European Trade Union Committee for Education

In response to the  Commission’s draft Regulation establishing Erasmus+ for 2028-2034, ETUCE Committee adopted a position paper. Teachers’ trade unions are demanding to ensure that the next Programme strengthens its educational and societal mission, protects its holistic nature, and guarantees meaningful involvement of teachers and their trade unions. The ETUCE position calls for  Erasmus+ 2028–2034 to

• improve quality and inclusiveness of education rather than being reduced to a labour-market tool and an adjunct to the competitiveness agenda (a central policy of the Union of Skills initiative).
• Be complement, not replace, national investment in education and teachers.
• strengthen quality education, democratic values. It should prioritize education’s broader societal role, promoting democracy, equality, and intercultural dialogue,
• include objectives such as improving the attractiveness of the teaching profession, supporting teacher well-being, and recognizing mobility as continuing professional development.

Representing millions of teachers with democratic structures and extensive networks, unions are uniquely positioned to deliver impact at European, national and school levels. Greater structural cooperation with the profession through unions would ensure stronger results and credibility. Due to the serious teachers’ shortage in Europe which endangers quality and inclusiveness of education, and in light with the upcoming EU Teachers Agenda, ETUCE requests to open specific calls under the Erasmus+ Programme to teachers’ trade unions in their capacity as teachers’ professional organisations and social partners in education, to support their work to enhance professional support to teachers.