REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the interim evaluation of the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme and the final evaluation of the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ programme
Date: 2025-07-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, cooperation in the field of education, education, education policy, sport, vocational training, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 15.7.2025  COM(2025) 395 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the interim evaluation of the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme and the final evaluation of the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ programme  {SWD(2025) 186 final}  
 
 
Introduction 

Erasmus+ is  the European Union’s programme  for education and training, youth  and sport. 
Since 1987, the programme has given over 16 million 1 people of all ages a chance to live and 
learn in another country in or outside the EU, helping to promote a sense of European identity 
and shared values. It has also substantially contributed to cross-border cooperation and policy 
development in the above-mentioned fields.  

This  report  is  submitted  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  European  Economic 
and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  pursuant  to  Article  24(6)  of 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/817  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council 2  and  is 
accompanied  by  a  staff  working  document  presenting  the  evidence  and  underlying  data.  It 
provides  observations  of  the  Commission  on  the  final  evaluation  of  the  2014-2020 
programme and the interim evaluation of the 2021-2027 programme. It builds on the support 
study  carried  out  by  an  external  independent  contractor,  the  reports  submitted  by  the  EU 
Member States  and third countries associated to  the programme on  the implementation  and 
impact of Erasmus+ in their territories 3, as well as other studies, programme monitoring data, 
and inputs from interested parties.  

The evaluation covers Erasmus+ actions carried out from 2014 to 2020 (final evaluation) and 
from 2021 to 2023 (interim evaluation) in all Member States, third countries associated to the 
programme and third countries not associated to the programme. The programme had a total 
budget of EUR 16.2 billion for the period 2014-2020 and EUR 10 billion for the period 2021-
2023 4.  

Despite  the  negative  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  Erasmus+  supported  learning 
mobility  abroad  of  over  6.2  million  participants  in  the  2014-2020  period  and  around 
1.6 million in 2021-2023 helping increase their skills and competences. The programme has 
become  more  inclusive  and  has  increased  the  share  of  people  with  fewer  opportunities 
amongst its participants, going from around 10% in the 2014-2020 period to 15% in 2023. It 
funded  over  136 000  distinct  organisations  in  the  2014-2020  programme  and  more  than 
77 000  from  2021  to  2023,  supporting  their  cooperation  and  improving  their  practices. 
Demand for funding exceeded the available funding for most programme actions during both 
periods.  

Over  both  programme  generations,  Erasmus+  created  significant  European  added  value  for 
individuals and organisations and played an essential role in promoting common EU values 
and a shared European identity. Stakeholders see it as highly relevant in the light of the socio-
economic challenges that Europe is facing both internally and globally.  

1  At  1  April  2025,  Erasmus+  and  its  predecessor  programmes  had  provided  learning  mobility  opportunities 
abroad to 16.6 million people (see data visualisation page).  
2  Regulation  (EU)  2021/817  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  20  May  2021  establishing 
Erasmus+:  the  Union  Programme  for  education  and  training,  youth  and  sport  and  repealing  Regulation  (EU) 
No 1288/2013, OJ L 189, 28.5.2021, p. 1. 
3 Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye. All associated third countries, except 
North Macedonia, submitted a national report. 
4  Based  on  annual  financing  decisions  between  2014  and  2023  under  budget  headings  1-2  (Erasmus+  2014-
2020) and 4-6 (Erasmus+ 2021-2027). 

1 

 
 
The  Erasmus+  programme,  in  its  current  structure 5,  promoting  lifelong  learning  from  pre-
primary school to adult learning, including youth activities, has been rolled out since 2014. It 
has now reached a high level of stability, acceptance, and support from key stakeholders from 
all  its  fields.  The  overall  stability  of  the  programme’s  structure,  management  and 
implementation modes 6 between the two programming periods has notably contributed to its 
efficient delivery.  

This  report takes  into account  recommendations  put  forward in  the national  reports and the 
support  study,  reflecting  some  limitations  in  the  evidence  base,  particularly  in  relation  to 
causality  and  efficiency,  proposes  adjustments  to  the  implementation  of  the  2021-2027 
programme and considers suggestions for improvements for the successor programme.     

Effectiveness 

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 
The  programme  effectively  delivered  the  expected  outputs 7  and  results 8  despite 
significant  disruptions  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic  that  heavily  affected  the  end  of  the 
programming period. The programme’s success lays both in the volume of mobility activities, 
with  more  than  6.2  million  of  learners  and  staff  supported  in  over  the  period,  in  the 
improvements it brought to participants' skills, organisations’ practices, and its influence on 
policies.  

