Communication from the Commission to the Council - Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth. Proposed common objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of youth, in response to the Council Resolution of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European co-operation in the youth field
Date: 2004-04-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, European citizenship, European cooperation, access to information, dissemination of information, social participation, young person, youth policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 30.4.2004 
COM(2004) 336 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 

Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth. Proposed 
common objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of youth, in response to 
the Council Resolution of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European co-
operation in the youth field 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3 

Follow-up to the White Paper on Youth ...................................................................... 3 

Knowledge based youth policies.................................................................................. 4 

Common objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of youth.................. 5 

Objective 1 - Identify existing knowledge in priority areas of the youth field (namely, 
participation, information and voluntary activities) and implement measures to 
supplement, update and facilitate access to it. ............................................................. 5 

Objective 2 - In a second stage, identify existing knowledge in further priority areas 
of interest to the youth field and implement measures to supplement, update and 
facilitate access to it. .................................................................................................... 6 

Objective 3 - Ensure quality, comparability and relevance of knowledge in the youth 
field by using appropriate methods and tools. ............................................................. 7 

Objective 4 - Facilitate and promote exchange, dialogue and networks to ensure 
visibility of knowledge in the youth field and anticipate future needs ........................ 8 

3. 

Implementing and monitoring mechanisms ................................................................. 9 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1. 

Follow-up to the White Paper on Youth 

General background 

The present Communication follows on from the White Paper on Youth1, approved 
by  the  Commission  on  21 November  2001,  and  the  Council  Resolution  of  27 June 
2002 setting a new framework for co-operation in the youth field2. In this Resolution, 
the  Council  called  for  an  open  method  of  co-ordination  to  be  applied  to  four 
priorities i.e. participation by young people, information of young people, voluntary 
activities among young people and a greater understanding and knowledge of youth. 
Pursuant  to  this  mandate,  the  Commission  first  proposed  common  objectives  for 
participation  by  and  information  of  young  people3,  which  were  adopted  by  the 
Council in its Resolution of 25 November 20034.  

In  the  present  communication,  the  Commission  proposes  common  objectives  for  a 
greater understanding and knowledge of the youth field. This proposal for common 
objectives  is  based  on  the  Member  States'  answers  to  questions5  about  their  own 
situation and their expectations at European level. It reflects the consensus resulting 
from the analysis of these answers.  

The  European  Youth  Forum  was  consulted  during  the  preparation  of  the  proposed 
common objectives as well as a group of researchers in the field. The Member States 
and  acceding  countries  were  also  asked  to  consult  young  people,  researchers  and 
other relevant stakeholders in the field. 

The Commission’s analysis of the Member States’ and acceding countries' replies to 
the questionnaire can be found in a Commission staff working paper6. This working 
paper highlights the different challenges - at national as well as at European level - 
identified  by  the  Member  States  and  acceding  countries  in  order  to  improve  their 
understanding  and  knowledge  of  youth.  Concrete  examples  of  good  practice  are 
given for the different described challenges. 

1 
2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Commission White Paper “A New Impetus for European Youth” (COM (2001) 681 final) 
Resolution  of  the  Council  and  of  the  Representatives  of  the  Governments  of  the  Member  States, 
Meeting within the Council of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the 
youth field (2002/C 168/02) 
Communication from the Commission to the Council, Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus 
for  European  Youth.  Proposed  common  objectives  for  the  participation  and  information  of  young 
people, in response to the Council Resolution of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European co-
operation in the youth field, COM(2003)184 final, of 11 April 2003  
Council Resolution of 25 November 2003 on common objectives for participation by and information 
for young people (2003/C 295/04) 
The questionnaire was drawn up in consultation with the Member States and acceding countries as well 
as with the European Youth Forum and a group of researchers. It was sent to the Member States, the 
acceding countries and to three candidate countries namely Bulgaria, Rumania and Turkey. The latter 
could answer on a voluntary basis. 
“Analysis  of  Member  States’  and  Acceding  Countries’  replies  to  the  Commission  questionnaire  on  a 
greater understanding and knowledge of youth”  

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In parallel to this exercise on “a greater understanding and knowledge of youth”, the 
same  procedure  is  being  carried  out  for  the  “voluntary  activities  among  young 
people” priority. 

A better understanding and knowledge of youth in the White Paper process 

One  of  the  aims  of  the  White  Paper  "A  new  impetus  for  European  Youth"  is  to 
improve  public  awareness  of  young  people's  concerns.  It  identifies  a  "Greater 
understanding  and  knowledge  of  youth"  and  of  the  realities  which  concern  young 
people at European level, as one of four priority themes for European co-operation in 
the field of youth policy. 

