The Cercle d’Economia awarded its European Construction Prize to the Erasmus+ Programme. Since 1987, more than 16 million students have participated in the Erasmus Programme, involving a total of 152 countries. In 2014, Erasmus+ was launched, expanding its reach across the entire educational community, with more than 300,000 school students and teachers and 242,000 vocational education students participating.
The award was presented by the President of the Government of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, and the President of the Cercle d’Economia, Jaume Guardiola, to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President and European Commissioner for Social Rights, Skills, Quality Employment and Preparedness.
In his laudatio, the Minister for European Union and External Action of the Government of Catalonia, Jaume Duch, linked the award to the values of pluralism, peace and respect for human rights — “without which true democracies would not exist, nor would a viable European project be possible.” These are values that “require daily protection and promotion,” he stressed, because “democratic backsliding in many parts of the world, the weakening of international relations, and the attacks on multilateral organisations remind us that nothing can be taken for granted.” He quoted Jean Monnet: “Nothing is possible without people, but nothing is lasting without institutions.”
Regarding the Erasmus Programme — in its various editions over nearly 40 years — Duch said that it “has been key to helping shape a truly European society” and that it has become a “civic phenomenon” shared by multiple generations. “It is a successful programme with an impact comparable to that of cohesion policy or research programmes in terms of the added value it brings to the European project,” he said. He also stressed its “important contribution to overcoming populism, historical prejudices, and complexes of superiority or inferiority.”
“Europe needs awareness of its historical affinities”
He argued that “Europe needs awareness of its historical affinities and its present and future responsibilities. A political will in service of a shared human ideal.” He praised the Cercle d’Economia for recognising “a public policy — a good public policy that shows, once again, that well-guided public institutions can go further than any private initiative.”
He also highlighted the programme’s positive impact in Catalonia: “Our universities have been among the most active in Europe in participating in the programme.” He concluded that the initiative “has been a stimulus for improvement and innovation within Catalan educational institutions.”
The award “recognises the merits of a policy”
Upon receiving the award from Salvador Illa and Jaume Guardiola, European Commissioner Roxana Mînzatu highlighted that the prize “recognises the merits of a policy” and comes just months before the European Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034. “It’s the right time to reflect on what it means to have a strong Erasmus Programme, but also adequate funding and a solid policy,” she stated.
With a budget of €26 billion, “the programme is part of the EU’s social and political DNA.” In her view, it has become “more strategic to the strength of the Union than it was at its inception, when it was created to reinforce our shared identity.” She called for efforts to “make it more accessible to more people,” ensure it is not “an elitist tool,” encourage participation among younger generations, and do so “at an earlier stage” to “make our (European) values present.” She summed it up this way: “We need a cohesive, united, inclusive Europe. Erasmus must be available to everyone — and even become a social right.” Using a metaphor that was both poetic and organic, she concluded: “Erasmus has become vital. It’s like the oxygen that keeps our political project alive.”
One final statistic: Spain is the number one destination for Erasmus students, she shared with the audience.
Jaume Guardiola, President of the Cercle d’Economia
Salvador Illa, President of the Government of Catalonia
Jaume Duch, Minister for European Union and External Action, Government of Catalonia
Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice President and European Commissioner for Social Rights, Skills, Quality Employment and Preparedness
