EUROPEAN COMMISSION WHITE PAPER - A NEW IMPETUS FOR EUROPEAN YOUTH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

1. Background

2. Challenges

2.1. Demographic trends

2.2. Changing youth

2.3. Involving young people in public life

2.4. European integration

2.5. Globalisation

3. A productive consultation exercise

3.1. Key messages

4. A new ambition

4.1. The specific field of youth

4.1.1. The open method of coordination

4.1.2. The scope for action using the open method of coordination in the youth field

4.2. Taking more account of youth in other policies

4.3. The role of the youth programme

5. Conclusion

1. No democracy without participation

1.1. Analysis of the results

1.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

2. Education, a crucial stage for young people

2.1. An analysis of the results

2.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

3. Employment as a means of integrating young people better

3.1. An analysis of the results

3.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

4. Getting the most out of being young

4.1. Analysis of the results

4.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

5. A Europe based on values

5.1. Analysis of the results

5.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

6. Contribution to the White Paper

1. The YOUTH programme

2. Political initiatives with an impact on youth

3. Funding in employment, education, culture and youth protection

4. The Charter of Fundamental Rights

5. Support from the European Parliament

6. Contributions from the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

7. Dialogue with the European Youth Forum

8. The work of the Council of Europe

9. Studies and opinion polls launched by the European Commission

FOREWORD

The decision to publish this White Paper on youth policy, and especially the decision to conduct wide-ranging consultations beforehand, is rooted primarily in the desire to promote new forms of European governance.

The White Paper is fully coherent with the Commission's White Paper on Governance adopted in July of this year: the point is to open up the European Union (EU)'s decision-making process to the people who will be affected by those decisions, and that includes young people.

Young people to the fore

The results of the wide-ranging consultation exercise which preceded this White Paper are clear: despite highly divergent situations, young people largely share the same values and the same ambitions, but also the same difficulties. Young people form a changing group, tending to enter the job market and start a family later in life; they are switching backwards and forwards between work and learning; but above all is that their individual pathways are much more varied than in the past. School and university, work and the social environment no longer play the same integrating role that they used to. Young people are acquiring autonomous status later and later in life.

All this is often reflected in a sense of fragility, a loss of confidence in the existing decision-making systems, and a degree of disaffection in terms of the traditional forms of participation in public life and in youth organisations. Some of them feel that they do not always find their own concerns reflected in public policies conceived by and for their elders. Some young people have taken refuge in indifference or individualism, while others have tried forms of expression which may have been excessive or even on the margins of democratic means. The majority, though, want to influence policies, but have not found the appropriate way of doing so.

Nonetheless, young europeans have a lot to say; after all, these are precisely the people who are primarily affected by economic change, demographic imbalance, globalisation or cultural diversity. We are expecting them to create new forms of social relations, different ways of expressing solidarity or of coping with differences and finding enrichment in them, while new uncertainties appear.

Despite the more complex social and economic context, young people are well equipped to adapt. It is up to the national and European policy-makers to facilitate this process of change by making young people stakeholders in our societies.

Young people and Europe

The debate on the future of Europe is up and running. An unprecedented wave of enlargement will soon be creating entirely new perspectives. The message that has been coming across clearly over these recent years in the political life of Europe is that the EU must take shape with the people of Europe. It is important that consultations on the way the EU will develop and on its form of governance should include the people to whom tomorrow's Europe belongs. The European project is itself young, still forming and still being debated. If it is to make progress, it needs ambition and enthusiasm, and commitment on the part of young people to the values on which it is based.

If young people have one clear message, it is that they want their voice to be heard and want to be regarded as fully-fledged participants in the process; they want to play their part in building Europe; they want to influence the debate on the way it develops. It is time now to regard youth as a positive force in the construction of Europe rather than as a problem. In other words, we have to give young people the wherewithal to express their ideas, and to test them against similar ideas from other players in civil society.

From local to European: a new dynamic

Most of the suggestions mentioned in this White Paper address the Member States and the regions of Europe, which bear the brunt of putting the various youth-related measures into practice. It is on the ground, where young people can see the results of their personal commitment, that active citizenship becomes a reality. It is by taking part in the life of schools, neighbourhoods, local districts or associations that young people can acquire the experience and the confidence they need to go a step further, either now or later, in public life -- including at European level. It is by throwing themselves into social activities which are open to all, without any form of discrimination, that young people can make their contribution to a more solidarity-conscious society and live citizenship to the full.

It is important, though, to give a European dimension to youth-related activities, with a view to boosting the effectiveness and synergies, while safeguarding and stressing the degree of responsibility proper to each level of action. This is what consulted young people are calling for; it is what the European Parliament supports; and it is what the Member States are advocating, as it was made clear during the Commission's consultation exercise. In response, the White Paper suggests a new framework for European cooperation comprising two main aspects: applying the open method of coordination in the specific field of youth; and taking better account of the "youth" dimension in other policy initiatives.

This European dimension will create a sense of dynamism on the ground, and will stimulate creativity, encourage the exchange and comparison of good practices, and foster national and European recognition of what individuals and youth organisations are doing on the local or regional scene. It will help to create a common vision and give a better idea of youth-related issues, and will make it possible to work more effectively, collaboratively, and by deciding on common objectives.

Listening to what young people have to say and offering a forum for local initiatives, encouraging the Member States to cooperate more effectively, coming up with concrete ideas under existing European programmes, and giving the "youth" dimension a higher profile in all policy areas: that is the approach proposed by this White Paper for creating the right conditions to enable young people to play a full part in the life of democratic, open and caring societies.

1. Background

Following enlargement, there will be 75 million young people in Europe between the ages of 15 and 25 [1]. Whatever their differences (in terms of access to the labour market, education, family life, income, etc.), young people see themselves as fully-fledged citizens with all the attendant rights and obligations. Investing in youth is an investment in the richness of our societies, today and tomorrow. It is therefore one of the keys to achieving the political objective laid down by the Lisbon European Council: making Europe "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world".

[1] Youth is regarded here as the period from 15 to 25 years of age, by analogy with what Parliament and the Council decided for the YOUTH programme. "Following enlargement" means taking into account the present Member States and the 12 countries currently negociating membership.

The Treaties provide the basis for action in a wide range of sectors [2] which affect young people directly or indirectly: discrimination, European citizenship, employment, social exclusion, education, vocational training, culture, health, consumer protection, freedom of movement, environmental protection, mobility for young researchers, development cooperation and poverty.

[2] Cf. Annex 2 "Overview on European action on the youth front". This summary document includes all European actions related to youth; all future action must use these as a basis.

There are various Community measures which impact more directly on young people: in the fields of education, employment and vocational training, and more recently in terms of access to information technologies, to name but a few.

Over and above the general and sectoral policies which affect young people, there is another type of activity which encourages mobility, inter-cultural exchanges, citizenship and voluntary work. Within this context, and on the basis of Article 149 of the Treaty [3], the EU has introduced a series of programmes, including the YOUTH programme, which have in turn led to mobility and exchange schemes for young people. This cooperation has gradually spread to include other areas such as information, exchanges between organisations and voluntary service.

[3] Article 149 of the Treaty:

More generally, there are a number of subjects -- such as participation or autonomy for young people -- which are not directly a Community concern, but which merit in-depth analysis because of their close links with youth policy and their political impact, the idea being to provide Member States with a practical resource for coordinating their action in the sectors concerned.

All of these specific youth-related activities have received the unswerving support of the European Parliament, both when programmes were being adopted and in the form of resolutions and hearings for young people. The Council of Youth Ministers has adopted a series of resolutions on youth participation, the educational potential of sport, social integration, initiative and entrepreneurship among young people. The Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions regularly deliver positive and encouraging opinions on various issues related to youth.

The question now is whether these activities are enough to meet the range of challenges which young people today are confronted with, and whether the European policy-makers are making best use of the potential among young people. The fact is that the resolutions or declarations on specifically youth-related issues have often gone no further than good intentions and the European institutions and the Member States lack an overview of the policies and hence of the various types of action which can be taken to support young people. The current system of European cooperation in the field of youth has reached its limits and is in danger of no longer being able to respond to new challenges (see point 2):

- demographic and social change, which is making relations between the generations more complex;

- the widening gap between young people and public affairs at national, European and international levels, with the attendant risk of a "citizenship deficit";

- investing in the quality of the debate on the future of the European Union, as a democratic imperative, and encouraging closer links with people, civil society and local players, as advocated by the White Paper on European governance [4].

[4] "European governance -- a White Paper", COM(2001)428, 25.07.2001.

