Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union
Date: 2022-01-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: coronavirus disease, epidemic, international voluntary worker, social participation, student mobility, vocational training, voluntary organisation, voluntary work, young person, youth policy

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 13.1.2022  COM(2022) 15 final 2022/0006 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union   (Text with EEA relevance) {SWD(2022) 4 final}  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

The European Union is built on solidarity between its citizens and between its Member States. 
This universal and common value guides its actions and provides the unity needed to meet the 
challenges society is facing today and will face tomorrow, challenges which young Europeans 
are here to address by demonstrating their solidarity in practice. 

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  had  an  unprecedented  impact  on  young  people’s  education, 
employment,  social  inclusion  and  mental  health.  It  has  interrupted  their  opportunities  for 
education and employment, and many young people have experienced isolation, anxiety and 
depression.  At  the  same  time,  young  people  have  shown  intergenerational  solidarity  and 
support and managed to show great resilience and efforts in mitigating the pandemic’s impact.  

In her State of the Union Address on 15 September 2021, President von der Leyen announced 
that the European Commission would propose to make 2022 the European Year of Youth, ‘a 
year dedicated to empowering those who have dedicated so much to others’. She emphasised 
that  ‘Europe  needs  all  of  its  youth’.  On  14  October  2021  the  Commission  tabled  a  draft 
proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of 
Youth 2022. One of the Year’s objectives is to promote the opportunities that public polices at 
EU, national, regional and local level offer young people in support of their personal, social 
and professional development. 
The European Solidarity Corps1  is  the Union’s  one-stop-shop for volunteering opportunities 
for young people. Young people are offered numerous opportunities to take part in solidarity 
activities in a broad range of areas and to support national, regional and local actors in their 
efforts to cope with different challenges and crises. 

Volunteering, both in the Union and beyond, constitutes a rich experience in a non-formal and 
informal  learning  context  and  enhances  young  people’s  personal,  socio-educational  and 
professional  development,  active  citizenship,  civic  participation  and  employability.  Young 
people’s spirit of initiative is an important asset for society and for the labour market. 

Transnational  volunteering  across  the  EU  contains  an  additional  dimension,  namely  that  of 
helping  a  community  in  a  different  country,  increasing  intercultural  understanding,  learning 
and  working  in  a  foreign  language.  The  European  labour  market  values  multilingualism, 
multiculturalism and adaptability.  

On  20  November  2008,  the  Council  adopted  a  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young 
volunteers  across  the  European  Union  (‘the  2008  Council  Recommendation’)2.  Ten  years 
later,  the  Council  invited  the  Commission  to  propose  an  update  of  the  2008  Council 
Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across the EU as part of its Resolution 
endorsing the EU Youth Strategy (2019-2027)3.  
The Communication on establishing the European Education Area by 20254 emphasised that 
‘Non-formal  learning,  including  volunteering  helps  gain  life  and  professional  skills  and 

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Regulation (EU) 2021/888 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing 
the  European  Solidarity  Corps  Programme  and  repealing  Regulations  (EU)  2018/1475  and  (EU) 
No 375/2014 (europa.eu) 
OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 8-10. 
OJ C 456, 18.12.2018, p. 1-22. 
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  European  and 
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  achieving  the  European  Education  Area  by 
2025, COM(2020)625 final, available at EUR-Lex - 52020DC0625 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 

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competences.  These  skills  and  competences  need  to  be  fostered,  valued,  and  recognised  in 
full.’  It  also  highlights  that  ‘there  are  however  still  barriers  to  cross-border  volunteering 
mobility, including recognition of learning outcomes among employers.’ The Communication 
announces  that  updated  policy  guidance  will  be  provided  to  address  the  legal,  financial  and 
administrative  barriers  that  still  hinder  youth  cross-border  volunteering  and  solidarity.  This 
updated guidance will help further enhance the inclusiveness, quality and recognition of the 
cross-border experiences under the European Solidarity Corps.  

In its new strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the 
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030)5, the Council confirmed in priority area 1 
that  ‘Fostering,  valuing  and  recognising  non-formal  learning  including  volunteering,  and 
enhancing the inclusiveness, quality and recognition of cross-border solidarity activities’ is a 
concrete issue for action.  
In  its  Report  of  14 October 2021  on  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy6,  the 
Commission  refers  to  its  review  of  the  2008  Council  Recommendation  to  further  support 
opportunities  for  mobility  and  volunteering.  It  highlights  that  this  review  is  relevant  and 
timely  in  the  context  of  the  pandemic  and  its  emerging  priorities  (health  and  safety  of 
volunteers, inter-generational solidarity), and that new forms of volunteering, including digital 
volunteering and volunteering that is partly digital and partly on site, need to be explored. 

The  2008  Council  Recommendation  aimed  to  eliminate  obstacles  to  volunteering  in  Europe 
by  raising  awareness,  increasing  the  capacity  to  offer  volunteering  opportunities,  reducing 
barriers to participation especially for disadvantaged groups and giving greater recognition to 
the  skills  gained.  The  Recommendation  invited  the  Commission  to  support  Member  States 
through actions such as mutual learning, providing incentives through mobility programmes 
and  creating  an  online  portal  to  match  volunteering  demands  and  offers.  The  actions  were 
followed up and are now a mainstream part of the EU’s  youth activities. Most of the issues 
raised  in  the  2008  Council  Recommendation  are  still  relevant,  and  their  implementation 
should  continue.  However,  the  updated  version  should  reflect  changes  that  have  occurred 
since 2008, including: 

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a  volunteering  landscape  that  has  evolved,  particularly  since  the  launch  of  the 
European Solidarity Corps as the main provider of transnational solidarity activities 
for  young  people  at  the  EU  level,  and  new  national  volunteering  and  service 
schemes, also with transnational elements; 

impairments to mobility linked to unforeseen circumstances (such as the COVID-19 
pandemic),  and  the  need  to  protect  and  preserve  the  health,  safety  and  security  of 
volunteers; 

increased  recognition 

that  volunteering  experience  develops  skills  and 
an 
competences  that  the  labour  market  needs  New  tools  have  become  available  to 
document  and  validate  the  learning  outcomes  that  support  volunteers’  personal, 
their 
educational,  social,  civic  and  professional  development  and 
employability.   and this needs to be made fully known to the volunteer community 
and also to employers; 

therefore 

the  need  to  include  more  young  people  who  have  fewer  opportunities  in  a 
volunteering experience; 

Council  Resolution  on  a  strategic  framework  for  European  cooperation  in  education  and  training 
towards  the  European  Education  Area  and  beyond  (2021  –  2030),  OJ  C  66,  26.2.2021,  available  at 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32021G0226(01) 
https://europa.eu/youth/d8/sites/default/files/inline-files/1_EN_ACT_part1_v3.pdf 

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demographic  challenges,  including  the  ageing  of  the  European  population,  which 
provides opportunities for more inter-generational solidarity; 
the  emergence  of  new  trends  in  volunteering,  such  as  digital  volunteering7    and 
‘commercial’ volunteering8;  

growing concerns about environmental impacts and sustainable mobility. 