Erasmus+  yielded  significant  benefits  to  individuals,  allowing  them  to  develop  skills’, 
such  as  capacity  to  learn,  critical  thinking,  resilience,  linguistic  skills  and  improving 
academic  performance,  with  programme  participants  experiencing  better  results  than  those 
who  had  not  taken  part  in  it.  On  the  basis  of  national  data,  causal  link  can  be  identified  in 
relation  to  higher  education  student  mobility,  showing  improved  graduation  results  for 
undergraduate  students  in  STEM  fields.  It  effectively  fostered  European  identity  and  active 
citizenship,  in  particular  through  the  activities  implemented  in  the  youth  field.  For  staff, 
across  various  sectors,  the  programme  enhanced  international  networking  and  fostered 
transnational  partnerships.  In  particular,  on  average,  84%  of  staff  participating  in  learning 
mobility indicated they had improved skills needed for their jobs. 

The  programme  effectively  supported  quality  improvements  in  the  participating 
organisations, fostering the creation of new practices and methods, as stated e.g. by 64% of 
surveyed beneficiary organisations 9. The establishment of organisational networks involving 
a large number of players from various sectors helped boost innovation capacity and improve 
the  knowledge  flow  between  educational  organisations  and  business,  thanks  also  to  actions 
such as the Knowledge Alliances. The programme also led to the creation of new partnerships 
and internationalisation strategies, as confirmed e.g. in the national reports of all countries.  

5  In  the  2014-2020  programme,  sport  actions  and  Jean  Monnet  activities  were  separate  from  the  three  key 
actions. In the 2021-2027 programme sport actions were integrated into the structure of the key actions, while 
Jean Monnet Actions remained separate. 
6 The programme is implemented through a combination of indirect management, mainly by national agencies, 
and direct management by the European Commission and its Education and Culture Executive Agency. 
7 Number of mobility participants, organisations, projects. 
8 For example, increased skills, competences, quality improvements at organisation level.  
9 Survey of socio-economic actors, Support study. 

2 

 
 
Erasmus+  2014-2020  indirectly  supported  the  achievement  of  Europe  2020  headline 
targets  for  education  and  2020  benchmarks  targets  for  European  cooperation  in 
education  and  training,  improving  students’  attitude  towards  education/training  and  the 
attractiveness  of  higher  education  institutions,  including  via  the  piloting  of  initiatives  with 
high  potential  for  transformational  impact,  such  as  the  European  Universities  alliances.  It 
influenced  policy  changes  with  the  integration  of  innovative  practices  into  national 
educational systems and triggered initiatives pursuing professionalisation and recognition of 
youth  work  as  an  occupational  qualification.  Systemic  ‘spillover’  effects  demonstrate 
programme  impact  beyond  individual  participants  and  organizations.  However,  challenges 
remain in terms of scaling up the outcomes of successful projects or long-term initiatives and 
translating them into impactful national reforms. 

•  For  the  future,  the  Commission  is  exploring  –  together  with  Member  States  and 
stakeholders – an investment pathway for European Universities alliances, aiming to 
offer  a  long-term  comprehensive  funding  approach  for  the  European  Universities 
alliances.  

•  The Commission is also exploring the possibilities for ensuring strengthened funding 
paths,  including  for  scale  up  and  sustainability  of  the  Centres  of  Vocational 
Excellence and Erasmus+ Teacher Academies initiatives. 

•  Furthermore, the Commission will pilot European School Alliances to increase pupil 
teacher  mobility,  cross-border  cooperation  between  schools  and  school 

and 
authorities, and innovation.  

The  programme  aligned  well  with  the  EU’s  political  priorities  addressing  jobs  and  growth, 
advancing  them  either  directly  or  indirectly.  Its  international  dimension  effectively 
contributed to priorities focusing on strengthening EU’s role as a global actor. Leveraging its 
role  of  education  programme,  Erasmus+  indirectly  contributed  to  the  migration  policy 
priority, supporting the integration of newly arriving immigrants. 

The  programme  performed  well  in  terms  of  promoting  equity  and  inclusion  in  the  youth 
sector,  thanks  to  the  setup  of  a  dedicated  strategy,  tools  and  structures  allowing  to  deploy 
targeted  support  to  young  participants  and  youth  organisations  and  to  provide  guidance  to 
national agencies. This comprehensive set of measures allowed to reach 29% of young people 
with special needs and fewer opportunities among the programme’s participants in 2020. The 
lack  of  a  harmonised  definition,  approach  and  strategy  at  programme  level  limited  the 
possibility  to  increase  the  proportion  of  disadvantaged  participants  in  the  other  sectors  too. 
The programme approach to inclusion remained largely sectoral, with the youth sector being 
the most equipped to address these challenges.   

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 
Erasmus+  2021-2027  is  on  track  to  achieve  its  key  outputs 10,  results 11  and  impacts 12. 
Over  1.6  million  learners  and  staff  and  over  77 000  distinct  organisations  have  benefitted 

10 Number of mobility participants, organisations, projects addressing horizontal priorities. 
11  Participants  with  fewer  opportunities,  learning  outcomes  and  behaviours  linked  to  horizontal  priorities, 
organisations developing high quality practices. 
12  Enhanced  skills,  European  sense  of  belonging/identity,  increased  capacity  of  organisations,  contribution  of 
policy development, strategies and cooperation in programme fields. 

