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Summaries of EU Legislation

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European Solidarity Corps

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2018/1475 — rules concerning the European Solidarity Corps

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS REGULATION?

It establishes the European Solidarity Corps which aims to promote solidarity in European society, involving young people and organisations in accessible, high-quality activities.

The Corps offers young people opportunities to help resolve challenging situations across Europe and show their commitment to communities while acquiring useful experience, skills and competences for their personal, educational, social, civic and professional development.

KEY POINTS

The European Solidarity Corps:

aims to
- give young people the chance to help society at large, while improving their own personal skills and job opportunities
- provide high-quality, properly validated activities
- promote democracy, citizenship and involvement, with particular emphasis on social inclusion and equal opportunities
- encourage cooperation among young Europeans;
offers opportunities for in-country and cross-border activities
- volunteering*
- traineeships* and jobs*
- solidarity projects and networking activities
- quality and support measures, including training, language support and complementary insurance;
manages:
- a €375.6 million budget for 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020. Of this, 90% is allocated to volunteering and solidarity projects and 10% to traineeships or jobs.

Participation is open to:

young people between18 and 30 who must register in the European Solidarity Corps Portal before starting a volunteering activity, traineeship or a job or a solidarity project;
public or private, non-profit or profit-making organisations that meet the necessary requirements from:
- EU countries (for volunteering, traineeships, jobs, solidarity projects and networking activities)
- candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey) and potential candidate countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo*), European Economic Area members (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), Switzerland and 16 neighbourhood countries*, and Russia (for volunteering, solidarity projects and networking activities).

The regulation requires the European Commission to:

monitor the European Solidarity Corps’ activities regularly, in cooperation with national authorities, agencies and organisations;
publish a stock-taking report in 2020;
evaluate the existing legislation and make recommendations by 6 October 2022 on the programme’s future;
disseminate information and ensure publicity on the European Solidarity Corps’ activities.

Participating countries must designate a national agency to manage the Corps’ activities.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 5 October 2018.

BACKGROUND

Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced the initiative during his annual State of the Union speech to the European Parliament in September 2016. The European Solidarity Corps was officially launched 3 months later, supported by eight EU funding programmes including Erasmus+ with the European Voluntary Service.
The Commission has proposed that the European Solidarity Corps continues in the new programming period from 2021 to 2027.
The legislation transfers volunteering activities from Erasmus+ to the European Solidarity Corps.
It also amends Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 on the environment and climate action programme (LIFE) and Decision No 1313/2013/EU on the EU’s civil protection mechanism.

For more information, see:

European Solidarity Corps (European Youth Portal).

KEY TERMS

Volunteering: voluntary unpaid activity for up to 12 months.

Traineeship: 2 to 6 months’ paid work experience, renewable once for a maximum of 12 months.

Job: 3 to 12 months’ paid work on a written employment contract.

Neighbourhood countries: these comprise 16 of the EU’s closest eastern and southern neighbours:

to the east: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine;
to the south: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine^**, Syria and Tunisia.

^**This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the EU countries on this issue.

MAIN DOCUMENT

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, pp. 1-20)