Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "European Commission White Paper: A New Impetus for European Youth"
Date: 2002-07-03
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU programme, European citizenship, cooperation policy, young person, youth policy

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘European Commission White Paper: A New
Impetus for European Youth’

(2002/C 287/02)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the European Commission White Paper: A New Impetus for European Youth
(COM(2001) 681 final);

having regard to the European Commission Decision of 22 November 2001 to consult it under the first
paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

having regard to the Decision taken by its Bureau on 6 February 2002 to instruct Commission — Culture
and Education — to draw up an Opinion on this subject;

having regard to Article 149 of the EC Treaty;

having regard to Decision No 1031/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 April
2000 establishing the ‘Youth’ Community Action Programme;

having regard to the Council Resolution of 8 February 1999 on youth participation;

having regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 9 March 1999 on a youth policy for Europe;

having regard to the Council Resolution of 14 December 2000 on the social inclusion of young people;

having regard to the Council Resolution of 28 June 2001 on promoting young people’s initiative,
enterprise and creativity: from exclusion to empowerment;

having regard to the Council Resolution of 29 November 2001 on the added value of voluntary work for
young people in the context of the development of Community action on youth;

having regard to the Council Resolution approved on 30 May 2002 on European Cooperation in the
Field of Youth;

having regard to the CoR Opinion on the Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth Programmes (CdR 226/
98 fin) (1);

having regard to the CoR Opinion on the European voluntary service for young people — action
programme (CdR 191/96 fin) (2);

having regard to the CoR Opinion on the Daphne Programme (CdR 300/98 fin) (3);

having regard to the CoR Opinion on Local and regional cooperation to protect children and young
people from abuse and neglect in the European Union (CdR 225/1999 fin) (4);

having regard to the Draft Opinion (CdR 389/2001 rev. 2) adopted by Commission — Culture and
Education — on 23 May 2002 (rapporteurs: Mr Yannick Bodin, (F-PES) Vice-President of the Île-de-France
Regional Council; Mr Lars Nordstrom, (S-ELDR) Regional Councillor, Västra Götalandsregion;

(1) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 77.
(2) OJ C 42, 10.2.1997, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 198, 14.7.1999, p. 61.
(4) OJ C 57, 29.2.2000, p. 46.

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whereas young people and the up-and-coming generation are of key importance to regional and local
bodies;

whereas regional and local authorities play a major role in European youth policy since they are the first
to come into contact with young people and their needs and it is at this level that young people gain their
first experiences of organisational and political activity;

whereas the Commission has no competence for youth policy but, under EC Treaty Article 149, has a
certain responsibility for promoting exchanges between young people and youth leaders;

whereas new measures are needed to take greater heed of young people’s aspirations regarding European
cooperation and to enable them to play a fully committed role at local, regional and national level;

whereas the open method of cooperation can contribute to a more dynamic youth policy which respects
national, regional and local remits while creating new forms of European cooperation;

whereas it is important for youth aspects to be integrated into other areas of policy since the EU can
assist indirectly in giving young people a good start in life and improving their chances of general well-
being and personal capacity to succeed in life,

adopted the following opinion at its 45th plenary session on 3 and 4 July 2002 (meeting of 3 July).

The Committee of the Regions’ views and recommen-
dations

particular the focus given to promoting youth participation at
local and regional level as expressed in the Council resolution
on European Cooperation in the Field of Youth approved on
30 May 2002 and the conclusions of the meeting thereof.

1.1.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the Com-
mission’s initiative in publishing the White Paper on ‘A new
impetus for European Youth’ (1) and the extensive public
consultation which preceded its presentation to the Council
on 29 November 2001. This consultation is a good example
of the way in which a wide range of ordinary people and
recognised experts can be involved in the Commission’s work
and is completely in the spirit of the recommendations made
in the White Paper on European Governance.

The Committee of

1.2.
the Regions shares the Com-
mission’s outlook on the challenges and problems facing
European youth today and believes that new actions are
needed to address more effectively the wishes of young people,
particularly with respect to European cooperation, and to
enable them to become fully involved at local, regional and
national
level. The White Paper on ‘A new impetus for
European Youth’ concerns young people from 15-25 years.
For decentralised authorities, however, a link should be
established with policies targeting a younger age group (from
6-15 years) with a view to coordination with future preventive
measures.

