The EU's student exchange programme Erasmus is exactly the type of funding the EU budget should be providing, said ECR MEP Remo Sernagiotto after the Parliament's Culture Committee voted today on its next iteration of the programme.

The committee of MEPs were voting on the new version of the programme that will run under the EU’s next multi-annual financial framework from 2021-27.

Since its launch the programme has provided opportunities to over 4 million Europeans to study, train, gain experience and volunteer abroad and has proved successful in providing fresh opportunities to students and teachers.

Under the new programme the ECR Group has successfully pushed for the principle of openness, whereby associated countries have as much access to the programme as EU member states. We also supported increased funding for adult and vocational education, and for a greater share of money to be spent by national Erasmus agencies, as opposed to centralised actions managed at EU level.

Speaking after the vote Sernagiotto, who followed the proposals for the ECR Group, said:

“Erasmus is arguably one of the EU’s most visible programmes and it’s important we get it right. We need to keep pushing for better geographical distribution and also focus more efforts on implementing the principle of inclusion to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities.

“Connecting students and institutions across borders clearly represents genuine EU added value and Erasmus is the type of programme the budget should be backing.”