Youth Matters

European cooperation in the youth field (2010-18)

Resolution on a renewed system for EU cooperation in the youth field sets out a renewed framework for an improved cooperation between EU countries in the youth field for the period 2010-18. It follows on from a first framework adopted in 2002 for the period 2002-09.

KEY POINTS

The main objective of this renewed framework or EU youth strategy is to improve the efficiency of the cooperation and actions already put in place and provide increased benefits to young people in the EU.

This strategy has 2 main objectives:

to provide more and equal opportunities for young people in education and in the labour market;
to encourage young people to actively participate in society.
These objectives should be met by promoting dialogue between youth and policymakers in order to increase active citizenship, foster social integration and ensure young people’s inclusion in EU policy development.

To this end, specific initiatives, targeting young people, and mainstreaming initiatives are encouraged in 8 specific fields:

education and training;
employment and entrepreneurship;
health and well-being;
participation of young people in the EU’s democratic process and in society in the context of a specific EU structured dialogue;
voluntary activities;
social inclusion;
youth and the world with actions directed to help young people to engage themselves outside the EU or become more involved in areas such as climate change, international cooperation and human rights;
creativity and culture.

Role of EU countries and the European Commission

The resolution calls on the European Commission and EU countries to adopt measures that contribute to achieving the objectives of the youth strategy. Actions in such fields must be applied through an open method of coordination, which requires political commitment from EU countries and specific working methods.

The main implementation instruments of the EU youth strategy are:

mutual learning between the EU countries,
evidence-based focus,
monitoring and reporting,
dialogue with youth and
the mobilisation of EU programmes, such as the Erasmus+ programme.
The EU youth strategy also encourages them to take due account of youth issues in other policy fields impacting on the lives of young people, such as youth employment (including the youth guarantee scheme) and social inclusion (EU platform against poverty and social exclusion).

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Youth portal (European Commission)
EU youth strategy (European Commission)
EU youth report (European Commission).

DOCUMENT

Council Resolution of 27 November 2009 on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018) (OJ C 311, 19.12.2009, pp. 1-11).

Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on a European Union Work Plan for Youth for 2016-2018 (OJ C 417, 15.12.2015, pp. 1-9)

Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 20 May 2014 on the overview of the structured dialogue process including social inclusion of young people (OJ C 183, 14.6.2014, pp. 1-4).

Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 20 May 2014 on a European Union Work Plan for Youth for 2014-2015 (OJ C 183, 14.6.2014, pp. 5-11).

Youth participation and information with regard to EU policies

Communication (COM(2006) 417 final) on European policies concerning youth participation and information seeks to assess the follow-up given by the European Union (EU) countries to the common objectives on participation by and information for young people. These objectives were adopted after the publication of the 2001 White Paper, ‘A new impetus for European youth’, to promote young people’s active citizenship.

KEY POINTS

The White Paper led to the adoption of a first framework of European cooperation in the youth field (2002) within which, under the open method of coordination, the EU countries agreed to focus on 4 specific priorities:

1.information;

2. participation;

3.voluntary activities;

4.better knowledge of youth-related issues.

The communication analyses the reports submitted by the EU countries in achieving the objectives set out in 2 out of these 4 priorities: youth information and participation.

Information

The communication mainly concluded that information tools directed at young people were available in all EU countries but had to be further developed and personalised. In that context, the European Commission developed a specific youth portal which, since 2003, has supported youth actions in Europe.

It also described how the EU has taken actions to reinforce the quality of the information delivered to young people. The European networks of Eurodesk, Eryica and EYCA play an important role in delivering quality information to young people, in improving the skills and qualifications of youth information workers through networking and in developing training courses for their members.

Participation

The communication demonstrated that EU countries’ action to support young people’s participation in democratic life was much better coordinated than before, with actions to:

reinforce the legislation in the field of youth participation so as to increase young people’s participation in elections;
support participative and representative local structures in EU countries;
support projects that allow young people to be actors in their own projects.

In this particular field, a 2010-2018 EU Youth Strategy, including an EU Work Plan for Youth for 2016-2018, has been created. This includes specific actions to encourage young people to actively participate in society by:

developing dialogue mechanisms involving young people and facilitating their participation in shaping national policies;
supporting youth organisations;
promoting participation by under-represented groups of young people in politics and civil society organisations.
The Commission has also introduced good practice exchanges to encourage young people to participate in education, employment and society actions.

