COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS
Date: 2016-12-07
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU aid, EU office or agency, Internet site, international voluntary worker, voluntary organisation, voluntary work, young person, youth employment

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 7.12.2016  COM(2016) 942 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS  
 
 
 TOWARDS A EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS 

I. Solidarity in Europe 

The  European  Union  is  built  on  solidarity:  solidarity  between  its  citizens,  solidarity 
across borders between its Member States, and solidarity in its action inside and outside 
the  Union.  Solidarity  is  a  shared  value  which  is  strongly  felt  throughout  European 
society.  It  defines  the  European  project  which  should  be  time  and  again  restated  and 
reinforced. It is part of the core fabric that makes the European dream inspire generation 
after generation. The European Union is about more than common rules, institutions or 
markets: it is a community of values. 

More solidarity will keep Europe together. It provides the necessary unity to cope with 
current and future crises by holding a strong moral ground. It provides a clear compass to 
guide the European youth in their aspirations of a better Union. It is in their minds and 
hearts that lie the strength and wit to further advance the European project. And it is the 
moral duty of current leaders to prepare the ground for it. 

President Juncker announced in his State of the Union address on 14 September 2016 the 
idea of a European Solidarity Corps:  

"There are many young, socially minded people in Europe willing to make a meaningful 
contribution to society and help show solidarity. We can create opportunities for them to 
do so […] Solidarity is the glue that keeps our Union together […] Young people across 
the  European  Union  will  be  able  to  volunteer  their  help  where  it  is  needed  most,  to 
respond to crisis situations […] These young people will be able to develop their skills 
and get not only work but also invaluable human experience". 

Young Europeans need greater and more easily accessible opportunities to express their 
solidarity. The European Solidarity Corps will connect enthusiastic and committed young 
people  ready  and  willing  to  work  on  a  common  solidarity  project.  It  will  offer  an 
inspiring  and  empowering  experience  for  young  people  who  want  to  help,  learn  and 
develop,  while  gaining  valuable  experience.  The  aim  is  to  see  the  first  100,000  young 
Europeans joining the European Solidarity Corps by 2020. 

The European Solidarity Corps will strengthen the foundations for solidarity work across 
Europe. It will provide an extended basis for supporting organisations around Europe that 
provide  solidarity  opportunities  for  young  people.  It  will  serve  the  needs  of  vulnerable 
communities,  of  public  national  and  local  structures  on  a  wide  range  of  areas  such  as 
providing food to the persons in need, cleaning forests and beaches, supporting disaster 
stricken regions or helping with the integration of refugees. 

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II. High time for a European Solidarity Corps 

Many engage already… 

Young Europeans are keen to engage within their communities. Around half of them are 
members  of  at  least  one  organisation.  Amongst  the  most  popular  activities  are  a  sports 
club  (29%),  a  youth  club  or  organisation  (16%),  a  local  organisation  supporting  local 
communities (11%) and a cultural organisation (10%). One in four young people in the 
European  Union  have  been  involved  in  an  organised  voluntary  activity  in  the  past  12 
months,  mainly  in  activities  related  to  charity,  humanitarian  and  development  aid, 
environmental protection, education, training and sport.1 

Under the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative, young people are 
given  ample  opportunities  to  engage  in  their  home  country  in  activities  contributing  to 
social inclusion and integration, thereby gaining work experience whilst expressing their 
solidarity with vulnerable communities and people in need across the EU. 

…but even more could do so… 

Willingness to volunteer outstrips the opportunities on offer. Only 6% of young people 
say  that  they  have  stayed  abroad  for  the  purpose  of  volunteering  and of  those  who  say 
that they have not done so, 88% say that they did not have the opportunity. In general, 
more than four in ten young Europeans say that they would like to work, study or train in 
another EU country2. 

