PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: 21 April 2008

Contact: Angela Corbalan , tel. + 32 485 57 47 68, email: angela.corbalan@youthforum.org

Let's make EU policies more youthful
Launch of written declaration on 22 April, Strasbourg

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On the initiative of the European Youth Forum (YFJ), a written declaration calling on the EU to devote more attention to youth empowerment in EU policies will be launched on 22 April in Strasbourg , sponsored by five Members of the European Parliament:

The written declaration calls on the European Commission and the EU Member States to take into account the needs of young people when developing policies that affect them, in particular:

The declaration calls on the European Commission to commit to developing a more horizontal youth policy; something endorsed by the Council of Ministers but has not yet been translated into concrete action. Furthermore, EU Member States need to focus on youth when implementing the Lisbon National Reform Programmes.

" While we appreciate the recognition by the European institutions on the importance of taking youth more into account when developing EU legislation, we are still waiting for more concrete measures that truly reflect our needs to happen. This can only be achieved through a genuine dialogue with young people and their organisations. This process, of course, also needs to happen at national level, " underlines Bettina Schwarzmayr , President of the European Youth Forum.

“ Practical solutions need to be given, through the implementation of the European Youth Pact, to the difficulties young people face, focusing more particularly on the provision of qualifications adapted to the requirements of the employment market, on the fight against unemployment, and on the enforcement of measures which enable young people to realise their hopes in all the other areas of life (family, participation in social, cultural, artistic life, etc.), ” notes Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou.

The declaration calls on the Commission to consider and incorporate the impact on youth and the results of the structured dialogue with youth organisations, through the European Youth Forum, when preparing legislative proposals. As Christa Prets highlights , “ It is essential to include young people in the political dialogue, because they are the ones who will shape the future. Furthermore, agreed policies have to be visibly implemented ”.

At least half of all MEPs will need to sign the written declaration in the upcoming three months so that it becomes an official demand of the European Parliament.

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The European Youth Forum is a platform of 95 youth organisations in Europe, working with the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations to promote the interests of young people.