Promoting new forms of European governance is one of the four strategic priorities set by the Commission. The term 'governance' refers to all the rules, mechanisms and practices which affect the way the various powers are deployed, as well as opening up the EU decision-making process to enable the people of Europe to be involved in the decisions which concern them.

This modernisation of European public action is supported by five fundamental principles: openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and coherence.

Youth is an area in which, above all else, these principles should apply:

- Openness: providing information and active communication for young people, in their language, so that they understand the workings of Europe and of the policies which concern them.

- Participation: ensuring young people are consulted and more involved in the decisions which concern them and, in general, the life of their communities.

- Accountability: developing a new and structured form of cooperation between the Member States and the European institutions, in order to find ways, at the appropriate level of accountability, of meeting the aspirations of young people.

- Effectiveness: making the most of what young people have to offer so that they can respond to the challenges of society, contribute to the success of the various policies which concern them and build the Europe of the future.

- Coherence: developing an overview of the various policies which concern young people and the different levels at which intervention is useful.

The decision to publish the White Paper on youth policy, and in particular the decision to run the earlier consultation exercise, are one outcome of this "governance" approach.

2. Challenges

2.1. Demographic trends

Our societies are ageing due to the combined effect of a lower birth rate and increased longevity. Between 2000 and 2020, the 65-90 age group will increase from 16% to 21% of the total population of the European Union, while the 15-24 age group will fall to only 11% [5].

[5] Source: Eurostat, Demographic Statistics, 1999.

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This quantitative imbalance between young and old will bring about a qualitative change in relations between generations. The financial pressure on social welfare systems will be only one aspect of this challenge. Indeed, we will have not only to invent new mechanisms for solidarity between young people and their parents or even their grandparents, but above all to organise, to everyone's satisfaction, the transition between generations in societies undergoing profound change.

This ageing of the population will also make it necessary to call on human resources from outside the European Union in order to make up for labour shortages. Our societies will have to diversify in ethnic, religious, social and linguistic terms. And all this will have to be properly controlled, particularly with regards to young people, if we are to avoid social tensions or negative repercussions for education systems and the labour market.

2.2. Changing youth

The sociological, economic and cultural aspects of youth have changed significantly as a result of demographic changes and changes in the social environment, individual and collective behaviour, family relationships and labour market conditions [6].

[6] Cf. report presented by researchers at the Umeå seminar in March 2001 (http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/youth/ywp/umeareport.html)

First, youth is lasting longer. Demographers have observed that, under pressure from economic factors (employability, unemployment, etc.) and socio-cultural factors, young people are, on average, older when they reach the various stages of life: end of formal education, start of employment, starting a family, etc.

A second point concerns non-linear paths through life. Today "our various life-roles are becoming confused [7]": it is possible simultaneously to be a student, have family responsibilities, have a job, be seeking a job and be living with one's parents, and young people now move increasingly often between these different roles. Paths through life are becoming less linear as societies no longer offer the same guarantees (job security, social security benefits, etc.).

[7] "Jeunesse, le devoir d'avenir", Commissariat Général du Plan, Report from the committee chaired by Dominique Charvet, March 2001, p.33.

Third, the traditional collective models are losing ground as personal pathways are becoming increasingly individualised. "The organisation of individuals' family, marriage and career plans is no longer standardised". [8] This is impacting particularly strongly on public authorities' policies.

[8] "Jeunesse, le devoir d'avenir", ibid, p. 35.

2.3. Involving young people in public life

As a rule, young people in Europe are keen to foster democracy and more especially to play their part in it. But mistrust has set in with regards to the institutional structures. Young people are now less committed than in the past to the traditional structures for political and social action (e.g. parties, trade unions), and they have a low level of involvement in democratic consultation. Youth organisations are also feeling the pinch and perceive the need to reinvent themselves [9].

[9] Eurobarometer 55.1 on young people in Europe in 2001 (EB 55.1) indicates that young people are slightly disaffected with organisations, with one in two young people stating spontaneously that they do not belong to any grouping. National disparities remain (in the Netherlands almost 80% of young people belong to organisations, as against 30% in Portugal). This variable level of dissatisfaction concerns all countries except Belgium and Luxembourg. Among young people who belong to organisations, sports clubs are most popular (28%), far ahead of youth organisations (7%), trade unions and political parties (4%).

This by no means implies that young people are not interested in public life. Most show a clear will to participate and to influence the choices made by society, but they wish to do so on a more individual and more one-off basis, outside of the old participatory structures and mechanisms.

It is up to the public authorities to bridge the gap between young people's eagerness to express their opinions and the methods and structures which society offers. Failure to do so might fuel the 'citizenship' deficit, or even encourage protest.

2.4. European integration

This trend also applies to the European Union, a subject on which young people in general have mixed feelings. For them, Europe is about respect for fundamental values, but it is also the place in which they live, study, work and travel. However, they feel that the institutions responsible for managing this area are distant and operate behind closed doors. This gap between young people and Europe is merely one illustration of the distance between the people of Europe and "Brussels" [10]. And yet, in pursuing the Community goal, particularly with a view to enlargement, a great deal depends on involving future generations. It is essential that young people be 'taken on board' as active partners in specific projects suited to their situations, aspirations and abilities.

[10] Cf. "European governance - a white paper", Ibid.

2.5. Globalisation

In relative terms, this same dichotomy exists between young people and the trend towards globalisation. Young people in Europe form part of societies which are open to outside cultural and economic influences. The world is their frame of reference, and they have no hesitation in espousing the kind of products which symbolise globalisation [11]. At the same time, they dispute some of the consequences of globalisation on grounds of social justice, openness and 'sustainable' development. They have doubts about the international institutions, which seem to them to be relatively inaccessible, arcane and unconcerned about young people's issues. This relationship between young people and globalisation, which is mixed to say the least, is a sign of malaise and must not be ignored.

[11] These include information technologies, such as the Internet, electronic mail and the mobile telephone. According to Eurobarometer 55.1, the percentage of people in the 15-25 age group who say they regularly use a computer, go online, play video games, etc. has more than doubled since 1997, from 21% to 43%. Another significant finding is that 80% of young people regularly use a mobile telephone.

This very largely confirms the major issue in terms of globalisation: "Whether we like it or not, globalisation is here. Our task is to control it, to use it to the benefit of mankind" [12].

[12] Cf. speech by Romano Prodi on 20.7.2001 http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/prodi/globalisation_en.htm).

All of this presents an enormous challenge. We need to put in place the right conditions to enable young people in Europe to see themselves and behave more as supportive, responsible, active and tolerant citizens in plural societies. Getting young people more involved in the life of the local, national and European communities, and fostering active citizenship thus represent one of the major challenges, not only for the present but also for the future of our societies.

3. A productive consultation exercise

Strongly believing in the need for this change, and in view of the scale of the challenges and the limits of the current system of cooperation, the Commission proposed, at the Youth Council at the end of 1999, drawing up a White Paper on a new form of European cooperation in youth policy. Throughout the very wide-ranging consultation exercise leading up to this White Paper, it received the full support of the EU Member States, successive Presidencies and the European Parliament.

An unprecedented consultation exercise

This White Paper is the result of a consultation exercise spanning the period May 2000 to March 2001, involving young people from all kinds of backgrounds, youth organisations, the scientific community, policy-makers and public administrations. In terms of its scale, duration, the diversity of the people consulted and the wealth of information drawn from it, the exercise is unprecedented at European level. For some Member States it was also a first. A great many people and events were involved.

- 17 national conferences were organised by the Member States. These involved several thousand young people and resulted in 440 suggestions.

- The European youth gathering in Paris in October 2000, under the French Presidency, looked at the results of the national conferences from a more European perspective; 450 young delegates representing 31 countries reached agreement on some 80 suggestions.

- More than 60 organisations took part in hearings with the Economic and Social Committee in Brussels in February 2001.

- The scientific community, represented by a dozen or so multidisciplinary researchers, was brought in to comment on likely future developments.

- Meetings were held in all European capitals with the policy-makers and administrators and with the National Youth Councils, and two meetings of the Directors-General responsible for youth were organised (one to launch these bilateral meetings; the second to wind up the consultations).

- A meeting was held in Umeå, in mid-March 2001, under the Swedish Presidency. Young people, youth organisations, researchers and public authorities set out their priorities for political action.

- A day of debates was held in the European Parliament on 24 April 2001. Almost 300 people, mostly young people, took part.