In the White Paper, the European Commission proposes  

–  "taking  stock  of,  and  networking,  existing  structures,  studies  and  research  on 
youth which are in progress within the European Union" (including the work and 
initiatives of other international bodies); 

–  "focusing discussion on the right approach at European level"; 

–  "drawing up a study and research programme" (based on work in Member States 

and utilising the 6th European Research Framework Programme);  

–  "provision of the requisite statistical resources, making optimum use of resources 

already available under the European Statistical System". 

On  the  basis  of  the  White  Paper  on  youth,  the  Council  identified  in  its  Resolution 
regarding the framework of European co-operation in the youth field, the following 
general objectives for a "Greater understanding and knowledge of youth”: 

–  "to facilitate the compilation of studies on youth matters at national and European 

level including by research structures and youth associations, 

–  to facilitate the networking of research structures ; to contribute to the creation of 

study and research tools (e.g. indicators), 

–  to consider, in the light of existing studies, what further work, if necessary, might 
be needed to support current priorities, youth autonomy issues and other relevant 
topics for the future".  

1.2. 

Knowledge based youth policies 

The sustainability of policies is reliant on their ability to respond to the realities they 
wish  to  address.  Only  in  this  way  will  policies  be  adhered  to,  improve  the  lives  of 
citizens and create greater confidence in the results and in the institutions that deliver 
them. 

In order to meet the needs and expectations of citizens, EU and national policies are 
to  be  based  on  the  best  available  knowledge  and  understanding  of  such  needs  and 
expectations. 

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A  knowledge  based  approach  to  policy  making  is  particularly  relevant  and  useful 
when  dealing  with  rapidly  evolving  realities,  such  as  the  situation  of  younger 
generations in Europe. 

It  is  all  the  more  essential  at  a  stage  where  Member  States  have  adopted  common 
objectives on themes such as participation and information of young people and are 
designing  implementation  policies.  Such  a  knowledge  approach  will  also  become 
indispensable  for  further  priorities  identified  within  the  White  Paper  on  Youth  on 
which Member States have already started to debate as well as for themes Member 
States  will  identify  as  priorities  in  the  future.  In  that  sense,  developing  a  better 
knowledge and understanding of youth supports the new co-operation framework on 
thematic priorities set up as a follow up of the White Paper on youth. 

2. 

COMMON  OBJECTIVES  FOR  A  GREATER  UNDERSTANDING  AND  KNOWLEDGE  OF 
YOUTH 

Having regard to Member States’ and acceding countries’ replies to its questionnaire, 
and  taking  into  account  the  above  considerations,  the  Commission  proposes  the 
following common overall goal for a better knowledge and understanding of youth: 

For  timely,  efficient  and  sustainable  policy  making,  it  is  essential  to  develop  a 
coherent, relevant and qualitative knowledge area in the youth field in Europe 
and anticipate future needs, through exchange, dialogue and networks. 

This  overall  goal  should  be  achieved  through  the  implementation  of  the  following 
common objectives: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Identify  existing  knowledge  in  priority  areas  of  the  youth  field  (namely, 
participation, 
implement 
measures to supplement, update and facilitate access to it. 

information  and  voluntary  activities)  and 

In  a  second  stage,  identify  existing  knowledge  in  further  priority  areas  of 
interest  to  the  youth  field  and  implement  measures  to  supplement,  update 
and facilitate access to it. 

Ensure quality, comparability and relevance of knowledge in the youth field 
by using appropriate methods and tools 

Facilitate and promote exchange, dialogue and networks to ensure visibility 
of knowledge in the youth field and anticipate future needs 

2.1. 

Objective  1  -  Identify  existing  knowledge  in  priority  areas  of  the  youth  field 
(namely,  participation,  information  and  voluntary  activities)  and  implement 
measures to supplement, update and facilitate access to it. 

All  Member  States  have  developed  a  certain  knowledge  of  young  people  be  it 
through studies or field work. Such knowledge is however rather scattered, untimely 
and often outdated when needed. It is furthermore not always easily accessible to all 
interested actors in the field. 

Member States generally call for the development of a coherent area of knowledge in 
the  youth  field  to  fight  dispersion  and  waste  of  resources,  ensure  availability  of 

5 

 
 
  
 
updated information, fill gaps and avoid overlaps. Such a knowledge area should not 
only  be  based  on  studies  and  statistical  data  but  should  also  encompass  practical 
knowledge of NGO’s, youth organisations and young people themselves. 

They  however  recognise  that  it  is  not  workable  at  this  stage  to  try  to  cover  all 
potential knowledge areas in the youth field. Stress should therefore first be laid on a 
core  set  of  priority  themes  considered  as  directly  relevant  for  sustainable  policy 
making in the youth field. 

In their answers given to the questionnaire on a greater knowledge and understanding 
of  youth,  Member  States  have  identified  a  first  set  of  themes  specific  to  the  youth 
field on which they have already done substantial work within the framework of the 
open method of co-ordination i.e. participation (at local level and to the political 
process), information, voluntary activities.  

