Page contents

• Background
• Possible change scenarios
• Steps to follow
  • Change of legal status
  • Change of name
  • Change of the LEAR of an ECHE holder
  • Change of the Primary coordinator contact of an ECHE holder

Background

The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE, also referenced as "Erasmus Code") provides the general quality framework for European and international cooperation activities a Higher Education Institution (HEI) may carry out within the Erasmus+ Programme. 

The award of an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education is a pre-requisite for all HEIs located in a programme country that are willing to participate in learning mobility of individuals and/or cooperation for innovation and good practices under the Erasmus+ Programme and is awarded for the full duration of the Erasmus+ Programme.

As defined in the ECHE call document, higher education institutions (HEIs) are institutions which offer recognised degrees or other tertiary level qualifications and other comparable institutions at tertiary level, if recognised by the national authorities.

The applicant must be recognised as higher education institution by the national authority of its country.

In the framework of the Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027, ECHE has an open call with several cut-off dates.

Deadline dates

• 3 May 2022 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)
• 26 January 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)
• 25 January 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)
• 28 January 2025 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)
• 27 January 2026 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)
• 26 January 2027 17:00:00 Brussels time (CET)

Change of legal status of an ECHE holder – Possible scenarios

When there is a change in the Legal status of an HEI the following scenarios can occur:

Case 1: A new institution (new legal status) is founded

By regrouping different institution(s) either

1. completely:
   Institution A + institution B + institution C become a new institution H.
   A + B + C ...) = H
   1. institution H needs a new Erasmus code and PIC -> Transitory charter
      A transitory charter grants the institution to complete any ongoing projects in decentralised Erasmus+ actions started by the predecessor institution (e.g. mobility projects etc.). It also allows the institution to apply for new funding. This transitional charter is of limited duration. It means that the institution must apply for the open call before the next cut-off deadline. See Section C.3 below.
2. partially:
   A new institution H is founded out of institution A + institution B + institution C, while parts of institution A and C remain independent institutions.
   (A + B + C ...) = H + A1 + C1
   1. Institution H needs a new Erasmus code and PIC -> Transitory Charter
   2. Institution A1 and C1 keep the Erasmus code and PIC from institutions A and C respectively

By splitting the institution either

1. completely:
   Institution A is split into the new institutions B and into the new institution C
   A = B + C
   1. Institution B and C each need a new Erasmus code and PIC -> Transitory Charter
2. partially:
   Institution A is separated into two institutions A1 and a new institution B
   A = A1 + B
   1. Institution A1 keeps the Erasmus code / PIC from institution A
   2. Institution B needs a new Erasmus code and PIC -> Transitory Charter

Case 2: an existing institution that holds a charter absorbs other institution(s) either

1. completely:
   "Institution A + Institution B + institution C" are merged into the existing institution A.
    (A + B + C ...) = A
   1. the existing institution A keeps its Erasmus code and PIC
   2. the charter for the absorbed institutions B and C will be stopped
2. partially:
   "Institution A + institution B + part of institution C" are merged to institution A while institution C remains partially independent:
   (A + B + C ...) = A + C1
   1. Institution A keeps its Erasmus code
   2. Institution C1 keeps the Erasmus code / PIC from institution C
   3. the charter for the absorbed institutions B will be stopped

Steps to follow upon a change

Change of legal status -> Transitory Charter

Transitory charters grant the institution to complete any ongoing projects in decentralised Erasmus+ actions started by the predecessor institution (e.g. mobility projects etc.). It also allows the institution to apply for new funding. This transitional charter is of limited duration. It means that the institution must apply for the open call before the next cut-off deadline.

A) Information to the national agency

When a new Erasmus code and PIC are required (see scenarios above), the HEI should inform its national agency of any changes in its status with the below form, duly signed and stamped by the LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative).

Please send this document to your respective national agency once the change has come into force.

B) Applying for a new Participant Identification Code (PIC)

The new institution needs to register in the Portal Participant Register to have their 9-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC number) and provide basic administrative and legal information

1. a legal entity form accompanied by the status of the applicant organisation
2. a financial identification form duly completed and certified by the bank

After completing the registration, it will receive the 9-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC) — to be used in online application form and further correspondence with the EU services.

The newly created PIC will be provisional (declared/non-valid status) until it is formally validated at a later stage.

Nothing else is expected from the institution after the PIC has been generated.

The institution will only be contacted to validate its PIC if it is successful in centralised Erasmus+ actions. It will be done by the Central Validation Service which carries out the validation for all EU services using the Portal. The Central Validation Service will check that the organisation is legally recognised (has legal personality).

C) Registration of changes by EACEA

The National Agency (NA) of the institution’s country, after verification with the competent National Authority will transmit the change and approval to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

EACEA will inform the institution when the change has been incorporated into the ECHE database and where applicable, provide the institution with a transitory charter and Erasmus code (see section B for cases).

It will be the responsibility of the NA to ensure that the OID is linked to the transitory charter in PMM.

In case of an issue with OID, contact your National Agency (not the ECHE functional mailbox). The National Agency will then contact DG EAC via a EACSP ticket.

Change of name

The institution must first update its name on the Portal Participant Register via the PIC.

• if the PIC is validated, it is the LEAR who can do it
• if the PIC is not validated, it is the Self-Registrant of the PIC (person who created the PIC)

A legal document proving the change of name (not the legal identity form) must be uploaded in the Portal Participant Register via the organisation’s PIC.

When it is done the institution should inform EACEA ECHE by email to update the name on the ECHE certificate:

• PIC
• ECHE Proposal Number
• Erasmus Code
• New name

Change of the LEAR of an ECHE holder

Changes related to the LEAR should be introduced in the Participant Portal by the institution. These changes, once correctly introduced, will be automatically transferred to the management system of the European Commission.

Change of the Primary coordinator contact of an ECHE holder

In case of a change to the primary coordinator contact please send an e-mail to EACEA-ECHE@ec.europa.eu with PIC number, Proposal number and Erasmus Code (=ECHE code). This change will only impact the primary coordinator information for the ECHE proposal and will not be extended to proposals submitted for other Erasmus+ actions.