In each EU Member State and third country associated to the Programme, one or more National Agenciesare appointed to promote and implement Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps at the national level. Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps are mainly implemented through indirect management, meaning that the European Commission entrusts budget implementation tasks to National Agencies. The rationale of this approach is to bring the European Solidarity Corps as close as possible to its beneficiaries and to adapt to the diversity of each country. For Erasmus+, the rationale is to bring Erasmus+ as close as possible to its beneficiaries and to adapt to the diversity of national education, training and youth systems. National Agencies are the link between the European Commission and participating organisations at local, regional and national levels. Our guide on what Erasmus+ is sets out the programme itself, and what the European Solidarity Corps is covers the solidarity programme.
Last updated: October 2026.
Who runs Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps at European level?
The European Commission is ultimately responsible for the running of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. The European Commission manages the budget and sets priorities, targets and criteria for the programme. The European Commission guides and monitors the general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the programme at European level, and bears the overall responsibility for the supervision and coordination of the structures in charge of implementing the programme at the national level.
At the European level, the Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of a number of actions of the European Solidarity Corps in direct management. The European Commission's European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of a number of actions of the Erasmus+ Programme, and EACEA implements the programme in direct management. The relevant Call documents and application forms for the actions managed by the Executive Agency are published in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The Executive Agency oversees the complete life-cycle management of these projects, from the promotion, the evaluation of the grant applications and the monitoring of projects to the dissemination of the projects and programme results. The Executive Agency is also responsible for launching specific calls for proposals relating to some actions of the programme that are not covered by the European Solidarity Corps Guide. For Erasmus+, the Executive Agency is also responsible for launching specific calls for proposals relating to some actions of the Programme that are not covered by the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.
The European Commission, notably through the Executive Agency, is responsible for:
📚 Studies: the European Commission carries out studies in the fields supported by the programme.
🔬 Research: the European Commission carries out research and evidence-based activities through the Eurydice network.
📣 Visibility: the European Commission improves the visibility and the systemic impact of the programme through dissemination and exploitation activities of the programme results.
📑 Contracts: the European Commission ensures the contractual management and financing of bodies and networks supported by the programme.
🧾 Tenders: the European Commission manages calls for tenders to provide services within the framework of the programme.
Our guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC takes the steps one by one, and EU project deadlines lists when the calls close.
What does a National Agency actually do?
National Agencies promote and implement Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps at national level in their country. The tasks of a National Agency are the following:
ℹ️ Information: National Agencies provide appropriate information on the European Solidarity Corps and on Erasmus+.
⚖️ Selection: National Agencies administer a fair and transparent selection process for project applications to be funded in their country.
📊 Monitoring: National Agencies monitor and evaluate the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps projects in their country. In Erasmus+, National Agencies monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Programme in their country.
🤝 Support: National Agencies provide support to project applicants and participating organisations throughout the project life cycle.
🔗 Network: National Agencies collaborate effectively with the network of all National Agencies and the European Commission.
👀 Visibility: National Agencies ensure the visibility of the European Solidarity Corps and promote the dissemination and exploitation of the results at local and national level. In Erasmus+, National Agencies promote and ensure the visibility of the Programme and promote the dissemination and exploitation of the results of the Programme at local and national level.
National Agencies also play an important role as intermediate structures for the policy development and qualitative implementation of the European Solidarity Corps. In Erasmus+, National Agencies play an important role as intermediate structures for the policy development and qualitative implementation of the Erasmus+ Programme. In that role National Agencies take on the following work:
🎓 Training and Evaluation Cycle: National Agencies carry out the Training and Evaluation Cycle in EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme.
🌱 Networking Activities: National Agencies carry out projects and activities outside the tasks of project life-cycle management that support the qualitative implementation of the European Solidarity Corps or trigger policy developments, such as Networking Activities. In Erasmus+, National Agencies carry out projects and activities outside of the tasks of project life-cycle management that support the qualitative implementation of the Programme and/or trigger policy developments in the fields supported by the Programme, such as Training and Cooperation Activities and Networking Activities.
🧩 Links with youth policy: National Agencies play an important role in the links and synergies between the European Solidarity Corps and the Union youth policy.
🚀 Horizon Europe Missions: National Agencies play an important role in promoting and communicating to stakeholders on the opportunities to further engage youth in Horizon Europe Missions activities.
🚪 Newcomers: National Agencies play an important role in providing a supportive approach to newcomers and less advantaged target groups in order to remove the obstacles to full participation. In Erasmus+, National Agencies play an important role by providing a supportive approach to newcomers, less experienced organisations and target groups with fewer opportunities in order to remove the obstacles to full participation in the Programme.
🌍 External cooperation: National Agencies seek cooperation with external bodies and National Authorities to increase the impact of the European Solidarity Corps in their country and in the European Union. In Erasmus+, National Agencies seek cooperation with external bodies and National Authorities to increase the impact of the Programme in their respective fields of action, in their country and in the European Union.