3 

 
 
from  programme  support  from  2021  to  2023 13.  These  outcomes  were  achieved  despite 
significant disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily affected its early stages.  

The  programme  continues  to  provide  significant  benefits  to  individuals,  including  for 
participants with  fewer  opportunities,  fostering  a sense of European  identity, upholding EU 
common  values  and  increasing  knowledge  about  European  integration.  99%  of  participants 
have  benefitted  from  their  mobility  experience  and  95%  consider  they  have  increased  their 
sense  of  belonging.  Based  on  qualitative  evidence,  the  recognised  lasting  effects  on 
organisations include improved teaching practices, increased opportunities for cooperation, 
capacity building, organisational development and internationalisation. Smaller organisations 
often experience the most substantial benefits. Continuity between programming periods for 
most  actions  and  the  continued  participation  of  organisations  in  Erasmus+  has  facilitated 
organisational learning and increased capacity to  deliver positive outcomes for learners and 
staff. At system level, Erasmus+ 2021-2027 provides significant contribution to the building 
of the European Education Area, it is key for achieving the objectives of the European Youth 
Strategy, and is instrumental for strengthening the European dimension of sport, contributing 
to effectively advance policy cooperation in all programme fields.  

Jean  Monnet  Actions  effectively  promote  civic  engagement,  cross-national  academic 
dialogue  and  knowledge  of  the  EU,  in  particular  as  regards  European  integration  and  the 
functioning of the EU.  

Erasmus+  2021-2027  has  demonstrated  resilience  in  responding  to  significant  external 
challenges, such as COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The 
programme was able to respond and adapt quickly thanks to flexibility in its implementation 
and enhanced support mechanisms. 

The evaluation  concluded that the four transversal  priorities introduced in  the 2021-2027 
programme  (inclusion and diversity, digital transformation, green transition, participation in 
democratic life and civic engagement) have had positive effects. Among these, inclusion and 
diversity  has  been  widely  perceived  as  the  most  successfully  embedded  and  well-
implemented priority across all programme actions. A strategic approach and specific support 
measures have enabled more people with fewer opportunities to take part in the programme 
(around 15% in 2023), with the highest participation rate in the youth sector (28%). Evidence 
showed that participants with fewer opportunities benefit from the participation in Erasmus+ 
in comparable ways and extent as other participants in terms of personal development, skills 
acquisition,  social  integration  and  career  prospects.  National  reports  also  highlighted  an 
increased  commitment  from  stakeholders  to  address  the  needs  of  people  with  fewer 
opportunities.  

The  evaluation  also  identified  various  and  persisting  inclusion-related  challenges.  While 
financial  barriers  emerge  as  a  key  concern,  it  is  usually  the  cumulative  effects  of  different 
barriers14  that  prevent  participation  in  Erasmus+.  The  evaluation  also  noted  the  need  for 
additional  funding  to  fully  meet  the  programme’s  objectives,  especially  for  engaging 
participants with fewer opportunities, including those from the outermost regions.  

13  The  2021-2023 data  was not complete at the  time of the  evaluation. This applies in particular to the  newly 
introduced actions, such as sport mobility. 
14 As defined in the implementation guidelines to the inclusion and diversity strategy  of the programme, these 
barriers  include  disabilities,  health  problems,  barriers  linked  to  education  and  training  systems,  cultural 
differences, social barriers, economic barriers, barriers linked to discrimination and geographical barriers. 

4 

 
 
•  The  Commission  will  work  towards  increasing  the  outreach  of  the  programme  to 

ensure that opportunities for learning mobility become accessible to all. 

•  To  further  increase  the  participation  of  people  with  fewer  opportunities,  the 
Commission  will  review  the  implementation  of  the  framework  of  inclusion  and 
diversity measures, provide more guidance for the interpretation  of the  definition of 
‘people with fewer opportunities’, explore additional inclusion support measures and 
review the current funding rules. 

The digital transformation priority helped to focus investment on the development of digital 
skills  and  supported  the  digital  transformation  of  education  systems.  29%  of  Erasmus+ 
participants from 2021 to 2023 reported that their attitude towards using digital technologies 
had changed after their mobility experience, and that they were more inclined to use them in 
their  studies  or  work.  Progress  was  noted  also  in  the  implementation  of  the  Digital 
Opportunity Traineeships, intended to help boost the digital skills of learners and staff, with 
close to 45 000 participants in the period from 2021 to 2023. 