The consultation exercise will be continued. The Belgian Presidency is organising a conference in Ghent in November 2001 which will provide an opportunity for the Commission to present the White Paper and to open the debate on its proposals.

The consultation exercise, which is analysed in detail in Annex 1, broadly confirmed the above diagnosis and supported the idea that new impetus is now needed.

All young people want policies which meet their expectations. They feel that public action taken at local, regional, national and European levels is often inappropriate and out of touch with their daily concerns. They call for a radical change in thinking and practices and, above all, they insist on being fully involved in the policy-making process.

3.1. Key messages

Four key messages have emerged from the consultation process.

- Active citizenship for young people

The young people who were consulted see themselves as responsible citizens. They want to be more involved in community life. They want their views to be heard on a wide variety of subjects. This will to participate must be given room for expression at various levels, from local to international; it must take several forms -- active and representative -- and it must not exclude any type of commitment, be it one-off or ongoing, spontaneous or organised. Moreover, this involvement cannot be limited to a single consultation and certainly not to opinion polls. It has to include young people in the decision-making process.

Participation must be encouraged, without exception, which means making it easier for those who have the greatest difficulties and providing greater access to existing structures for young people who are not members of organisations.

Information is indispensable to developing active citizenship, and it continues to be an area from which young people expect a great deal: they are aware that the areas to be covered are very broad (employment, working conditions, housing, studies, health, etc.) and go further than information on Community programmes, so their expectations firstly concern recognition that there is a need to be met. Young people have also stressed the importance of equal access, the proximity principle and high standards of ethical behaviour. In addition, emphasis has been placed on the importance of user-friendly information that involves young people in terms of both substance and distribution.

- Expanding and recognising areas of experimentation

Young people would like to see the public authorities recognise that education and training are not restricted to the traditional or formal types available. In their opinion, this crucial time in their learning experience would benefit from being viewed holistically, taking into account the non-formal aspects of education and training.

Greater emphasis should therefore be placed on mobility and voluntary service, which are still not sufficiently widespread and not properly recognised: young people consider it a priority to develop these and link them to education and training policies. They want these broader experiences to be recognised and given financial support. To be fully successful, this link between the formal and non-formal dimensions of learning must take into account the concept of individual development and use tools and methods which are appropriate to young people and which promote exchanges among peers, and forms of experimentation where the process is more important than the outcome.

- Developing autonomy among young people

For young people, autonomy is an essential demand. It depends on the resources at their disposal, primarily material resources. The question of income is therefore crucial. Young people are affected not only by policies on employment, social protection and labour market integration but also by housing and transport policies. These are all important in enabling young people to become autonomous sooner, and they should be developed in a way that takes into account their point of view and their interests and makes good use of experience specific to youth policies. As young people want to become active in society and feel that policies related to the various aspects of their standard of living impinge directly on them, they object to youth policies being limited to specific areas.

- For a European Union as the champion of values

The great majority of young people profess certain values, which are the same as those associated with European integration. They nevertheless regard the institutions as entities which are largely inaccessible and self-absorbed.

Indeed, thanks to or in spite of the diversity of their lives and their careers, young people have a sense of uncertainty and of the difficulties that they will encounter in their private and professional lives. This awareness of the fragility of their own situation no doubt explains in part their broader concern for those who are excluded. They believe that a great deal more must be done to guarantee the fundamental rights of each individual and, even more importantly, to guarantee the rights of minorities and tackle all forms of discrimination and racism by all available means.

Young people in Europe subscribe to the same fundamental values as does the European Union. They expect the EU to be in a position to meet their aspirations.

4. A new ambition

This White Paper addresses the full range of questions which were raised during the consultation exercise, regardless of the level of competence. It is true that youth policy proper is essentially the responsibility of the EU Member States and, in some countries, it is largely regionalised and is often dealt with at local level. It is the decisions made at local level which have the greatest impact on young people's daily lives. Subsidiarity must therefore apply in this field for reasons of principle and for the sake of efficiency. But this is still compatible with enhanced cooperation at European level, which would enhance the impact and coherence of national policies.

This is why the main objective of the White Paper is to give the European Union a new framework for cooperation in the field of youth that is both ambitious, fulfilling young people's aspirations, and realistic, setting priorities from among the great many issues raised during the consultation process and being mindful of the various levels of responsibility. This cooperation must be based on existing activities, it must be compatible with and supplement other current initiatives, particularly in the fields of employment, education and social integration - should this prove necessary; and it must facilitate cooperation between the various levels of responsibility and the various players. There are two main aspects to this new cooperation framework:

- application of the open method of coordination in the more specific field of youth,

- taking more account of youth in other policies.

4.1. The specific field of youth

4.1.1. The open method of coordination

Article 149 of the Treaty is concerned with contributing to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States.

Young people's concerns, as clearly expressed during the consultation exercise, cannot, essentially, be covered by the legislative option. On the other hand, the added value to be obtained from work done in common is broadly recognised by all the players. There is also a clear will on the part of the Member States to cooperate more closely.

It is for this reason that the open method of coordination is the most appropriate, and the conditions are right for it to work effectively. The method involves "fixing guidelines for the Union combined with specific timetables for achieving the goals which [the Member States] set in the short, medium and long terms; establishing, where appropriate, quantitative and qualitative indicators and benchmarks against the best in the world and tailored to the needs of different Member States and sectors as a means of comparing best practice; translating these European guidelines into national and regional policies by setting specific targets and adopting measures, taking into account national and regional differences; periodic monitoring, evaluation and peer review organised as mutual learning processes" [13].

[13] Presidency conclusions, Lisbon European Council, 23 and 24 March 2000, paragraph 37.

The open method of coordination therefore offers, as underlined by the White Paper on Governance, a "way of encouraging cooperation, the exchange of best practice and agreeing common targets and guidelines for Member States... It relies on regular monitoring of progress to meet those targets, allowing Member States to compare their efforts and learn from the experience of others".

The open method of coordination, adapted to the specific policy field of youth, takes its lead from the open method of coordination as applied to education policy. It defines priority themes, lays down common objectives and guidelines, and provides for follow-up mechanisms.It also includes arrangements for consulting young people.

The Commission proposes the following plan.

- Acting on a proposal from the Commission, the Council of Ministers periodically decides on priority areas of common interest.

- Each Member State appoints a coordinator, to act as the Commission's interlocutor, for youth-related issues. The various coordinators submit to the European Commission details of policy initiatives, examples of best practice and other material for consideration on the chosen topics.

- The European Commission submits a summary and an analysis of this information to the Council of Ministers, accompanied by proposals for common objectives.

- The Council of Ministers sets out common guidelines and objectives for each of the topics and lays down monitoring procedures, and where appropriate, benchmarks based on indicators.

- The European Commission is responsible for periodic monitoring and evaluation, and reports on progress to the Council of Ministers for Youth.

- The European Parliament must have an appropriate role in this process and in the monitoring arrangements. The Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions also have to have the opportunity to give an opinion.

- Young people are consulted on the priority themes and on their follow-up (see point 4.1.2 "Participation").

- Applicant countries are associated as far as possible.

The proposed open method of coordination adds to the range of Community instruments and is without prejudice to decisions which might be taken under the Treaty and which might induce the Commission, for example, to propose certain recommendations under Article 149.

4.1.2. The scope for action using the open method of coordination in the youth field

Of the various subjects regarded as being proper to the youth field, and which are suited to the open method of coordination as described above, the European Commission proposes participation, voluntary service, information, improving the public authorities' awareness of young people's concerns, and more generally any other subject which might contribute to the development and recognition of activities on the youth front (e.g. youth work, youth clubs, street work, projects to foster a sense of citizenship, integration, solidarity among young people, etc.) for the part which is not covered by other political processes such as employment, social integration and education. This corresponds very largely to the kind of activities and resources normally associated with youth policies at national level.

Implementation of this open method of coordination can draw on the analyses and proposals arising from the consultation exercise as set out in Annex 1, with a view to improving the level of cooperation in the field of youth and to responding to the various challenges.

In the interests of complementarity and coherence, the results of applying the open method of coordination should enrich and provide added value to other policies, initiatives or Community processes, in terms of both content and resources.

On the basis of the scope of action set out above, the European Commission has pinpointed the following priority themes for applying the open method of coordination - first and foremost, participation.

* Participation

Participation for young people is typically a concern of the Member States. Nonetheless, applying the open method of coordination will bring in European added value, particularly as enhanced participation will make a contribution to developing young people's education and citizenship.

Participation should be developed primarily in the local community, including schools, which provide an ideal opportunity for participation. It must also be extended to include young people who do not belong to associations.

The open method of coordination could lead to the introduction by local authorities of flexible and innovative participatory mechanisms and to the spread of regional and national youth councils which are open to young people who are not necessarily active in organisations.

As a strong signal to young people, the Commission also proposes strengthening a consultation structure for young people at European level. Without ruling out direct consultation mechanisms and one-off initiatives, the European Commission proposes the Youth Forum, remodelled so that it is representative of young people who may or may not belong to youth organisations, as a suitable body for consulting young people on priority issues under the open method of coordination and their follow-up. It should also be possible to increase the representation of young people within the Economic and Social Committee.

To support the open method of coordination, the Commission believes that some measures can be put in place without delay. It intends to:

- organise direct dialogue with young people in the form of regular meetings on specific topics in the course of 2002;

- involve young people in the initiative on the future of Europe which was set in motion following the Nice European Council, from 2002 onwards;

- propose pilot projects for 2003 and 2004 in support of local, regional and national efforts to foster participation [14]. The results of these pilot projects will be taken into account as part of the mid-term evaluation of the YOUTH programme and in preparing any future programme.

[14] e.g. projects using the Internet, as a complement to action under the initiative "electronic democracy" (IST Key Action 1).

* Information

Participation goes hand in hand with providing young people with information. It is primarily the Member States' responsibility to inform young people, for example on European affairs. That is why this subject also has to be addressed under the open method of coordination. It is important to reach the young people themselves if possible, but in any case those who come into contact with them in school, in clubs, in associations, etc. This mass information exercise will require a coordinated approach, considerable resources and the involvement of young people in devising and implementing these communication tools. This approach will be coordinated with the EU's new information policy arising from the governance principles in particular, and which is now being formulated in close conjunction with the European Parliament.

In support of the open method of coordination, the Commission believes that some measures can be put in place without delay. It intends to :

- introduce an electronic portal to give as many young people as possible access to information on Europe, at the beginning of 2002, the idea being to seek synergies between the existing sites and the planned portal;

- set up an electronic forum.

* Voluntary service among young people

Voluntary service is a form of social participation, an educational experience and a factor in employability and integration, and as such it meets the expectations of young people and society alike.

Using the open method of coordination, efforts should be made in years to come to develop voluntary service significantly at national, regional and local levels. In this context, it may be necessary to reflect upon the situation of young volunteers in terms of legal and social protection.

The positive experiences of the European Voluntary Service will be useful for making voluntary service standard practice among young people (type of supervision, methods of funding, etc.). At European level it is important to ensure that voluntary service is recognised as an educational experience and a period of non-formal learning. The European Voluntary Service scheme for young people could be widened to include a partnership with the worldwide bodies which organise and support voluntary action. The Member States should take immediate action to remove obstacles to mobility for young volunteers.

* Greater understanding of youth

A greater understanding of the realities which concern young people is necessary at European level. To this end, the European Commission proposes to use the open method of coordination to:

- taking stock of, and networking, existing structures, studies and research on youth which are in progress within the European Union; in the interests of complementarity, the work and initiatives of other international bodies (Council of Europe, OECD, United Nations, etc.) will be taken into account;

- focusing discussion on the right approach at European level;

- drawing up, where appropriate, a study and research programme based primarily on work carried out at national level and utilising the opportunities offered by the sixth European research framework programme [15];

[15] Priority 7 of the research framework programme 2002-2006: "Citizens in an evolving knowledge society".

- provision of the requisite statistical resources, making optimum use of resources already available under the European Statistical System [16].

[16] The European Statistical System (ESS) is a network made up of all government bodies which, at various levels (regional, national and Community), are responsible for gathering, processing and disseminating the statistical information needed for the Community's economic and social life. Eurostat is the focal point in the Community for the European Statistical System.

4.2. Taking more account of youth in other policies

All the other subjects which were mentioned during the consultation exercise, such as employment, education, formal and non-formal types of learning, social integration, racism and xenophobia, immigration, consumer affairs, health and risk prevention, the environment, equal opportunities for men and women, etc. will require close coordination with the various authorities, at both national and European level.

Policies and action at European level will be based on the Treaty and use the various instruments available.

The European Commission will ensure that guidelines concerning young people will be taken more into account of in these policies and forms of action wherever appropriate and whatever the instruments used. The results of the consultation as set out in Annex 1 will be taken into account for this purpose.

The Ministers responsible for youth policy should also ensure that youth-related concerns are taken into account in these other policies, at national level as well as in implementing European policies.

As a result of the consultation exercise, the European Commission believes that education, lifelong learning, mobility, employment and social integration, and racism and xenophobia are the priority areas in which the youth aspect has to be taken into account. The question of young people's autonomy likewise warrants in-depth examination.

* Education, lifelong learning and mobility

Education and training, whether at school, university or by means of any other type of non-formal learning, are addressed in communications to the Council (dealing with the objectives of education and training systems, creating a European area of lifelong education and training) and are subject to follow-up at Community level.

In line with this, youth associations, social workers and local authorities in many countries are involved in in-depth work with young people. While continuing to be innovative and non-formal, and as part of the overall package of lifelong learning measures, this work would benefit from:

- a clearer definition of the concepts, of the skills acquired and of quality standards;

- a higher regard for the people who become involved in these activities;

- greater recognition of these activities;

- greater complementarity with formal education and training.

There has also been an Action Plan and a Recommendation on mobility, which were approved respectively at the European Council in Nice in December 2000, and, via the co-decision procedure, by the European Parliament and the Council in July 2001. These initiatives must be consistent with any that might arise from applying the open method of coordination in the field of youth.

* Employment

The European Union has been very active on the jobs front for a number of years. Following on from the Luxembourg European Council in November 1997, it devised a European employment strategy, based on the new "employment" chapter in the Treaty of Amsterdam.

The Member States are required to implement policies which foster the integration and advancement of all on the labour market. These policies are concentrated around four main "pillars": improving employability; developing an entrepreneurial spirit and creating jobs; encouraging firms and their employees to be adaptable; strengthening equal opportunities for men and women.

As far as young people specifically are concerned, the Employment Guidelines stress the need for policies to prevent long-term unemployment based on individual counselling; improved education and training systems; reducing the number of young people who leave education and training systems prematurely; making instruction in the new technologies universally available.

* Social integration

The Lisbon European Council of March 2000 decided to set in place an open method of coordination to foster social integration. Based on the European employment strategy, this method combines common objectives for tackling social exclusion and poverty (adopted at the Nice European Council of December 2000) and national action plans (presented for the first time in June 2001).

Member States have been urged to set out their priorities and main political measures in their national plans, based on the four common objectives adopted at Nice: promoting participation in the employment market and access for all to the requisite resources, rights and services; preventing the risk of exclusion; taking action for the most vulnerable members of society; mobilising all players and fostering participation.

On the more specific question of young people, various aspects have been addressed, both in the common objectives and in the national action plans: developing a labour market which favours the inclusion of young people; guaranteeing adequate resources and incomes for young people in difficulties, particularly members of minorities, young women in precarious employment, and young disabled people; tackling inequalities in education; enhancing access to quality services (housing, health, culture and justice); regenerating areas suffering from multiple disadvantages.

* Young people against racism and xenophobia

Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam greatly strengthened efforts to combat any form of discrimination, and the European Union has acquired new resources in this field (in the form of two directives and an action programme) [17].

[17] Directive 2000/43/EC implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin.

Young people are a particularly receptive group when it comes to tackling discrimination, more especially racism and xenophobia, and are particularly committed to a multi-cultural society.

At Community level, it is proposed that priority be given to tackling racism and xenophobia in all Community programmes and measures affecting young people. Cooperation with the European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia could be increased, and civil society action in this area will have to be supported. The Commision's work will be based on networking arrangements bringing together youth organisations active in tackling racism and xenophobia and in working towards respect for all, especially minorities. The objective is to enable young people to make their contribution to the EU global effort in this field.

At national level, the Member States should also make this issue a priority in their measures for young people. Outreach work, in the form of local projects geared towards solidarity and responsibility, must play a key role.

* Autonomy for young people

Given the major importance of autonomy for young people, a finding that emerged from the consultation exercise, the European Commission proposes setting up a high-level working group to advise it and the Council of Ministers, in its various configurations, on this matter. It is a complex problem which requires multi-disciplinary expertise, and the solutions require the involvement of many policies other than youth policies (employment, family, social protection, health, transport, justice and home affairs).

4.3. The role of the YOUTH programme

The aim of the YOUTH programme is to encourage young people to make an active contribution to European integration, to developing intercultural understanding, strengthening fundamental values such as human rights and combating racism and xenophobia, developing a sense of solidarity, encouraging a spirit of enterprise, initiative and creativity, stimulating the recognition of non-formal education, and strengthening cooperation on the part of all people active in the youth field. The programme is also open to the applicant countries.

The YOUTH programme has to be seen, then, as a resource for the new form of cooperation advocated in this White Paper. In full respect of the Decision [18] of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing this programme, the European Commission will propose, each year in the plan of work for the programme, priorities which accord with the guidelines established under the open method of coordination. The mid-term evaluation and the preparation of the new programme from 2007 will likewise help to ensure that the programme provides optimum support for work under the open method of coordination in the youth field.

[18] Decision No 1031/2000/EC of 13.04.2000.

In addition to the specific measures mentioned above, which will be developed under the YOUTH programme in response to work undertaken for the White Paper, there should be a new Internet platform on the theme of racism and xenophobia, designed for young people and if possible run by young people.

5. Conclusion

The White Paper suggests giving the European Union a new framework for cooperation in youth policy.

In doing so, it is responding to strong demand from all parties concerned with youth policy, including the Member States.

This cooperation will draw on existing national and Community activities, but will also be based on arrangements for applying the open method of coordination in the specific field of youth, and for taking more account of youth in other policies.

Initially, the White paper will be presented to the Ghent symposium which is being organised by the Belgian Presidency, and which will bring together all parties which were consulted under this process. At the Education/Youth Council of 29 November, the Commission will present its findings to the Ministers. The White Paper will also be presented to the European Parliament and to the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee for their opinions.

The Commission will put in place the agreed cooperation mechanisms and will take upon itself the necessary follow-up and monitoring work.

ANNEXES

Annex 1 Results of the consultation

The consultation exercise ahead of this White Paper was not only considerable in scale, creating a real momentum on the ground, but also led to a great many proposals.

These proposals are the result of dialogue and exchanges between all those involved in the field of youth, i.e. young people, representatives of youth organisations, researchers, administrators and policy-makers.

It goes without saying that young people in Europe are not all identical. Social, economic, cultural and regional differences can be seen both collectively and individually, and national and European public authorities must be attentive to this. The above proposals relate to many areas and confirm to a large extent the Commission's analysis of the challenges facing Europe in the field of youth and the need for renewed political action. The quality of the proposals opens up many avenues for action. During the consultation process, young people pinpointed five major areas:

- participation;

- education;

- employment, vocational training, social inclusion;

- well-being, individual autonomy, culture;

- European values, mobility, relations with the rest of the world.

The results below are based on these. For each of the topics, the Commission analysed the results of the consultation exercise, making every effort to reproduce what the young people said. The examples below illustrate the fact that there are already many interesting projects in the field (see boxes). However, this is neither a selection of the best nor an exhaustive description of all existing initiatives.

Finally, this section summarises the proposals addressed to the public authorities by young people and all those who took part in the consultation exercise. These suggestions are categorised according to level of intervention, many relating in fact to the Member States. In this presentation, the Commission has tried to reproduce as faithfully as possible the proposals which emerged from the consultation in order to pass them on to Europe's decision-makers. Nevertheless, the suggestions put forward, which are set out below, do not necessarily reflect the Commission's views.

1. No democracy without participation

1.1. Analysis of the results

Participation of young people is a recurring topic on which many texts have been written both in Europe and worldwide. The consultation exercise echoed this political will to prioritise participation of young people in various forms. It has also allowed young people to put forward proposals, but has in addition itself been an example of the participation advocated.

* A clear demand

The strongest message given by young people is their will to play an active part in the society in which they live. If they are excluded, democracy is not being allowed to function properly. They regard the view that they are disinterested or uncommitted as groundless and unjust. They feel that they are given neither the resources nor the information and training that would enable them to play a more active role. Youth organisations also believe the right to participate is fundamental and must apply to all without discrimination. Many of them strive to help young people to put it into practice.

The percentage of people under the age of 25 who participate in local, national or European elections is generally quite low. However, there are plenty of indications that they take a keen interest in public life. Researchers view this gap between expectations and practice as explaining the wish and the need for greater participation. This demand is not surprising, nor is it new, but the way it is expressed has changed. Levels of involvement also vary greatly from one individual to another.

* A global concept, a universal right, different approaches

Young people want the right to give their opinion on all aspects of their daily lives, such as family, school, work, group activities, their local area, etc. However, in doing so, they are also involved in broader economic, social and political issues.

Access and dialogue

"Young Voice - Llais Ifanc": Welsh Parliament initiative, which allows young people to express their views, advises on where to find information and organises debates and talks http://www.wales.gov.uk/youngvoice

Their interest is not limited to local issues; it also concerns their region, country, Europe and the world. In other words, the right to participate should not be limited and they must be allowed to do so without restriction. So when they take action to enable young people, whether disadvantaged or marginalised, ethnic minorities or illegal immigrants, to participate more, their action is part of a wider campaign for universal participation without discrimination.

The approach taken by civil society organisations is similar, although they are required, in practice, to put the emphasis on more targeted objectives or groups (young people in their local environment, in rural areas, more vulnerable groups, young women, etc.). They advocate a more integrated and long-term approach, which means that they encourage all forms of participation and all activities based on young people's individual commitment and voluntary service.

* Participation of young people - a learning process

Participation requires young people to acquire skills or improve existing skills. It involves a gradual learning process.

The first stage, generally in their own environment (school, local district, town, youth centre, association, etc.), is crucial. It gives them the opportunity to gain the self-confidence and experience needed to reach the subsequent stages. Moreover, in the local community in particular, participation can bring about changes which are tangible, visible and verifiable. At this level young people also have the chance not only to give their opinion but also to be involved in decision-making processes.

Support for local participation

Together with 16 other Danish municipalities, the district of Østerbro in Copenhagen is taking part in a pilot project which offers a wide range of activities with a view to increasing young people's experience of democracy, their responsibility and their influence. Østerbro has set up a youth centre with a personalised advisory service, communication tools and theatrical activities. The main feature of this centre is that it is run by young people themselves. No director or committee has been appointed. It is open to all young people between the ages of 12 and 25. Membership is not required: young people come along to carry out a project which is not judged in any way, as the sole purpose of the centre is to help young people to successfully complete their projects.

In the second phase, young people become aware that a whole series of decisions affecting the local area are taken at higher levels of decision-making, in particular at European level: action therefore needs to be taken to move from one to the other by creating links and networks.

Moreover, participation allows young people to acquire skills which they must try to substantiate in various fields (economic, social, cultural, political, etc.) and various institutional contexts. The division between formal and non-formal education is perceived as counter-productive. So while school remains an excellent forum for learning and for participatory practices, it still has the disadvantage, in young people's opinion, of not taking them into account as active citizens.

* Participate- Yes...but how-

Young people regard existing participation mechanisms as unsatisfactory. They are wary of some forms of representative democracy but do not have the same reservations when it comes to involvement at local level, which is more direct and immediate. Opinions on youth organisations are divided, as some regard them as the most appropriate structures for participation, while others fail to see their attraction and prefer more or less formal groups which are active at local level, youth clubs or associations, youth parliaments, etc. Very few believe that the low percentage of young people involved in public life is due to straightforward rejection of it or a deliberate strategy on the part of society.

By fostering direct participation of young people, organisations see themselves as a useful counterbalance to the institutions. Some believe that belonging to an organisation is one of the conditions of participation. Others feel that existing organisations no longer fulfil the expectations of some young people and call for innovative approaches to make them more accessible. Like young people, the organisations in the field want an increase in public funds for NGOs, in keeping with their social function.

Researchers underlined the need to revitalise organisations, which were seen as moving further and further away from young people's aspirations, given their social basis and their practices. In addition to their traditional members, they have to find ways of involving young people who do not want to belong to an organisation. New opportunities exist thanks to new communication technologies, in particular the Internet: these promote access to information and seem better suited to demand for participation that is gradually moving away from collective participation and towards more individual forms.

* Real participation as opposed to symbolic participation

Young people object to purely symbolic forms of participation. But the consultation exercise was felt to be a good approach provided it results in their opinions and recommendations being taken into account.

A White Paper "product"

"Gestalte Deine Zukunft selbst!": This project consists of a discussion platform and a network for young people. The forum is run by young people themselves. All issues are addressed either in electronic format or in the form of publications on paper. The main aim is that information is circulated and ideas discussed. This initiative is a product of the national conference organised in Germany as part of the White Paper procedure. It is funded by the Ministry responsible for youth.

http://www.u26.de

Representatives of youth organisations also advocate a more systematic use of this type of consultation, including at European level. Some forms of co-management [19] - such as the kind practised by the Council of Europe - were also mentioned as forms of participation from which inspiration could be drawn.

[19] For more than 30 years, the Council of Europe has been the only international organisation to practise a system of co-management in the field of youth. Specifically, its decision-making structures include representatives of youth organisations who work together with government representatives in order to decide on the institution's policies and programmes. These policies and programmes are submitted to the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Europe's main decision-making body, for adoption. This principle of co-management is drawn from the Council of Ministers' declaration of 12 January 1971 (document CM/Del/Concl (71) 196 XXII).

The researchers spoke very strongly in favour of involving young people even in the decision-making processes. Mock participation could undermine their confidence in the institutions and in the institutions' ability or even will to give them a full role.

* Conditions of participation

Young people take the view that a legal framework is one of the necessary requirements for real participation. What is needed is assistance for the structures involved in participation and a reference to the principle of education for democracy. Youth organisations also call for all forms of participation, both existing and innovative, to be encouraged. This presupposes recognition of, and support for, existing or new structures. Greater resources are needed, in terms of both time and money, and specific obstacles to access (social, cultural, physical, psychological, etc.) need to be taken into account, with citizenship training for all. Finally, they insist that young people's opinions and contributions be included specifically in the decisions, and that they be informed of this.

This framework could, according to young people, include setting out principles, rules or obligations on voting age and eligibility (including the question of lowering the voting age), on extending this right (to immigrants, for example), or even on introducing active citizenship training.

Creation of a legal framework

Under the Social Initiative Fund, the city of Antwerp set up the "Jeunesse et Cité" (Youth and the city) project in 1997 to take greater account of the opinions and needs of young people in the city. To this end, a legal provision was introduced (the "Youth Paragraph"), making it compulsory to analyse the impact on young people of all political decisions taken by the municipality. Research and qualitative studies on young people's standard of living in the city are also carried out.

http://www.xs4all.be/~jesgent/index230.htm or JS@mail.dma.be

Another much-mentioned prerequisite is the need for appropriate information. However, for several years various bodies have been trying to improve the quality of information provided for young people, but do not seem to have succeeded. In general, they object not to the lack of information but to the fact that it is not very useful. Young people require specific information that meets their current needs but is also devoid of prejudice or remarks which are offensive to young people or minorities. The Internet is one of the communication tools to be developed, provided it is easy to access and inexpensive. Youth organisations also highlight the need for information that is more targeted, less centralised and an integral part of a proper strategy.

Researchers feel that the creation of a legal framework, education for citizenship and the attempt to establish a dialogue based on young people's experiences are also prerequisites for participation. But we must go beyond that, open up new areas in which young people, teachers, youth workers and administrations together organise a joint undertaking which will be truly successful only if it leads to decisions and achievements on the ground.

1.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

Participation of young people in public life

There are two aspects to this: one is more formal and involves the mechanisms of representative democracy, the other is more informal and aims to develop new forms of participation. Only by bearing in mind both these dimensions can we make the most of the social capital that young people represent.

The courses of action proposed are based on the following principles:

- the importance of the local level;

- the need to extend participation beyond young people who belong to organisations and beyond issues specific to youth;

- school remains one of the forums for participation which must be given priority, even though the importance of non-formal learning and education is recognised;

- helping young people to participate is not restricted to asking their opinions.

At national, regional and local levels

* Widespread introduction by local authorities throughout Europe of flexible and innovative participatory mechanisms in a wide variety of contexts (schools, sports halls, associations, etc.) which allow young people themselves to choose their working methods and which rely on intermediaries. Provision could also be made, in accordance with the different local arrangements, for mechanisms for dialogue between the various decision-making levels and networks for the exchange of experience and best practice.

* Consolidate the fundamental role of operators in the field, their role as promoters and intermediaries in participatory processes.

* Widespread introduction of Youth Councils at regional and national levels; these must be open to young people who do not belong to organisations, and they must be independent of political powers. Regional and national authorities should consult these Youth Councils on all decisions which have a significant impact on young people.

* The national level is an essential link between local and European levels:

- it must bring proposals and recommendations to Europe and pass on examples of best practice;

- it is also responsible for interpreting the objectives set jointly at European level by adapting them to the specific political, institutional and organisational characteristics of the Member States.

* Member States should publicise what they intend to do to get young people involved; these priorities would also list target figures (for example in terms of target population, deadlines, etc.) and would set out monitoring arrangements.

* Following the example of the White Paper, involving young people in this process would be an integral objective.

At European level

* The European Youth Forum should become accessible not only for the youth organisations and national youth councils (and, via them, at regional and local levels) but also for young people who are not represented by these structures. An enlarged Forum of this kind would be the obvious body for dialogue with the European institutions.

* Promote networking and direct dialogue, in particular by means of regular meetings (for example on the priority issues included in the White Paper).

* Finance (with the Member States) pilot projects to support efforts made at local, regional and national levels to promote participation of young people at all levels and in all forms.

* In cooperation with the Member States, organise the way young people are involved in the debate on the future of Europe, in the wake of the Nice European Council.

* Strengthen cooperation with the Council of Europe.

* Increase the representation of young people in the Economic and Social Committee (by asking Member States to appoint more representatives from youth-related fields).

* Appoint an ombudsman for youth (also at national level).

Information and participation are inextricably linked

The aim of European action is not to increase the structures, channels and quantity of information already available but to improve the quality of information available to young people.

It is primarily the Member States' responsibility to provide young people with information, and this includes the area of European affairs. The EU supplements this information. All information measures of any kind must be based on the following principles:

- explicit recognition of a real need for information and thus for a coordinated strategy to inform young people;

- equal opportunities in terms of information;

- free access to all practical information;

- proximity, flexibility, user-friendly communication;

- high standards of ethical behaviour;

- participation of young people in designing, implementing and developing the communication tools which concern them.

An information and communication campaign for young people must be based on the following three points:

- the content of the information must be geared towards young people's expectations;

- the instruments and channels used to disseminate this information must be easily accessible and user-friendly, and the information must reach them in their main environment (schools, for the majority, but also in their local areas and on the street);

- these instruments and channels must be linked with each other (networking).

At national, regional and local levels

* Rely on people (sometimes referred to as resource persons) who are active in youth organisations, sports clubs, schools and universities, to provide young people with relevant information. Mobilise young people themselves as resource persons.

* Encourage youth information networks. At local level in particular, distribution of general information should be coupled with proper, personalised advice. At national and regional levels there should be increased opportunities for training in how to inform young people.

* Information on Europe should be disseminated via national or regional networks, taking into account specific geographical or cultural characteristics. Calling on groups of young people when putting together information should become automatic.

At European level

* Study the feasibility of an electronic forum bringing together policy-makers and young people with a view to achieving maximum potential by linking existing interactive services and the future electronic forum. This interactive service could be used for consultations organised when drawing up and implementing Community initiatives on youth [20].

[20] This proposal falls within the scope of the eLearning and eEurope actions promoted by the Commission and is consistent with the content of the White Paper on Governance

* On the basis of work already carried out by the EURODESK [21] network, promote and/or set up a single electronic gateway giving optimum access to information on Europe that is of interest to young people. Existing youth information networks and youth organisations active at European level should be invited to take part in developing this new communication tool.

[21] EURODESK is an information service on Europe for young people. It is based on a website and relays in the Member States. This service is managed by an association that represents the interests of young people and the Member States.

* Set up/improve the system for collecting, disseminating and updating information on Europe for young people and those working with them. This action should draw on the work of existing networks. Greater emphasis should be placed on the importance of resource persons working closely with young people.

* Dissemination of information by non-electronic means must be continued, for example by direct contact with young people.

2. Education, a crucial stage for young people

2.1. An analysis of the results

Young people spend an increasing amount of time in education. Formal learning in schools, universities and through vocational training centres and non-formal and informal learning outside of these settings are equally essential in developing the skills that young people need today.

The global objectives of learning are threefold: personal fulfilment, social inclusion and active citizenship. Learning also plays a fundamental role in fostering employability. The European Union has launched a number of programmes (such as SOCRATES and LEONARDO) and initiatives (such as the eLearning action plan, a communication on "Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality" and a report on the future objectives of education and training systems) which relate to education. [22] Whenever possible and appropriate, reference will be made to them in order to supplement the opinions which were expressed during the consultation process by the various actors. This will help to identify those areas in which the European Union is developing more and better action.

[22] For further information, see Annex 2

* The quality and effectiveness of education systems

Education and training systems were strongly criticised by both young people and experts. [23] A number of Member States have carried out fundamental reforms of their school systems. Nevertheless, the quality and effectiveness of school education today has to be improved in order to ensure that young people acquire appropriate skills which enable them to become informed, active and responsible citizens and to ensure their social inclusion and readiness for working life. It was frequently stated that schools and education structures were insufficiently democratic and did not encourage participation or provide sufficient learning opportunities. It was felt that they should be open to society's economic and social realities and demands as well as European issues.

[23] At the European level, a discussion has started on improving the quality of educational systems; see for instance the report from the Commission on the concrete future objectives of education systems, COM(2001)59 final, 31.1.2001

To achieve sustainable social and economic development, Europe needs citizens with some knowledge, including in science and technology. For instance, to increase the number of young people who pursue a career in science or technology, education systems have to be adapted in order to get more young people interested in science.

Many young people leave school and training before acquiring formal qualifications. The rate is still, on average, high throughout the European Union. However, attempting to motivate young people to remain in formal education and training is not the only solution which can be envisaged. Combining study, work and leisure activities with informal, non-formal and formal learning experiences, could enhance the quality and effectiveness of education and training and make them more appealing to young people.

The shortcomings in today's schools are not primarily seen as being the fault of teachers or of schools as such, but of the education system as a whole, which relies on cooperation between three actors : families, society and schools. Teachers are only one part of the school system and their role must be perceived in the wider social, political and institutional context. Nevertheless, teachers need better training and working conditions.

Whole schools evaluation

This Pilot Project involved 17 secondary schools and 18 primary schools throughout Ireland; supported by all the education partners it focused on evaluating the quality of school planning, the quality of school management and the quality of learning and teaching in the pilot schools. The results of the project confirmed the potential for successfully combining school self-review with external inspection - a milestone in school and system quality assurance.

http://www.irlgov.ie/educ

* Access to education

Young people point out that there are too many social and economic obstacles facing education. Improving the quality of education and training means, firstly, guaranteeing open and ongoing access to lifelong and to "life-wide" learning in all fields. Effective guidance and counselling systems should provide support to all young people, e.g. by adopting a personalised approach. Support for integrating disadvantaged young people into the education system must be intensified, for instance by guaranteeing free education from primary school to university.

As mentioned in the Communication from the Commission "Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality" [24], one major task is to bring learning - or training - and learners closer together. In order to fulfill this goal, the mutual recognition of achievements is a prerequisite, alongside the development of information systems (including a better access for all to Internet and multimedia) [25]. Furthermore, more economic support is necessary to achieve positive results.

[24] The Communication from the Commission on Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality (adopted in November 2001) is the result of a broad consultation process. It is based on the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning which was launched by the Commission of the European Communities in October 2000.

[25] See the suggestions which have been made in the eLearning Action Plan, Designing tomorrow's education, COM(2001)172, 28.3.2001

Guidance in Education

The National Centre for Guidance in Education is an agency of the Department of Education and Science in Ireland. Its main roles are to support guidance practice and services in all areas of formal and non-formal education settings and to influence the policy of the Department in the field of guidance. One-to-one guidance is provided by local projects in the various education settings.

http://www.iol.ie/ncge/faqs.html

* Renewal of the learning and teaching approaches

The consultation called for a change in approach of learning and teaching. A more learner-centred approach, a stronger teacher-student relationship, the participation of young people in education, and dynamic and adaptable educational institutions should be developed. Learning processes have to be organised as "door openers" that enhance the motivation to learn and lead to a range of further options. Schools should facilitate pupils' involvement in shaping their own education and offer scope and encouragement for participation and democracy (for instance by offering the possibility of evaluating teachers).

Furthermore a "blended" (correctly mixed) education should be provided, offering a wide range of methods and material for acquiring the essential skills and tools for life-long learning. Using the Internet and multimedia, alongside theoretical classroom methods and studying at home, as well as youth activities, practical experience and work, will all be necessary. This could also be one way of making some subjects more attractive to young people, such as research and technology.

Building bridges between formal and non-formal learning

The students of Peace Child International themselves developed their own, youth-friendly edition of Agenda 21 ("Rescue Mission: Planet Earth - a children's edition of Agenda 21"), since the 'original' one seemed to be impenetrable [26]. They also created their own Youth Indicators for Action, a set of 16 questionnaires enabling young people to investigate their own communities to see whether attitudes and statistics showed that the community was becoming more or less sustainable.

[26] Agenda 21 is an action plan for sustainable development for the world in the 21st century. It was drawn up at the UN "Earth Summit" in Rio in 1992, a gathering of 179 heads of state and government. Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

http://www.peacechild.org/

* Different kinds of knowledge and skills

In many countries the performance of education structures was severely criticised by young people. They were regarded as unable to provide enough content relevant to young people's needs and interests. Education should not be limited to the skills on which the labour market is focused. Education contributes, from an early age, to the socialisation, integration and empowerment of individuals. It is also a means of achieving personal fulfilment which can help to enhance the employability of young people. Young people demand foreign language teaching, preparation for the educational exchanges and mobility programmes run by the European Union; they are interested in many other fields such as modern information and communication technologies, particularly Internet access, and they ask for a stronger emphasis on practical subjects. Education about health issues, particularly sexual matters and parenthood, is also essential. Young people should also be encouraged to take an interest in scientific research, mathematics and technologies.

However, setting out to develop balanced, all-encompassing curricula which are not overloaded is a challenge. They should be designed to provide the necessary knowledge and skills and also to reflect the multicultural nature of our societies. Joint strategies on the part of the various organisations providing education (schools, training centres, enterprises, communities, youth work) would seem to be appropriate if we are to improve our understanding of what the new basic skills are and how they can be taught and learnt [27].

[27] The European Council in Lisbon in March 2000 called for a European framework for new basic skills to be provided through lifelong learning.

Variety lends wings

The four-day street festival, Carnival of Cultures, involving around 5000 active participants and at least 700000 spectators, takes place in Berlin every Whitsun. BVAA (Berliner Verband für Ausbildung und Arbeit) works with a wide range of disadvantaged young people from different ethnic backgrounds, and trains and supports them in moving from school or from unemployment to work. Several groups of young people representing the BVAA are involved in the Carnival of Cultures, learning a wide range of vocational, cultural, social and practical skills. Their motto reads "variety lends wings", and the subgroups adopt as their emblems various flying objects.

http://www.bvaa-online.de

* Recognition of qualifications and skills

The recognition of qualifications and skills at European level is a key element in developing mobility [28]. Effective ways must be found for recognising skills acquired through formal and non-formal learning methods. The role of non-formal learning and the need for a better understanding and recognition of non-formally acquired skills through youth work should be emphasised. Furthermore, the mutual recognition and complementarity of education and vocational training as part of the education system has to improve.

[28] As far as higher education is concerned, a lot of progress has been made in this area with the help of the ECTS, the European Credit Transfer System, and the NARICs, the National Academic Recognition Information Centres.

The Recreational Activity Study Book.

This booklet, created in 1994 by the Finnish Youth Academy, provides help for students and young people entering working life. It is used as a logbook of projects, responsible positions held, courses taken and other recreational activities. The booklet is for young people over 13 years old. It is personal and costs EUR 5. People keep a record of merits and different skills: starting at university level, it is possible to collect extra points and/or use the merit points in lieu of part of the required studies. Experience which is logged in the Recreational Activity Study Book can also make it easier to find a job. Entries in the booklet have to be confirmed by signature and annotated by an authorised person. At the moment, about 30% of young Finnsare in the scheme.

http://www.nuortenakatemia.fi

* The complementary character of formal and non-formal learning

The need for lifelong and life-wide learning has revealed over the past few years that the necessary skills can be acquired through learning in formal, informal and non-formal contexts. [29] Non-formal learning is typically undervalued as not being "real" learning.

[29] Formal learning is typically provided by an education or training institution and leads to certification. It is structured (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) and is intentional from the learner's perspective. Non-formal learning is not provided by an education or training institution and typically does not lead to certification. It is, however, both structured and intentional. Informal learning is not provided by education and training institutions, does not lead to certification and is not structured. It is the result of daily activities related to work, family or leisure. It may be intentional but in most cases it is not (i.e. incidental/random).

