COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(89) 235 final 
Brussels, 29 May 1989 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
ERASMUS PROGRAMME 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 87/327/EEC adopting the European Community 
Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students 
(ERASMUS) 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
ERASMUS PROGRAMME 
PROPOSAL FOR ADAPTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL DECISION OF 15.6.1987 
I. Introduction 
1. The ERASMUS Programme was adopted by Council on 15 June 1987 
with a view to increasing significantly the mobility of 
university students and promoting greater cooperation between 
universities, thereby improving the quality and European 
dimension of the training provided and creating the qualified 
manpower on which the Community will depend for its economic 
and social development. It has since then proved to be a highly 
successful means of attaining these goals and of creating a 
stronger sense of belonging and partnership between European 
universities. 
2. During the first two years of ERASMUS (1987-9) an estimated 
16,000 students have spent periods of study varying from three 
months to one year in another Member State within the framework 
of well over*1000 inter-university cooperation programmes. This 
already represents a substantial increase in the mobility and 
exchange of students within the Community since the 
introduction of ERASMUS in 1987. However, in quantitative 
terms, a considerable effort is still necessary to attain the 
declared objective of the Commission - and one supported by the 
European Parliament and by the Economic and Social Committee -
for the ERASMUS Programme of boosting the proportion of 
students who spend a period of study in another Member State at 
some stage during their university studies to around 10Z of the 
student population by 1992. Given that the average duration of 
university studies can be taken to be around four years, this 
implies that from 1992 a minimum of 150,000 students would need 
each year to spend a period of studies in another Member State 
of the Community. 
3. The results of the first two years of operation have 
demonstrated the increasing interest of the academic world in 
broader inter-university cooperation and greater mobility for 
both staff and students within the Community. At the same time 
the inability of the Programme to satisfy the demand it has 
generated, given the budgetary sums presently available, has 
been clearly demonstrated. The total amount of financial 
support requested in 1987/88 and 1988/89 (ECU 137 mi 11ion) 
represented more than three times the budget available (ECU 
41.2 million). 
4. The present proposals thus aim at introducing improvements in 
the implementation of the ERASMUS Programme with a view to 
increasing substantially the number of students participating 
from all Member States, while at the same time enhancing the 
quality of the ERASMUS Programme as a whole. They are based 
both on experience in the application of the Programme in its 
first two years of operation, as explained in the annual 
reports on the functioning of the Programme in 1987 and 1988, 
and on the lessons learned from a number of evaluation measures 
carried out by the Commission. In close consultation with the 
ERASMUS Advisory Committee and after detailed discussion with 
the appropriate authorities from each Member State, every 
effort has been made to ascertain to what extent the Programme 
is achieving its policy objectives and to identify the main 
problems which have arisen so far. To this end a number of 
independent studies are being carried out and systematic 
discussions have been held with a cross section of those most 
involved in ERASMUS, notably programme directors and students. 
The main issues examined include the following : 
the development of the European University Network, 
particularly with regard to the balanced participation of 
all academic disciplines and Member States; 
the time-scale for support for inter-university 
cooperation programmes; 
arrangements for academic recognition of periods of study 
spent abroad; 
the administration of the student grants scheme; 
the cultural and linguistic preparation of students. 
The proposals take into account the continued need for 
complementarity between support at Community level and that 
provided within Member States for ERASMUS. If the declared aim 
of the Commission of increasing mobility to 10X is to be 
achieved by 1992 a considerable effort is required not only at 
Community level but also within each Member State. This 
subsidiarity is particularly important with regard to the 
successful implementation of Action 2 operations for which 
continued cooperation with the competent authorities in the 
Member States through whom the ERASMUS student grants are 
administered at national level is an essential feature of the 
ERASMUS Programme. 
5. The future development of ERASMUS cannot be seen in isolation 
from the wider framework of Community initiatives in the field 
of training to achieve the Single Market, in particular the 
proposed LINGUA Programme, due to be launched as of 1990. The 
Commission will ensure the coordinated implementation of the 
ERASMUS and LINGUA programmes with respect to all aspects 
affecting higher education cooperation. Moreover, as teaching 
activities are closely related to those in research within many 
universities, the actions to promote cooperation and 
interchange between European research scientists carried out 
under a number of R and D programmes, notably SCIENCE and SPES, 
will also be taken into account. 
