European Solidarity Corps to benefit from increased budget of €175.3 million in 2026

The European Commission has approved an increased budget of €175.3 million for the European Solidarity Corps in 2026.

Launched in 2016, the European Solidarity Corps builds on a long EU tradition of supporting youth volunteering and community engagement. It connects young people aged 18 to 30 (and up to 35 for humanitarian aid volunteering) with organisations and projects across Europe and beyond, including in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. 

Since its creation, the initiative has offered life-changing opportunities to more than 150,000 young people and reinforced community building through over 22,000 projects in solidarity, humanitarian aid and development cooperation. 

The 2026 programme builds on these achievements and will continue to fund projects contributing to its four priorities for 2021-2027: inclusion and diversity, environmental sustainability, digital transformation, and democratic participation.

In 2026, the European Solidarity Corps will continue to support volunteering activities, solidarity projects, and networking actions. It will also support quality and support measures, including training and evaluation cycles, IT tools, and Quality Label mechanisms for participating organisations.

Find out more

Press release

European Solidarity Corps