In order to achieve Objective 1, the following lines of action are proposed: 

At national level: 

•  Identify  and  organise  existent  knowledge  in  the  youth  field  around  a  core  set  of 

common themes namely, participation, information and voluntary activities;  

•  Undertake  further  studies,  collect  statistical  data  and  gather  practical  knowledge 
of  NGO’s,  youth  organisations  and  young  people  themselves  on  the  identified 
themes  in  order  to  fill  gaps  and  constantly  update  knowledge  on  such  identified 
themes; 

•  Facilitate,  at  national  as  well  as  at  European  level,  access  to  knowledge  on  the 
identified  themes  and  information  on  the  corresponding  actors  through  paper 
and/or IT compilation and dissemination, and ensure user-friendliness of relevant 
information;  

At European level: 

•  Exploit  the  youth  programme  for  supplementing  the  work  undertaken  by  the 
Member  States  in  implementing  the  present  objective  and  make  the  best  use  of 
any  other  relevant 
level  -  such  as 
instruments  available  at  European 
Eurobarometer  surveys,  Eurostat  and  the  current  and  future  research  framework 
programmes  -  or  being  developed  by  the  Commission  in  co-operation  with  its 
partners in the field – such as a tool for compiling relevant knowledge in the youth 
field and making it accessible. 

2.2. 

Objective 2 - In a second  stage, identify existing knowledge in further priority 
areas  of  interest  to  the  youth  field  and  implement  measures  to  supplement, 
update and facilitate access to it. 

In their answers to the questionnaire, Member States have identified a second set of 
themes  of  direct  interest  to  the  youth  field  -  i.e.  autonomy,  non-formal  learning, 
fight against discrimination, education & training, employment, transition from 
education to employment, social inclusion, and health - which are well in line with 
the  political  priorities  highlighted  in  the  White  Paper  and  encompassed  in  the  new 
co-operation framework set up in the youth field. 

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Since  a  better  knowledge  and  understanding  of  young  people  ought  to  lead  to 
sustainable  youth  policies,  geared  to  young  peoples’  expectations,  the  above  list  of 
themes should remain flexible and open to be adapted to evolving trends and needs 
in the youth field. 

The necessity of clarifying and adapting the above themes can best be discussed by 
the relevant stakeholders in the youth field - i.e. researchers/experts, policy makers, 
young people and youth workers/organisations – meeting at European level. 

In order to achieve Objective 2, the following lines of action are proposed:  

At national level: 

•  Identify  and  organise  existent  knowledge  in  the  youth  field  around  a  core  set  of 
common themes that will comprise autonomy, non-formal learning, fight against 
discrimination,  education  &  training,  employment,  transition  from  education  to 
employment, social inclusion, and health – subject to clarification and adaptation 
by the relevant stakeholders in the youth field meeting at European level; 

•  Undertake  further  studies,  collect  statistical  data  and  gather  practical  knowledge 
of  NGO’s,  youth  organisations  and  young  people  themselves  on  the  identified 
themes  in  order  to  fill  gaps  and  constantly  update  knowledge  on  such  identified 
themes; 

•  Facilitate,  at  national  as  well  as  at  European  level,  access  to  knowledge  on  the 
identified  themes  and  information  on  the  corresponding  actors  through  paper 
and/or IT compilation and dissemination, and ensure user-friendliness of relevant 
information;  

At European level: 

•  Exploit  the  youth  programme  for  supplementing  the  work  undertaken  by  the 
Member  States  in  implementing  the  present  objective  and  make  the  best  use  of 
any  other  relevant 
level  -  such  as 
instruments  available  at  European 
Eurobarometer  surveys,  Eurostat  and  the  current  and  future  research  framework 
programmes  -  or  being  developed  by  the  Commission  in  co-operation  with  its 
partners in the field – such as a tool for compiling relevant knowledge in the youth 
field and making it accessible. 

2.3. 

Objective 3 - Ensure quality, comparability and relevance of knowledge in the 
youth field by using appropriate methods and tools. 

To  be  relevant,  it  is  essential  that  knowledge  relating  to  young  people  is  of  high 
quality,  comparable,  and  geared  to  the  expectations  and  needs  of  all  actors  in  the 
youth field. 

A number of quantitative and qualitative tools and methods have been developed at 
all levels so far, including the local and regional level. It is now necessary to identify 
and further develop those best suited to themes relevant to the youth field and to use 
them in an adequate way.  