II. Aims and structure of the proposed adaptations to the Council 
Decision 
Action 1 : Establishment and operation of a European University 
Network 
6. The Commission considers that the European University Network 
(established under Action 1 of the Annex to the Council 
Decision) provides the essential basis for the long-term 
development of the ERASMUS Programme. With a view to 
consolidating and improving the functioning of this network a 
number of amendments have been proposed. Firstly, the 
Commission recognises the need to guarantee the long term 
commitment of the participating universities and therefore 
considers it necessary to arrange for the universities selected 
to be informed of the Commission's intention - subject to the 
available credits and to satisfactory performance -, to provide 
financial support for a multi-annual period. Secondly, with 
regard to the activities for which support may be granted 
within Action 1, explicit reference is introduced to provision 
for an integrated period of foreign language preparation. The 
Commission sees the good linguistic and cultural preparation of 
ERASMUS students as a necessary precondition of the continued 
success of the Programme. 
7. At the same time an attempt has been Bade to group together 
more coherently the various different activities which may be 
considered as forming part of the European University Network. 
Thus, joint curriculum development projects, particularly 
important with a view to introducing the European dimension 
into the content of courses, and intensive programmes 
(previously parts of Actions 3 and 4 respectively) have been 
integrated within Action 1. Similarly, all types of study 
visits provided for within ERASMUS, and at present divided 
between Actions 1 and 4, have been regrouped within Action 1. 
Action 2 : ERASMUS Student Grants Scheme 
8. The Commission has reviewed the parameters used to determine 
the total amount of the student grants allocation to be made to 
each Member State, and considers it essential to introduce - in 
addition to the existing parameters - a mechanism which will 
enable corrective measures to be taken at Community level to 
ensure similar chances for all students wishing to pursue 
courses of study in other EC Member States. With this aim in 
view, the Commission proposes setting aside a small proportion, 
not more than 5X, of the total student grants budget. This 
would permit allocations to be made by the Commission to Member 
States or disciplines deemed to be in particular need. 
Arrangements will be made also with regard to the allocation of 
the global amount be made available for student grants to meet 
the special situation of Luxembourg. 
9. Considerable difficulties have been observed with the 
application at national level of the criteria laid down in the 
Council Decision for the allocation and distribution of grants 
to students. This reflects the very different grant-awarding 
systems in operation at national level and the difficulties of 
ensuring complementarity of national grants - where these exist 
• and Community support through ERASMUS grants. The total 
amounts awarded to individual students have often been 
unacceptably small. The Commission therefore requests Member 
States to provide, in cases of need, for the complementary 
funding of students to whom mobility grants have been awarded. 
10. The inclusion within the ERASMUS Programme of provision for 
students for whom special arrangements are made outside the 
European University Network to study abroad (often referred to 
as "free movers") has led to considerable administrative 
problems in a number of Member States. Therefore, although 
provision for such students to train abroad with the assistance 
of ERASMUS - provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria for 
ERASMUS grants - is retained, at this stage of development, in 
the Decision, the Commission's intention is to reduce the 
participation of 'free movers' by limiting the percentage of 
the total student grants budget allocated to each Member State 
available to them. It is the Commission's view that, based on 
experience with the implementation of the Programme to date, 
the organised framework of an inter-university cooperation 
programme provides the best conditions for substantially 
increasing student mobility at Community level and that by 1994 
all Member States should have introduced the necessary 
arrangements so as to avoid having recourse to the formula of 
'free movers'. 
11. The Commission has identified a certain number of categories of 
students presently excluded from the ERASMUS Programme. This is 
the case notably for students who, having completed a cycle or 
course of studies in their own country, would like to continue 
their studies by acquiring an additional qualification in 
another Member State. These students are often particularly 
well motivated, and can be expected to make a particularly 
important contribution in the perspective of 1992 and the need 
to create a pool of highly trained manpower with firsthand 
experience of other Member States. The Commission proposes to 
cater for this particular category in exceptional cases and 
within the framework of inter-university cooperation 
programmes, on the basis that full academic recognition is 
granted not by the home university but by the degree-awarding 
institution in the Member State in which students spend their 
study abroad period. 
12. The Commission's proposals also aim at increasing the average 
length of the period of training spent in another Member State. 
Thus, while still accepting a minimum period of an academic 
term (three months), the Commission proposes considering six 
months as the normal minimum duration of the training period in 
another Member State for which a grant may be awarded. 