Numerous  barriers  to  transnational  volunteering  across  the  EU  persist.  The  removal  or 
reduction of such obstacles is crucial to ensuring the effective and efficient functioning of the 
European Solidarity Corps programme and similar national volunteer programmes across the 
EU. The most important of these barriers, as reported by various stakeholders, are: 

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the diversity of the national administrative and regulatory frameworks governing the 
volunteering field; 

the lack of practical online information on issues such as the social security coverage 
of  transnational  volunteers,  volunteers’  social  security  entitlements,  procedures  for 
applying for a European Health Insurance Card, etc.9; 

lack  of  awareness  of  the  value  of  a  volunteering  experience  and  the  underuse  of 
arrangements for validating the skills that a volunteer acquires through volunteering; 

lack of volunteering opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities;  

at times unclear rules for supporting and protecting volunteers, including in times of 
crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic; 

lack  of  synergy  between  EU  and  national  schemes  targeting  transnational 
volunteering activities.    

The aim of the proposed Council Recommendation is to: 

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facilitate transnational  youth volunteering, as part of the European Solidarity Corps 
or other schemes at national level;  

propose  policy  guidance  to  enhance  the  inclusiveness,  quality,  recognition  and 
sustainability dimensions of transnational youth volunteering; 

facilitate the complementarity between volunteering schemes in Member States and 
the European Solidarity Corps; and  

encourage  mutual  learning  and  networking  in  transnational  youth  volunteering 
activities. 

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

The proposal builds on several relevant EU youth policies. The EU youth strategy outlines the 
EU’s role in the area of youth and solidarity activities. It covers EU youth policy cooperation 
for  the  period  2019-2027  and  fosters  youth  participation  in  democratic  life;  it  also  supports 

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Digital  volunteering,  also  referred  to  as  virtual  volunteering  or  online  volunteering,  implies  volunteer 
activities completed through internet-enabled technology and tools, with generally no physical mobility. 
The practice of combining volunteering and a holiday, with people participating in solidarity activities 
as  an  integral  part  of  a  holiday  experience,  for  which  they  pay  (also  referred  to  as  voluntourism  in 
studies / media). 
It should be recalled that Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems provides for the coordination of social 
security  rights,  including  of  sickness  benefits,  in  cross-border  situations  and  applies  to  volunteers 
moving between Member States. 

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social and civic engagement, volunteering and participation in solidarity activities, and aims 
to ensure that all young people have the necessary resources to take part in society.  

Launched  in  2016,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  has  since  2018  been  based  on  a  self-
standing  Regulation  and  budget10.  The  European  Solidarity  Corps  provides  a  single  entry 
point  for  EU-funded  solidarity  activities  across  Europe  and  gives  young  people  the 
opportunity  to  take  part  in  solidarity  activities  in  their  own  country  or  abroad.  The  new 
European Solidarity Corps for 2021-2027 put a particular emphasis on inclusion, as reflected 
in the recently adopted framework of inclusion measures of the Erasmus+ and the European 
Solidarity Corps programmes for 2021-202711. Youthpass12 is the recognition instrument for 
non-formal and informal learning developed for youth projects run under the European youth 
programmes, in particular the European Solidarity Corps. Through the Youthpass certificate, 
learning outcomes from participation in such projects can be identified and documented.  

The proposed Council Recommendation will also contribute to: 

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the European Year of Youth 202213; 

the European Education Area; 

EU  equality  strategies  and  inclusion  policy  frameworks  targeting  specific 
discriminated  and  disadvantaged  groups  adopted  in  2020-2021:  the  EU  anti-
racism  action  plan  for  2020-2025,  the  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for 
equality, inclusion and participation, the LGBTIQ equality strategy, the action 
plan on integration and inclusion and the strategy for the rights of persons with 
disabilities14. 

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Consistency with other Union policies and programmes 

Youth  volunteering  supported  at  EU  level  has  links  with  other  youth-relevant  policy  areas 
such as education and training, employment, citizenship and democratic participation, social 
inclusion,  integration  of  migrants,  environment  and  nature  protection,  climate  action, 
creativity  and  culture,  and  digitalisation.  Many  EU  programmes  and  instruments  support 
young people, in particular:  

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the  European  Solidarity  Corps,  which  offers  young  people  opportunities  to 
participate  in  solidarity  activities  across  Europe  and  humanitarian  aid-related 
activities globally;  

the Erasmus+ programme, which offers transnational learning mobility opportunities 
for young people and youth workers, and various youth participation activities;  

Between 2018 and 2020, the European Solidarity Corps  was based on Regulation (EU) 2018/1475 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 laying down the legal framework of the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  and  amending  Regulation  (EU)  No  1288/2013,  Regulation  (EU)  No 
1293/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU, OJ L 250, 4.10.2018, p. 1–20.  
For the period 2021-2027, the European Solidarity Corps is based on Regulation (EU) 2021/888 of the 
European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  20  May  2021  establishing  the  European  Solidarity  Corps 
Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) 2018/1475 and (EU) No 375/2014, OJ L 202, 8.6.2021, p. 
32–54. 
Commission  Implementing  Decision  -  framework  of  inclusion  measures  of  Erasmus+  and  European 
Solidarity Corps 2021-27 | Erasmus+ (europa.eu), adopted 22 October 2021 
Youthpass 
Register of Commission Documents - COM(2021)634 (europa.eu) 
COM(2020)  565  final,  18/09/2020,  COM(2020)  620  final,  09/10/2020,  COM(2020)  698  final, 
12/11/2020, COM(2021) 101 final, 03/03/2021) 

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the reinforced Youth Guarantee supporting young people with a good-quality offer of 
employment,  continued  education,  an  apprenticeship  or  a  traineeship  within  4 
months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education, and  

the  quality  framework  for  traineeships,  which  is  an  EU  instrument  to  improve  the 
quality  of  traineeships  and  combat  abusive  traineeship  practices,  including  the 
replacement of normal entry-level jobs. 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The  proposed  Council  Recommendation  is  in  conformity  with  Articles  165  and  166  of  the 
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).  