Our guide on what Erasmus+ accreditation is explains the accreditation route for organisations, and what the ESC Quality Label is covers the equivalent in the European Solidarity Corps.
Who selects applications: the National Agency or the Executive Agency?
Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps are mainly implemented through indirect management, meaning that the European Commission entrusts budget implementation tasks to National Agencies. National Agencies administer a fair and transparent selection process for project applications to be funded in their country. The Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of a number of actions in direct management and for the evaluation of the grant applications for those projects. The relevant Call documents and application forms for the actions managed by the Executive Agency are published in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Our guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC sets out which route an application takes, and what an OID is explains the organisation identifier.
How does a National Agency support applicants?
The supportive approach of the National Agencies aims to guide the potential applicants and beneficiaries through all phases, from the first contact with the European Solidarity Corps and through the application process to the implementation of the project and the final evaluation. In Erasmus+, the supportive approach of the National Agencies aims to guide the potential applicants and beneficiaries of the Programme through all phases, from the first contact with the Programme and through the application process to the implementation of the project and the final evaluation. The supportive approach is in line with the fairness and transparency principles of the selection procedures. The approach is based on the idea that, to guarantee equal opportunities to everybody, it is necessary to support the target groups through advising, counselling, monitoring and coaching systems tailored to their needs.
Training and Cooperation Activities (TCAs) are organised by Erasmus+ National Agencies with the purpose of bringing added value and increasing the overall quality of the Erasmus+ programme. Training and Cooperation Activities can be workshops, seminars and other types of events or activities, such as research, that focus on sharing good practices, lessons learnt and provide networking opportunities amongst Erasmus+ stakeholders. In particular, contact seminars are an efficient way to find partners for newcomers, and participants can be the representatives of those institutions which are already participating in Erasmus+ or planning to apply for a grant. Training and Cooperation Activities can also support activities aiming at enhancing links to European policy cooperation in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, as well as activities aiming at influencing national practice in the fields concerned, and vice versa, and this is often done in strategic long-term activities. Our guide on how to find partners for an Erasmus+ project covers partner search, and how to write a strong Erasmus+ application goes through the form itself. Our guides on Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships explain two Erasmus+ actions that organisations apply for.
How do you find your National Agency?
Each EU Member State or third country associated to the Programme has appointed one or more National Agencies. For contact details of the Erasmus+ National Agencies, please consult the Erasmus+ website. For the European Solidarity Corps, the European Solidarity Corps Guide gives the contact details of the National Agencies. The relevant call covering the actions managed by the Erasmus+ National Agencies is published on the Erasmus+ website and publicised on the websites of the National Agencies. In certain third countries not associated to the Programme, National Erasmus+ Offices and Erasmus+ National Focal Points are the focal point for the stakeholders involved in Erasmus+ in their country. Our guide on which countries can take part lists the participating countries, and how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects shows where opportunities are published.
Which other bodies support Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps?
Apart from the European Commission, the Executive Agency and the National Agencies, further bodies provide complementary expertise to the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps. Resource Centres and information offices, platforms, and knowledge and expert networks provide complementary expertise to the implementation of Erasmus+.
🧰 Resource Centres: the Resource Centres are part of the quality and support measures mentioned in the Regulation establishing the European Solidarity Corps, and the European Solidarity Corps benefits from the already well-established network of Resource Centres under the Erasmus+ programme and a dedicated European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre.
🌐 SALTO Resource Centres: SALTO (Support for Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities) Resource Centres are structures mainly supported through the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes aiming to improve the quality of projects in the field of youth and education. Through their thematic focus on participation and information, inclusion and diversity, training and cooperation, digital transformation and green transition, or their geographical focus on Eastern Europe and Caucasus, Southern Mediterranean and Western Balkans, SALTO Resource Centres provide resources, information and training in specific areas for National Agencies and other actors and foster the recognition of non-formal and informal learning. The SALTO Resource Centres also offer support and develop trainings, tools and resources for the European Solidarity Corps.
🧭 SALTO online tools: the SALTO Resource Centres offer a series of online tools and databases through the SALTO Websites, such as an overview of European training activities for youth workers in the European Training Calendar, tools and methods for educational activities, online learning opportunities, a database of trainers and resource persons in the field of youth work, and the possibility to look for partner organisations. The three regional SALTOs, SALTO Southeast Europe, SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus and SALTO EUROMED, foster strategic and innovative cooperation between stakeholders from EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme and third countries not associated to the Programme in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.