Moreover, in view of the increased impact of a longer period of 
study abroad in cultural, linguistic, academic and in 
particular professional terms, the Commission's intention is to 
move gradually towards the acceptance of a training abroad 
period of normally one year's duration. 
S 
5 -
Action 4 : Complementary measures to provide student mobility 
in the Community. 
13. In view of the need to be able to support additional forms of 
cooperation within the ERASMUS Programme on a limited and 
experimental basis, the Commission proposes to extend the scope 
of the complementary measures to promote mobility provided for 
within Action 4. These are intended to provide informational 
support for ERASMUS and to increase mutual awareness of 
university systems. In particular, given the importance of 
facilitating the dissemination of information on the ERASMUS 
Programme, the Commission considers it necessary to make 
specific provision for information measures of this nature in 
the Decision text. 
III. Evaluation 
14. With the assistance of the ERASMUS Advisory Committee, the 
Commission has given careful consideration to the design and 
implementation of appropriate arrangements for the continuing 
evaluation and monitoring of the ERASMUS Programme. So as to 
underline the importance attached to evaluation, the Commission 
proposes making explicit provision for such measures in the 
Decision. 
IV. Budget 
15. The Commission proposes that the annual credits necessary to 
cover the Community contribution to the actions provided for in 
the Programme be established in accordance with the usual 
annual budgetary procedures of the Community. The estimation of 
needs until 1992 established within the framework of the 
present financial forecasts 1988-1992 amounts to ECU 192 million. 
The means to be put at the disposal of the programme for the 
next two years will be examined in the light of the 
evolution of the financial forecasts. 
16. In the period up to 1992 the ERASMUS Programme will not of 
itself achieve the target objective of 10Z student mobility. 
The Commission intends to examine with the Member States other 
means of finding complementary resources to achieve this objective, 
17. The imposition of a ceiling of 10Z of the annual appropriation 
on Actions 3 and 4 has caused considerable operational 
problems. These problems are likely to continue in the future, 
particularly with regard to the future development of the 
European Community Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The 
Commission therefore proposes removing this restriction in 
respect of Action 3. The maintenance of a limit of 5Z for 
Action 4 is considered appropriate. 
V. Conclusions 
18. This Communication is accompanied by the proposal for a Council 
Decision amending the Council Decision of 15 June 1987 adopting 
the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of 
University Students (ERASMUS) and also by an indicative 
financial annex. To allow a smooth transition to the second 
phase of ERASMUS the Commission proposes that the adaptations 
be implemented from 1 January 1991 with the exception of Action 
2, paragraph 2 which will be implemented from 1 July 1990. This 
will allow for sound forward planning for the revised 
arrangements to be introduced in respect of the academic year 
1991-2. 
19. The Commission is convinced that in its second phase the 
ERASMUS Programme, thus modified, will represent an instrument 
better tuned to the different university systems, and capable 
of responding to the needs of the Single Market and to the 
development of a People's Europe. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 87/327/EEC adopting the European Community 
Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students 
(ERASMUS) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic 
Community, and in particular Article 128 
thereof, 
Having regard to Council Decision 63/266/EEC of 2 April 1963 laying 
down general principles for implementing a common vocational training 
policy (1), 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
(3). 
whereas the fundamental objectives of the common vocational training 
policy set out in the second principle of Decision 63/266/EEC aim in 
particular at enabling every person to reach the highest possible 
level of vocational training which is necessary for his professional 
activity, and refer also to broadening vocational training to meet 
requirements arising from technical progress, linking the different 
forms of vocational training to social and economic developments; 
Whereas on the basis of the sixth principle of that Decision it is 
the Commission's responsibility to encourage direct exchanges of 
vocational training specialists in order to enable them to acquaint 
themselves with and study the achievements and new developments in 
the other Member States; 
Whereas the Council established the European Community Action Scheme 
for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) by its Decision 
87/327/EEC (4); whereas Article 7 of that Decision provides for the 
possibility of adapting that Decision; 
(1) OJ No 63, 20.4.1963, p. 1338/63, 
(2) to be inserted 
(3) to be inserted 
(4) OJ No L 166, 25.6.1987, p. 20. 