According to Article 165(1) of the TFEU, the Union shall ‘contribute to the development of 
quality  education  by  encouraging  cooperation  between  Member  States  and,  if  necessary,  by 
supporting  and  supplementing  their  action,  while  fully  respecting  the  responsibility  of  the 
Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of their education systems’.  

The  aim  of  Union  actions  under  the  fifth  indent  of  Article  165(2)  of  the  TFEU  shall  be  to  
‘encourage  the  development  of  youth  exchanges  and  of  exchanges  of  socio-educational 
instructors,  and  […]  encourage  the  participation  of  young  people  in  democratic  life  in 
Europe’.   

The second indent of  Article 165(4) of the TFEU provides that in order to  help achieve the 
objectives referred to in this Article: 

 

the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, will adopt recommendations. 

According  to  Article  166(1)  of  the  TFEU,  states  the  Union  shall  implement  a  vocational 
training policy which shall support and supplement the action of Member States, while fully 
respecting the responsibility of Member States for the content and organisation of vocational 
training.  

The  aim  of  Union  action  under  the  third  indent  of  Article  166(2)  of  the  TFEU  shall  be  to 
facilitate access to vocational training and encourage mobility of instructors and trainees and 
particularly young people. 

The  last  part  of  the  paragraph  4  of  Article  166  of  the  TFEU  provides  that  the  European 
the  Commission,  shall  adopt 
Parliament  and 
recommendations. 

the  Council,  on  a  proposal  from 

The  initiative  does  not  propose  any  extension  of  EU  regulatory  power  or  binding 
commitments  on  Member  States.  Member  States  will  decide,  according  to  their  national 
circumstances, how they implement this Council Recommendation. 

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Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

The  present  proposal  is  in  conformity  with  the  principle  of  subsidiarity  as  provided  for  in 
Article 5(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).  

Evidence shows that the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by 
action  undertaken  by  the  Member  States.  This  is  because  of  the  European  scale  of  the 

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proposed  action,  which  specifically  aims  at  addressing  the  obstacles  to  transnational  youth 
volunteering in Europe and at enhancing the impact of the European Solidarity Corps and the 
impact of other transnational volunteering schemes. 

In line with the principle of subsidiarity, the proposal outlines a way forward for enhancing 
transnational youth volunteering in the Union and proposes recommendations to this end 

• 

Proportionality 

The present proposal is in conformity with the principle of proportionality as provided for in 
Article 5(4) of the TEU. 

Neither the content nor the form of this proposed Recommendation exceeds what is necessary 
to  achieve  its  objectives.  The  commitments  Member  States  will  make  are  of  a  voluntary 
nature and each Member State remains free to decide which approach to take. The proposed 
Recommendation  respects  the  diversity  of  the  forms  of  youth  volunteering  activities  in  the 
European Union. 

• 

Choice of the instrument 

To contribute to the achievement of the objectives referred to in Articles 165 and 166 of the 
TFEU,  this  Treaty  provides  for  the  adoption  of  recommendations  by  the  Council,  on  a 
proposal from the Commission.  

A Council recommendation is an appropriate instrument within the field of youth, where the 
Union has a supporting responsibility, and it is an instrument that has been frequently used for 
European action in these areas. As a legal instrument, it signals the commitment of Member 
States to the measures presented and provides a stronger political basis for cooperation in this 
area, while fully respecting Member State authority in the field of education and youth. The 
Commission proposes to replace the Council Recommendation of 20 November 2008 on the 
mobility of young volunteers across the European Union by the present Recommendation. 

3. 

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RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EVALUATIONS, 

POST 

OF 

EX 

STAKEHOLDER 

Ex post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation 

An evaluation of the EU youth strategy and the Council Recommendation of 2008 was carried 
out  in  2015-201615.  It  concluded  that  the  Recommendation  addressed  some  of  the  very 
relevant  and  persistent  issues  pertaining  to  and  obstacles  facing  transnational  volunteering, 
but that it could be more ambitious and better linked to the current EU funding instruments.  

The need for better recognition of a volunteering experience was still an issue at the time of 
the evaluation, even though the Recommendation has contributed to the increasing popularity 
and recognition of the Youthpass certificates and the opportunities provided by the Europass 
online platform. The inclusion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds was identified as a 
pressing  issue  in  2015,  including  visa  applications  and  attitudes  towards  migrants.  Other 
needs identified included better quality assurance for volunteering projects, stable funding and 
capacity-building opportunities for organisations and the digitalisation of volunteering. There 
was  only  moderate  response  in  Member  States  and  youth  organisations  to  step  up 
opportunities  with  their  own  resources  (beyond  the  then  Erasmus+  European  Voluntary 

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Evaluation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  the  Council  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young 
volunteers (europa.eu) SWD (2017) 281 

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Service). Over time, Member States’ priorities shifted to fighting the very high level of youth 
unemployment  resulting  from  the  financial  crisis,  where  it  was  recognized  that  increased 
volunteering opportunities could also help. 

• 

Stakeholder consultations 

The evaluation of the 2008 Recommendation and the EU youth strategy included stakeholder 
surveys and a public consultation in 201616. Volunteering was discussed during ‘the  year of 
listening’  held  ahead  of  the  renewal  of  the  EU  youth  strategy.  The  study  on  obstacles  to 
solidarity  activities17  included  focus  groups  and  surveys  of  youth  organisations  and 
organisations dealing with solidarity activities throughout Europe carried out in October 2019 
(around 700 NGOs replied). A public consultation was held in the spring of 202118. 

