheme for the mobility of university 
students, hereinafter referred to as Erasmus; 
Whereas the Contracting Parties have a common interest 
in cooperation in this field, as part of the wider 
cooperation between the Community and the EFTA 
countries in the field of education and vocational 
training with the aim of contributing to a dynamic and 
homogeneous development in this field; 
Whereas in particular cooperation between the 
Community and ... with a view to pursuing the 
objectives fixed for Erasmus, within the context of a 
network of inter-university cooperation involving the 
Community and the EFTA countries as a whole, by its 
nature enriches the impact of Erasmus actions so as to 
strengthen the skill levels of human resources in the 
Community and ...; 
Whereas the Contracting Parties consequently expect to 
obtain mutual benefit from the participation of ... in 
Erasmus; Article 2 
For the purposes of the Agreement, the term 'university' 
shall be used to cover all types of post-secondary 
education and training establishments which offer, where 
appropriate within the framework of advanced training, 
qualifications or diplomas of that level, whatever such 
establishments may be called in the Contracting Parties. 
Students registered in those establishments, regardless of 
the field of study, are eligible for support within the 
Erasmus programme, up to and including doctorate 
level, on condition that the period of study at the host 
university, which is compatible with the curriculum at the 
student's home university, forms part of his or her 
vocational training. 
The Erasmus programme does not cover research and 
technological development activities. 
Article 3 
Unless otherwise provided in this article, references in 
Annex I to this Agreement to the Member States of the 
Community shall be understood for the purposes of the 
present Agreement as referring also to .... 
As far as the different actions of Erasmus are concerned, 
the participation of universities from ... in Erasmus acti­
vities shall be subject to the specific conditions and rules 
set out in the present Article. 
Whereas a successful cooperation in this field implies a 
general commitment by both sides to make 
complementary efforts to stimulate student mobility; 1. Action 1 — Establishment and operation of a 
European university network 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 1 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
(') The Kingdom of Norway/the Kingdom of Sweden/the 
Republic of Austria/the Republic of Finland/the Republic 
of Iceland/the Swiss Confederation 
(2) Norway/Sweden/Austria/Finland/Iceland/Switzerland (1) Universities from ... may formally participate in 
and receive funding for participation in inter-
university cooperation programmes (ICPs). In 
order to create a network of inter-university 
17.5.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/5 
cooperation between the Community and . .., 
preference shall be given to multilateral ICPs. In 
line with this principle ICPs shall include univer­
sities from at least two Community Member 
States. However, in the first year of operation of 
the present Agreement, ICPs including one or 
more universities from at least one Community 
Member State shall exceptionally be eligible for 
financial support. 
(2) Activities within Action 1 solely between univer­
sities from ... and from EFTA countries, even 
where such countries have a cooperation 
agreement with the Community concerning 
Erasmus, shall not be eligible for financial 
support. 
(3) Under the circumstances set out in (1) and (2), 
universities from . .. shall benefit from the 
measures referred to under this action on the 
same basis as universities from Community 
Member States and under the same conditions. 3. Action 3 — Measures to promote mobility 
through the academic recognition of 
diplomas and periods of study 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 3 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
Relevant institutions and bodies in ... shall be eligible 
to participate in and benefit from the measures 
referred to under this action on the same basis as 
similar institutions and bodies in the Community 
Member States and under the same conditions. 
4. Action 4 — Complementary measures to 
promote student mobility in the Community 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 4 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
Relevant institutions and bodies in .. . shall be eligible 
to participate in and benefit from the measures 
referred to under this action on the same basis as 
similar institutions and bodies in the Community 
Member States and under the same conditions. 
2. Action 2 — Erasmus student grants scheme 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 2 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. Article 4 
1. ... shall make an annual contribution to the 
financing of the Erasmus programme, beginning in the 
calendar year following entry into force of this 
agreement, up to and including the calendar year in 
which the last academic year of operation of this 
Agreement begins. 
(1) Erasmus student grants may be awarded to 
students from ... for the purpose of facilitating a 
period of study in a Member State of the 
Community and vice versa. Such students shall be 
nationals or permanent residents in EC Member 
States or ... Grants shall not be awarded to 
students from .. . for the purpose of facilitating a 
period of study in another EFTA country (or vice 
versa), even where that country has a cooperation 
agreement with the Community concerning 
Erasmus. 2. This annual financial contribution of . .. shall be 
established in proportion to the total annual budget for 
the Erasmus programme. 
3. The proportionality factor governing the contri­
bution by . . . shall be determined by the ratio between its 
gross domestic product (GDP), at market prices, and the 
sum of the gross domestic products, at market prices, of 
the Member States of the Community and ... This ratio 
shall be calculated year by year on the basis of the latest 
available OECD statistical data. 
