European Parliament Ambassador School
Great chance to practise languages: Interrail
Commission to provide travel opportunities
with educational and cultural value for young people
The European Commission has today taken first steps to implement the
European Parliament's proposal for a "Free Interrail pass for Europeans
turning 18" by adopting a Financing Decision. With a budget of EUR 12
million in 2018, this action is expected to give an estimated 20,000-30,000
young people a travel experience that would help foster a European identity,
reinforce common European values and promote the discovery of European sites
and cultures. This proposal fits well with the EU's ambitions to promote
learning mobility, active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity of all
young people. Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, said: "It is important that we offer all our
young people the opportunity to broaden their horizons by experiencing other
countries. Education is not only about what we learn in the classroom, but
what we discover about the cultures and traditions of our fellow
Europeans." The action will seek to offer young people,
regardless of social or educational background and including people with
reduced mobility, a chance to travel abroad. A promotion campaign to inform
young Europeans turning 18 about this new opportunity will be organised and may
include an open competition to select the first young people who will be
travelling. The first participants are expected to travel this summer. They
will do so by rail as a general rule, but alternative modes of transport should
be available where necessary, taking into account environmental considerations,
as well as time and distance. (For
more information: Nathalie
Vandystadt – Tel. +32 229 67083; Joseph
Waldstein – Tel. +32 229 56184
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