Collection and use of expertise 

• 
The study on ‘Removing obstacles to cross-border solidarity activities’ by PPMI Group19 was 
carried out between June 2019 and January 2020. The study’s recommendations were fed into 
an  expert  group20  of  Member  State  representatives  and  the  main  stakeholder  organisations. 
The expert group completed the evidence base for the review with examples and experiences 
from administrative practices and with feedback from youth and volunteering organisations21. 

• 

Impact assessment 

Given that the proposed activities were complementary to Member State initiatives and were 
voluntary and given the scope of the impacts expected, an impact assessment was not carried 
out. 

• 

Regulatory fitness and simplification 

Not applicable. 

• 

Fundamental rights 

The  proposed  Council  Recommendation  respects  the  fundamental  rights  and  observes  the 
principles recognised by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union22, which 
acknowledges  that  solidarity  is  one  of  the  universal  values  on  which  the  EU  is  founded.  In 
particular, this proposal takes full account of: 

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16 
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Article 8 (right to the protection of personal data),  

2020, 

Youth volunteering – working on projects in other EU countries (update) (europa.eu) 
Study  on  removing  obstacles  to  cross-border  solidarity  activities,  PPMI  Group  in  cooperation  with 
EPRD, 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/1a7042cb-e678-11ea-ad25-
01aa75ed71a1 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12774-Youth-volunteering-
working-on-projects-in-other-EU-countries-update-/public-consultation_en 
Idem footnote 18. 
‘Promoting the mobility of young volunteers and cross-border solidarity, a practical toolbox for actors 
and stakeholders in the field of youth and recommendations for policymakers’, developed by the expert 
group  set  up  by  the  European  Commission  to  support  the  process  of  reviewing  the  2008  Council 
Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers, 2021 (work carried out between September 2019 
and September 2020). 
Expert  Group  on  the  mobility  of  Young  volunteers  and  cross-border  solidarity,  Background  paper  to 
support  the  Commission  in  reviewing  the  2008  Council  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young 
volunteers, Ecorys, February 2020. 
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (OJ C 326, 26/10/2012, p. 391). 

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Article 14 (right to education),  

Article 15 (freedom to choose an occupation and right to engage in work),  

Article 21 (non-discrimination),  

Article 26 (integration of persons with disabilities),  

Article 31 (fair and just working conditions) and  

Article 32 (prohibition of child labour and protection of young people at work) of the 
Charter. 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

This initiative will not require additional resources from the EU budget. 

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

To  support  implementation,  Member  States  should  include  progress  in  the  regular  updates 
done  under  the  EU  youth  strategy,  in  particular  as  part  of  the  future  national  activities 
planners  (FNAPs).  The  Commission  proposes  that  it  will  report  on  the  use  of  the  Council 
Recommendation in the context of the work on the implementation of the EU youth strategy 
and  of  the  strategic  framework  for  European  cooperation  in  education  and  training  towards 
the European Education Area and beyond.  

• 

Outline of the Recommendation and staff working document 

The draft Recommendation proposes orientation and actions that Member States can pursue to 
further  facilitate  transnational  youth  volunteering  across  Europe.  It  sets  out  the  European 
Commission’s  commitment  to  complement  and  support  Member  State  actions  in  this  area. 
The accompanying staff working document describes a wide range of evidence to support the 
proposed Recommendation. 

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2022/0006 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 165(4) and 166(4) thereof,  

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

On  15  September  2021,  President  von  der  Leyen  announced  in  her  State  of  the 
European  Union23  address  that  the  European  Commission  would  propose  to  make 
2022 the European Year of Youth, ‘empowering those who have dedicated so much to 
others’. The European Year of Youth shall, among other things, be aimed at promoting 
opportunities  for  young  people  arising  from  the  public  policies  at  EU,  national, 
regional level and local level in order to support their personal, social and professional 
development in a green, digital and inclusive world. 

As highlighted in the European Parliament Resolution on the impact of COVID-19 on 
youth  and  on  sport  (2020/2864(RSP))24  young  people  have  been  at  the  heart  of 
solidarity-motivated activities to respond to the needs of their communities in the light 
of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  from  leading  awareness  campaigns  to  working  on  the 
front line as part of the European Solidarity Corps, to other volunteering initiatives. 

Through  their  volunteering  actions  in  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  and  other 
schemes,  young  people  are  giving  concrete  effect  to  the  Preamble  of  the  Treaty  on 
European  Union  (TEU),  which  highlights  the  desire  by  the  signatories  to  deepen 
solidarity  between  the  peoples  of  Europe,  and  to  Article  2  TEU,  which  mentions 
solidarity as one of the values common to the Member States. 

The experiences with the European Voluntary Service (1996-2018) and the European 
Solidarity  Corps,  while  successful,  have  shown  the  need  to  further  facilitate 
transnational volunteering. In this context, the Council has called for the review of the 
Council Recommendation of 20 November 2008 on the mobility of young volunteers 
across  the  European  Union  (‘the  2008  Council  Recommendation’)  in  order  to 
strengthen the potential of the European Youth Programmes in reaching out to young 
people and helping to build a community25.  This is expressed in particular in Annex 4 

23 
24 

25 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/soteu_2021_address_en_0.pdf 
Texts  adopted  -  The  impact  of  Covid-19  on  youth  and  on  sport  -  Wednesday,  10  February  2021 
(europa.eu) 
OJ C 456, 18.12.2018, p. 1–22. 

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9 

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on  the  Work  Plan  for  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  2019-2021.  Furthermore,  the 
Commission’s  Report  on  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  of  14 
September 202126 referred to the review of the 2008 Council Recommendation. 

(5)  Most  of  the  issues  raised  in  the  2008  Council  Recommendation  are  still  crucial  and 
have been retained in this proposal. The update of the 2008 Council Recommendation 
has become necessary because of several developments since 2008. An important one 
is  the  launch  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  in  2016  and  the  creation  of  new 
national  volunteering schemes, also  with  transnational  elements  that sometimes offer 
very  similar  opportunities  for  young  people.  The  European  Union  Youth  Strategy 
2019-202727 invited Member States and the Commission, within their respective fields 
of  competence,  to  seek  complementarity  and  synergies  between  EU  funding 
instruments and national, regional and local schemes.  
An  evaluation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  the  2008  Council  Recommendation28 
identified the need of inclusion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds as a more 
pressing  issue  in  2015  than  it  had  been  in  2008.  Other  needs  identified  but  not 
addressed  by  the  2008  Recommendation  included  quality  assurance  for  volunteering 
projects,  capacity-building  opportunities  for  organisations  and  a  better  monitoring  of 
the  implementation  of  the  Recommendation.  An  expert  group  came  up  with  further 
policy  recommendations29,  covering  also  knowledge-sharing  and  networking,  access 
to volunteering, administrative obstacles, awareness, recognition, digital volunteering 
and the environmental context, which informed the proposed Recommendation. 

