Youth Forum talks Participation and Employment with Macedonia Youth Organisations
The Youth Forum partook in a public debate in Skopje, Macedonia, on the 20th of February 2012. The Forum was invited by the Initiative for Defense of Youth Participation, a coalition of 47 Macedonian youth organisations. The topics tackled in the discussion were youth participation in decision-making, youth unemployment and national youth parliament, amongst others. More than 130 participants from youth organisations, the wider civil society, high schools and universities took part in the discussion.
In 2011, a youth law was proposed by a parliamentary committee in Macedonia. This law, if it had been passed, would have worrying limitations on youth participation in the civil society. Currently, the vote on the youth law is on a hold while the committee charged assesses whether to propose a new law or whether to not propose a law at all.
The meeting is part of numerous other debates, collectively called Youth Republic, organised across the country. The aim is to have broad-based consultations with the youth on what their concerns are, and how youth can cooperate in order to make a political impact on a national level.
To learn more about the Initiative for Defense of Youth Participation and the debate, click here.

Macedonia_Youth_DebateThe Youth Forum partook in a public debate in Skopje, Macedonia, on the 20th of February 2012. The Forum was invited by the Initiative for Defense of Youth Participation, a coalition of 47 Macedonian youth organisations. The topics tackled in the discussion were youth participation in decision-making, youth unemployment and national youth parliament, amongst others. More than 130 participants from youth organisations, the wider civil society, high schools and universities took part in the discussion.

In 2011, a youth law was proposed by a parliamentary committee in Macedonia. This law, if it had been passed, would have worrying limitations on youth participation in the civil society. Currently, the vote on the youth law is on a hold while the committee charged assesses whether to propose a new law or whether to not propose a law at all.

The meeting is part of numerous other debates, collectively called Youth Republic, organised across the country. The aim is to have broad-based consultations with the youth on what their concerns are, and how youth can cooperate in order to make a political impact on a national level. 

To learn more about the Initiative for Defense of Youth Participation and the debate, click here.
 
Thousands Across Europe Protest Internet Legislation

Over the weekend, thousands of people all across Europe braved freezing temperatures to make their voices heard in opposition to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).
Concerns about this piece of legislation first came about when policy makers were not being transparent about the drafting process, and there was much secrecy surrounding ACTA's details. ACTA “aims to halt counterfeited products, but also affects the internet,” according to European Parliament member Marietje Schaake, who is concerned that this legislation might be drafted poorly and will negatively affect online freedom, freedom of speech, and in some cases, access to medicine. Bulgarian MEP Ivaylo Kalfin has similar concerns. While Kalfin concedes that ACTA was intended for the “noble” purpose of protecting intellectual property, he also notes that while ACTA was being negotiated, “behind closed doors it became a monstrous creature,” and goes on to state that the lack of clarity in ACTA's wording could be a slippery slope to unnecessary internet law that could have serious implications on the “freedom and dynamism” of the internet.
 The European Youth Forum stresses the importance of young citizens making their voices heard in this debate, since the internet provides young people the possibility to exercise their rights of freedom of speech and expression. 

For more information on ACTA click here.
 
Promises and Responses to the Annual Growth Survey 2012: Will They Deliver?
Today, a joint debate was held at the Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg to prepare for the upcoming European Council meeting. Members of the European Parliament and Commissioners debated and discussed the 2012 Annual Growth Survey, released November 2011, which has set out the economic and fiscal priorities of the EU for the Semester. In a statement in response to the survey, the Parliament noted that they are “concerned about the quality of jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships that are suggested in the policy guidance of the Commission.”
Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič affirmed that, “Getting the young people onto the labour market is an essential element of our efforts to ensure future growth.” He outlined the Commission’s plan to send action teams to the eight member States with the highest youth unemployment rates, where they will examine how to better concentrate funds on job creation for young people.
The European Youth Forum strongly advocates for the implementation of a Youth Guarantee and the creation of a European framework for quality internships.  The Forum urges Member States to include these initiatives in their National Reform Programme and work together with youth organisations towards their implementation.

Parliament_Plenary

Today, a joint debate was held at the Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg to prepare for the upcoming European Council meeting. Members of the European Parliament and Commissioners debated and discussed the 2012 Annual Growth Survey, released November 2011, which has set out the economic and fiscal priorities of the EU for the Semester. In a statement in response to the survey, the Parliament noted that they are “concerned about the quality of jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships that are suggested in the policy guidance of the Commission.”

Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič affirmed that, “Getting the young people onto the labour market is an essential element of our efforts to ensure future growth.” He outlined the Commission’s plan to send action teams to the eight member States with the highest youth unemployment rates, where they will examine how to better concentrate funds on job creation for young people.

The European Youth Forum strongly advocates for the implementation of a Youth Guarantee and the creation of a European framework for quality internships.  The Forum urges Member States to include these initiatives in their National Reform Programme and work together with youth organisations towards their implementation.

Read more about the 2012 Annual Growth Survey here.
 
European Youth Capital NFE Network Quality Internships Where are you going Youth Employment Action

 2012 European Youth Forum. Terms of use. Credits