On 28 January 2026, EfVET took part in the Stakeholder Consultation dialogue on the 2028-2034 Erasmus+ programme at the European Parliament in Brussels.
MEP Bogdan Zdrojewski, rapporteur for Establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034, invited stakeholders from the Education and Training sectors to present their views on the European Commission’s proposal, currently negotiated in the European Parliament. On behalf of EfVET, Executive Director Paolo Nardi addressed the issues to prioritise in the upcoming flagship programme, especially from the perspective of VET providers and stakeholders.
In his input, Paolo Nardi stressed that we must ensure that Erasmus+ budget allows partners to consolidate project results further at local and regional level, with impact beyond the project-end, and increased opportunities for capacity building especially for small VET beneficiaries. He underlined that Erasmus+ is crucial for the development of intercultural skills and democratic competences across generations, which become even more relevant for our society in this historical moment of changes and instability. Against this backdrop, the programme must ensure continuity in its legal provisions, making it easier for smaller VET centres to participate in cooperation, partnership and mobility projects without radical regulation changes.
EfVET also urged the European Parliament and the European Commission to be ambitious as in 2021 when they invest four times more budget into the Erasmus+ Centres of Vocational Excellence, which have shown positive results beyond all expectations in the current programme period. In the context of the European VET strategy, to be published in June 2026 as part of the Union of Skills initiative, Erasmus+ can be the catalyst to make it succeed in the years to come, for the benefit and support of all learners and staff in vocational education and training and other formal and non-formal education sectors.
EfVET participated in the consultation together with VET4EU2 associations and the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), which highlighted the importance of keeping current structures in the future programme, especially related to policy co-creation between European institutions and grassroot organisations (Erasmus+ Key Action 3), the need for more cohesion and accessibility for mobility with third countries, and for clear and protected funding lines in Erasmus+ dedicated to different sectors.
Over the next months, EfVET will work with its Policy Working Group and other VET and Education partner organisations to provide further feedback and input to the Erasmus+ negotiations, as well as the upcoming European VET strategy, to advocate for the perspective of VET centres and providers across Europe.