(6) 

(7) 

Since  2008,  the  impact  of  crises,  for  instance  those  that  disrupt  the  transnational 
physical  mobility  of  volunteers,  has  been  severe.  The  COVID-19  pandemic  has 
highlighted  the  importance  of  ensuring  the  health,  security  and  safety  of  all 
participants  at  all  times,  including  making  provisions  for  managing  the  potential 
impact  of  unforeseen  circumstances.  Moreover,  for  a  long  time,  the  concept  of 
‘transnational volunteering’ referred in practice exclusively to activities involving the 
physical  mobility of volunteers. However, with  technological  progress  and under the 
influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, new volunteering trends have emerged. Digital 
volunteering  has  revealed  its  potential  to  complement  ‘standard’  volunteering 
associated  with  physical  mobility  or  even  to  become  an  alternative  form  of 
volunteering altogether, especially for young people who are not in a position to travel 
physically. The inter-generational dimension of volunteering has also clearly shown its 
importance  in  tackling  the  demographic  challenges  of  our  society.  Concerns  for  the 
environment and climate change are at the top of the EU political agenda and need to 
be reflected in activities that involve transnational mobility. 

26 
27 

28 

29 

https://europa.eu/youth/d8/sites/default/files/inline-files/1_EN_ACT_part1_v3.pdf 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:42018Y1218(01)&qid=1578414694481&from=EN 
Evaluation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  the  Council  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young 
volunteers, 2017. 
“Promoting the mobility of young volunteers and cross-border solidarity, a practical toolbox for actors 
and stakeholders in the field of youth and recommendations for policymakers”, developed by the expert 
group  set  up  by  the  European  Commission  to  support  the  process  of  reviewing  the  2008  Council 
Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers, 2021 (work undertaken from September 2019 to 
September 2020). 

EN 

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(8) 

(9) 

The  Communication  on  establishing  the  European  Education  Area  by  202530 
emphasised  the  importance  of  inclusiveness,  quality  and  recognition  of  the  cross-
border experiences under the European Solidarity Corps. Guarantees of quality of the 
available  opportunities  and  provisions  of  appropriate  support  to  participants  at  every 
stage  of  their  volunteering  experience  constitute  a  prerequisite  for  the  volunteering 
activities to benefit communities as well as young volunteers.  

One of the first difficulties that young people interested in transnational volunteering 
experience  encounter  is  access  to  user-friendly  information  about  their  status  and 
rights  as  volunteers,  on  a  dedicated  national  website,  so  that  they  can  start  their 
transnational  volunteering  activity  fully  aware  of  what  impact  it  will  have  on  their 
social  security  rights  and  entitlements  in  the  host  Member  State  as  well  as  in  the 
Member  State  of  their  usual  residence31.  Pursuant  to  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1724  of 
the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  2  October  2018  establishing  a  single 
digital gateway to provide access to information, to procedures and to assistance and 
problem-solving services, the Commission and Member States are already obliged to 
provide user-friendly online information to EU citizens on rights, obligations and rules 
laid down in  Union and national  law in  the field of volunteering in  another Member 
State32.  

(10)  Many issues related to transnational mobility cannot be tackled at national level alone, 
as  the  activities  involve  both  sending  and  hosting  Member  States.  Framework 
conditions,  such  as  relating  to  social  security  coverage,  can  vary  between  Member 
States  and  may  represent  important  obstacles  to  cross-border  mobility.  The  2008 
Council  Recommendation  already  called  for  the  examination  of  ‘relevant  social 
protection provisions through the appropriate existing EU fora with a view to making 
full use of the possibilities under EU and national legislation’.  

(11)  The  Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council, 
the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions 
Action  Plan  on  integration  and  inclusion  2021-202733  recognizes  the  role  of 
volunteering in integration and inclusion of those with fewer opportunities. For many 
of them, volunteering activities may represent the most accessible option for engaging 
in  cross-border  mobility.  Third-country  nationals  may  face  administrative  and 
practical obstacles to cross-border volunteering if they need to apply for a  long-term 
visa or residence permit for the purpose of voluntary service in another Member State.   

(12)  A  volunteering  experience  provides  volunteers  with  learning  outcomes  that  increase 
their  employability.  National  or  EU  frameworks  (that  is  to  say,  Youthpass34  and 

30 

31 

32 

33 
34 

Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  European  and 
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  achieving  the  European  Education  Area  by 
2025, COM(2020)625 final, available at EUR-Lex - 52020DC0625 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 
It should be recalled that Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems provides for the coordination of social 
security  rights,  including  of  sickness  benefits,  in  cross-border  situations  and  applies  to  volunteers 
moving between Member States. 
OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 32, annex I, section E. Implemented through the “Your Europe” portal: Your 
Europe (europa.eu) 
COM(2020) 758 final 
Youthpass is the main recognition and validation instrument available for all Erasmus+ and European 
Solidarity Corps participants to reflect the learning process and document their learning outcomes in the 
Youthpass certificate. 

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Europass35)    supporting  the  identification,  documentation  and  validation  of  learning 
outcomes  of  volunteering  activities  exist.  The  Council  Recommendation  of  20 
December  2012  on  the  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning36  invited 
employers,  youth  and  civil  society  organisations  to  promote  and  facilitate  the 
identification  and  documentation  of  learning  outcomes  acquired  at  work  or  in 
voluntary activities. The evaluation37 of the 2012 Council Recommendation identified 
areas  where  further  action  is  needed  to  achieve  the  goals  of  the  2012  Council 
Recommendation,  to  provide  people  with  access  to  more  and  better  validation 
opportunities, enabling them to access further learning and to put their skills to good 
use  in  European  society  and  the  labour  market.  The  Europass  Decision  of  16  April 
2018 defines volunteers among its target groups. 