(2) The Erasmus grants for students moving from 
universities in .. . shall be administered through 
the competent authority in .. ., which shall be 
designated by ... for this purpose. 4. At the beginning of each year, the Commission 
shall inform ... of the amount of the appropriations 
available in the Community budget for that year in 
respect of the Erasmus programme. Amendments of this 
amount occuring during the year shall be communicated 
to ... by the Community. 
(3) Under the circumstances set out in (1) and (2), 
university students from . . . may benefit from the 
measures referred to under Action 2 of Annex I 
to this Agreement, on the same basis as university 
students from Community Member States and 
under the same conditions. 5. In addition to the annual contribution referred to in 
paragraph 1, . . . shall make, not later than by the entry 
into force of this Agreement, an initial contribution of 
ECU ... to cover the costs of prior preparatory work 
carried out by the Commission in connection with the 
implementation of this Agreement. 
No C 127/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
6. The rules governing the financial contributions by 
... to the development of the Erasmus programme shall 
be those set out in Annex II to the present Agreement. 
Article 5 
Subject to the special requirements referred to in Article 
4 of the present Agreement regarding participation by 
universities from ..., the terms and conditions for the 
submission and evaluation of applications and the terms 
and conditions for the granting and conclusion of 
contracts under the Erasmus programme shall be the 
same as those applicable to universities in the 
Community. 
Article 6 
1. A Joint Committee is hereby established. 
2. The committee shall be responsible for the 
implementation of the present Agreement. 
3. The Community delegation shall take the appro­
priate steps to ensure coordination between the 
implementation of this Agreement and the decisions 
taken by the Community in respect of the implemen­
tation of Erasmus. 
4. For the purpose of the proper implementation of 
the Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall exchange 
information and, at the request of either Party, shall 
hold consultations within the committee. 
5. The committee may deliver opinions and elaborate 
guidelines concerning the implementation of the Erasmus 
programme as far as the participation of ... is 
concerned. 
6. The committee shall adopt its own rules of 
procedure. 
7. The committee shall consist of representatives of 
the Community, on the one hand, and, on the other 
hand, representatives of ... 
8. The committee shall act by mutual agreement. 
9. The committee shall meet at the request of either 
Contracting Party, in accordance with the conditions to 
be laid down in its rules of procedure. 
Article 7 
Decisions concerning the selection of projects described 
in Annex I (Actions 1, 3 and 4) shall be taken by the 
Commission of the European Communities. 
Decisions concerning the award of Erasmus grants for 
students moving from .. . universities (Action 2) shall be 
taken by the competent authority in ... in close 
cooperation with the participating universities. For this purpose, guidelines will be provided to the above 
competent authority by the Commission of the European 
Communities. 
Article 8 
The Contracting Parties shall make efforts to facilitate 
the free movement and residence of students, teachers 
and university administrators moving between . .. and 
the Community for the purpose of participating in acti­
vities covered by the present Agreement. 
Article 9 
... shall submit to the Commission, to assist the latter in 
drafting its annual report on Erasmus as well as a report 
on the experience acquired in the application of the 
programme, a contribution describing the national 
measures taken by ... in this regard. A copy of these 
reports shall be transmitted to ... 
Article 10 
With regard to the application process, contracts, reports 
to be submitted and other administrative arrangements 
for the Erasmus programme, the languages used shall be 
the official languages of the Community. 
Article 11 
The present Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to 
the territories in which the Treaty establishing the 
Community is applied and under the conditions laid 
down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the 
territory of . . . . 
Article 12 
1. The present Agreement shall be concluded for a 
period covering the five academic years following entry 
into force. It may be renewed for a further period of five 
years by agreement between the contracting parties. A 
review of the present Agreement shall be completed 
before the end of the third academic year after entry into 
force. 
2. Should the Community revise the Erasmus 
programme, the present Agreement may be renegotiated 
or terminated. ... shall be notified of the exact content 
of the revised programme within one week after its 
adoption by the Community. The Contracting Parties 
shall notify each other within three months after the 
Community decision has been adopted if a renegotiation 
or termination of the Agreement is requested. In the 
event of termination, the practical arrangements for 
dealing with outstanding commitments shall be the 
subject of negotiations between the Contracting Parties. 
17. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/7 
3. Either Contracting Party may at any time request a 
revision of the Agreement. To this end, it shall submit a 
request to the other Contracting Party. The Contracting 
Parties may instruct the Joint Committee to examine this 
request and, where appropriate, to make recommen­
dations to them, particularly with a view to opening 
negotiations. necessary for this purpose, it shall enter into force on the 
first day of the second month following such notifi­
cation. However, if such notification has not taken place 
by the end of September of any year, the provisions of 
the Agreement shall only become operational with effect 
from the second academic year following such notifi­
cation. 
Article 13 
The present Agreement shall be approved by the 
Contracting Parties in accordance with their existing 
procedures. Subject to the Contracting Parties' having 
notified each other of the completion of the procedures Article 14 
The Present Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in 
the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, 
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and . .. languages, each of 
these texts being equally authentic. 
ANNEX I 
ACTION 1 
Establishment and operation of a European university network 
1. The Community will further develop the European university network established within the Erasmus 
programme and designed to stimulate Community-wide exchange of students. 
The European university network will be composed of those universities which, in the framework of the 
Erasmus programme, have concluded agreements and organize programmes providing for exchanges of 
students and teachers with universities of other Member States and ensuring full recognition of study 
periods thus accomplished outside the home university. 
The main aim of inter-university agreements is to give the students of one university the opportunity to 
undertake a fully recognized period of study in at least one other Member State, as an integral part of 
their diploma or academic qualification. These joint programmes could include as necessary an inte­
grated period of foreign language preparation as well as cooperation among teachers and administrative 
staff in order to prepare the conditions necessary for the exchange of students and for the mutual 
recognition of periods of study accomplished abroad. Wherever possible, the preparation in the foreign 
language should be commenced in the country of origin before departure. 
Priority will be given to programmes involving an integrated and fully recognized period of study in 
another Member State. For each joint progamme, each participating university will receive support of up 
to an annual ceiling of ECU 25 000 for a maximum period of three years in the first instance subject to 
periodic review. 
2. Support will also be provided for exchanges of teaching staff for the purpose of carrying out integrated 
teaching assignments in other Member States. 
3. Support will also be provided for joint curriculum development projects between universities in different 
Member States as a means of facilitating academic recognition and of contributing by means of an 
exchange of experience to the process of innovation and improvement of courses on a Community-wide 
basis. 
No C 127/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
4. In addition, grants of up to ECU 20 000 will be provided to universities organizing intensive teaching 
programmes of short duration involving students from several different Member States. This action will 
be of a complementary nature. 
5. The Community will also provide support for teaching staff and university administrators to carry out 
visits to other Member States, to enable them to prepare programmes of integrated study with univer­
sities of these Member States and to increase their mutual understanding of the training aspects of the 
higher education systems of other Member States. Grants will also be provided to allow teaching staff to 
conduct a series of specialized lectures in several Member States. 
ACTION 2 
Erasmus student grants scheme 
1. The Community will further develop a scheme for the direct financial support of students at universities 
as defined in Article 1 (2) carrying out a period of study in another Member State. In determining the 
total expenditure for Actions 1 and 2 respectively, the Community will have regard to the number of 
students to be exchanged within the European University Network as it develops. 
2. The Erasmus student grants are administered through the competent authorities of the Member States. 
In view of the development of the European university network, the Member States shall each be paid a 
minimum of ECU 200 000 (the equivalent of approximately 100 grants); the remainder shall be 
allocated to each Member State on the basis of the total number of students at universities as defined in 
Article 1 (2), as well as on the total number of 18- to 25-year-olds in each Member State, the average 
cost of the journey between the country of the university of the student's country of origin and that of 
the host university as well as on the difference between the cost of living in the country of the home 
university and that of the host university. 
Moreover, the Commission will take the necessary steps to ensure balanced participation across the 
various subjects, to take account of the demand for programmes and of student flow and to deal with 
certain specific problems, in particular the financing of certain grants which, because of the structure of 
the exceptional programmes concerned, cannot be administered by national agencies. The proportion 
available for such measures shall not exceed 5 % of the total annual student grants budget. 
3. The grant-awarding authorities of the Member States will issue grants up to a maximum of ECU 5 000 
per student for a stay of one year, subject to the following conditions: 
(a) the grants are intended to offset the additional costs of mobility, i.e. travel costs, foreign language 
preparation as necessary and higher cost of living in the host country (including, where appropriate, 
the extra cost of living away from the student's home country). They do not aim to cover the full 
cost of study abroad; 
(b) priority will be given to students on courses which are part of the European university network 
under Action 1 as well as to those students participating in the European Community course credit 
transfer system (ECTS) pursuant to Action 3. Grants may also be provided for other students on 
courses for whom special arrangements are made outside the network in another Member State 
provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria; 
(c) grants will be awarded only in cases where the period of study spent in another Member State will 
be granted full recognition by the student's home university. However, grants may be awarded 
exceptionally in cases where the period of study to be spent in another Member State will be 
granted full recognition by the degree-awarding university in that Member State, provided that this 
arrangement forms part of an inter-university agreement supported pursuant to Action 1; 
(d) no tuition fees will be charged by the host university to incoming students; where appropriate, 
grantholders will continue to pay tuition fees at their home university; 
(e) grants will be awarded for a significant period of academic study in another Member State of three 
months to a full academic year, or to more than 12 months in case of highly integrated programmes. 