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Whereas the Council has adopted measures with a view to strengthening 
technological cooperation at Community level and providing the 
necessary human resources for this purpose, notably through 
Council Decision 89/27/EEC of 16 December 1988 adopting the second 
phase of the programme on cooperation between universities and 
industry regarding training in the field of technology (COMETT II) 
(1990-1994) (5); 
Whereas the Council has adopted measures to stimulate cooperation and 
interchange between European research scientists, notably through 
Decision 88/419/EEC establishing the SCIENCE Programme (6) and 
Decision 89/118/EEC establishing the SPES Programme (7); 
Whereas the Commission's aim, in following up the People's Europe 
initiative of the European Council, is that by 1992 nearly 10Z of all 
students in the Community will be following a university course 
organized by universities in more than one Member State; 
Whereas the Commission has presented proposals for two Council 
Decisions which together constitute the LINGUA Programme to promote 
training in foreign languages as well as the teaching and learning of 
foreign languages in the Community; 
Whereas on 21 December 1988 the Council adopted Directive 
89/48/EEC on a general system for the recognition of higher-education 
diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training 
of at least three years' duration (8); 
Whereas the annual reports on the functioning of the ERASMUS 
Programme in 1987 and 1988 and the monitoring of the Programme to 
date have shown that the Programme is a successful means of 
increasing student mobility via effective inter-university 
cooperation within the Community; 
Whereas the estimated amount required to finance the ERASMUS 
Programme in the first three years of the five-year period is ECU 192 
mi llion, 
(5) OJ No L 13/17.1.1989, p. 28. 
(6) OJ No C 335, 30.12.1988, p. 3, 
(7) OJ No L 44, 16.2.1989, o. 43. 
(8) OJ No L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16. 
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HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
Decision 87/327/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. The following subparagraph is added to Article 1(2): 
"All students studying in those establishments, regardless of 
the field of study and the level of study, up to and including 
the doctorate are eligible for support within the Erasmus 
programme." 
2. Article 4 is replaced by the following: 
"Article 4 
As from 1 January 1990 the annual credits necessary to cover the 
Community contribution to the actions provided for in the programme 
will be established in the annual budgetary procedure, taking into 
account the results of the programme as well as any new needs which 
may emerge during its operation. These credits are intended to 
finance the various actions set out in the Annex, including 
appropriate measures taken to ensure the technical assistance at 
Community level, continuing monitoring and evaluation of the 
programme. 
The appropriations deemed necessary for the first three years of 
the programme will form part of future budgets within the frame­
work of the present financial forecasts 1988-1992 agreed jointly 
by the three Institutions in June 1988 and their development." 
3. In Article 5 the phrase "the other actions already scheduled at 
Community level" is replaced by "other actions at Community level". 
4. In Article 7 the date of 31 December 1989 referred to in line 1 
is replaced by 31 December 1993 and the date of 30 June 1990 
referred to in line 5 is replaced by 30 June 1994. 
5. The Annex is replaced by the Annex to this Decision. 
Article 2 
The actions of the Annex shall be implemented from 1 January 1991 
with the exception of Action 2 S 2 which shall be implemented from 
1 July 1990. 
Done at Brussels, For the Council 
~\Q 
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ANNEX 
"ANNEX 
ACTION 1 
Establishment and operation of a European University Network 
l.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 organized programmes providing for 
exchanges of students and teachers with universities of other 
Member States and which recognize 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 should include as necessary an integrated 
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. 
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 normally for a 
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 and expertise to the process 
of innovation and improvement of courses on a Community-wide 
basis. 
4. In addition, support will be provided to universities organizing 
intensive teaching programmes of short duration involving 
students from several different Member States. 
/-/ 
The Community will also provide support for teaching staff and 
university administrators to visit other Member States, to enable 
them to prepare programmes of integrated study with universities 
of these Member States and to exchange experience on the latest 
developments in their area of expertise. Grants will also be 
provided to allow teaching staff to conduct a series of 
specialised lectures in several Member States. 
ACTION 2 
ERASMUS student grants scheme 
l.The Community will further develop a scheme for the direct 
financial support of students at universities as defined in 
Article 1(2) of Council decision 87/327/EEC 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. 
Î. The ERASMUS student grants are administered normally through the 
competent authorities in the Member States. The allocation of the 
amount to each Member State will be based on 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. 