An  ongoing  study3  shows  that  solidarity-related  sectors  in  the  EU  employed  over 
40 million people in 2015. By way of example, the estimated labour force in the area of 
social  integration  and  social  work,  including  the  reception  and  integration  of  asylum 
seekers and migrants, currently stands at 170,000. The estimated labour force is greater 
in  sectors  such  as  education  and  health  care.  By  way  of  indication  about  the  potential 
interest, data from the EURES portal4 shows that around 80,000 jobseekers are looking 
for work abroad in solidarity-related sectors.  

…and some groups engage more than others… 

Surveys  show  that  the  participation  in  voluntary  activities  of  young  people  from  all 
socio-demographic  groups  could  be  improved.  Young  people  who  finished  their 
education  at  the  age  of  20  or  over  are  more  likely  to  have  participated  in  organised 
voluntary activities (26%) than those who ended education at the age of 16-19 (20%) or 
15 or under (15%). In 2014, only slightly over a quarter of young people taking part in 
organised  volunteering  received  some  kind  of  formal  recognition  (e.g.  a  certificate  or 
diploma). 

As  regards  work  in  another  EU  country,  there  is  considerable  interest  among  young 
people which cannot be fully met by existing schemes. Since the start of the Your First 
EURES  Job  scheme  under  the  EaSI  programme  (2014-2020),  only  1,469  placements 
could be made following 8,615 registrations and requests for assistance. 

1 Eurobarometer "European youth" 2015 (EC, 408). 
2 Eurobarometer of the European Parliament "European Youth in 2014"  (EP EB395) 
3 Forthcoming report on "Labour demand in solidarity-related sectors in the EU". 
4 Assessment based on state of play at one moment in November this year. The portal collects job vacancies and allows individuals to 
search for a job and create their CV online in order to be found by employers registered on the portal. Education, work experience and 
desired occupation can be indicated in the CV template.  

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…which is why the European Solidarity Corps needs to be ambitious and cater for all. 

Taken together, this paints a picture of unmet demand among young people not only for 
solidarity  volunteering  activities,  but  also  for  taking  on  solidarity  jobs  –  at  home  or 
abroad. The common thread is solidarity oriented action. More and better opportunities 
should be provided, covering a broad range of activities, offering the right training and 
giving formal recognition to the skills and experiences gained. Activities should cover a 
wide  range  of  skills  to  ensure  a  broad  participation.  European  Solidarity  Corps 
participants  looking  to  improve  their  job  prospects  while  contributing  to  a  solidarity 
cause need more opportunities.   

III. Objective, principles and added value 

The key objective of the European Solidarity Corps is to strengthen cohesion and foster 
solidarity in European society. It will allow more young people to participate in a wide 
range of solidarity activities, either by volunteering or gaining occupational experience in 
helping to resolve challenging situations across Europe. The European Solidarity Corps 
will  support  national  and  local  authorities  and  bodies,  non-governmental  organisations 
and  companies  in  their  efforts  to  cope  with  various  challenges  and  crises,  as  well  as 
participating young people. The European Solidarity Corps will be based on the value of 
solidarity. As set out in its Mission Statement, the European Solidarity Corps will bring 
together  young  people  to  build  a  more  inclusive  society,  supporting  vulnerable  people 
and  responding  to  societal  challenges.  It  will  offer  an  inspiring  and  empowering 
experience for young people who want to help, learn, and develop. 

Its  activities  will  follow  a  set  of  key  principles  to  be  observed  by  young  participants. 
They refer, inter alia, to the respect for human dignity and human rights, the promotion 
of a fair and equal society, to making meaningful contributions to society, to respecting 
the  rules  and  practices  that  govern  the  participating  organisations,  or  to  the  voluntary 
choice  of  a  young  person  to  participate  in  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  All  young 
people should be able to participate irrespective of their background, education, level of 
skills, or disability. 