1.3.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the Council’s
support to the future work in the field of youth and in

( 1) COM(2001) 681 final.

The open method of coordination

1.4.
The Committee of the Regions feels that it is not
enough for the Commission to note that ‘the population of
the EU is ageing’. It is also important for the Member States’
governments to encourage positive demographic patterns
through pursuing a dynamic pro-family policy. In particular,
regional and local authorities must earmark resources for
families with children and young people in different age
groups and from different ethnic backgrounds.

1.5.
EU youth initiatives have in the past been restricted by
necessity to specific exchange programmes and contacts owing
to the lack of a common policy for young people and of a
legal basis for drawing up a Community policy for secondary
and university education. The CoR shares the Commission’s
view that these programmes should be developed further and
even more important, backed up by new measures, so that
young Europeans can participate fully in cooperation in
Europe.

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1.6.
The CoR welcomes the Commission’s proposal to
apply the open method of coordination in relation to young
people and also to take greater account of them in other
policies. In particular the involvement of young people in the
open method of coordination should not be restricted to
consultation on the ‘priority themes’ but should involve all
stages of
the process. The Committee would point out,
however, that no grounds for new European competences may
be derived from any agreement between the Member States
on guidelines and/or objectives — including the regular
monitoring and evaluation thereof.

The CoR asks that the involvement of local and
1.7.
regional authorities in the open method of coordination be
clearly recognised and respected. This new method must not
in any way be used at the expense of local and regional
authorities, but rather in close and active consultation with
them. The principles of subsidiarity, proximity and pro-
portionality should be respected in all new EU youth initiatives.

1.8.
The CoR therefore asks to be consulted and not just
informed on the common objectives that will be drafted for
each of the four thematic priorities (participation, information,
voluntary activities among young people and greater under-
standing and knowledge of youth) and presented to the
Council. Furthermore the CoR calls on the Member States to
consult local and regional authorities when preparing the
questionnaires that will be the basis of the common objectives.

Young people’s aspirations

The CoR would point out that young people must
1.9.
be considered as a heterogeneous social group, as their
circumstances differ widely, regardless of their age group.

1.10.
The Committee of the Regions believes that it should
be made clear that Europe’s young people do not speak with
one voice, but that they are diverse. European youth policies
must leave room for a wide range of viewpoints. It is therefore
good that young people who do not belong to organised clubs
or associations are also able to take part in the consultation
exercises which the Commission is planning. The CoR con-
siders that the European Youth Forum already meets the
requirements of representativeness, diversity and transparency.

1.11. Whilst aware of the difficulties involved, the Com-
mittee of the Regions regrets that the consultation did not
include disadvantaged young people from problem areas or
more of their representatives.

1.12.
The CoR recognizes that certain problems, needs and
aspirations are typical of young people, as they make the
transition from family to working life. Many of them want
more independence, not only financially but also as regards
access to certain rights such as housing, information, training,
stable employment, healthcare and transport. Developing the
autonomy of young people must be broadened beyond
economic criteria to include their ability to make decisions in
a wide range of areas. The CoR considers that promoting
autonomy should be about empowering young people;

1.13.
The Committee of the Regions shares the Com-
mission’s view of the need to factor young people’s aspirations
into national and EU public policy and notes with interest the
Commission’s express intention to improve understanding at
European level of youth as a subject
to be studied by
networking existing structures and research.

Helping the most disadvantaged young people

1.14.
The CoR believes that the specific needs and aspir-
ations of young women must be taken into account. Young
women are all too often victims of physical, verbal and a
variety of other forms of abuse, and discriminated against both
at school and in the workplace. The Committee of the Regions
asks that European youth policies place a particular, practical
emphasis on the situation of young women with a view to
reinforcing specific programmes.

1.15.
Similarly, the CoR stresses the need for action to
assist categories of young people with specific needs. This is
the case for the various immigrant groups (especially young
women) who often have to deal with difficult personal
situations and therefore must be able to benefit from special
measures.

The same applies to disabled young people whose
1.16.
special needs must be accommodated in European strategies
on social integration.

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1.17.
Lastly, the situation in the applicant countries requires
specific attention and measures. Young people from these
countries should be able to participate in European cooper-
ation and the debate on the future of Europe at an early stage,
in order to foster their integration.