Grants will not normally be awarded for the first year of university study; 
17. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/9 
(f) any grants or loans available to students in their own country will continue to be paid in full during 
their period of study at the host university for which they are receiving an Erasmus grant. 
ACTION 3 
Measures to promote mobility through the academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study 
The Community will undertake, through cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States, 
the following actions in order to promote mobility through the academic recognition of diplomas and 
periods of study acquired in another Member State: 
1. measures to promote the European Community course credit transfer system (ECTS) on an 
experimental and voluntary basis in order to provide a means by which students undergoing or having 
completed higher education and training may receive credit for such training carried out at universities 
in other Member States. A limited number of grants of up to ECU 20 000 per year will be awarded to 
the universities participating in the pilot system; 
2. measures to promote the Community-wide exchange of information on the academic recognition of 
diplomas acquired and periods of study spent in another Member State, notably by means of the further 
development of the European Community network of national academic recognition information 
centres; annual grants of up to ECU 20 000 will be awarded to the centres to facilitate exchange of 
information, in particular by means of a computerized system for data exchange. 
ACTION 4 
Complementary measures to promote student mobility in the Community 
1. The complementary measures are intended to finance: 
— support to associations and consortia of universities, teaching staff, administrators or students acting 
on a European basis, in particular with a view to making initiatives in specific fields of training better 
known throughout the Community, 
— publications designed to enhance awareness of study and teaching opportunities in the other 
Member States or to draw attention to important developments and innovative models for university 
cooperation throughout the Community, 
— other initiatives designed to promote inter-university cooperation in the field of vocational training 
within the Community, 
— measures facilitating the dissemination of information on the Erasmus programme, 
— Erasmus prizes of the European Community to be awarded to students, staff members, universities 
or Erasmus projects which have made an outstanding contribution to the development of inter-
university cooperation within the Community. 
2. The cost of measures under Action 4 will not exceed 5 % of the annual appropriations for the Erasmus 
programme. 
No C 127/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
ANNEX II 
Financing rules 
Article 1 
The financial Regulation in force applicable to the general budget of the European Communities shall 
apply, notably to the management of the appropriations. 
Article 2 
At the beginning of each year, or whenever the Erasmus programme is revised so as to involve an increase 
in the amount entered in the Community budget for its implementation, the Commission shall send to ... a 
call for funds corresponding to its contribution to the costs under the present Agreement. 
This contribution shall be expressed in ecus and paid into an ecu bank account of the Commission. 
. . . shall pay its contribution to the annual costs under the Agreement according to the call for funds and 
at the latest one month after the call for funds is sent. Any delay in the payment of the contribution shall 
give rise to the payment of interest by ... on the outstanding amount from the due date. The interest rate 
shall correspond to the rate applied by the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, for the month of the 
due date, for its operations in ecus (4), increased by 1,5 percentage points. 
O Rate published monthly in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C series. 
17.5.91 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 127/11 
Draft Exchange of Letters to be signed on the occasion of the signature of the Agreement 
between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland establishing 
cooperation in the field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus 
programme 
Letter No 1 (to be signed by Iceland) 
(Complimentary opening) 
I hereby confirm on behalf of the Republic of Iceland our understanding that the total amount 
allocated to Iceland under Action 2 of the Erasmus programme will, for the time being, not 
exceed the minimum referred to in paragraph 2 of Action 2 in Annex I to the Agreement 
between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland establishing 
cooperation in the field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus 
programme. It is understood, however, that this situation shall be subject to review by the Joint 
Committee provided for in the Agreement. 
(Complimentary close) 
Letter No 2 (to be signed by the Community) 
(Complimentary opening) 
I hereby acknowledge on behalf of the Community your letter of . . . which reads as follows: 
(quote) 
I confirm on behalf of the Community that this corresponds to our understanding of how the 
Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland estab­
lishing cooperation in the field of education and training within the framework of the Erasmus 
programme should be implemented. 