Each  participating  organisation,  or  intermediary  organisations  supporting  a  placement 
under  the  occupational  strand  (such  as  for  instance  public  employment  services),  will 
need  to  subscribe  to  a  Charter,  setting  out  their  respective  rights  and  responsibilities 
during all stages of the solidarity experience: registration, selection, and activities before, 
during, and after the placement. The Charter also requires that participating organisations 
provide  safe  living  and  working  conditions  for  European  Solidarity  Corps  participants. 
They, or the intermediary organisations supporting the placement, will also provide the 
necessary  training  and  support  to  help  participants  fulfil  their  tasks.  Participating 
organisations  will  certify  participants  after  their  placement  and  where  possible  also 
document  learning  outcomes  acquired  by  the  participant  during  the  deployment. 
Furthermore, participating organisations cannot request any financial contribution or fee 
from participants in the European Solidarity Corps. 

The  European  Solidarity  Corps  will  bring  together  two  complementary  strands: 
volunteering and occupational.  

The  volunteering  strand  will  enhance  and  expand  the  existing  European  Voluntary 
Service  scheme,  which  is  funded  through  the  Erasmus+  programme.  It  has  involved 

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about  100,000  young  people  over  the  past  20  years,  based  on  clear  quality  standards, 
such  as  the  accreditation  of  organisations,  and  has  proven  its  ability  to  contribute  to 
developing young people's skills and competences needed for engagement in society and 
when looking for a job. 70% of European Voluntary Service volunteers believe that their 
volunteering experience has increased their chances on the labour market, 74% increased 
their entrepreneurial skills and 85% gained further abilities in working in teams.  

Participation  in  the  volunteering  strand  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  should  be  a 
significant achievement for any young person and an asset when applying for a job. For 
many  young  people  in  Europe,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  would  open  up  a  new 
opportunity  to  engage in a  meaningful activity that could prove a  stepping stone to the 
job market. 

Based  on  the  legal  basis  of  the  respective  programmes,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps 
will support young people to carry out voluntary service between two and twelve months 
in  another  or  their  own  country.  Its  initial  implementation  will  be  mainly  based  on  the 
well-established  and  effective  network  of  Erasmus+  National  Agencies.  Other 
volunteering activities will be financed by existing programmes such as LIFE, Europe for 
Citizens,  the  Asylum,  Migration  and  Integration  Fund,  the  European  Agricultural  Fund 
for Rural Development, the European Regional development Fund as well as the Health 
programme. For participants in a volunteering placement, accommodation, food, travel, 
insurance, and pocket money will, as a general rule, be covered by EU funding.  

The  occupational  strand  will  provide  young  people  with  an  opportunity  for  a  job, 
traineeship or apprenticeship in a wide range of sectors engaged in solidarity activities in 
another  or  their  own  country  and  needing  highly  motivated  and  socially-minded  young 
people. It will be set up gradually through partnerships with public bodies and services 
(in  particular  public  employment  services),  established  NGOs  and  organisations 
operating in these sectors, building for instance on partnerships that already exist for the 
volunteering strand. The matching of European Solidarity Corps participants with actual 
offers will occur through these partnerships. An occupational placement will last between 
2  and  12  months  and  will  be  full-  or  part-time.  Activities  will  be  initially  financed 
through  the  EU  Employment  and  Social  Innovation  programme  and  other  existing  EU 
programmes like the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and Europe for Citizens. 

The activities under the occupational strand will complement the work done by national 
employment  services  and  in  particular  the  European  jobs  network  ("EURES"),  which 
supports  information  and  placements  of  workers  across  EU  Member  States  in  general. 
Thanks  to  its  focus  on  solidarity  values,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  will  enrich 
existing  recruitment  practices  at  national  level  and  offer  new  opportunities  to  other 
categories of young people than those who have benefitted so far from assistance.  

For  participants  in  a  job,  apprenticeship  or  traineeship  placements,  there  will  be  an 
employment  contract  established  in  accordance  with  the  national  regulatory  framework 
of  the  hosting  country.  EU  support  for  a  subsistence  allowance  will  be  foreseen  for 
apprenticeships  and  traineeships.  Disadvantaged  young  people,  who  face  additional 
barriers  to  entering  the  labour  market  (e.g.  young  people  living  in  poverty  or  with 
disabilities)  could  be  further  supported.  For  participants  in  a  job  placement,  there  will 
always  be  a  labour  contract  and  a  wage  in  accordance  with  local  laws,  regulations  and 
collective  agreements.  Thus,  participants  will  be  insured  through  the  national  social 
protection systems. To obtain results that lead to labour market integration of the young 
participants, an active involvement of public employment services will be required.  