Erasmus+  2021-2027  supported  the green transition by increasing  participants’  knowledge 
and  promoting  behavioural  changes  on  environmental  and  sustainability  matters, 
incorporating  green  practices  into  projects  and  contributing  to  the  development  of  green 
skills.  Around  half  of  programme  participants  declared  that  they  had  improved  their 
environmental awareness and were willing to apply more sustainable behaviours. The use of 
more  sustainable  travel  options  for  Erasmus+  mobility  has  gradually  grown  due  to  rising 
incentives and behavioural changes. In 2023, these options were used by 1 out of 3 mobility 
participants.  DiscoverEU  emerges  for  its  contribution  to  the  green  transition  priority  by 
offering young people the chance to explore Europe through sustainable travel, with a total of 
179 209  passes  issued  by  end  2023.  Nevertheless,  at  the  time  of  the  evaluation,  limited 
financial support at the beginning of the programme, and additional time and costs were seen 
as an obstacle to green travel 15.  

•  The  programme  will  continue  to  invest  in  developing  green  and  digital  skills, 
increasing  knowledge  and  promoting  behavioural  changes  on  environmental  and 
sustainability matters, supporting meaningful digital learning environments, adopting 
more sustainable practices, and decreasing the carbon footprint of mobility activities 
by incentivising a greater use of greener means of transport. 

•  The programme will further reinforce its support to basic skills, including citizenship, 

and STEM skills, in line with the Union of Skills communication. 

The  programme  had  a  positive  impact  on  promoting  participation  in  democratic  life, 
common values and civic engagement. 57% of participants in Erasmus+ mobility activities 
from  2021  to  2023  acquired  knowledge  about  democratic  values  during  their  mobility,  and 
39%  were  more  willing  to  engage  in  democratic  processes  and  community  activities. 
Feedback from stakeholders confirms that the programme contributes to promoting common 
EU values and fostering European identity. 

15 The support for green travel was increased in 2024 Call, after the cut-off date of the evaluation. 

5 

 
 
•  Building  on  the  example  of  the  programme  inclusion  and  diversity  strategy,  the 
Commission  has  further  provided  a  conceptual  and  operational  framework  for  both 
the green and digital priorities through dedicated implementation strategies 16, and is 
working  on  a  participation  strategy,  addressing  citizenship  and  engagement  in 
democratic processes. 

European added value  

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 
The  2014-2020  programme  delivered  substantial  European  added  value,  thanks  to  its 
volume,  wide  scope,  broad  fields,  variety  of  target  groups  and  geographical  coverage.  This 
makes  Erasmus+  unique  across  Europe  and  beyond,  and  unmatched  in  scale,  scope,  and 
ability  to  foster  collaboration  among  diverse  beneficiaries,  influencing  the  implementation 
mechanisms of other EU programmes, in the Member States and beyond.  

The programme also generated added value for individuals and organisations who took part 
in  it,  compared  with  those  who  did  not,  with  benefits  ranging  from  improved  skills  and 
academic performance to enhanced opportunities for cooperation across borders, creation of 
networks, and increased internationalisation.  

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 was found to play an essential role in raising awareness of shared EU 
values and EU topics, with stronger results in youth activities. For example, participation in 
the Youth Dialogue is positively associated with increased active citizenship and involvement 
in democratic life, while participation in the European Voluntary Service is associated with a 
positive  feeling  towards  the  EU,  compared  to  non-participants.  Through  Jean  Monnet 
Activities,  the  programme  supported  the  development  and  spreading  of  knowledge  on 
European integration matters for a better understanding of the functioning of the EU.  

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 conveyed added value by promoting European policy cooperation and 
coordination,  fostering  peer-learning  and  supporting  evidence-based  policy  development, 
which  would  not  be  achievable  through  national  resources  alone.  Added  value  is  also 
conveyed through cooperation between Member States and third countries associated to the 
programme,  providing  equal  participation  opportunities  and  supporting  some  of  these 
countries in  their EU accession preparations. Although  only  limited to the higher education 
and youth fields, the activities involving non-associated third countries facilitated cooperation 
with organisations across the world, contributed to build capacity and to strengthen the EU’s 
role as global actor on the international scene.  

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 
The  interim  evaluation  shows  that  Erasmus+  creates  significant  European  added  value 
compared  to  what  could  be  achieved  by  Member  States  and  other  countries  at  regional, 
national and international level. Erasmus+ funds over half of credit mobility in the Member 
States. In countries like Cyprus and Ireland, it finances 100% of short mobility and more than 
90% in 11 other countries 17. Without Erasmus+, it is likely that the benefits deriving from the 
reduced. 
programme 

and  organisations  would  be  drastically 

individuals 

for 

16 The implementation guidelines for the green and digital strategies were published in November 2024.  
17 Source: Eurostat data. 

6 

 
 
Internationalisation of education, training, youth and sport sectors would be reduced to close 
to zero in several countries, especially in the youth and sport sectors. 