(Complimentary close) 
NoC 127/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 5. 91 
Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Principality of Liechtenstein 
establishing cooperation in the field of education and training within the framework of the 
Erasmus programme 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, 
hereinafter called 'the Community' cooperation and mobility in the context of the 
implementation of Erasmus. The actions of the Erasmus 
programme are set out in Annex I. 
and 
THE PRINCIPALITY OF LICHTENSTEIN, 
hereinafter called 'Liechtenstein', Article 2 
For the purposes of the Agreement, the term 'university' 
shall be used to cover all types of post-secondary 
education and training establishments which offer, where 
appropriate within the framework of advanced training, 
qualifications or diplomas of that level, whatever such 
establishments may be called in the Contracting Parties. 
hereinafter both called the 'Contracting Parties', 
Whereas the Community has adopted the European 
Community action scheme for the mobility of university 
students, hereinafter referred to as Erasmus; Students registered in those establishments, regardless of 
the field of study, are eligible for support within the 
Erasmus programme, up to and including doctorate 
level, on condition that the period of study at the host 
university, which is compatible with the curriculum at the 
student's home university, forms part of his or her voca­
tional training. 
Whereas the Contracting Parties have a common interest 
in cooperation in this field, as part of the wider 
cooperation between the Community and the EFTA 
countries in the field of education and vocational 
training with the aim of contributing to a dynamic and 
homogeneous development in this field; 
Whereas in particular cooperation between the 
Community and Liechtenstein with a view to pursuing 
the objectives fixed for Erasmus, within the context of a 
network of inter-university cooperation involving the 
Community and the EFTA countries as a whole, by its 
nature enriches the impact of Erasmus actions so as to 
strengthen the skill levels of human resources in the 
Community and Liechtenstein; 
Whereas the Contracting Parties consequently expect 
to obtain mutual benefit from the participation of 
Liechtenstein in Erasmus; 
Whereas a succesful cooperation in this field implies a 
general commitment by both sides to make 
complementary efforts to stimulate student mobility; 
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
Cooperation between the Community and Liechtenstein 
shall be established in the field of inter-university The Erasmus programme does not cover research and 
technological development activities. 
Article 3 
Unless otherwise provided in this article, references in 
Annex I to this Agreement to the Member States of the 
Community shall be understood for the purposes of the 
present Agreement as referring also to Liechtenstein. 
As far as the different actions of Erasmus are concerned, 
the participation of universities from Liechtenstein in 
Erasmus activities shall be subject to the specific 
conditions and rules set out in the present Article. 
1. Action 1 — Establishment and operation of a 
European university network 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 1 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
(1) Universities from Liechtenstein may formally 
participate in and receive funding for part­
icipation in inter-university cooperation 
programmes (ICPs). In order to create a network 
of inter-university cooperation between the 
Community and Liechtenstein, preference shall be 
given to multilateral ICPs. In line with this 
principle ICPs shall include universities from at 
least two Community Member States. However, 
in the first year of operation of the present 
Agreement, ICPs including one or more univer-
17.5.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/13 
sities from at least one Community Member State 
shall exceptionally be eligible for financial 
support. 3. Action 3 — Measures to promote mobility 
through the academic recognition of 
diplomas and periods of study 
(2) Activities within Action 1 solely between univer­
sities from Liechtenstein and from EFTA 
countries, even where such countries have a 
cooperation agreement with the Community 
concerning Erasmus, shall not be eligible for 
financial support. 
(3) Under the circumstances set out in (1) and (2), 
universities from Liechtenstein shall benefit from 
the measures referred to under this action on the 
same basis as universities from Community 
Member States and under the same condidions. The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 3 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
Relevant institutions and bodies in Liechtenstein shall 
be eligible to participate in and benefit from the 
measures referred to under this Action on the same 
basis as similar institutions and bodies in the 
Community Member States and under the same 
conditions. 
4. Action 4 — Complementary measures to 
promote student mobility in the Community 
2. Action 2 — Erasmus student grants scheme The content and objectives of this Action shall be 
those indicated in Action 4 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. 
The content and objectives of this action shall be 
those indicated in Action 2 of Annex I to the present 
Agreement. Relevant institutions and bodies in Liechtenstein shall 
be eligible to participate in and benefit from the 
measures referred to under this action on the same 
conditions. 
The minimum amount refered to in Action 2.2 shall 
however in the case of Liechtenstein be fixed at ECU 
6 000. 
(1) Erasmus student grants may be awarded to 
students from Liechtenstein for the purpose of 
facilitating a period of study in a Member State 
of the Community and vice versa. Such students 
shall be nationals or permanent residents in EC 
Member States or Liechtenstein. Grants shall not 
be awarded to students from Liechtenstein for the 
purpose of facilitating a period of study in 
another EFTA country (or vice versa), even 
where that country has a cooperation agreement 
with the Community concerning Erasmus. 
