The 165,000 current Erasmus+ exchange students and 5000 EU volunteers need reassurance that they will be reimbursed and retain their status, MEPs say.
In a letter addressed to Commissioner Mariya Gabriel on Wednesday, the Members of the Culture and Education Committee insisted for certainty that extra costs will be reimbursed and that Erasmus+ exchange students and participants of the Solidarity Corps programme will be able to retain their status.
They also ask for students to be supported to ensure that they do not lose this academic year and can obtain the necessary academic credits via virtual learning.
EU volunteers must retain their status and be deployed to national schemes
In their letter, MEPs also call on the Commission to ensure that Solidarity Corps programme participants can retain their status as volunteers for the planned duration of their placement, even if it has been suspended. They would therefore be able to complete their voluntary service and not risk losing family income, like child support, that is linked to the volunteer status.
They also recommend repurposing the voluntary activities for the suspended European Solidarity Corps participants, for example by deploying volunteers to national support schemes being implemented to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, MEPs call for “a clear policy, clearly communicated and consistently implemented across member states”, saying that people and organisations affected are “deeply worried” and “need to feel that the Commission is on their side”.