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Under both strands, volunteering and occupational, participants will receive a certificate 
detailing  what  they  have  done  during  their  placement.  The  Commission  will  also 
promote the assessment and validation of skills that they have acquired in the European 
Solidarity Corps. 

The  added  value  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  will  be  to  provide  a  focal  point  for 
solidarity activities throughout the European Union. In cooperation with Member States 
and stakeholders at national and EU level, it will complement existing national schemes 
and enhance their foundations by concentrating financing instruments. The combination 
of a single entry point, two strands of activities, an effective and efficient selection and 
matching  tool,  allowances,  insurances,  and  certificates  will  allow  young  people  to 
express solidarity values across Europe. 

Participating  organisations5  will  be  able  to  draw  on  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  and 
engage its participants, using this precious resource to  strengthen  their activities on the 
ground for the benefit of citizens and society as a whole. By being part of the European 
Solidarity  Corps,  participating  organisations  may  have  a  bigger  choice  of  potential 
employees/volunteers with the skills they are looking for. They could additionally benefit 
from showcasing the socially responsible heart of their organisation or business. 

IV. Timing and key features of the European Solidarity Corps 

A stepwise approach 

The  European  Solidarity  Corps  will  be  set  up  gradually,  in  close  cooperation  with 
stakeholders at all levels. In the first phase, launched through this Communication, young 
people wishing to express their interest in joining the European Solidarity Corps will be 
able  to  do  so  through  a  dedicated  registration  page  under  the  European  Youth  Portal 
(http://europa.eu/solidarity-corps). Registration will be quick and straightforward. A first 
set of services,  such as training  and on-line language  support, will  be available already 
during the first phase of implementation.  

The  first  phase  will  include  the  use  of  existing  financing  programmes  and  resources  to 
support  placements  of  participants  in  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  Participating 
organisations  will  be  able  to  apply  for  funding  for  projects  under  these  programmes 
allowing them to engage European Solidarity Corps participants.  

A summary of the various funding possibilities, for both volunteering and occupational 
strands, is presented below6. 

(a) Erasmus+ (European Voluntary Service) programme 

The 2017 budget for the European Voluntary Service is approximately EUR 58 million 
for activities within the scope of the European Solidarity Corps. The 2017 ERASMUS+ 

5 In the context of the European Solidarity Corps initiative, the term "participating organisation" is being used to define any public or 
private body that will take part in the European Solidarity Corps by providing placements to Corps participants, under both strands 
of  the  initiative.  The  European  Solidarity  Corps  is  open  to  any  type  of  entity  that  offers  opportunities  of  a  volunteering  or  an 
occupational nature that are in scope with the European Solidarity Corps and its fields of activity (e.g. NGOs, public authorities and 
bodies, institutions, companies). 

6 The amount specified for each programme will also cover participation costs and the related services.. Moreover, programmes such 
as AMIF and Europe for Citizens will initially support the European Solidarity Corps initiative via broader actions. Therefore, the 
amounts reported above are to be considered as maximum contribution to the initiative. 

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work  programme  will  enable  the  current  scheme  to  support  the  voluntary  strand  of  the 
European  Solidarity  Corps,  by  providing  important  parts  of  its  current  structure  and 
opportunities.  

(b) Employment and Social Innovation programme 

Within the occupational strand of the European Solidarity Corps, the 2017 Employment 
and  Social  Innovation  work  programme  will  launch  a  pilot  to  support  cross-border 
placements,  building  on  the  experience  with  Your  First  EURES  Job  scheme  and  the 
expertise  of  the  Public  Employment  Services.  A  consortium  will  be  set  up  across  EU 
countries  between  intermediary  organisations  such  as  the  Public  Employment  Services, 
NGOs and training institutes. The organisations that are part of the consortium will carry 
out outreach and information activities towards young people and employers interested in 
supporting  solidarity  activities,  provide  assistance  and  guidance  to  match  registered 
young people with employers and provide support with training and guidance related to 
the  placements.  The  overall  budget  is  proposed  to  be  EUR  14.2  million  and  projects 
could  start  in  June  2017.  The  consortium  will  use  inter  alia  labour  market  information 
related to job vacancies registered and processed with the public employment services. 