(2) The Erasmus grants for students moving from 
universities in Liechtenstein shall be administered 
through the competent authority in Liechtenstein, 
which shall be designated by Liechtenstein for 
this purpose. Article 4 
1. Liechtenstein shall make an annual contribution to 
the financing of the Erasmus programme, beginning in 
the calendar year following entry into force of this 
Agreement, up to and including the calendar year in 
which the last academic year of operation of this 
Agreement begins. 
2. This annual financial contribution of Liechtenstein 
shall be established on an annual basis in relation with 
the total annual budget for the Erasmus programme. 
For the first year of operation of this Agreement, 
the financial contribution of Liechtenstein is fixed at 
ECU 35 000. Consequent annual contributions of Liech­
tenstein shall be fixed in the framework of the Joint 
Committee. 
Such contributions shall however be at least equal to an 
amount proportionately related to the contribution by 
the Swiss Confederation calculated by reference to the 
respective populations of Liechtenstein and the Swiss 
Confederation. 
(3) Under the circumstances set out in (1) and (2), 
university students from Liechtenstein may benefit 
from the measures referred to under Action 2 of 
Annex I this Agreement, on the same basis as 
university students from Community Member 
States and under the same conditions. 3. At the beginning of each year, the Commission 
shall inform Liechtenstein of the amount of the appropri­
ations available in the Community budget for that year 
in respect of the Erasmus programme. Amendments of 
this amount occuring during the year shall be 
communicated to Liechtenstein by the Community. 
No C 127/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
4. In addition to the annual contribution referred to in 
paragraph 1, Liechtenstein shall make, not later than by 
the entry into force of this Agreement, an initial contri­
bution of ECU 600 to cover the costs of prior 
preparatory work carried out by the Commission in 
connection with the implementation of this Agreement. 
5. The rules governing the financial contributions by 
Liechtenstein to the development of the Erasmus 
programme shall be those set out in Annex II to the 
present Agreement. 
Article 5 
Subject to the special requirements referred to in Article 
4 of the present Agreement regarding participation by 
universitites from Liechtenstein, the terms and conditions 
for the submission and evaluation of applications and the 
terms and conditions for the granting and conclusion of 
contracts under the Erasmus programme shall be the 
same as those applicable to universities in the 
Community. 
Article 6 
1. A Joint Committee is hereby established. 
2. The committee shall be responsible for the 
implementation of the present Agreement. 
3. The Community delegation shall take the appro­
priate steps to ensure coordination between the 
implementation of this Agreement and the decisions 
taken by the Community in respect of the implemen­
tation of Erasmus. 
4. For the purpose of the proper implementation of 
the Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall exchange 
information and, at the request of either Party, shall 
hold consultations within the committee. 
5. The committee may deliver opinions and elaborate 
guidelines concerning the implementation of the Erasmus 
programme as far as the participation of Liechtenstein is 
concerned. 
6. The committee shall adopt its own rules of 
procedure. 
7. The committee shall consist of representatives of 
the Community, on the one hand, and, on the other 
hand, representatives of Liechtenstein. 
8. The committee shall act by mutual agreement. 
9. The committee shall meet at the request of either 
Contracting Party, in accordance with the conditions to 
be laid down in its rules of procedure. Article 7 
Decisions concerning the selection of projects described 
in Annex I (Actions 1, 3 and 4) shall be taken by the 
Commission of the European Communities. 
Decisions concerning the award of Erasmus grants for 
students moving from Liechtenstein universities (Action 
2) shall be taken by the competent authority in Liech­
tenstein in close cooperation with the participating 
universities. For this purpose, guidelines will be provided 
to the above competent authority by the Commission of 
the European Communities. 
Article 8 
The Contracting Parties shall make efforts to facilitate 
the free movement and residence of students, teachers 
and university administrators moving between 
Liechenstein and the Community for the purpose of 
participating in activities covered by the present 
Agreement. 
Article 9 
Liechtenstein shall submit to the Commission, to assist 
the latter in drafting its annual report on Erasmus as well 
as a report on the experience acquired in the application 
of the programme, a contribution describing the national 
measures taken by Liechtenstein in this regard. A copy of 
these reports shall be transmitted to Liechtenstein. 
Article 10 
With regard to the application process, contracts, reports 
to be submitted and other administrative arrangements 
for the Erasmus programme, the languages used shall be 
the official languages of the Community. 