Among other actions, a new plan to tackle radicalisation through education and youth action has also been set up to ensure that children and young people acquire social, civic and cultural competences and enhance their critical thinking when using the internet.

DOCUMENTS

Communication from the Commission to the Council on European policies concerning youth participation and information — Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth: Implementing the common objectives for participation by and information for young people in view of promoting their active European citizenship (COM(2006) 417 final, 20.7.2006)

European Commission White Paper: ‘A new impetus for European youth’ (COM(2001) 681 final, 21.11.2001)

Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the youth field (OJ C 168, 13.7.2002, pp. 2-5)

Council resolution of 25 November 2003 on common objectives for participation by and information for young people (OJ C 295, 5.12.2003, pp. 6-8)

Communication from the Commission to the Council on European policies concerning youth — Addressing the concerns of young people in Europe — Implementing the European Youth Pact and promoting active citizenship (COM(2005) 206 final, 30.5.2005)

Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 24 May 2005 meeting within the Council on implementing the common objective: to increase participation by young people in the system of representative democracy (OJ C 141, 10.6.2005, pp. 3-4)

Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 24 May 2005 meeting within the Council on implementing the common objectives for youth information (OJ C 141, 10.6.2005, pp. 5-6)

Communication from the Commission to the European Council — A citizens’ agenda — Delivering results for Europe (COM(2006) 211 final, 10.5.2006)

Challenges facing young people: enhancing cross-sectorial policy cooperation

EU Ministers see cooperation across policy areas as vital for addressing social and economic problems facing young people.

Council conclusions on enhancing cross-sectorial policy cooperation to effectively address socio-economic challenges facing young people (OJ C 172, 27.5.2015, pp. 3-7)They consider strategies to strengthen the cross-sectorial approach to youth issues so that policy-makers can react more effectively and promptly to problems, making the best use of all available EU funding and programmes in this field.

Cross-sectorial policy

To implement a wide-ranging cross-sectorial youth policy, EU countries need to:

Take youth issues into account when developing policy in areas such as education, training, employment and others that impact on young people. For this to be effective, cooperation between institutions on a local, regional and national level is necessary.
Implement overarching youth strategies to connect relevant policy actions that address youth problems and involve young people and youth organisations.
Establish methods to monitor the situation of young people, which allow for evidence and knowledge-based policies.

They call on the European Commission to:

consider how to effectively apply a coordinated policy approach in addressing young people’s challenges;
assess how youth policy issues are taken into account in other policy areas that affect young people.
They urge EU countries and the Commission to:

make full use of the Erasmus+ programme to strengthen cooperation across sectors;
collect evidence on how cross-sectorial cooperation can yield positive results.
Tailor-made approaches

Specially designed cross-sector approaches to programmes that tackle socio-economic challenges facing young people are needed.

EU countries are invited to:

strengthen partnership approaches in implementing measures, such as the Youth Guarantee;
request support for implementing youth sector activities funded under the Youth Guarantee;
strengthen cooperation between formal education institutions (such as schools and colleges) and non-formal learning providers (such as youth and sports clubs) to address early school leaving;
promote cooperation between youth work and social services to enhance youth inclusion in society.
The Commission is asked to facilitate EU level interaction between youth policy makers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in implementing the Youth Guarantee.

Both the EU countries and the Commission are requested to:

consider using European Structural Funds and the Erasmus+ programme to tackle youth people’s challenges;
address concerns raised in the forthcoming peer learning among EU countries on reinforcing national level cross-sectorial youth policy that is contained in the EU Work Plan for Youth.

Youth work

The EU Council requests that EU countries and the Commission highlight the value of youth work in tackling young people’s challenges by:

promoting recognition of youth work and non-formal learning tools such as the Youthpass certificate in the employment, training, education and culture sectors.
exploring the possibilities of mainstreaming the Youthpass certificate as a national tool for recognition.
More information:

Erasmus+
Youth Guarantee
RELATED ACTS

Youth empowerment and participation in civil society

The economic and social crisis that has characterised the European Union since 2008 has been especially hard on Europe’s youth. In these conclusions, the Council of the European Union highlights ways to get Europe’s youth back on track.

