Party pressure forces Wert to go back on Erasmus decision

The Education Ministry in Spain announced on the 4 November 2013 that it would only pay Erasmus grants for the current academic year to students who also already received a general subsidy, which was reserved for those with the lowest economic means. In all other cases, a student would just get the part of the grant that comes from the European Commission (an average of €133 a month) and the part from the Spanish region where they are based (for example, €200 euros in Catalonia, or €272 in Andalusia).

However, on the 5 November 2013, Education Minister José Ignacio Wert went back on his decision at least for the current academic year after fierce criticism of the move.

• Primary Source

El País, 04.11.13: State Erasmus grants to be slashed for most students http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/11/04/inenglish/1383590531_250010.html

BBC News, 05.11.13: Trending: Spanish students' fury at changes to Erasmus funding http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24821206

The Guardian, 05.11.13: Spanish government drops plans to cut European student funding scheme http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/05/spain-student-funding-cuts-erasmus

Il Sole-24 Ore, 07.11.13: Erasmus strikes back and gets a plus (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4303141-erasmus-strikes-back-and-gets-plus

El País, 07.11.13: They didn't commit to keeping next year's grants, say Erasmus defenders http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/11/07/inenglish/1383828622_917951.html

Blog: AEGEE, 12.11.13: Spanish students force their Government to revert ERASMUS cuts http://aegee.blogactiv.eu/2013/11/12/spanish-students-force-wert-revert-erasmus-cut/

El País, 30.01.14: Only highest-achieving students to receive government Erasmus grants http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/01/30/inenglish/1391095955_055444.html

The Local.es, 30.01.14: 'Improve your English or forget Erasmus grant' http://www.thelocal.es/20140130/spanish-erasmus-students-face-english-test-for-grants

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