1.22.
The CoR shares the Commission’s positive outlook
that, in addition to strengthening representative democracy, it
is also important to develop participatory democracy in order
to create an open,
integrated society in which all may
participate. Tomorrow’s Europe must be an open society:
tolerant and in touch with everybody’s concerns. The purpose
of promoting participatory democracy is to reduce the distance
between citizens and the institutions of the Union.

Encouraging citizenship

1.18.
The CoR notes with concern that diminishing num-
bers of young people are taking part in traditional political
and social activities. The CoR considers that, in particular, the
influence and place of young people in public life should be
bolstered to restore their confidence in traditional political
activity. The pilot projects proposed in the White Paper to
promote participation at local, regional and national level offer
a useful forum in which to develop new initiatives. At the
same time, national, regional and local competences should be
strictly respected when youth policy is mapped out and
formulated.

1.19.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the Com-
mission’s recognition of the key importance of the regional
and local dimension in youth policy. It is at local and regional
level that government is in direct contact with young people
and their needs, and where successful initiatives have already
been implemented. Best practices should be studied and
disseminated at European level to encourage exchange of
experiences and effective cooperation in public policies on
youth. Local and regional authorities have therefore a central
role to play both in devising and applying European youth
policies.

1.20.
The CoR considers that the EU, the Member States
and local and regional authorities should do still more to
encourage young people to be active citizens, particularly by
creating the conditions in which clubs and associations can
flourish and by ensuring that young people have access to and
participate in political life. The CoR awaits the work and
contributions of the Youth Convention on the Future of the
Union with keen interest.

1.23. Mindful that democracy has a price, the CoR considers
that all public authorities should step up their support for
youth movements, particularly on issues such as respect for
forms of
democratic institutions, systems and values. All
racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia must be tackled. The
CoR welcomes the proposal included in the Youth programme
to set up an Internet platform designed for young people, and
if possible run by young people, to combat these evils. The
rise in extremism in an increasing number of Member States
of the Union makes it all the more imperative to promote
democratic values and tolerance, which are the basis for
European cooperation and which are a prerequisite for all
European public policy in relation to youth.

Lifelong learning and employment

1.24.
The CoR shares the Commission’s positive opinion
of lifelong learning. Its principles should also be included in
school curricula. It requires more precise quality standards and
an assessment of skills acquired so that all the benefits of non-
formal educational methods can be fully recognised and used
in the interests of young people seeking employment or
wishing to improve their occupational status.

1.25.
The Committee also notes that in order to increase
European awareness, basic and higher education curricula need
to include specific references to the founding and development
of the European Union.

1.21.
The CoR shares the Commission’s view that it is
locally, at grass-roots level, that young people acquire active
citizenship. The Youth programme’s pilot projects should be
made operational rapidly so as to develop participation at
local and regional level and disseminate best practice on active
citizenship for young people.

1.26.
The CoR encourages local and regional authorities to
take immediate steps to recognise experience gained by young
people in voluntary work and the European voluntary service
programme.

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1.27.
The CoR would stress the decisive role of employment
in any active youth policy. The specific needs of young people
must be given clear consideration when national action plans
for employment are drawn up. The CoR also considers that
action could be taken within the Member States to ensure that
discrimination against young people in minimum wages
legislation is addressed where such legislation exists.

The Youth programme

The CoR notes with interest

1.28.
the European
voluntary service programme is still an important instrument
for European cooperation and the exchange of experience. It
is essential that information about the Youth programme also
reach young people who are not involved in conventional
European youth cooperation. It is also important to ensure

that

Brussels, 3 July 2002.

that local and regional players are also able to derive full
benefit from this programme.

The CoR notes with interest

that the European
1.29.
voluntary service programme is to become permanent. The
Commission and the national governments must ensure that
the free movement of young people participating in the
programme is not restricted and that flexible systems are set
up for the social and legal status of occasional unpaid voluntary
work in Europe.

1.30.
The local and regional players must, of course, be
represented in the dialogue planned with young Europeans.
The future of European integration depends on the involve-
ment and commitment by young people to the European
project and the values which underpin it. The consultation
should therefore be organised around the five principles
underpinning the White Paper on European Governance:
openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and
coherence.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Albert BORE