Investment in education and culture must match the ambitions of the European Union

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has unanimously adopted two opinions urging the EU to adequately fund the Erasmus+ and the AgoraEU programmes under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 and warning against cuts or reallocations from cohesion policy.

The two opinions, adopted at the CoR Plenary Session on 6 May 2026, demand the meaningful involvement of local and regional authorities in the design, implementation and governance of these initiatives.

As debate intensifies over the European Union's next long-term budget, the European Committee of the Regions called for Erasmus+ and AgoraEU funding to be protected in real terms, warning against cuts to programmes supporting education, culture and democratic participation. The CoR said any expansion of the initiatives should be secured with additional resources in the next MFF.

Erasmus+: a social elevator

The opinion on the 'Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034', drafted by rapporteur Roberto Pella (IT/EPP), Mayor of Valdengo, welcomes the Commission's proposal but presses for a significantly more ambitious budget. Regions and cities stress that Erasmus+ should operate as a genuine social elevator, rather than just a mobility programme for the already advantaged.

The opinion therefore urges the Commission to make the programme more inclusive and to prioritise widening access for learners with fewer opportunities, young people from disadvantaged areas and territories facing structural challenges such as depopulation, demographic decline or geographic remoteness. In this regard, the CoR requests that special attention be given to the participation of institutions from less-represented regions in the European Universities Alliances.

Regarding governance and implementation, local authorities advocate maintaining and strengthening the programme's decentralised management system, as well as maximising synergies with structural and cohesion instruments. The Committee insists that these synergies should be guided by territorial and demographic realities in order to ensure a sustainable long-term impact. The opinion also regrets the lack of clarity on resource allocation across the programme's priorities and actions, warning that incoherent implementation choices risk duplication and could undermine flexibility and inclusion.

Additionally, the CoR shares the position of the EP rapporteur on the importance of supporting sport as a key element in the Erasmus+ programme. It also recommends pilot schemes to provide technical assistance and capacity building for municipalities in remote and disadvantaged areas and calls for a stronger emphasis on vocational education and training (VET) mobility.

AgoraEU: culture and values at the heart of the MFF

The AgoraEU opinion, drafted by rapporteur Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council, embraces the Commission's proposed holistic approach, noting that this new framework represents the cornerstone of the next MFF, embodying the EU's shared values. Therefore, the CoR underlines that it must be adequately funded to fulfil this role. At the same time, the Committee warns that the consolidation of Creative Europe and CERV+ must not undermine the individual strands of the programme -culture, media, citizens' engagement, equality and rights- each of which must retain its own identity and purpose.

The CoR insists that local authorities must be recognised as primary implementing partners, given their central role in providing spaces where democracy is lived, practised and renewed. It also regrets the absence of an indicative list of eligible measures and actions, which the CoR considers essential for transparency, allowing beneficiaries to prepare and engage meaningfully with the programme.

Regarding access and simplification, regions and cities request simplified grant formats such as two-step applications and cascade grants, reduced own-contribution requirements (not exceeding 10% of total eligible costs), and AgoraEU contact points at the national and, where appropriate, regional levels. The opinion also highlights the importance of promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the cultural and creative sectors as a cross-cutting challenge that the programme must explicitly address.

The CoR calls for dedicated support for local and regional media production and public service broadcasting, particularly in rural areas at risk of becoming 'media deserts', and for the explicit recognition of cultural heritage protection as an autonomous priority with dedicated funding.

Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, opened the debate by firmly calling for increased financial support for the Erasmus+ and AgoraEU programmes. He argued that investing directly in young people through these initiatives is the most valuable contribution that can be made. The Italian Minister for Sports and Youth echoed this sentiment, affirming that projects such as Erasmus+ represent a strategic commitment to advancing societal development.

Quotes

Rapporteur Roberto Pella (IT/EPP), Mayor of Valdengo: "Erasmus+ is one of Europe's flagship success stories and a cornerstone of our shared European identity. The future programme must go further-not only with adequate funding, but with simpler rules, greater flexibility and easier access, enabling smaller organisations to participate fully. This also requires genuine support for disadvantaged municipalities through capacity-building and practical assistance to engage in Programme actions, as well as a stronger sport dimension. Investing in Erasmus+ means investing in Europe's peaceful, competitive and inclusive future by empowering young people to shape it."

Rapporteur Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council: "AgoraEU sends Europe back to where it has always truly lived: in local communities, in minority cultures and in rural creative workshops. For Harghita and Covasna, this opinion carries a clear message: villages, craftspeople, minority NGOs and young creators belong at the heart of European cultural funding. We have secured stronger recognition for ethnic, national and linguistic minorities, simpler access for smaller beneficiaries, and territorial monitoring to close the gap between cities and rural areas. Europe's unity begins where diversity is not merely declared but lived - and AgoraEU must now keep that promise."

European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef: "Youth engagement, culture and sport are all essential to our democracy, to our identity, and to our societal resilience. Regions play a crucial role in reflecting these priorities across all EU funding instruments. That's how you bring Europe closer to its citizens."

Background

• Video and photos of the CoR plenary session.

• On 16 July 2025, as part of a package of legislative proposals to govern programmes under the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF), the European Commission proposed a regulation establishing the 2028-2034 Erasmus+ programme.

• The new programme AgoraEU was also presented on 16 July 2025. It combines and builds upon the Creative Europe programme and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme that are currently funded by the 2021-2027 MFF.

• The CoR is currently working on 20 opinions to assess specific aspects of the and regulations of the future EU long-term budget 2028-34.

Contact:

Víctor Moreno Morales de Setién
Tel:+32475999662
[email protected]