EESC PLENARY: Interview with co-rapporteur Katrīna Leitāne on Erasmus+

Katrīna Leitāne © EU/EESC

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We spoke with Katrīna Leitāne, the co-rapporteur for the EESC opinion SOC/842 on the 'Proposal for a regulation on Erasmus+ '.

Watch her video statement on the opinion and read the interview below:

 

What are the three main findings of the opinion?

As negotiations on the next EU budget (Multiannual Financial Framework) heat up, our findings emphasise that Erasmus+, the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe, must evolve to reflect the reality of young people on the ground:

  • First, we advocate including a dedicated ‘Youth Chapter’ in the regulation.
  • Second, we call for a significant budget increase to expand youth exchanges, policy dialogues and soft-skill development, ensuring the programme unlocks its full potential (this is also in line with the 2024 Draghi report on European competitiveness).
  • Finally, we believe that Erasmus+ must include the wider European family, ensuring all candidate countries can participate fully to strengthen continental solidarity.

What are the main recommendations or proposals of the opinion?

We propose simplifying administrative burdens for grassroots NGOs and ensuring the programme remains a bridge for those beyond the EU-27 who uphold democracy and human rights. Furthermore, we celebrate the United Kingdom rejoining the programme in 2027, a vital step towards rebuilding the people-to-people links, which the European Economic and Social Committee championed in its work on EU-UK youth engagement.

After the adoption of this opinion, what have you done/will you do to promote it?

The opinion was presented at the European Parliament stakeholder consultation on 14 January 2026 and now serves as a strategic roadmap for coordinating advocacy at national level for national youth councils, youth organisations and other civil society organisations.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight?

Once again, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our advisor Caillum Hedderman from the European Youth Forum, youth representative Franziska Sophia Knogler from the European Students’ Union, and the youth delegates from the EU Youth Conference in Denmark, whose contributions ensured this opinion was truly ‘youth-tested’.

The EESC opinion on the 'Proposal for a regulation on Erasmus+ ' was presented and adopted at the EESC plenary session in January 2026. Read it at: https://link.europa.eu/j4dRHg

Katrīna LEITĀNE (Latvia)

EESC co-rapporteur, SOC/842 Proposal for a regulation on Erasmus+

Vice-President, EESC Youth Group 

Vice-President, EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group

Advocacy expert, National Youth Council of Latvia