The  2021-2027  programme  has  increased  its  added  value  compared  to  the  previous 
programming period, effectively addressing emerging needs and expanding its reach towards 
new  target  groups  such  as  adult  learners  and  sport  staff,  yielding  significant  benefits  for 
individuals and organisations who take part in the programme, compared to those who do not. 
Its  added  value  becomes  clear  when  it  comes  to  promoting  common  EU  values,  a  shared 
European  identity,  intercultural  understanding  and  fostering  a  European  sense  of 
belonging, as well as for creating future-proof skills.  

Erasmus+  also  spreads  its  significant  effects  internationally,  at  a  higher  degree  than  its 
predecessor. The programme provides full access to the associated third countries and plays 
an  essential  role  in  many  of  these  countries  providing  access  to  learning  mobility  and 
cooperation  opportunities,  as  well  as  to  opportunities  and  support  for  policy  development. 
This is particularly valuable in the perspective of some of these countries’  preparation for 
EU  accession.  The  enhanced  international  dimension  supports  people-to-people  contacts, 
cooperation  with  institutions  and  organisations  across  the  world,  capacity  building,  and 
promotes  EU  values  and  international  relations  globally.  The  interim  evaluation  points  out 
that  the  international  dimension  of  the  programme  should  be  reinforced.  This  is  key  to 
continue  supporting  the  EU’s  strategic  priorities,  through  further  cooperation  with  non-
associated  third  countries  and  synergies  with  EU  policy  objectives  and  strategies  in 
international cooperation, such as the Global Gateway. 

•  The  programme  will  continue  supporting  EU’s  strategic  priorities  through  synergies 
with  external  policy  instruments  and  strategies  like  the  Global  Gateway,  A  New 
Agenda for the Mediterranean and the upcoming Pact for the Mediterranean. 

•  The Commission will consider options for the possible association of third countries 

to the programme, in particular the candidate countries and potential candidates. 

• 

In addition to expanding mobility opportunities within Europe, the Commission will 
also  explore  increasing  the  possibilities  for  mobility  experiences  and  cooperation 
opportunities  with  industrialised  third  countries  and  third  countries  with  emerging 
economies,  with  a  view  to  attracting  global  talents  to  address  skills  shortages  and 
strengthen EU competitiveness. 

Efficiency and simplification 

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 
The  management  structure  of  Erasmus+  2014-2020  relying  on  a  combination  of  direct  and 
indirect  management  modes  has  proven  efficient  and  fit  for  purpose,  with  good 
coordination and communication mechanisms.  The distribution of resources,  accounting  for 
full-time  equivalents  and  administrative  expenditure,  appeared  balanced  between  both 
programme  management  modes,  considering  the  volume  of  budget  and  number  of  projects 
managed under each type of management.  

The  evaluation  confirms  the  key  role  held  by  national  agencies  in  supporting  the 
implementation of the programme at national level, shaping support activities on the basis 
on  specific  needs  and  national  priorities,  and  giving  tailored  assistance  to  participants  and 
organisations  during  the  project  lifecycle.  Their  role  was  particularly  important  during  the 
COVID-19 pandemic and widely recognised by stakeholders.  

7 

 
The 2014-2020 programme funded around 160 000 projects for a total of EUR 17.5 billion. 
Despite  a  40%  budget  increase  compared  to  its  predecessor  programmes,  the  programme 
was not able to fully satisfy the high demand across the different sectors, resulting in low 
success rates. It is estimated that around EUR 8.9 billion additional budget would have been 
necessary to fund more than 44 000 quality proposals which were rejected for lack of funds.  

The  programme  was  assessed  as  cost-effective,  but  to  varying  degrees  for  its  key  actions. 
Key  action  1  confirms  high  cost-effectiveness,  providing  substantial  benefits  to  a  large 
number  of  learners  and  staff  in  Europe  and  beyond.  The  limited  comparability  of  other 
interventions  with  similar  objectives  underscores  its  EU  added  value.  When  –  despite 
limitations  -  this  comparison  is  carried  out,  the  cost  of  the  programme  (EUR 16  per 
day/learners and EUR 180 per day/staff 18) appears highly competitive. The cost-effectiveness 
of  key  action  1  is  further  enhanced  by  the  absence  of  significant  areas  of  inefficiencies, 
coupled with the use of simplified cost options and high demand.  

The cost-effectiveness of key action 2 was more challenging to evaluate as a whole, given the 
variety of its outputs across programme sectors. Considering this variety, key action 2 helped 
achieve  programme  objectives  at  organisational  level,  contributing  among  others  to  foster 
international  cooperation  with  third  countries  in  higher  education  and  youth,  reinforcing 
cooperation  with  business  and  enhancing  internationalisation.  These  benefits,  together  with 
the high demand, show good cost-effectiveness.  