Article 11 
The present Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to 
the territories in which the Treaty establishing the 
Community is applied and under the conditions laid 
down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the 
territory of Liechtenstein. 
Article 12 
1. The present Agreement shall be concluded for a 
period covering the five academic years following entry 
into force. It may be renewed for a further period of five 
years by Agreement between the contracting parties. A 
review of the present Agreement shall be completed 
before the end of the third academic year after entry into 
force. 
17. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/15 
2. Should the Community revise the Erasmus 
programme, the present Agreement may be renegotiated 
or terminated. Liechtenstein shall be notified of the exact 
content of the revised programme within one week after 
its adoption by the Community. The Contracting Parties 
shall notify each other within three months after the 
Community decision has been adopted if a renegotiation 
or termination of the Agreement is requested. In the 
event of termination, the practical arrangements for 
dealing with outstanding commitments shall be the 
subject of negotiations between the Contracting Parties. 
3. Either Contracting Party may at any time request a 
revision of the Agreement. To this end, it shall submit a 
request to the other Contracting Party. The Contracting 
Parties may instruct the Joint Committee to examine this 
request and, where appropriate, to make recommen­
dations to them, particularly with a view to opening 
negotiations. Article 13 
The present Agreement shall be approved by the 
Contracting Parties in accordance with their existing 
procedures. Subject to the Contracting Parties' having 
notified each other of the completion of the procedures 
necessary for this purpose, it shall enter into force on the 
first day of the second month following such notifi­
cation. However, if such notification has not taken place 
by the end of September of any year, the provisions of 
the Agreement shall only become operational with effect 
from the second academic year following such notifi­
cation. 
Article 14 
The Present Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in 
the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, 
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and ... languages, each of 
these texts being equally authentic. 
ANNEX I 
ACTION 1 
Establishment and operation of a European university network 
1. The Community will further develop the European university network established within the Erasmus 
programme and designed to stimulate Community-wide exchange of students. 
The European university network will be composed of those universities which, in the framework of the 
Erasmus programme, have concluded agreements and organize programmes providing for exchanges of 
students and teachers with universities of other Member States and ensuring full recognition of study 
periods thus accomplished outside the home university. 
The main aim of inter-university agreements is to give the students of one university the opportunity to 
undertake a fully recognized period of study in at least one other Member State, as an integral part of 
their diploma or academic qualification. These joint programmes could include as necessary an inte­
grated period of foreign language preparation as well as cooperation among teachers and administrative 
staff in order to prepare the conditions necessary for the exchange of students and for the mutual 
recognition of periods of study accomplished abroad. Wherever possible, the preparation in the foreign 
language should be commenced in the country of origin before departure. 
Priority will be given to programmes involving an integrated and fully recognized period of study in 
another Member State. For each joint programme, each participating university will receive support of 
up to an annual ceiling of ECU 25 000 for a maximum period of three years in the first instance subject 
to periodic review. 
2. Support will also be provided for exchanges of teaching staff for the purpose of carrying out integrated 
teaching assignments in other Member States. 
No C 127/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
3. Support will also be provided for joint curriculum development projects between universities in different 
Member States as a means of facilitating academic recognition and of contributing by means of an 
exchange of experience to the process of innovation and improvement of courses on a Community-wide 
basis. 
4. In addition, grants of up to ECU 20 000 will be provided to universities organizing intensive teaching 
programmes of short duration involving students from several different Member States. This action will 
be of a complementary nature. 
5. The Community will also provide support for teaching staff and university administrators to carry out 
visits to other Member States, to enable them to prepare programmes of integrated study with univer­
sities of these Member States and to increase their mutual understanding of the training aspects of the 
higher education systems of other Member States. Grants will also be provided to allow teaching staff to 
conduct a series of specialized lectures in several Member States. 
ACTION 2 
Erasmus student grants scheme 
1. The Community will further develop a scheme for the direct financial support of students at universities 
as defined in Article 1 (2) carrying out a period of study in another Member State. In determining the 
total expenditure for Actions 1 and 2 respectively, the Community will have regard to the number of 
students to be exchanged within the European University Network as it develops. 
2. The Erasmus student grants are administered through the competent authorities of the Member States. 
In view of the development of the European university network, the Member States shall each be paid a 
minimum of ECU 200 000 (the equivalent of approximately 100 grants); the remainder shall be 
allocated to each Member State on the basis of the total number of students at universities as defined in 
Article 1 (2), as well as on the total number of 18- to 25-year-olds in each Member State, the average 
cost of the journey between the country of the university of the student's country of origin and that of 
the host university as well as on the difference between the cost of living in the country of the home 
university and that of the host university. 
