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The European Youth Forum Youth Policy Watch is a new bi-weekly bulletin that aims to provide the latest news in relation to youth within the five strategic priorities of the European Youth Forum – Education, Human Rights, Employment and Social Affairs, Youth Work Development and Participation/Youth Policy Mainstreaming. It is available both in English and in French, and is intended to be read by all who are interested in the field of youth, whether it be Member Organisations of the Forum, institutions, the media, civil society and any young person who may have an interest.
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EDITORIAL
Dear reader,
This is the first issue of the Youth Policy Watch, a new tool to follow youth policy and youth-related topics in Europe. Putting together official information, media coverage and other sources, the Youth Policy Watch is aimed at anyone who is interested in knowing more about youth in Europe. This is a Beta Version of the Youth Policy Watch, if you have any feedback on it, please don't hesitate to contact us: press@youthforum.org
Enjoy your reading,
European Youth Forum |
Contents
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TOP STORIES
Spain started its six-month term in the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1 in a strategic moment for Europe under the new Lisbon Treaty and marked by efforts to bring Europe out of its worst recession in decades. In its program, the Spanish Presidency states that the main challenge in terms of youth policy is to offer a renewed boost to the European Youth Pact. It also affirms that a social inclusion strategy will be especially addressed, building bridges between education and the labour market, fostering increased youth autonomy, mobility, and involvement in shaping European citizenship.
Spain has said that it will act in close coordination with the two following EU presidency holders Belgium and Hungary to provide a model for fostering greater consistency in the European Union's leadership. In a draft 18 month programme of the Council, the Presidencies announced they will follow up the Council Resolution establishing a renewed framework for European cooperation in the field of youth, by developing initiatives in line with the Commission's communication of April 2009 on an EU Strategy for Youth – Investing and Empowering. The worthiness of the Open Method of Coordination in this area will also be emphasised and priority will be given to initiatives that facilitate the cultural and personal development, social inclusion, employment and participation of young people. Finally, the youth dimension will also be discussed in the context of the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy.
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At her hearing in the European Parliament on 14 January, Androulla Vassiliou told MEPs that ensuring improved mobility for young people, in a form such as the Youth On the Move programme already put forward by Commission President J.M. Barroso, was essential to help young Europeans learn. She stated exchange programs, such as Erasmus Mundus, the Marie Curie programme and the Comenius programme as evidence for the success of this approach.
She also expressed a certain concern that those who have been hit the most by the financial crisis were young people and the low-skilled, stating that, if confirmed as Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, one of her first priorities will be to try to match education and skills to employers’ needs to better the jobs crisis.
The YFJ is concerned, however, that the candidate did not have the opportunity to say more on youth policy as such. The Youth Forum has high expectations for an increased involvement of young people in her decision-making role as future Commissioner.
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EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
On January 20th, EU member states’ representatives agreed to seal their originally conditional offer to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, with an increase to 30% (from 1990 levels) remaining...(read more)
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The European Commission and Spanish EU Presidency launched on 21 January the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, under the slogan 'Stop Poverty Now!' at an event in Madrid. The project's key...(read more)
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Youth, it is reported, was one of the main focuses at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 in Davos. While discussions often descended into some form of banker bashing - largely blamed for the failures of the...(read more)
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HUMAN RIGHTS
On 19 January, The European Court of Justice handed down a ruling that restated the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of age at the workplace. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which has...(read more)
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YOUTH WORK DEVELOPMENT
On 26th January an Initiative Board for the establishment of the National Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS) held a meeting about the final model for the Council, which will be discussed on seven consultative meetings held in...(read more)
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PARTICIPATION AND YOUTH POLICY MAINSTREAMING
The United Nations has proclaimed an International Year of Youth starting on 12 August 2010. The year will aim to harness the energy, imagination and initiative of the world’s youth in overcoming the challenges...(read more)
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EDUCATION
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, launched Reaching the marginalized, the 2010 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, at the UN headquarters in New...(read more)
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| The European Youth Forum (YFJ) is an independent, democratic, youth-led platform, representing 99 National Youth Councils and International Youth Organisations from across Europe. The European Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives, by representing and advocating their needs and interests and those of their organisations towards the European Institutions, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. |