Similarly, a comprehensive assessment of the cost-effectiveness of key action 3 is hindered 
by the highly diversified character of these activities, made of multiple sub-actions with small 
budgetary  envelopes.  These  activities  are  considered  valuable  due  to  their  unique  role  in 
supporting  European  policy  coordination  in  programme  fields,  the  implementation  of  EU 
tools,  and  the  creation  of  networks,  which  could  not  be  achieved  without  the  programme 
intervention.  

The  generalised  use  of  unit  costs  in  key  action  1,  which  accounts  for  the  largest  share  of 
programme funding, has enhanced the efficiency of the whole programme. However, the use 
of real costs for some activities under key action 2 and key action 3 made management and 
reporting  more  complex  for  both  beneficiaries  and  implementing  bodies,  leading  to  some 
inefficiencies. The monitoring system of the programme also showed some limitations due to 
inadequate coverage of specific areas of the programme intervention, and difficulties to link 
the measurement of system level indicators to the intervention. 

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 
Learning  mobility  activities  (key  action  1)  confirm  high  cost-effectiveness 19.  Compared 
to  the  average  cost  of  mobility  (EUR  22  per  day/learner  and  EUR  215  per  day/staff 
member 20),  these  activities  brought  significant  benefits  to  learners,  staff  and  their 
organisations. In its initial phase, the programme was affected by mobility restrictions due to 
the COVID-19 pandemic, but the demand for mobility surged 21 once activities resumed. This 

18 Staff mobility is more costly due to a shorter average duration and higher subsistence costs. 
19  This  applies  also  to  international  credit  mobility  supported  through  the  budget  contribution  from  external 
policy instruments. 
20  As  in  the  2014-2020  period,  staff  mobility  is  more  costly  due  to  shorter  average  duration  and  higher 
subsistence costs.  
21  Except  for  the  demand  of  learning  mobility  of  adult  learners,  which  was  limited  at  the  beginning  of  the 
current programming period. 

8 

 
 
raised concerns as to whether the budget would be sufficient, in particular, to further increase 
the  access  of  people  with  fewer  opportunities.  The  extension  of  the  accreditation  scheme, 
giving  organisations  a  simplified  access  to  funding  every  year  to  implement  their  planned 
mobility activities, has reduced costs for the assessment of key action 1 proposals, the time 
required  for  project  selection,  as  well  as  for  submitting  grant  requests,  increasing  the  cost-
effectiveness of key action 1 compared to the previous period. 

Evidence  indicates  cost-effectiveness  of  cooperation  activities  among  organisations  and 
institutions  (key  action  2).  Cooperation  partnerships  and  small-scale  partnerships  are 
recognized as cost-effective. The demand for funding under key action 2 is high, calling for 
increased  budget  allocation  as  well  as  for  simplifying  the  requirements  for  application, 
implementation  and  reporting  of  actions  under  direct  management,  enabling  wider 
participation of small organisations.  

Based on qualitative evidence, the evaluation highlighted long-term and systemic benefits 
of actions supporting policy development and cooperation (key action 3). However, there 
was  insufficient  evidence  on  their  cost-effectiveness  due  to  the  longer-term  and  policy-
oriented  nature  of  their  outcomes.  Similarly,  the  evaluation  of  the  Jean  Monnet  Actions 
revealed limited evidence at this point in time, particularly for newly introduced initiatives in 
school education and in vocational education and training (VET). Nonetheless, perceptions of 
positive cost-effectiveness have emerged from stakeholders’ consultations. 

Despite  the  general  appreciation  for  the  budget  increase  of  the  2021-2027  programme 
compared to its predecessor (around +76.5%) 22, the current programme budget is still not 
sufficient  to  fund  all  quality  projects.  For  instance,  demand  for  mobility  in  accredited 
projects for schools doubled from 2021 to 2022 and more than doubled from 2022 to 2023, 
with  an average success  rate of  just  17% in  2023  for indirectly managed  actions under key 
action 2. In the period 2021-2023, around 72 000 projects have been granted a total budget of 
EUR 9.8 billion. Programme monitoring data show that it would have been possible to grant 
more  than  EUR  5  billion  of  additional  budget  to  more  than  29 400  additional  quality 
proposals scoring above the quality threshold but rejected for lack of funds  (of which  EUR 
2.2 billion to 3 800 quality proposals under direct management and EUR 2.9 billion to 25 600 
quality proposals under indirect management). 

in 

introduced 

the  2021-2027  programme 

to  reduce 
The  simplification  measures 
administrative  burden  and  to  widen  access  to  the  programme,  are  viewed  positively  by 
stakeholders and have helped streamline the funding rules and minimise administrative costs 
associated  with  participation  and  management.  These  measures  include  simplified  forms  of 
grants for some activities, such as lump sum contributions for partnerships, the introduction 
of  new  types  of  smaller  grants  such  as  small-scale  partnerships,  and  the  extension  of  the 
accreditation scheme. Given the different level of demand across actions/sectors from country 
to country, under the current programme, national agencies have higher flexibility to transfer 
funds  between  budgetary  allocations  to  address  specific  needs,  ensuring  optimal  budget 
absorption. The evaluation suggested that programme procedures could be simplified further 
in order to further reduce the administrative burden.  

