PURPOSE: the creation of the European Solidarity Corps.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2018/1475 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the legal framework applicable to the European Solidarity Corps and amending Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU.
CONTENT: the Regulation establishes a legal framework for young people and organisations wishing to volunteer or work on useful projects throughout Europe, under the auspices of the European Solidarity Corps, to help strengthen cohesion, solidarity and democracy in Europe.
Aims: the European Solidarity Body will support solidarity activities that have a clear European added value, for example because of: (i) their transnational nature, in particular as regards mobility for learning purposes and cooperation; (ii) their ability to complement other programmes and policies at local, regional and national level, at EU level and at international level; (iii) their European dimension; (iv) their approach to involving young people from different backgrounds; (v) their contribution to the effective use of the EU's transparency and recognition tools.
Participation: the European Solidarity Corps is aimed at young people aged 18 to 30, from the Member States of the European Union, the accession countries, candidate and potential candidate countries, EFTA Member States that are parties to the EEA Agreement, Switzerland and countries that are covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy. Young people wishing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps should register on the European Solidarity Corps Portal.
Special efforts will be made to promote social inclusion and equal opportunities, in particular with a view to the participation of young people with fewer opportunities, through a series of special measures, such as appropriate formats of solidarity activities and personalised support.
All public and private entities, including international organisations, civil society organisations, youth organisations and social enterprises wishing to participate in the European Solidarity Body must first receive a quality label showing that they meet certain specific conditions.
Actions: a wide range of activities will be offered, including volunteering, internships, jobs and solidarity projects led by young people. Young people will thus have the opportunity to support public or private organisations committed to strengthening cohesion, solidarity and democracy in Europe, for example by working to combat social exclusion or poverty, or in the field of health and environmental protection or the reception and integration of refugees.
The volunteering period will be limited to 12 months. The activity must not replace an internship or employment and must be based on a written voluntary agreement. Internships will be between 2 and 6 months and should under no circumstances replace a job. Jobs must have a minimum employment contract of 3 months. Financial support to participating organisations offering jobs should not exceed 12 months.
Budget: the total budget available for the implementation of the European Solidarity Body is set at EUR 375.6 million for the period 2018-2020, of which 90% will be allocated to voluntary activities and 10% to internships or jobs, with a maximum of 20% for activities at national level.
In order to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the regulation, the European Solidarity Corps should make maximum use of the management arrangements already in place in the Erasmus+ programme.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 5.11.2018.