European Youth Forum

Youth Policy in Europe

The European Youth Forum anchored its vision and understanding of youth policy, as well as giving a direction to its lobbying strategy in its paper adopted during the last General Assembly “YFJ approach to youth policy, meeting the needs of young people” . Over the past five years, there have been a number of important developments at the European level to promote greater co-operation and co-ordination in Europe's youth field. The launch of the Commission White Paper ‘A New Impetus for European Youth', adopted in November 2001, was the trigger in the EU's youth policy that set off a chain of developments throughout Europe. The White Paper was the first attempt to define the framework for a youth policy in Europe and is therefore of crucial importance for young people. The Council of Europe is currently developing its own contribution to youth policy in order to get a clear vision of what CoE wants to do in terms of youth policy and what is youth policy in this framework.

As a follow-up to the European Commission's White Paper, EU Youth Ministers approved a Resolution on European Co-operation in the youth field in 2002. The Council resolution represents the consensus of all Member States on how policy co-operation in the field of youth should be developed in the European Union. It initiates two important elements for youth policy: the Open Method of Co-ordination in the field of Youth (OMC) and the horizontal aspects. Four priority themes in this field have been identified: information, participation, voluntary activities, and the greater knowledge and understanding of youth.

New impetus for the development of a youth agenda in Europe was heralded by the adoption of the European Youth Pact, within the larger framework of the Lisbon agenda. On one hand, it offers a possibility to address, at the highest level, issues related to employment, education, training, mobility, and autonomy; on the other, it brings momentum to the development of Youth policy. The Youth Pact, if properly implemented, can give the necessary push for greater follow up on the White Paper, especially in its objective of taking more account of youth in other policies.

Moreover, the EU Youth Programme and the future Youth in Action Programme play an important role at the EU level, as tools for the further development of youth policy.