22 The total MFF envelope of the 2014-2020 programme was EUR 16.2 billion and the indicative  envelope of 
the  2021-2027  programme  is  EUR  28.6  billion.  These  amounts  include  funding  from  external  policy 
instruments. 

9 

 
 
•  The  Commission  will  further  streamline  programme  rules  across  its  various  actions, 
keeping  in  mind  the  specific  needs  of  different  sectors,  and  will  explore  further 
measures to simplify access for small and newcomer organisations. 

Concerning the programme management support tools, the previous set of IT tools used for 
actions under indirect management, based on outdated technology, needed to be upgraded to 
meet the evolving demands of Erasmus+. The introduction of new IT systems at the start of 
the current programming period aimed to address these needs, but their deployment resulted 
in  many  inefficiencies  in  project  application,  management  and  reporting  stages.  Evidence 
suggests  that  this  hindered  programme  implementation  at  the  start  of  the  current 
programming  period.  Substantial  corrective  measures  have  been  introduced  and  multiple 
issues have been resolved. Such efforts and corrective actions are to be continued. 

The programme’s monitoring mechanisms were found to be appropriate and proportionate, 
demonstrating improvements throughout  the two programme generations in  terms  of clarity 
of  roles  and  responsibilities.  The  indicators  used  for  the  2021-2027  programme  provide  an 
effective  and  comprehensive  monitoring  framework,  even  if  the  emphasis  continues  to  be 
more on quantitative data, while qualitative data for the analysis of results and impacts is less 
systematically collected. Areas  for improvement  include making monitoring  activities more 
systematic and streamlined, improving consistency and clarity of the tools and templates used 
for reporting results. The evaluation also highlighted some research gaps in key areas of the 
programme, such as the one of EU values. It also stressed a need to better capture longer-term 
outcomes for all dimensions of the programme to facilitate its final evaluation through more 
comprehensive  data  collections,  reducing  overreliance  on  ad  hoc  survey  data  and  enabling 
higher comparability and cross-country analyses with contrafactual methodologies. 

The anti-fraud strategies and measures currently in place were assessed as appropriate and 
robust. 

•  The Commission will continue to systematically tackle remaining issues with regards 

to the current IT tools for actions under indirect management.  

•  To  enhance  the  assessment  of  the  programme  long-term  causal  impact,  the 
Commission will reinforce its monitoring and evaluation system, including enhancing 
the  feeding  of  its  impact  indicators.  To  do  so,  it  will  assess  options  to  enable  the 
collection of administrative data on mobility participants’ outcomes and perform more 
longitudinal studies with contrafactual methodologies across its intervention areas.  

Relevance 

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 
The programme showed relevance with EU priorities and emerging challenges, adapting over 
time. It reacted well to the migration crisis of those years, putting emphasis on intercultural 
dialogue  and  prevention  of  radicalisation,  supporting  integration  of  refugees  by  leveraging 
the role of education. The increased emphasis on digital transformation in the last years of the 
programme  implementation  was  instrumental  to  enable  a  more  effective  reaction  to  the 
challenges  posed  by  COVID-19  pandemic.  By  increasing  its  relevance  and  adapting  to  the 
changing  world,  the  programme  paved  the  way  for  its  successor,  supporting  measures  that 
have become more and more relevant over years. This was the case  e.g. of the pilots of the 
European  University  alliances  and  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence,  of  digital  tools  like 
Selfie or blended mobilities. 

10 

 
Erasmus+ 2021-2027 
Erasmus+  2021-2027  is  seen  as  highly  relevant  to  the  socio-economic  needs  and 
challenges  in  Europe  and  beyond,  reflecting  both  high-level  EU  priorities  and  emerging 
issues from recent crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia’s full scale invasion 
of Ukraine, doing better than its predecessor. 

The four transversal priorities introduced in the 2021-2027 programme are widely viewed as 
relevant  both  at  European  and  national  levels  and  contributing  substantially  to  further 
enhance  Erasmus+  alignment  with  EU  priorities.  Through  these  priorities,  the  programme 
strongly emphasises the digital and green transition, supporting the development of digital 
and  green  skills  and  the  digitalisation  and  greening  of  education  systems  in  programme 
sectors.  

