Position Paper For a Better European Solidarity Corps

The independence of National Youth Councils across Europe is under threat, requiring urgent political action. This motion supports the European Youth Forum’s Strategic Plan 2024–2028 to strengthen democracy, protect civic space, and defend youth organisations from political interference.

In March 2023, the Government of Georgia initiated work on a legislative proposal on “foreign agents” that would have forced civil society organisations to be registered as being under foreign influence should they be receiving funding from sources outside of the country. As Georgia initiated negotiations for EU membership merely 6 months ago, this underscores how fragile Democracy and the Rule of Law are in our societies and how civic spaces must be protected tirelessly every day, everywhere.

Civil society organisations play a critical role in amplifying the voices of marginalised and vulnerable groups, highlighting the key challenges they face and ensuring that their concerns reach diverse audiences. However, recent years have been marked by a disturbing trend of shrinking civic spaces, including those of youth organisations.