(c) LIFE Programme 

For  all  projects  currently  implemented,  the  programme  will  encourage  beneficiaries  to 
involve  young  people  from  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  In  2016  a  EUR  2  million 
specific  call  for  proposals  for  volunteer  activities  linked  to  the  conservation  of  Natura 
2000, the EU-wide network of nature protected areas, will be launched to allow for in-
country placements of European Solidarity Corps participants. In 2017, LIFE will partner 
with  Erasmus+  to  reinforce  the  environment  strand  of  the  European  Voluntary  Service 
and extend it to environmental and climate action cross-country placements. Another call 
for proposals for the so-called traditional projects will be launched in April 2017 and will 
encourage  applicants  to  include  the  development  and  support  of  networks  of  young 
volunteers. Possibilities under LIFE to  support the  occupational strand of the European 
Solidarity Corps will also be explored. 

(d) Europe for Citizens programme 

For  projects  starting  from  August  2017,  this  programme  will  encourage  project 
promoters to engage young people registered in the European Solidarity Corps. For 2018 
there will be a new call for proposals for operating grants with the additional requirement 
that  awardee  organisations  use  European  Solidarity  Corps  participants.  The  "Civil 
Society Projects" strand will be important for this purpose. The approximate budget will 
be up to EUR 3.5 million per year.  

(e) Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 

In  2016  a  minimum  of  EUR  9.5  million  will  be  available  for  projects  promoting  the 
integration  of  third-country  nationals  and  the  call  for  proposals  will  encourage  the 
involvement  of  European  Solidarity  Corps  participants.  Projects  could  start  as  of  mid-
2017.  In  2017,  there  will  be  another  substantial  call  to  support  integration  of  third-
country nationals. The priorities will make explicit reference to the European Solidarity 
Corps. Projects could start as of end 2017. 

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(f) European Regional Development Fund From 2017, EUR 1 million will be allocated 
under the ERDF operational technical assistance to young Europeans aged 18 to 30 years 
willing  to  serve  for  2  to  6  months  in  an  Interreg  cross-border,  transnational  or 
interregional  programme.  The  scheme  will  complement  the  volunteering  strand  of  the 
European Solidarity Corps, either via 'Interreg project partners' helping on a concrete 
project or 'Interreg reporters' supporting an Interreg programme in promoting concrete 
results of past projects. 

(g) European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development will provide support for projects 
with  an  agricultural  or  rural  development  component  involving  European  Solidarity 
Corps participants. The funding earmarked for those projects is EUR 1.3 million from the 
2016  budget  and  up  to  EUR  0.5  million  from  the  2017  budget.  In  particular,  this 
European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  support  will  complement  the 
volunteering strand of the Solidarity Corps engaged in the nature conservation activities 
promoted under the LIFE programme. 

(h) Health Programme  

In  2017,  beneficiaries  of  operating  grants  will  be  encouraged  to  use  the  European 
Solidarity Corps. An estimated EUR 60,000 will be available for these NGOs to actively 
involve  European  Solidarity  Corps  participants  in  the  health  sector.  Based  on  the 
outcome  of  a  targeted  outreach  with  health  stakeholders  further  proposals  could  be 
developed.  

In a second phase, taking account of input from stakeholders, a consolidation process and 
robust  roll-out  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  until  2020  will  take  place.  Funding 
opportunities  under  the  Youth  Employment  Initiative  will  also  be  considered  for  the 
occupational  strand.  The  European  Solidarity  Corps,  in  its  entirety  (volunteering  and 
occupational strands), should be financed through its own budget-line on the basis of a 
separate legal basis, to be proposed by spring 2017, and possible budgetary adjustments 
within  the  existing  financial  framework.  The  Commission  will  make  the  necessary 
arrangements in that respect. 