Erasmus+ was also found to be very responsive to the diverse needs of its participants and 
beneficiary  organisations  across  its  various  sectors.  The  enhanced  focus  and  efforts  to 
reach people with fewer opportunities are generally acknowledged, while the use of blended 
learning and digital tools is seen as a positive step to reach a broader socio-economic range of 
participants.  The  programme  effectively  attracts  a  wide  range  of  stakeholders,  although 
larger,  better-resourced  organisations  often  find  it  easier  to  navigate  the  funding  and 
application processes. Despite the improvements and measures introduced since 2021, further 
efforts towards greater accessibility and inclusiveness are needed to facilitate access for all. 

The  programme  is  responding  to  emerging  needs  related  to  new  challenges  posed  by 
technological developments, in particular the emergence of generative artificial intelligence 
and  the  provision  of  skills  to  boost  EU  competitiveness.  The  number  of  projects  and 
initiatives  in  the  areas  of  artificial  intelligence,  digital  safety  and  digital  well-being  is 
constantly  increasing.  Similarly,  the  programme  is  investing in  supporting  the  development 
of future-proof skills to tackle the challenges of competitiveness, as highlighted in Draghi 23 
and Letta 24 reports. In this sense, the funding of learning mobility appears key to ensure that 
the younger generations are equipped with the right skills to face the challenges of a rapidly 
evolving context, and proof of continuous relevance.  

•  To  further  strengthen  its  contribution  to  EU  competitiveness,  the  programme  will 
continue  supporting  the  building  of  skills  for  life  and  for  jobs,  and  their  circulation 
through e.g. learning mobility and deepened transnational cooperation, in line with the 
Union of Skills communication. 

Erasmus+  is  widely  recognised  across  the  education  and  training,  youth,  and  sport  sectors. 
Awareness  remains  higher  in  higher  education,  showing  the  need  for  more  targeted 
communication  strategies  to  raise  awareness  on  opportunities  for  all  sectors.  Similarly,  the 
evaluation underlined the potential for additional improvements to promote access to groups 
which are hard to reach. 

23 M. Draghi (2024), The future of European competitiveness. 
24 E. Letta (2024), Much more than a market. 

11 

 
 
Coherence 

Erasmus+ 2014-2020 
The  2014-2020  programme  confirms  to  have  good  internal  coherence,  thanks  to  the  strong 
learning dimension embedded in its activities. The pilots of the European University alliances 
and  the  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  in  the  last  two  years  of  the  programming  period 
strengthened its cross-sectoral dimension and appear consistent with its objectives.  

The final evaluation of the 2014-2020 programme also confirms its high external coherence. 
The  programme  complemented  other  policy  areas  and  funding  instruments  with  similar 
objectives, creating synergies in particular with the European Social Fund (ESF) and Horizon 
2020.  

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 
Erasmus+  2021-2027  demonstrates  strong  internal  coherence,  with  a  clear  and  consistent 
structure  for  its  stakeholders,  a  high  degree  of  complementarity  of  key  actions  and  an 
increasing  focus  on cross-sectoral  collaboration. The internal  coherence of Erasmus+ 2021-
2027  has  improved  compared  to  the  2014-2020  period,  with  a  more  streamlined  and 
consistent structure facilitating better implementation and improved accessibility. Coherence 
would still be improved by addressing the separate handling of Jean Monnet Actions to avoid 
confusion among stakeholders. 

the  programmes’  objectives, 

The  programme  external  coherence  is  high  in  relation  to  other  EU  programmes  with 
similar  or  complementary  objectives,  such  as  ESF+,  ERDF  (including  Interreg)  or  Horizon 
Europe.  Complementarities  concern 
their  design  and 
implementation. Although opportunities for synergies have been reinforced under the 2021-
2027 programming period, they so far still appear underutilized. These also include the Seal 
of  Excellence  and  the  new  possibility  for  Member  States  to  transfer  funds  from  shared 
management programmes, including  those funded by  ESF+ / ERDF, to Erasmus. Consulted 
stakeholders showed limited awareness of the Seal of Excellence under Erasmus+, while to 
date the transfer option has been used by Germany only. Further opportunities for enhancing 
external  coherence  are identified  in  relation  to  the scope, focus  and complementarities with 
the European Solidarity Corps.  

•  For the post-2027 programming  cycle, the Commission will  explore ways to  further 

reinforce the coherence between Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. 

•  The  Commission  will  work  with  national  authorities  and  national  agencies  to 
strengthen coordination and cooperation with other EU funding instruments, enhance 
synergies and develop mechanisms to identify successful synergy practices and foster 
their replicability. 

Conclusions 

Both programme generations have proven successful in delivering a strong European added 
value, playing a key role in the fields of education, training, youth and sport. While areas for 
improvement  have  been  identified,  both  the  final  and  the  interim  evaluations  confirm  that 
Erasmus+  performs  strongly  across  the  five  evaluation  criteria  and  fulfils  its  objectives 
effectively. These  findings  provide a solid  basis  for continued  implementation of the 2021-
2027 programme and lay the groundwork for the post-2027 reflection. 

12