Moreover, the Commission will take the necessary steps to ensure balanced participation across the 
various subjects, to take account of the demand for programmes and of student flow and to deal with 
certain specific problems, in particular the financing of certain grants which, because of the structure of 
the exceptional programmes concerned, cannot be administered by national agencies. The proportion 
available for such measures shall not exceed 5 % of the total annual student grants budget. 
3. The grant-awarding authorities of the Member States will issue grants up to a maximum of ECU 5 000 
per student for a stay of one year, subject to the following conditions: 
(a) the grants are intended to offset the additional costs of mobility, i.e. travel costs, foreign language 
preparation as necessary and higher cost of living in the host country (including, where appropriate, 
the extra cost of living away from the student's home country). They do not aim to cover the full 
cost of study abroad; 
(b) priority will be given to students on courses which are part of the European university network 
under Action 1 as well as to those students participating in the European Community course credit 
transfer system (ECTS) pursuant to Action 3. Grants may also be provided for other students on 
courses for whom special arrangements are made outside the network in another Member State 
provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria; 
(c) grants will be awarded only in cases where the period of study spent in another Member State will 
be granted full recognition by the student's home university. However, grants may be awarded 
exceptionally in cases where the period of study to be spent in another Member State will be 
granted full recognition by the degree-awarding university in that Member State, provided that this 
arrangement forms part of an inter-university agreement supported pursuant to Action 1; 
17. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 127/17 
(d) no tuition fees will be charged by the host university to incoming students; where appropriate, 
grantholders will continue to pay tuition fees at their home university; 
(e) grants will be awarded for a significant period of academic study in another Member State of three 
months to a full academic year, or to more than 12 months in the case of highly integrated 
programmes. Grants will not normally be awarded for the first year of university study; 
(f) any grants or loans available to students in their own country will continue to be paid in full during 
their period of study at the host university for which they are receiving an Erasmus grant. 
ACTION 3 
Measures to promote mobility through the academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study 
The Community will undertake, through cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States, 
the following actions in order to promote mobility through the academic recognition of diplomas and 
periods of study acquired in another Member State: 
1. measures to promote the European Community course credit Transfer System (ECTS) on an 
experimental and voluntary basis in order to provide a means by which students undergoing or having 
completed higher education and training may receive credit for such training carried out at universities 
in other Member States. A limited number of grants of up to ECU 20 000 per year will be awarded to 
the universities participating in the pilot system; 
2. measures to promote the Community-wide exchange of information on the academic recognition of 
diplomas acquired and periods of study spent in another Member State, notably by means of the further 
development of the European Community network of national academic recognition information 
centres; annual grants of up to ECU 20 000 will be awarded to the centres to facilitate exchange of 
information, in particular by means of a computerized system for data exchange. 
ACTION 4 
Complementary measures to promote student mobility in the Community 
1. The complementary measures are intended to finance: 
— support to associations and consortia of universities, teaching staff, administrators or students acting 
on a European basis, in particular with a view to making initiatives in specific fields of training better 
known throughout the Community, 
— publications designed to enhance awareness of study and teaching opportunities in the other 
Member States or to draw attention to important developments and innovative models for university 
cooperation throughout the Community, 
— other initiatives designed to promote inter-university cooperation in the field of vocational training 
within the Community, 
— measures facilitating the dissemination of information on the Erasmus programme, 
— Erasmus prizes of the European Community to be awarded to students, staff members, universities 
or Erasmus projects which have made an outstanding contribution to the development of inter-
university cooperation within the Community. 
2. The cost of measures under Action 4 will not exceed 5 % of the annual appropriations for the Erasmus 
programme. 
NoC 127/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.5.91 
ANNEX II 
Financing rules 
Article 1 
The financial Regulation in force applicable to the general budget of the European Communities shall 
apply, notably to the management of the appropriations. 
Article 2 
At the beginning of each year, or whenever the Erasmus programme is revised so as to involve an increase 
in the amount entered in the Community budget for its implementation, the Commission shall send to 
Liechtenstein a call for funds corresponding to its contribution to the costs under the present Agreement. 
This contribution shall be expressed in ecus and paid into an ecu bank account of the Commission. 
Liechtenstein shall pay its contribution to the annual costs under the Agreement according to the call for 
funds and at the latest one month after the call for funds is sent. Any delay in the payment of the contri­
bution shall give rise to the payment of interest by Liechtenstein on the outstanding amount from the due 
date. The interest rate shall correspond to the rate applied by the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, 
for the month of the due date, for its operations in ecu (*), increased by 1,5 percentage points. 
(') Rate published monthly in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C series.