A wide range of activities  

Young people will be able to engage in a broad range of activities. These activities could 
be  linked  to  services  of  general  interest  and  cover  areas  such  as  education  and  youth 
activities, health, social and labour market integration, assistance in the provision of food 
and non-food items, shelter construction, site construction, renovation and management, 
reception, support and integration of migrants and refugees, post-conflict reconciliation, 
environmental protection and nature conservation, or prevention of natural disasters (but 
excluding  immediate  response  to  disasters  which  requires  more  specialised  skills  and 
training). 

The  geographical  scope  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  will  primarily  cover  the  EU 
and,  where  relevant,  other  countries  participating  in  the  various  existing  financing 
instruments contributing to the European  Solidarity Corps. Registration will be open to 

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young  people,  citizens  and  residents7  of  the  EU,  between  17  and  30  years.  The  actual 
European Solidarity Corps placement should start as of age 18.  

A multilingual website with improved services and a strong visual identity 

The European Solidarity Corps registration tool is built into the European Youth Portal 
and  found  via  internet  search  engines.  Young  people  can  register  their  interest  by 
providing  basic  personal  data,  in  full  compliance  with  data  protection  rules.  More 
detailed information, needed to create a more comprehensive profile of participants, will 
be collected subsequently. 

The registration tool will be available in the 24 official languages of the EU and adapted 
to mobile devices. As they register, young people will be able to specify what countries 
they would like to be placed in, whether they want to volunteer and/or work, what type of 
activities interest them and what knowledge and experience they can bring to European 
Solidarity Corps activities. 

All  participating  organisations,  or  the  intermediary  organisations  representing  them, 
wishing  to  run  projects  through  the European  Solidarity  Corps  must  agree  to  adhere  to 
the European Solidarity Corps Charter. Depending on the implementing instrument, they 
will either undergo checks to become accredited or be asked to comply with high quality 
standards,  in  order  to  run  such  projects.  They  will  then  be  able  to  search  for  suitable 
candidates among the young people registered in the European Solidarity Corps database. 
The materials and tools for services offered, such as dedicated training, language training 
tools, and certification, will be gradually developed.  

Young  people  will  be  regularly  informed  and  actively  guided  towards  solidarity 
activities. The web based application will be upgraded to allow for building a community 
of  those  participating  in  the  activities  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  A  number  of 
initiatives are also being planned to keep registered young people engaged in the period 
between  registration  and  the  first  deployment,  such  as  e-newsletters  with  the  latest 
European  Solidarity  Corps  related  updates  and  activities  organised  by  Commission 
Representations to which young people registered will be invited. An online platform is 
also  envisaged  where  European  Solidarity  Corps  participants,  young  people  and 
organisations, could share their experiences. 

The IT tools will be further developed to help the European Solidarity Corps participants 
staying  in  touch  with  each  other  and  finding  projects,  and  letting  organisations  and 
intermediary organisations8 select participants for their projects.  

Coupled with a strong visual identity, a communication campaign will be conducted in 
all Member States to create awareness and interest in the European Solidarity Corps. The 
campaign will continue throughout 2017 highlighting, among others, the first placements 
and the experiences of participating young people and organisations. 

V. Conclusion: preparing the European Solidarity Corps  

7 Only for the volunteering strand 
8 For the occupational strand, all  matching activities will take place through the selected partnerships that will include the relevant 

public employment services 

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Working with all stakeholders 

Setting-up the  European Solidarity Corps requires  the support of and close  cooperation 
with  a  broad  range  of  stakeholders,  including  public  bodies  and  associations  at 
international, European, national, regional and local level, networks at EU level or other, 
NGOs,  and  businesses.  These  stakeholders  are  engaged  in  activities  that  are  related  to 
solidarity and volunteering or that may have a key role in integrating young people into a 
European  Solidarity  Corps  placement.  Many  EU  Member  States  have  a  long-standing 
tradition and experience in volunteering and the EU itself has 20 years of experience in 
managing  the  European  Voluntary  Service  as  a  cross-border  activity.  The  European 
Solidarity  Corps  will  draw  on  all  of  these  without  replacing  existing  volunteering 
schemes  set  up  by  Member  States.  The  aim  is  to  identify  unmet  needs,  multiply 
successful projects, and involve more organisations.  

