Updated instructions regarding coronavirus for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes

The Finnish National Agency for Education cannot issue general instructions regarding the recommencement of international activities on behalf of the Erasmus + and the European Solidarity Corps programmes. We recommend that you follow the instructions issued by the authorities and contact your partners. 

For any programme participants arriving in Finland from abroad, we recommend that you pay special attention to the instructions issued by the Border Guard. No travel restrictions are currently in place for those arriving from EU and Schengen countries. You should note, however, that the obligations laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act apply to everyone arriving in Finland, regardless of their country of origin. 

For the authorities' up-to-date instructions concerning the coronavirus situation in Finland and entry restrictions, see: 

• Finnish Government’s information and advice on the coronavirus
• Finnish Border Guard’s Guidelines for border traffic during the pandemic 
• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s instructions for travel and the coronavirus pandemic

For information on travelling abroad from Finland, you should visit the website ReopenEU, on which you can find up-to-date information on coronavirus measures in various European countries, including quarantine and testing requirements for travellers. 

• Go to ReopenEU

There is no administrative reason based on programme rules that would prevent you from recommencing physical international mobility if the sending and host organisation are able to go ahead with the mobility period, and this is allowed by the epidemic situation. It is important to check any travel restrictions and instructions on entering the relevant country. You should also make sure that you have the required insurance cover and find out what your policy actually covers. 

If a project activity has to be postponed or cancelled due to a change in the epidemic situation, you can claim compensation for the any incurred costs through the force majeure procedure. Please note that the force majeure rule can only be applied if the epidemic situation has changed suddenly and unexpectedly. You should always check if the expenses will be reimbursed by the participant's travel insurance. The National Agency should be informed as soon as possible of any cancellations or postponements, after which it will provide further advice. All force majeure cases and the eligibility of costs incurred from cancellations will be assessed on their individual merits.

Blended mobility, or mobility periods which include a combination of virtual and physical mobility, is also possible under the new programmes. Mobility activities (KA1) cannot be exclusively based on virtual mobility. In KA2 projects, virtual mobility can be part of the project as set out in the Addendum to the Grant Agreement. 

For instructions related to the coronavirus for the Erasmus + and European Solidarity Corona programmes, including instructions for force majeure cases, see our website.