Moreover, the Commission will take the necessary steps to ensure 
a balanced participation across Member States and disciplines and 
will therefore allocate a small proportion of the funds available 
for student grants, not to exceed 5Z of the total annual student 
grants budget. The funds for student grants in respect of certain 
exceptional programmes whose structure renders administration of 
the grants via national agencies impracticable will be allocated 
directly by the Commission. 
J. The National Grant-Awarding Authorities 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 not normally intended to cover the full cost of 
study abroad, but as a means of offsetting the additional 
costs of mobility, that is 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). Member States 
will provide, in cases of need, for the complementary funding 
of students to whom mobility grants have been awarded; 
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) under 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) normally, 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 
./I 
7 -
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 under 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 periods of study in another Member 
State of six months to a full academic year; grants may be 
awarded exceptionally for periods of study of a minimum 
duration of three months or for more than twelve months in the 
case of highly integrated programmes; 
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. 
/f 
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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; grants will be awarded to the 
centres to facilitate exchange of information, in particular by 
means of a computerized system for data exchange. 
*K 
ACTION 4 
Complementary measures to promote student mobility in the Community 
l.To provide informational support for ERASMUS and to increase 
mutual awareness of university systems in the Community, ERASMUS 
will provide for : 
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 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 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. 
!. The cost of measures under Action 4 will not exceed 5Z of the 
annual appropriations for the ERASMUS Programme." 
A-
FINANCIAL RECORD 
Budget line and Title 
B6320 
ERASMUS, the European Community Action Scheme for the 
Mobility of University Students 
2. Legal Basis 
Council Decision 87/327/EEC of 15 June 1987 adopting the 
ERASMUS Programme (O.J. No L 166/20 of 25/6/1987, p.20) 
Proposal for a Council Decision amending the above-
mentioned Decision 
Article 128 
Classification of expenditure 
Non-compulsory expenditure 
Non-dissociated appropriations 
Description 
The four principal objectives of the ERASMUS Programme 
are as stated in Council Decision 87/327/EEC of 15 June 
1987. 
The ERASMUS Programme comprises four types of measures : 
* the development of interuniversity cooperation as 
the basis for the exchange of students and 
teachers. Taken together, the interuniversity 
cooperation programmes funded within ERASMUS form 
European University Network; 
* a student grant scheme whereby ERASMUS grants help 
cover the supplementary costs entailed by a study 
period spent in another Member State travel, 
linguistic preparation, higher cost of living in 
the host country; 
* the promotion of the European Community Course 
Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the further 
development of the European Network of National 
Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) in 
order to promote student mobility through the 
recognition of diplomas and periods of study 
acquired in another Member State; 
* complementary measures to provide informational 
support for ERASMUS and to increase mutual 
awareness of university systems in the Community, 
n 
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the evaluation and monitoring of actions funded by the 
ERASMUS Programme and the impact of ERASMUS Community-
wide ; 
the technical assistance for the execution of the 
Programme ; 
the persons to whom the ERASMUS Programme is principally 
addressed are university students, teachers and 
administrators. 
Justification 
Through the development of highly qualified human resources, 
the ERASMUS Programme contributes to the completion of the 
Single Market as well as the reinforcement of the economic and 
social development of the Community. 
The amendment of the ERASMUS Programme as originally agreed by 
the Council on 15 June 1987 will create the necessary 
flexibility for action for çhe.next phase of development, in 
particular regarding the objective of contributing towards the 
target of 10% student mobility. 
6. Financial implications for operational appropriations : nature 
of expenditure and method of calculation 
6.1 The appropriations necessary will form part of future 
budgets within the framework of the financial 
perspectives 1988-1992 agreed jointly by the three 
institutions in June 1988 and their development. 
The estimation of needs established within the framework 
of the present financial forecasts 1988 to 1992 amounts 
to ECU 192 million. The means to be put at the 
disposal of the programme for the next two years 
will be examined in the light of the evolution of the 
financial forecasts. 
6.2 The actions to be implemented are financed from the 
Community Budget Art. 6320 on the following basis : 
ACTION 1 - Interuniversltv Cooperation Programmes (ICPÏ 
* Each participating university may receive support 
of up to an annual ceiling of ECU 25 000 for each 
inter-university cooperation programme; 
* Up to an annual ceiling of ECU 5 000 per university 
may be awarded for the implementation of teaching 
staff mobility programmes. In addition, for a 
three-month period abroad the teaching staff member 
may receive a grant of up to ECU 4 000 for the 
mobility costs and the Commission may grant the 
sending university maximum financial support of ECU 
3 000 per month per staff member replaced. 