(13)  New  developments  since  2008,  evidence  about  barriers  to  transnational  volunteering 
and  the  policy  recommendations  of  an  expert  group  regarding  the  promotion  of  the 
mobility  of  young  volunteers,  call  for  a  new  Council  Recommendation  on 
volunteering,  with  a  view  to  facilitating  and  improving  the  quality  of  transnational 
youth  volunteering  and  encouraging  mutual  learning,  networking  and  synergies 
between volunteering schemes in Member States and the European Solidarity Corps. 

(14)  This Recommendation fully respects the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. 

RECOGNISES THAT: 

1. 

2. 

35 

36 
37 

38 

For  the  purposes  of  this  Recommendation,  the  same  definition  of  ‘volunteering’  is 
used as in Regulation (EU) 2021/888 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  20  May  2021  establishing  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  Programme,  namely  a 
solidarity  activity  that  takes  place,  for  a  period  of  up  to  12  months,  as  a  voluntary 
unpaid38  activity  that  contributes  to  the  achievements  of  the  common  good.  Where 
transnational schemes existing in the Member States foresee solidarity activities of a 
duration  exceeding  12  months  that  otherwise  correspond  to  the  definition  of 
volunteering,  these  are  to  be  considered  as  volunteering  for  the  purposes  of  this 
Recommendation and thus included in its scope. 

Youth  volunteering  under  this  Recommendation  comprises  volunteering  across  the 
EU by EU nationals or third-country nationals who are residing in one Member State 
and moving to a second Member State for the purpose of voluntary service, under the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  or  any  national  cross-border  volunteering  scheme  in 
Member States. To the extent possible, the actions undertaken by Member States and 
the  Commission  in  response  to  this  Recommendation  should  also  take  account  of 
volunteering  activities  between  Member  States  and  third  countries.  Voluntary 
activities should not have an adverse effect on potential or existing paid employment, 
nor should  they be seen as  a substitute for it. The terms  ‘youth’ and  ‘young’ cover 
the age bracket of 18 to 30 years. 

Decision (EU) 2018/646 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 April 2018 on a common 
framework  for  the  provision  of  better  services  for  skills  and  qualifications  (Europass)  and  repealing 
Decision  No  2241/2004/EC  (OJ  L  112,  2.5.2018,  p.  42–50.)  establishes  a  European  framework  to 
support the transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications acquired in formal, non-formal 
and informal settings, including through practical experiences, mobility and volunteering. 
OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1–5. 
Evaluation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  the  Council  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young 
volunteers (europa.eu)  of March 2016 
Volunteers  are  not  paid  for  their  time  but  expenses  usually  limited  to  travel,  food  or  accommodation 
and/or other small personal expenses may be covered. 

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3. 

Young  people  with  fewer  opportunities  means  young  people  who,  for  economic, 
social, cultural, geographical or health reasons, a migrant background or for reasons 
such  as  disability  and  educational  difficulties  or  for  any  other  reasons,  including 
those  that  can  give  rise  to  discrimination  under  Article  12  of  the  Charter  of 
Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European  Union,  face  obstacles  that  prevent  them  from 
having effective access to opportunities39. 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT THE MEMBER STATES: 

Continue  to  promote  transnational  volunteering  in  Europe  and  beyond,  while  having  due 
regard for national frameworks and legislation in the field of voluntary activities, and Member 
States’ overall national priorities, existing local opportunities and public expenditure regimes.   

Facilitate the development, for that purpose, of the following lines of action:  

1. 

Consider  measures  contributing  to  the  development  of  an  adequate  and  clear 
legislative  and  implementation  framework  for  the  health,  safety  and  security  of 
participants in transnational volunteering activities by:  

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

 ensuring  that  organisers  involved  in  the  implementation  of  volunteering 
activities  have  clear  and  reliable  procedures  in  place  to  care  for  and  assist 
volunteers in case of crises, emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances; 

 ensuring  that  all  volunteers  can  benefit  from  adequate  and  continuous  social 
security coverage (including through developing insurance options for specific 
groups  of  volunteers,  for  example  young  people  with  disabilities,  in  close 
cooperation with insurance providers); 

 examining further relevant social protection provisions through the appropriate 
existing EU fora with a view to making full use of the possibilities under EU 
and national legislation. 

2. 

Provide information and raise awareness about volunteers’ rights as stipulated in the 
dedicated framework set out above, in particular: 

(a)  making practical and comprehensive information for volunteers relating to the 
national legal and administrative rules governing volunteering  and the impact 
of volunteering in another Member State on existing and future social security 
rights and entitlements40 of the volunteer (both for incoming and outgoing EU 
volunteers)  available  on  a  dedicated    national  website  that  is  accessible  for 
persons with disabilities;  

(b) 

encouraging organisers of existing national cross-border volunteering schemes 
to  point  to  relevant  national  and  European  websites41  that  inform  volunteers 
about their rights, obligations and applicable rules with regard to volunteering 
in another Member State.  

39 
40 

41 

See the same definition in Regulation (EU) 2021/888, Art. 2 (4) 
Including information about the procedures for applying for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) 
and detailed information on what is and is not covered by national health care systems 
The  multilingual  ‘Your  Europe’  portal  under  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1724,  OJ  L  295;  the  Youth  Wiki 
section of the European Youth Portal; information on the europa portal, e.g. on EHIC:  Applying for a 
card - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu) 

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13 

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3. 