🤝 European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre: the European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre aims to assist the National Agencies, the participating organisations and the young people taking part in the European Solidarity Corps in raising the quality of implementation of solidarity activities and actions. The work of the European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre involves organising training courses, study visits, forums, cooperation and partnership-building activities, developing and documenting training methods and tools related to the activities supported by the European Solidarity Corps, issuing practical publications and guidance on how solidarity, as a European value, can impact local and larger communities and serve as a tool to encounter current and future societal crisis, gathering evidence and carrying out monitoring and analysis of good practice and obstacles during implementation, contributing to the links and synergies between the European Solidarity Corps and the Union youth policy, supporting the National Agencies in the development and implementation of networking activities, acting as central point of support to bring together National Agencies and SALTOs to reflect on and improve certain aspects related to the Corps implementation, and contributing to building a network of communities within the European Solidarity Corps programme, which includes organisations, mentors, Training and Evaluation Cycle (TEC) trainers etc..
ℹ️ Eurodesk network: the Eurodesk network is supported through the Erasmus+ Programme and offers information services to young people and those who work with them on European opportunities in the education, training and youth fields, and the involvement of young people in European activities. The European Solidarity Corps Guide describes the Eurodesk network as present in all countries participating in the European Solidarity Corps. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide describes the same network as present in all EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. The Eurodesk network is coordinated at European level by the Eurodesk Brussels-link Office and offers enquiry answering services, funding information, events and publications.
📱 European Youth Portal: the European Youth Portal offers European and national information and opportunities that are of interest to young people who are living, learning and working in Europe, and provides information in 28 languages. The European Solidarity Corps Portal is integrated into the European Youth Portal and accessible via the EU Initiatives menu.
🗂️ National Erasmus+ Offices: in certain third countries not associated to the Programme, the Western Balkans, Neighbourhood East, South-Mediterranean countries and Central Asia, the National Erasmus+ Offices (NEOs) assist the European Commission, the Executive Agency and the local authorities in the implementation of Erasmus+, and they are the focal point in these countries for their stakeholders involved in Erasmus+ in the area of higher education, vocational education and training, youth and sports.
🧭 Erasmus+ National Focal Points: in certain third countries not associated to the Programme, the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Pacific, the network of National Focal Points (NFPs) supports the European Commission, the Executive Agency and the local authorities to provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Erasmus+ in the field of higher education, youth, vocational education and training and sport.
🎓 NARIC network: the National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) network provides information concerning the recognition of diplomas and periods of study undertaken in other European countries as well as advice on foreign academic diplomas in the country where the NARIC is established.
Our guide on what Eurodesk is covers the information network in more detail, getting your learning recognised explains recognition, and how to register on the ESC Portal walks through the account.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a National Agency in every country?
One or more National Agencies are appointed in each EU Member State and third country associated to the Programme. In certain third countries not associated to the Programme, National Erasmus+ Offices and Erasmus+ National Focal Points are the focal point for the stakeholders involved in Erasmus+ in their country. Our guide on which countries can take part lists the participating countries.
Does the National Agency decide on every application?
No. National Agencies administer a fair and transparent selection process for project applications to be funded in their country. The Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for the implementation of a number of actions in direct management and for the evaluation of the grant applications for those projects. Our guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC sets out which route an application takes.
What does SALTO stand for?
SALTO stands for 'Support for Advanced Learning and Training Opportunities'. Our guide on what a training course is explains the training activities that youth workers can join.
Who can you ask about European opportunities in education, training and youth?
The Eurodesk network offers information services to young people and those who work with them on European opportunities in the education, training and youth fields. The European Solidarity Corps Guide describes the Eurodesk network as present in all countries participating in the European Solidarity Corps. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide describes the same network as present in all EU Member States and third countries associated to the Programme. The Eurodesk network offers enquiry answering services, funding information, events and publications. Our guide on what Eurodesk is covers the information network in more detail.
Will the National Agency help you before you apply?
The supportive approach of the National Agencies aims to guide the potential applicants and beneficiaries through all phases, from the first contact with the programme and through the application process to the implementation of the project and the final evaluation. National Agencies play an important role in providing a supportive approach to newcomers, less experienced organisations and target groups with fewer opportunities in order to remove the obstacles to full participation in the programme.
Our guide on who can apply to Erasmus+ and ESC goes through the conditions case by case.
Start with your own National Agency
National Agencies promote and implement Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps at national level and are the link between the European Commission and participating organisations at local, regional and national levels. The supportive approach of the National Agencies aims to guide the potential applicants and beneficiaries through all phases, from the first contact with the programme and through the application process to the implementation of the project and the final evaluation. Our guide on how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC takes the application steps one by one. The related pages below from Youth Works Hub cover each part of this guide in more detail.
Related pages: how to apply for Erasmus+ or ESC · what Erasmus+ accreditation is · what the ESC Quality Label is · what Eurodesk is · EU project deadlines · how to find Erasmus+ and ESC projects
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/category/esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/category/erasmus-projects