Curriculum development projects and intensive 
teaching programmes may be granted ECU 20 000 per 
programme. 
Grants for teaching and study visits for university 
staff may be awarded up to ECU 2 000 per person for 
periods abroad of no longer than four weeks. 
ACTION 2 - Mobility Grants for Students 
Grants of a maximum of ECU 5 000 per person (in the case of a 
full year of study) may be awarded to enable students to 
carry out a recognised period of study in another Member 
State. 
ACTION 3 - Recognition of diplomas and periods of study 
* Grants of up to ECU 20 000 per year may be awarded 
to - the universities participating in the pilot 
phase of the European Community Course Credit 
Transfer System (ECTS). 
* The European Community Network of National Academic 
Recognition Information Centres : grants of up to 
ECU 20 000 per year may be awarded to each of the 
national centres per year. 
ACTION 4 • Complementary Measures 
* Associations 
Support to associations and consortia of 
universities of up to a maximum of ECU 20 000 may 
be awarded. 
* Publications 
* Prizes to students, teachers, administrators and 
universities for outstanding contributions to the 
development of the ERASMUS Programme may be 
awarded. 
* Complementary measures which concern the further 
development of the ERASMTS Programme such as 
information actions. 
Appropriate provision will also be made for the ongoing 
evaluation of the Programme as well as for the technical 
assistance rendered by the agency assisting the 
Commission (cf. 10 below). 
y\ •V 
6.3 Incidence of appropriations necessary (In ECU mi I lion) 
1990 1991 1992 Total 
Action 1 
Action 2 
Action 3 
Action 4 
Evaluation/ 
Information/ 
Technical 
Assistance 
Total 15 
31 
2.0 
2.9 
7.1 
58.0 17 
34.3 
2 
3.2 
7.5 
64.0 19 
37.5 
2 
3.5 
8 
70 51.0 
102.8 
6.0 
9.6 
22.6 
192.0 
Implications for revenue 
There are no implications for revenue. 
Type of control 
8.1 Financial control by the Commission's services in 
regard to the regularity of the expenditure and the 
implementation of the budget; 
8.2 Scientific and technical control the services 
responsible in the Commission with the advice of the 
ERASMUS Advisory Committee established by the Decision. 
Financial implications in terms of personnel 
Additional personnel necessary from 1990: 
1 A 
2 B 
2 C 
The personnel needs set out above will be satisfied either by 
internal deployment of staff or within the framework of the 
budgetary procedure for 1990. 
10. Technical Assistance 
The implementation of the ERASMUS Programme will require 
specialist expertise in higher education administration and 
will permit the Commission to ensure the balanced development 
of the Programme involving the full participation of all Member 
States. The required expertise will consist in particular in: 
the dissemination of information to universities, 
teaching staff and students 
the processing of applications for selection, and the 
organization of advisory groups 
contracts and payments of grants and individual project 
control 
the technical coordination of National Grant-Awarding 
Authorities for ERASMUS student grants and coordination 
with national student financing policies in Member States 
the preparation of information material on the ERASMUS 
Programme for publication and contributions to 
information actions in the 12 Member States including all 
translation services necessary for an operation in 9 
languages 
technical coordination and underpinning of the European 
Community Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the EC 
network of National Academic Recognition Information 
Centres (NARIC) 
the continuing monitoring of the ERASMUS Programme 
technical assistance to the Commission regarding 
preparatory work to all Committee meetings and 
specialised working groups. 
Commission of the European Communities 
COM(89) 235 final 
Communication from the 
COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
and proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 87/327/EEC adopting the European Community 
action scheme for the mobility of university students (Erasmus) 
29.5.1989 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L - 2985 Luxembourg 
Series: DOCUMENTS 
1989 - 21 pp. - Format: 21.0 * 29.7 cm 
EN 
ISSN 0254-1475 
ISBN 92-77-50551-6 
Catalogue number: CB-C0-89-214-EN-C 
ISSN 0254-1475 
C0M(89) 235 final 
DOCUMENTS 
Communication from the 
COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
and proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 87/327/EEC adopting the 
European Community action scheme for the 
mobility of university students (Erasmus) 
17 
Catalogue number: CB-CO-89-214-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-50551-6 29.5.1989 
€ 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES