Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council establishing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue

European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027

(2019/C 189/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES,

UNDERLINE THAT:

1. The EU Youth Dialogue (EUYD) is a central participation tool for young people in the EU and other European countries as appropriate, key elements of which include direct dialogue between decision-makers and young people and their representatives, consultation of young people on topics relevant to them and continuous partnership in the governance of the process at local, national and European levels. With regard to the implementation of the EUYD and in line with the European Union Youth Strategy (EUYS), the European Youth Goals should ‘serve as inspiration and provide an orientation for the EU, its Member States and their relevant stakeholders and authorities’ ( 1 )

2. The EUYS emphasises the need to ensure flexibility and room for manoeuvre to Member States in their approach to the EUYD’s implementation.

3. The EUYS specifies a number of elements with regard to framing the implementation of the EUYD, namely: a. Building on experiences from the past; b. Aiming at a clearer and leaner process c. Preferably follow 18-months work-cycles; d. One thematic priority per cycle; e. Its Work Plan; f. Flexibility with regard to the actors taking part in the governance and implementation of the EUYD; g. Continuous follow-up to monitor quality outcomes and the impact of the whole process; h. Recognition of the role of National Working Groups. They are the entities at Member State level, that are tasked with contributing to the organisation of consultations, promotion and impact of the dialogue with youth (2). In accordance with the provisions of the EUYS, ‘Member States are encouraged to enable youth participation in all phases of implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue by giving, inter alia, a leading role in the National Working Groups to the National Youth Council’ (3).

4. The Presidency suggestions of December 2018 on the implementation and governance of the EU Youth Dialogue ( 4 ) and the Commission Communication ‘Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’ ( 5 ) could serve as guiding documents for anyone involved in the EUYD.

AIM TO:

5. This resolution pursues the objective to provide an orientation with regard to the governance of the EUYD, in particular focusing on the actors involved, their roles, the organisational framework where their activities take place and the governance-related implementation issues. The European youth sector has an important role to play in the EUYD’s organisational framework ( 6 )

CONSIDER THAT:

6. The Trio Presidency should take the lead role with regard to steering the implementation of the EUYD, in close cooperation with the European Commission and the National Agencies, as well as with the European Youth Forum and other youth civil society representatives ( 7 )

7. While the Trio Presidency organises itself as it deems appropriate, priority should be given to fostering the participation of youth civil society as the cornerstone of a quality governance of the EUYD and its ensuing implementation. At EU level, youth civil society should be involved preferably via the European Youth Forum and other representative youth stakeholders, as appropriate. At Trio Presidency level, youth civil society should be represented by the National Working Groups, preferably, where available, via the National Youth Councils, in light of their leading role in this structure.

8. With a view to supporting the governance of the EUYD, regular exchanges should be organised between the Trio Presidency and the structures mentioned in paragraphs 6 and 7; such exchanges should take place inside a coordination group, for example the European Steering Group (ESG).

9. The role of the ESG is to: a. Provide the overall guidance of the EUYD, covering issues such as the cycle’s thematic priority, consultation instruments, consultation-relevant events, including the EU Youth Conferences; b. Provide input, tools and support where appropriate, with a view to ensuring the quality of the EUYD and the thematic consistency within a cycle; c. Ensure an effective cooperation with the National Working Groups by providing where appropriate guidelines, tools and support, with a view to ensuring the EUYD’s quality implementation; d. Ensure a participatory evaluation of the cycle, as well as its monitoring, follow-up, use and wide dissemination of the EUYD’s outcomes; e. Foster the preservation of institutional memory, with a view to passing it on to the next Trio Presidency, with the support of the European Commission; f. Take steps to facilitate a smooth transition process to the next Trio Presidency; g. Cover any other aspects that the Trio Presidency, in consultation with the Member States, might deem appropriate.

10. The Trio Presidency should facilitate the participation of youth civil society representatives in the ESG, which is a deliberation forum where joint solutions should be discussed and fostered. The Trio Presidency can include other actors in the ESG, such as youth organisations which are representative at European and/or Member State level, researchers, experts, etc. The participation of the above-mentioned representatives and actors in the ESG is without prejudice to the competencies of the Trio Presidency as established by the Treaties and the Council’s Rules of Procedure.

11. As a guiding principle for ensuring the representativeness of the ESG insofar as young people are concerned, the Trio Presidency should consider taking measures with a view to including the voice of all young people, including those with fewer opportunities and of those not organised in youth associations.

12. If needed, in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the ESG, the operational tasks and working methods of the ESG should be articulated in a Working Document.

13. In order to ensure the predictability on how the EUYD will unfold in each 18-month work cycle, the Presidency should inform in a timely manner the Youth Working Party and the National Working Groups about the organisation and functioning of the ESG, the progress on EUYD’s implementation and any other aspects related to those mentioned in paragraph 9 above.

14. In line with the EU grants set up for this purpose, the National Working Groups should be able to decide on the configuration and operational procedures that best suit their needs in accordance with their Member State’s specificities and relevant EUYS provisions, with a view to ensuring the fulfilment of each EUYD cycle’s objectives and an adequate representation of policymakers, relevant public institutions, young people and their diverse socio-economic backgrounds ( 8 )

15. This Resolution shall take effect as from 1 July 2019 and be reviewed as appropriate, as a result of the mid-term review of the EUYS to be carried out by the Council in 2024, in order to adjust it to possible new developments and needs.

(1) European Union Youth Strategy (OJ C 456, 18.12.2018, p. 2 (point 3, 3rd paragraph)).

(2) See the 2019 annual work programme for the implementation of ‘Erasmus+’: the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport. Online reference C(2018) 6572 of 11 October 2018.

(3) EUYS, p. 9 (Annex I, point 4, 3rd paragraph).

(4) Doc. 15018/18 REV 1 + COR 1 + COR 2.

(5) Doc. 9264/18 + ADD 1-8 — COM(2018) 269 final + SWD(2018) 168 and 169 final.

(6) The ‘EU youth sector’ generally refers to the totality of organisations, youth workers, members of the academia, youth civil society or other experts involved in youth policy development that carry out youth-relevant activities and projects in the EU.

(7) Reference is being made to the National Agencies in charge of managing the Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes from the Member States that form the Trio Presidency.

(8) Ibid footnote 2.