Enhance  the  quality  of  volunteering  opportunities  by  supporting  organisers  of 
volunteering activities under national schemes in their capacity-building endeavours. 
In particular, that can be achieved by: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

 encouraging  organisers  in  both  sending  and  receiving  Member  States  to 
cooperate, including by providing sufficient information about the volunteering 
activity, its organisers  and the volunteer, so as to enable both parties to  make 
an  informed  decision  about  the  activity’s  sustainability  and  to  meet  any  legal 
requirements; 

encouraging  organisers  of  volunteering  activities,  including  those  organizing 
volunteering  activities  on  a  commercial  basis42,  to  put  emphasis  on  quality, 
among other things by basing the organisation of volunteering activities on an 
analysis  that  supports  identifiable  needs  and  leads  to  beneficial  outcomes  in 
local communities.  

encouraging organisers of transnational volunteering activities to put adequate 
emphasis  on  the  learning  dimension  of  volunteering  activities,  including  the 
language learning in transnational  volunteering; 

supporting  organisers  of  volunteering  activities  in  a  more  systematic  and 
generalized  use  of  existing  national  or  EU  frameworks  (i.e.  Youthpass  and 
Europass)  to  support  the  identification,  documentation  and  validation  of 
learning outcomes of volunteering activities;  

recognising  youth  work  as  one  of  the  main  tools  for  quality  development  of 
volunteering  activities  in  the  EU  and  contributing  in  this  way  to  the 
implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda43; 

supporting  the  training  of  youth  workers,  recognising  their  key  role  in 
through  a  high  quality 
accompanying  and  guiding  young  volunteers 
volunteering experience; 

(g) 

encouraging organisers of transnational volunteering activities to apply for the 
European Solidarity Corps quality label;  

(h)  developing  and  promoting  general  quality  standards  for  volunteering  while 
drawing  inspiration  from  the  comprehensive  system  of  quality,  support, 
inclusion and certification measures contained in Regulation (EU) 2021/88844, 
wherever feasible in the national context; 

(i) 

adopting  measures  to  ensure  that  volunteering  activities  do  not  lead  to  job 
substitution. 

4. 

Ensure  that  access  to  transnational  volunteering  activities  is  a  realistic  opportunity 
for all young people, including those with fewer opportunities, including by: 

(a) 

 supporting the creation and/or operation of national gateways and regional and 
local  structures  to  provide  information  and  guidance  regarding  existing 

42 

43 

44 

The practice of combining volunteering and a holiday, with people participating in solidarity activities 
as an integral part of a touristic experience, for which they pay. 
Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting 
within  the  Council  on  the  Framework  for  establishing  a  European  Youth  Work  Agenda  (2020/C 
415/01) 
Regulation (EU) 2021/888 of the European Parliament and the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  Programme  and  repealing  Regulations  (EU)  2018/1475  and  (EU)  No 
375/2014 (OJ L 202, 8.6.2021, p. 32)  

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volunteering  opportunities,  in  formats  that  are  accessible  to  persons  with 
disabilities,  to  young potential volunteers, including  young people with  fewer 
opportunities,  civil  society/solidarity  organisations,  and  other  stakeholders  in 
the  field.  These  structures  can  include  alumni  networks  and  local  youth 
workers,  using  their  capacity  to  empower  and  support  potential  volunteering 
candidates,  and,  where  relevant,  could  work  in  connection  with  the  National 
Agencies implementing the European Solidarity Corps; 

 facilitating  the  access  to  transnational  volunteering  experiences  for    young 
people  with  fewer  opportunities  through  promoting  targeted  information  and 
outreach  by  relevant  organisations  and  networks45,  including  through  the 
raising of awareness regarding the importance of intercultural competences and 
language learning as a stepping-stone to transnational mobility; 

encouraging  organisers  of  volunteering  activities  to  promote  social  inclusion, 
in  particular  of  disadvantaged  young  people,  including  by  insuring  the 
provision  of  reasonable  and  suitable  accommodation,  as  well  as  ensuring 
accessibility for persons with disabilities; 

 supporting relevant organisations and networks in the promotion of short-term, 
part-time  and  local  volunteering  activities  as  a  potential  first  step  towards 
participation  in  transnational  activities  and  providing  additional  targeted 
support for the development of volunteering opportunities that cater for young 
people  who  cannot  participate  in  physical  transnational  mobility  for  various 
reasons, in particular by offering digital or blended volunteering opportunities; 

 supporting organisers of volunteering activities to develop aspects of inclusion 
of  young  people  with  fewer  opportunities  for  their  projects46,  among  other 
things  by  putting  them  in  touch  with  experts  from  services  in  charge  of  the 
promotion of social inclusion who could support and train them; 

 providing  targeted  support  to  the  development  of  volunteering  activities, 
specifically promoting inclusion, equality and empowerment of disadvantaged 
groups or groups at risk of discrimination, incentivising young volunteers from 
these  communities  to  engage  in  volunteering  and  act  as  role  models  in  their 
own community; 

 further  promoting  existing  transnational  tools  that  can  help  youth  mobility, 
such  as  mobility  cards  and  encouraging  their  use  in  all  transnational 
volunteering activities47; 

resolving,  where  possible  and  without  prejudice  to  the  Schengen  acquis  and 
Union law on entry and residence of third-country nationals, administrative and 
practical  issues  that  create  difficulties  in  obtaining  long-term  visas  and/or 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

45 

46 

47 

See Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Inclusion and Diversity Strategy for guidance on how to 
do  this:  https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/resources/implementation-guidelines-erasmus-
and-european-solidarity-corps-inclusion-and-diversity_en 
In line with EU equality strategies and inclusion policy frameworks targeting specific discriminated and 
disadvantaged groups adopted in 2020-2021: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (COM(2020) 565 
final, 18/09/2020), EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation (COM(2020) 
620 final, 09/10/2020), LGBTIQ equality strategy (COM(2020) 698 final, 12/11/2020), Action plan on 
integration and inclusion (COM(2020) 758 final, 24/11/2020), Strategy for the Rights of Persons with 
Disabilities (COM(2021) 101 final, 03/03/2021). 
This  is  already  the  good  practice  of  the  former  European  Voluntary  Service  and  now  the  European 
Solidarity Corps, which provides a European Youth Card to every volunteer for free. 

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residence  permits  for  third-country  nationals  for  the  purpose  of  voluntary 
service. 

5. 

Increase  awareness  on  the  benefits  of  transnational  volunteering  activities,  through 
information,  guidance  and  outreach  activities.  Pay  particular  attention  to  equally 
reach out to young people with fewer opportunities. That includes promoting that: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

volunteering  activities  provide  young  people  with  a  concrete  way  of 
contributing to tackling societal challenges; 

a volunteering experience enhances the personal, educational, social, civic and 
professional  development  of  young  people  and  helps  them  develop  skills  and 
competences needed and valued by the labour market; 

frameworks exist to support the identification, documentation and validation of 
learning  outcomes  of  volunteering  activities  (including  Youthpass  and 
Europass),  in  particular  through  action  involving  national  stakeholders  in  the 
education, training, employment, social services and youth sectors. 