To prepare the first phase of the European Solidarity Corps, the Commission has already 
started  outreach  activities  and 
taken  place.  This 
Communication is based on their valuable input.  

targeted  consultations  have 

Most  respondents  were  supportive  and  emphasised  the  European  Solidarity  Corps' 
potential  for  supporting  integration,  fostering  inter-European  and  inter-generational 
solidarity, promoting common values, reducing nationalism and generally enhancing the 
concept  of  citizenship.  Key  issues  highlighted  concerned  (i)  the  need  for  a  gradual 
implementation approach, (ii) the need to supplement, by addressing unmet needs, rather 
than replicate existing programmes, (iii) the need to offer more opportunities for young 
people by upscaling, broadening and ensuring appropriate funding, (iv) a strong call for 
an  inclusive  and  non-elitist  European  Solidarity  Corps,  supporting  the  participation  of 
minorities  as  well  as  vulnerable  groups,  (v)  the  need  for  tailored  training  and  clearly-
defined  certification  of  acquired  skills,  (vi)  a  thorough  accreditation  process  while 
keeping  the  process  non-bureaucratic  and  (vii)  the  need  to  ensure  that  volunteering 
complements rather than replaces paid employment. 

Representatives of consulted national authorities underlined the need for a clear strategic 
vision for the European Solidarity Corps which could focus on helping those in need. As 
a  consequence,  the  needs  and  demands  of  local  communities  could  be  an  important 
quality  criterion  for  eligible  projects.  Consulted  associations,  mostly  at  the  European 
level,  also  suggested  a  virtual  network  for  participating  organisations  to  share 
experiences  and  good  practices.  Individual  non-governmental  organisations  saw  the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  as  a  great  opportunity  for  Europe  to  re-launch  volunteering 
among  young  people.  Furthermore,  NGOs  stressed  the  need  for  financial  support,  for 
making the European Solidarity Corps accessible to both local and national NGOs, and 
for  creating  a  single  web  portal  for  the  programme.  They  also  suggested  consulting 
participating organisations on their detailed needs.  

The dialogue with stakeholders will be intensified throughout all phases of establishing 
and  implementing  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  A  dedicated  media  campaign  will 
promote this dialogue, in particular to young people. The Commission will also reach out 
to EU Member States and additional solidarity organisations to ensure that the European 
Solidarity Corps will complement existing solidarity programmes. 

Monitoring progress and working with EU Institutions 

The  European  Commission  will  closely  monitor  the  interest  in  participating  in  the 
European Solidarity Corps, the actual number of placements and the sectors covered by 

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solidarity  activities  taking  into  consideration  the  overall  objective  of  ensuring  that 
interested  young  people  across  Europe  have  equal  opportunities  to  participate  in  the 
European Solidarity Corps activities and that they are placed where needs arise. 

The  European  Commission  will  engage  in  a  sustained  effort  to  advance  the  European 
Solidarity  Corps  project  based  on  an  active  engagement  and  close  cooperation  with 
stakeholders, Member States and European institutions. 

Key role of the European Parliament, the Council and the Member States: 

- to endorse at the highest level the European Solidarity Corps; 

-  to  encourage  national  organisations  and  bodies  to  fully  engage  in  identifying 
opportunities  for  participants  in  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  and  in  contributing  to 
projects supporting it; 

- to explore financing possibilities for the European Solidarity Corps also through shared 
management programmes;  

-  to  join  the  European  Commission  in  promoting  the  shared  values  underpinning  the 
European Solidarity Corps; 

- to support the further development of the European Solidarity Corps. 

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