In order to achieve Objective 3, the following lines of action are proposed:  

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At national level: 

•  Implement  and  further  develop  appropriate  tools  and  methods  to  reinforce 
understanding and knowledge of young people in all relevant themes and facilitate 
exploitation of results;  

•  Promote education and training of researchers and experts – especially the young - 
working in the youth field, as well as of any other actors developing knowledge in 
the  youth  field  e.g.  by  facilitating  the  exchange  of  experience  and  practice,  by 
supporting  their  mobility  and  by  improving  their  skills,  making  the  best  use  of 
existing EU Programmes7;  

At European level: 

•  Co-operate to identify and define common concepts and a minimum core content 
on  which  to  concentrate  in  order  to  reinforce  a  common  understanding  of  the 
identified priority themes; 

•  Co-operate to determine quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods to exploit 
and  compare  results  on  commonly  identified  themes,  based  on  existing 
information sources; 

•  Co-operate  to  better  identify  the  indicators,  which  shall  enable  to  evaluate  the 
impact of the current and future Youth programmes through a follow up of their 
concrete results. 

2.4. 

Objective 4 - Facilitate and promote exchange, dialogue and networks to ensure 
visibility of knowledge in the youth field and anticipate future needs 

For  a  greater  understanding  and  knowledge  of  young  people,  Member  States  have 
called for better exchanges and structured dialogue between policy makers, national 
youth  research  bodies,  researchers,  organisations  of/or  working  with  young  people 
and young people themselves. 

Such  exchanges  and  dialogue  are  indeed  essential  not  only  to  fulfil  the  first  three 
objectives but also to pinpoint changes in trends and values, anticipate future needs 
and identify new priority themes. 

Member States generally do not ask for developing new structures, but wish to build 
on existing networks and relationships, using and managing them more efficiently. 

In order to achieve Objective 4, the following lines of action are proposed: 

At national level: 

•  Encourage  and  develop  exchanges,  structured  dialogue  and  national  networks 
between policy makers, researchers, young people and their organisations as well 
as any other actors in the youth field; 

7 

such as the Marie Curie Actions of the 6th Framework Programme 

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•  Within  the  framework  of  the  above  described  networks,  discuss  future  needs, 
trends and identify new priority themes that must be explored for efficient, timely 
and  sustainable  policy  making  and  youth  work  as  well  as  further  relevant  tools 
and methods that should be developed in that respect; 

•  Promote  cross-sectoral  co-operation,  exchanges  and  dialogue  between 
researchers/research  bodies  and  policy  makers  in  different  knowledge  areas 
through conferences, seminars and events focussed on themes of common interest;  

At European level 

•  Co-ordinate the above-described national networks through the setting up by the 
Commission,  in  cooperation  with  its  partners  in  the  field,  of  a  European  Union 
Network of Youth Knowledge integrating representatives of all actors in the field 
in  order  to  discuss  methods  and  future  themes  as  well  as  to  exchange  good 
practices. 

3. 

IMPLEMENTING AND MONITORING MECHANISMS 

Implementing and monitoring the common objectives is a major element of the open 
method  of  coordination  set  up  in  the  Resolution  regarding  the  framework  of 
European  cooperation  in  the  youth  field.  This  principle  was  already  applied  to  the 
priorities  participation  and  information  of  young  people  for  which  the  Council 
adopted a Resolution on common objectives on 25 November 2003. 

In  this  latter  Resolution,  the  Council  invited  the  Member  States  to  specify 
implementing  and  follow-up  measures  in  the  light  of  their  particular  circumstances 
and  national  priorities.  It  also  invited  them  to  submit  reports  on  the  national 
contributions as to the implementation of the common objectives.  

For the common objectives on a greater understanding and knowledge of youth, the 
Commission similarly proposes:  

– 

that Member States agree to achieve all the common objectives approved and, 
after  consulting  young  people  and  their  associations,  researchers,  as  well  as 
other  relevant  stakeholders  in  the  field  via  the  channels  they  consider 
appropriate,: 

a) 

Inform the Commission of the concrete achievements resulting from the 
implementation  of  the  first  common  objective  at  the  occasion  of  their 
reporting  to  the  Commission  for  the  priorities  on  participation  and 
information by the end of 2005, and at the occasion of their reporting to 
the  Commission  for  the  priority  on  voluntary  activities  by  the  end  of 
2006.  

Within  the  above  reports,  Member  States  shall  also  inform  the 
Commission  of  the  steps  taken  in  order  to  fulfil  the  third  and  fourth 
common objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of youth. 

b) 

Inform the Commission of the concrete achievements resulting from the 
implementation of the second common objective by the end of 2008. 

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the  above  report,  Member  States  shall  also 

Within 
the 
Commission  of  the  further  steps  taken  in  order  to  fulfil  the  third  and 
fourth common objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of 
youth. 

inform 

– 

that the Commission shall use the above information for drawing up a progress 
report  for  the  Council.  On  the  basis  of  the  Commission’s  proposals,  the 
Council will confirm, adapt or amend the common objectives for this priority. 

The  present  proposal  for  common  objectives  will  be  sent  to  the  European 
Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee 
of Regions. 

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