Les décideurs politiques européens se rassemblent pour protéger le budget Erasmus

Infographie : F. Descheemaekere

[Euractiv]

Les eurodéputés du Parlement européens craignent que la bourse Erasmus de l’UE ne soit en danger et espèrent un budget élargi pour l’un des programmes d’échanges d’étudiants les plus prisés au monde.

The EU's budget commissioner, Janusz Lewandowski, briefed the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday (25 October) over payment shortfalls for Erasmus. On Tuesday (23 October), the European Commission tabled a remedial budget demanding further contributions from member states to safeguard the programme in the 2012 EU budget. The EU executive is calling for a whopping €8.9 billion across the total budget to finish off the 2012 year, while earmarking some €180 million for the Life-Long Learning Programme, made up principally of Erasmus. Half of that amount, €90 million, is demanded for Erasmus. The European Commission says Erasmus will not run out of money before the end of 2012. But if the shortfall in the 2012 EU budget is not resolved, it says funds from the 2013 budget will have to be used to cover the gap. "Faced with the prospect of a continuing shortage of funds, universities and colleges are likely either to reduce the number of places they make available for the second semester of the 2012-2013 year, or to reduce the level of grants," the Commission warns.
This, it adds, "is likely to mean that students from more disadvantaged backgrounds will not able to take part in the scheme" during that year.

Lire : euractiv.com