What we learn in formal settings (schools, colleges, training centres etc) is only one part of acquiring skills. We learn in non-formal and informal settings too (e.g. in youth clubs, sports associations, within the family, in political life). Learning through civil society activities and in social environments is part of informal and non-formal learning, and takes place not just by chance, but also intentionally and in an organised way.

Young people take part in a wide range of activities outside mainstream education systems, and this too counts as non-formal learning. The youth sector has over the years gained experience in providing non-formal learning. At European level the YOUTH programme is a good example of this work and the experience it can bring.

In the consultations with young people, non-formal learning was often seen as the most positive, efficient and attractive counterpart to a largely inefficient and unattractive system of formal education. The advantage of non-formal learning lies mainly in its voluntary and often self-organised nature, its flexibility, the possibilities of participation, the "right to make mistakes", the closer link to young people's interests and aspirations. Integrating disadvantaged young people was also seen as an asset of non-formal learning.

It is becoming more and more important to develop effective and flexible ways of recognising skills acquired outside formal education and training systems. Finding the right balance in a set of tools which guarantee appropriate and satisfying solutions for certification and recognition, in accordance with the development of quality standards, (self) evaluation and assessment procedures for non-formal learning will be a sensitive task. Non-formal learning should not lose its open character and turn into a formal structure by imitating the formal education system.

The consultation process highlighted a lack of understanding of the benefits of non-formal learning. It is thus necessary to strengthen the awareness of key persons and institutions in society, business and politics, of the main players (the social partners, NGOs, education experts etc.) and of young people themselves in order to promote non-formal education as an integral part of learning and education.

As youth work can help young people acquire the necessary social, political and cultural skills, every effort should be made to involve them in non-formal learning activities. One of the aims of the YOUTH programme is to help develop non-formal learning for young people. However, even though it covers 100 000 young people per year, it cannot meet the high level of demand from the 75 million young people in the programme countries. The YOUTH programme therefore has a pilot function, and requires complementary action at national, regional and local level.

2.2. Proposals coming out from the consultations

A huge number of suggestions and proposals - both general and specific - have been made to improve conditions and outcomes in the education sector. The recommendations were directed towards the formal and non-formal learning and training systems.

In schools and universities

At national, regional or local level

* The participation of young people, respect for their individuality, and the idea of education for a democratic and European citizenship should be undisputed; the nature of the student-teacher relationship has to be changed; a learner-centred approach and a flexible role for teachers supporting the learning process should be encouraged.

* Access to education has to be guaranteed for all young people; a personalised learning approach geared to young people needs flexible guidance and counselling as well as appropriate information systems; education systems have to take into consideration the patchwork of lifestyles and to make it possible to combine different activities and roles.

* The quality and relevance of learning and training opportunities need to be increased.

* A greater openness to today's realities and to society is needed, i.e. more flexibility and less rigidity on the part of all concerned.

* Internet access in all schools, which must be accompanied by better methods for disseminating information with a view to creating effective tools for learning.

* Teacher education should go beyond conventional information technology skills towards "critical technological literacy".

* Schools must be given the chance to provide better facilities for teaching and learning foreign languages and for taking part in European educational exchange and mobility programmes.

* Schools and universities must be given more financial support in order to be more effective and invest more in human resources.

* Reform of teaching practices and conditions (training for the trainers, smaller classes, combination of theoretical and practical learning and teaching, interactive approach).

* Greater focus on education and training for entrepreneurship and self-employment, targeted support services and training for young (potential) entrepreneurs. Curricula must incorporate elements which prepare young people for entrepreneurship and self-employment.

At European level

* Facilitate access to European educational and mobility programmes and strengthen Community Action Programmes such as Socrates.

* Introduce measures to facilitate the transition between education systems and to promote free movement for young people throughout Europe.

* Implement the "Bologna Declaration", which aims to improve the transparency of education systems in Europe and mutual recognition of diplomas and to promote the European Community Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

* Provide students with clearer information on the European Credit Transfer System.

* Help raise the quality and effectiveness of school education through exchanges of good practices and by way of common objectives.

* The evaluation of skills should not be limited to labour market issues (such as information technologies and mathematics) but should be geared to things like socialisation, integration and empowerment.

In other (out-of-school) learning environments

At all levels

* The specificities of non-formal learning in the youth field, its objectives and tasks should be looked at in more detail, and the relevance of non-formal education and the complementary character of formal and non-formal learning should be made more visible; dialogue between the relevant actors in the field, as well as social partners, researchers and policy makers, will be needed with a view to improving the recognition of non-formal learning.

* Monitoring and evaluation tools should be improved with a view to guaranteeing quality standards.

* Training on various topics should be provided as an essential tool for guaranteeing high quality in non-formal learning. Training programmes targeted at professionals should include a European dimension.

At national, regional or local level

* The relevance of non-formal learning should be enhanced by supporting the providers and by improving their position within the learning system; the financial support for youth initiatives, youth organisations and other forms of non-formal learning should be improved.

* Further joint projects should be created including schools, training sites, enterprises and non-formal learning providers by building bridges between non-formal and formal systems.

* Youth organisations should regularly publicise the wide range of non-formal learning opportunities: documentation and public presentation of the outcomes of non-formal learning projects, should be an integral part of their activities.

At European level

* The quality standards in the YOUTH programme should be further developed in cooperation with the Council of Europe. In addition, an inventory of good practices should be drawn up and circulated; access for disadvantaged young people to non-formal education in the YOUTH programme and other schemes should be further improved.

* The funding and development of pilot joint schemes under the SOCRATES, LEONARDO DA VINCI and YOUTH programmes should help to build bridges between non-formal and formal systems.

* The validation and certification of participation in all YOUTH programme schemes should be pursued. This can be seen as a first step to be followed up in other non-formal educational settings at all levels.

* More training should be provided for "multipliers" and learning facilitators in non-formal learning.

3. Employment as a means of integrating young people better

3.1. An analysis of the results

Jobs are a key element in enabling young people to find their place in society, achieve economic independence and realise their individual aspirations. A society which is not able to offer concrete labour market opportunities to young people risks a vicious circle of unemployment, marginalisation and social disruption. Giving young people access to the labour market contributes to social stability, which is viewed as the basis for economic growth and well-being. Sometimes unemployment is even considered as a violation of young people's human rights.

Access to education and vocational training and to information and guidance constitutes the central prerequisite, not only for finding a job and avoiding unemployment, but also for finding a good and satisfying job. But this alone is not enough: solutions in other fields such as health, family, social rights, discrimination etc. have also to be taken into consideration. They play an equally important role in terms of the social integration of young people.

With the introduction of the new titles on employment and social affairs into the Treaties, the European Union acquired entitlement to develop strategies and programmes in these areas (such as the European Employment Strategy, the Lisbon Strategy on the modernisation of the European social model, the Social Agenda, the programme to fight all forms of discrimination, and the programme on social inclusion). [30] Whenever possible and appropriate, reference will be made to them in order to supplement the opinions which were expressed by the various parties during the consultation process. This will help to identify those areas in which the EU and the Member States are being asked to develop more and better action.

[30] An overview on the EU's activities in employment and social affairs is given in Annex 2.

* Employment is a prerequisite for social inclusion

Young people are very concerned about the opportunities available to them on the labour market. They feel the best way to social integration is to find a job. Young people would like to have a genuine sense of direction, guiding them to find their place in the world of work in the long term. To have a job means adult status, self-respect, money, independence and the opportunity to broaden one's social contacts. Young people who are cut off from work are losing a vital chance to get new perspectives and to integrate into a wider society [31].

[31] During the funding period 2000-2006, the European Social Fund is helping to develop and promote active labour market policies with a view to combating and preventing unemployment.

Young people are willing to work, but finding a good job is getting harder. Young people know that their employability [32], and thus their chances on the job market, increase when they have a good education and skills and when they have spent some time in a school or university in another country. This puts them under growing pressure, and the level of expectations is higher than ever in terms of their mobility, flexibility, competencies and skills. With young people spending more time in education and training, they remain more dependent on their families and public institutions.

[32] Improving employability is one of the four pillars of the employment guidelines which were addressed to Member States (OJ L 22 of 24.1.2001)

With regard to the transition between education, training and the labour market, the situation has objectively deteriorated in the past 20 years [33]. Youth unemployment rates remain high compared with general employment rates. For the year 2000, the general unemployment rate in the 15 EU Member States was 8.4% whereas the unemployment rate for young people aged under 25 was nearly double, namely 16.1% [34]. Precarious forms of employment have become more widespread. Wages have decreased compared to those of adult workers. It now takes young people much longer to achieve labour market stability. Even a good e