EU youth strategy (2019–2027)

KEY POINTS

EU Member States confirm the following.

• Young people have their own role in society and face specific challenges. They are keen to take control of their lives and engage with and support others.
• A European youth strategy is necessary to help young people handle the challenges they face. This involves national, regional and local authorities, EU and international organisations, youth councils, workers, researchers, organisations and civil society.
• European youth goals provide a vision for Europe. These range from connecting the EU with youth to mental health and well-being. Annex 3 sets out the 11 goals drafted by young people themselves.

The strategy’s overall objectives for young people are to:

• enable young people to be architects of their own lives, support their personal development and build up their resilience;
• encourage and equip them with the necessary resources to become active citizens;
• improve policies that have an impact on them, notably in terms of employment, education, health and social inclusion;
• help eradicate youth poverty and all forms of discrimination and promote social inclusion.

The following principles underpin the strategy.

• Equality and non-discrimination. Combating discrimination and promoting gender equality.
• Inclusion. Acknowledging young people have diverse needs, lives and opportunities and developing policies accordingly.
• Participation. Recognising young people are a resource for society and encouraging their involvement in policy development and implementation.
• Global. Taking account of the strategy’s international, European, national, regional and local dimensions.
• Dual approach. Mainstreaming youth issues across policy areas alongside specific youth initiatives.

The strategy identifies three core themes – engage, connect and empower – and sets out measures Member State governments and the European Commission could take.

Engage

Engaging young people is a cornerstone of the strategy to ensure meaningful civic, economic, social, cultural and political participation. Measures include:

• encouraging and promoting the inclusive democratic participation of young people in society and democratic processes;
• involving young people and youth organisations in policy development and implementation;
• supporting youth representation in the work of local, regional, national and European authorities;
• supporting the EU youth dialogue (see Annex 1 contains for full details);
• developing citizenship competencies, helping young people prepare for participation and exploring alternative forms of democratic participation, such as digital democracy.

Connect

Young people should be able to experience cultural, civic and other exchanges with peers in the EU and other European countries. Such exchanges already exist thanks to Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Measures include:

• facilitating cross-border learning mobility for young people and youth workers, including volunteering in the civil society sector;
• encouraging participation by seeking synergies between EU funding and national, regional and local schemes;
• engaging young people and youth organisations in relevant EU programmes;
• sharing best practices and developing schemes to validate skills gained from non-formal and informal learning.

Empower

Youth work can develop key personal and professional skills and be a catalyst for empowerment. Measures include:

• developing a European youth work agenda for quality, innovation and recognition of youth work;
• supporting youth work activities and development, and training for youth workers;
• recognising that youth organisations help develop skills and social inclusion through youth work and non-formal education;
• creating accessible youth contact points to deliver services and provide information.

The strategy emphasises the importance of evidence-based policies anchored in young people’s real needs and situations. It identifies the following concrete elements.

• Mutual learning and dissemination. Expert groups continue to develop policy guidance and practical tools and share good practice.
• Participatory governance. An EU youth strategy platform plays this role. Commission organises meetings of key players.
• EU programmes and funds. Mobilising effective use of activities and finance, such as Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, structural and investment funds and Horizon Europe, coupled with monitoring of the funding.
• Communication. Promoting awareness of the EU youth strategy, along with the European Youth Goals, can help shape youth policy.
• Future national activities planners. These enable Member States to share priorities, increase transparency and identify suitable partners. Annex 2 provides further details.
• EU youth dialogue. This provides a forum for regular consultation between all key players such as young people, youth organisations, decision makers, experts and civil society.
• EU Youth Coordinator. The Commission has established this internal post to improve cooperation on youth issues across its different policy areas and work with stakeholders to provide coherent messaging to young people.
• Youth information and support. This ensures quality services and platforms, including the European Youth Portal, to promote information on rights, opportunities and programmes.
• EU work plans for youth. The strategy is implemented through 3-yearly programmes. The first was for 2019–2021. Annex 4 includes this first detailed work plan.

The Commission:

• reports on the implementation of the strategy every 3 years;
• provides an interim evaluation report by 31 December 2023 for Member States to carry out a mid-term review.