Council conclusions on promoting young people’s access to rights in order to foster their autonomy and participation in civil society (Official Journal C 18, 21.1.2015, pp. 1-4).The economic and social crisis that has characterised the European Union since 2008 has been especially hard on Europe’s youth. In these conclusions, the Council of the European Union highlights ways to get Europe’s youth back on track.

They stress the importance of supporting young people’s autonomy and their involvement in civil society. They also invite EU countries, the European Commission and youth organisations to encourage, support and explore measures that help facilitate greater youth empowerment and civil participation.

KEY POINTS

EU countries are invited to:

identify barriers to the participation of young people in social and political life and consider how to address these barriers;
look for ways to give young people access to quality jobs and social protection;
promote equal opportunities and gender equality for young people;
prevent early school leaving;
consider the promotion of social housing schemes;
support the development of youth-friendly information services.

EU countries, alongside the European Commission, are asked to:

continue to support youth policies and youth work (work carried out with, by and for young people);
promote the principle of autonomy and participation of young people as a key issue in EU economic and social strategies;
use existing opportunities within the Erasmus+ programme;
ensure the implementation of the EU work plan for youth;
establish exchanges of best practice on the autonomy and the civil participation of young people.

Youth organisations are invited to:

make the most of Erasmus+ in order to equip young people with skills that support their autonomy and an active role in society;
inform young people of their rights.

The European Commission is called on to:

analyse the situation and barriers faced by young people;
reinforce the cross-sectoral approach to youth policy;
raise awareness of youth autonomy and civil participation through the European Youth Portal;
propose measures to encourage youth to get involved in democratic life in Europe.

Civil participation refers to the process of working to make improvements in the public life of communities through developing knowledge, skills, values and motivation to achieve those improvements.

Youth work – key contribution to social cohesion

In line with the Renewed Framework for European Cooperation in the Youth Field (2010-2018), EU Ministers emphasise the need to support the development of youth work and its contribution to ensure the social inclusion of young people.They focus on the need to reinforce youth work to ensure more cohesive societies throughout the EU. Cooperation in this area across EU countries is of high importance.

The Conclusions are presented in accordance with the current EU Work Plan for Youth 2014-2015, whereby the development of youth work and non-formal learning (such as in youth or sports clubs) and informal learning (such as from parents and friends) is a priority.

They also note previous Council conclusions regarding the contribution of quality youth work to the development, well-being and social inclusion of youth in the EU.

Also noted is the statement by EU Heads of Government on 12 February 2015, soon after the terrorist attacks in Paris, underlining the importance of education and integration in preventing radicalisation and safeguarding values.

KEY POINTS

The Conclusions reiterate the importance of youth work in contributing to personal development and in reaching out to young people of differing backgrounds. There is a particular need to connect with marginalised youth and those not in employment, education or training.

EU countries are urged to:

commit to further developing quality and professional youth work services, including by paid staff and volunteers;
develop supportive measures, including education and training for youth workers;
increase the outreach of youth work to involve the over-18s and young people with fewer opportunities.
EU countries and the European Commission are called upon to:

engage in mutual learning (peer learning) and exchange best practices regarding quality in youth work;
strengthen the quality of youth work by developing indicators, tools and systems that can be applied at different levels across the EU;
improve the visibility of the importance of youth work by demonstrating its quantitative and qualitative aspects and impacts on young people and society around them;
The Commission is invited to:

conduct a study on basic quality principles for youth work including an implementation handbook. This study should take into account the results of the Expert Group on Youth Work Quality Systems;
consider making a proposal for a Council Recommendation on youth work that would focus on promoting young people’s inclusion, citizenship and a more cohesive society.

Supporting youth actions in Europe on the European Commission’s website
Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education, 17 March 2015.
Quality Youth Work. A common framework for the further development of youth work. Report from the Expert Group on Youth Work Quality Systems in the EU Member States, 2015.

Working with Young People: the Value of Youth Work in the EU, 2014.
Council conclusions on reinforcing youth work to ensure cohesive societies (OJ C 170, 23.5.2015, pp. 2-3)