Building the future of Erasmus+ 2028–2034: RADA contributes recommendations at the EU Youth Conference
The Belarusian National Youth Council “RADA” took part in the EU Youth Conference, held in Copenhagen on 21–23 September 2025. The event was hosted by the Danish Youth Council and the Danish Ministry of Children and Education under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. This was the second EU Youth Conference of the 11th EU Youth Dialogue cycle, dedicated to shaping the future of the Erasmus+ 2028–2034 programme.
Yulia Ralko, International Secretary of “RADA”, had the honor of delivering a Power Speech at the official opening of the conference.
Yulia spoke about the importance of promoting democratic and political influence from outside the EU, sharing insights on the current situation of young people in Belarus and in exile, as well as on the ongoing work of “RADA”, and presenting these perspectives directly to EU youth delegates and policymakers.
This was a moving and truly remarkable moment for “RADA”, and we are grateful to the organizers for making this space available.
How the Conference worked in practice?
The core of the conference was that working groups, consisting of youth delegates and ministry representatives, developed recommendations for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps for 2028–2034. It is also important to note that the European Commission has recently presented a proposal to merge the current Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps into one programme.
“RADA” stressed the importance of these programmes for supporting youth NGOs in countries with shrinking civic space, and the need for direct EU funding delivered transparently and without government interference
Yulia Ralko, International Secretary of the “RADA”
Key recommendations from the EU Youth Conference
- Safeguarding a youth chapter with an earmarked budget of 15%
- Distributing Erasmus+ 2028–2034 grants before the start of mobility
- Creating a dedicated Erasmus+ 2028–2034 funding stream for soft skills and citizenship skills
- Ensuring a dedicated space for youth volunteering and solidarity
- Addressing external challenges facing young people
- Simplifying the application and reporting process for Erasmus+ 2028–2034 opportunities
- Promoting preparedness, resilience and peacebuilding through Erasmus+ 2028–2034
- Introducing Erasmus+ Youth as a distinct section within the Erasmus+ 2028–2034 programme
The developed recommendations were presented to stakeholders at the conference and will now be shared with other decision-makers. Recommendations were already shared with:
- Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, European Commission
- Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, European Commission
- Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs, Denmark
- Mattias Tesfaye, Minister for Children and Education, Denmark
- Katrīna Leitāne, Member of the European Social and Economic Committee (EESC) Youth Group and Former EESC Youth Group President
- As well as The Youth Working Party of the Council of the European Union, The Education Committee of the Council of the European Union, The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT).
BNYC “RADA” warmly thanks our partners and colleagues for the inspiring discussions and collaboration in Copenhagen, and sincerely appreciates the organizers for making it possible to shed light on the situation of young Belarusians and ensure their voices are heard.