6. 

Support  and  promote  community-building  activities  related  to  volunteering.  That  
includes: 

(a) 

encouraging  the  operation  of  networks  of  volunteers  active  under  existing 
national  schemes, especially those that have  a long-term vision,  that is  to say 
are not linked to or limited by the duration of individual projects; 

(b)  promoting existing European networks linked to volunteering, in particular the 
European  Solidarity  Network  and  Europeers,  as  well  as  other  resources  and 
platforms accessible via the European Solidarity Corps Portal on the European 
Youth Portal; 

(c) 

(d) 

encouraging  former  volunteers  to  share  their  experiences  through  youth 
networks,  educational  establishments  and  workshops  in  roles  such  as 
ambassadors or as members of a network, as well as to train current or future 
volunteers; 

encouraging  the  organisers  of  volunteering  activities  to  support  volunteers  in 
their integration in the host community during their activity and in continuing 
their engagement in volunteering activities after their return home, with special 
focus on accompanying young people with fewer opportunities. 

7. 

Explore  new  trends  and  alternative  dimensions  and  formats  of  volunteering, 
including through:  

(a) 

(b) 

testing  of  formats  and  gathering  of  evidence  on  digital 
promoting, 
volunteering, including in a transnational context as a complement to physical 
mobility  or  as  a  stand-alone  format  of  volunteering  activities.  That  may  be 
particularly  relevant  for  improving  access  to  volunteering  for  young  people 
with fewer opportunities; 

acknowledging the value of and promoting inter-generational volunteering as a 
valuable contribution to the challenges faced by an ageing society as well as a 
way  of  engaging  young  people  in  an  inter-generational  dialogue,  facilitating 
inter-generational knowledge-transfer and improving the social cohesion. 

8. 

Create synergies, complementarities and continuities between volunteering schemes 
and  initiatives  existing  at  European  level  and  (at  various  levels)  in  individual 
Member States. That includes, for example: 

EN 

16 

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(a) 

exchanging  information  amongst  Member  States  on  existing  volunteering 
schemes,  including  national  civil  service  schemes  where  they  exist,  and 
transmission of such information to the European Commission, with a view to 
facilitating the publication on the European Youth Portal, the Youth Wiki, and 
the development of best practices; 

(b) 

considering  measures  that  would  promote  and  support  the  transfer  of  best 
practices from other volunteering schemes. 

9. 

Support  volunteering  activities  that  make  a  meaningful  contribution  to  tackling 
climate and environment-related challenges, by: 

(a) 

encouraging the integration of green practices into all volunteering projects and 
activities  as  well  as  promoting  environmentally  sustainable  and  responsible 
behaviour among participants and participating organisations;  

(b)  promoting  the  reduction  of  the  environmental  footprint  of  volunteering  
activities,  for  example  by  reducing  waste,  recycling  and  using  sustainable 
means of transportation; 

(c) 

promoting the development of volunteering activities that address the topic of 
environmental protection, sustainability,  climate  goals  and disaster prevention 
and recovery. 

10. 

Include  information  about  progress  in  following  this  Recommendation  in  regular 
updates  made  under  the  EU  Youth  Strategy,  in  particular  as  part  of  the  Future 
National Activities Planners (FNAPs). 

HEREBY INVITES THE COMMISSION TO: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Support the Member States to follow this Recommendation through the cooperation 
mechanisms and tools of the EU Youth Strategy and the EU  youth programmes, in 
particular the European Solidarity Corps. 

Facilitate  mutual  learning  and  exchanges  among  Member  States  and  all  relevant 
stakeholders  at  various  levels  through  activities  such  as  peer  learning,  peer 
counselling,  expert  groups,  networking  and  other  cooperation  structures,  including 
with  a  focus  on  synergies  and  complementarities  between  EU  and  national  level 
schemes, including national civil service schemes where they exist. For this purpose, 
make use of existing spaces such as the Youth Wiki and the European Youth Portal 
where  resources  and  knowledge  can  be  shared  amongst  Member  States  and  non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) at different levels. 

Explore  new  trends  and  formats  of  volunteering,  through  gathering  of  evidence, 
development  of  best  practices  and  preparation  of  guidance  and  handbooks,  in 
inter-generational 
particular 
volunteering. 

regarding  digital  or  blended  volunteering  and 

Promote and inform about European opportunities for youth volunteering, including 
for  people  with  fewer  opportunities,  through  the  European  Youth  Portal,  which 
contains  the  registration  tool  for  solidarity  activities  under  the  European  Solidarity 

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5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

Corps.  In  cooperation  with  Member  States,  include  on  the  European  Youth  portal 
links to relevant national websites48.   

Facilitate transnational volunteering of young people with disabilities by proposing, 
by the end of 2023, a European Disability Card with a view to be recognised in all 
EU  Member  States.  In  the  proposal,  build  on  the  experience  of  the  ongoing  EU 
Disability  Card  pilot  project  in  eight  Member  States49  and  upon  the  European 
parking card for persons with disabilities. 

Further develop,  promote and provide support for the use of existing EU tools  that 
support the validation of outcomes of non-formal and informal learning, in particular 
Youthpass and the Europass platform, including through European digital credentials 
for learning.  

Support  research  and  data  collection  on  the  long-term  impact  of  volunteering  and 
solidarity activities for individuals and organisations, as well as on society, including 
lessons learnt and insights from the COVID-19 pandemic on the volunteering sector 
and  its  preparedness  for  similar  crises,  through  studies,  surveys,  statistics,  research 
and data analysis. 

Use the FNAPs to gather information on Member States’ progress in following this 
Recommendation. 

Report on the use of this Council Recommendation in the context of the work on the 
implementation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  of  the  strategic  framework  for 
European  cooperation  in  education  and  training  towards  the  European  Education 
Area and beyond. 

This  Recommendation  replaces  the  Council  Recommendation  of  20  November  2008  on  the 
mobility of young volunteers across the European Union. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

48 

49 

With information foreseen under point 2 a) of this Recommendation, as well as information on national 
volunteering schemes. 
EU disability card - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu) 

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