Communication from the Commission to the Council - Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth: evaluation of activities conducted in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field
Date: 2004-10-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU publication, cooperation policy, youth policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 22.10.2004 
COM(2004) 694 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 

Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth: evaluation of 
activities conducted in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

3. 

3.1. 

3.2. 

3.3. 

4. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

4.4. 

4.5. 

5. 

5.1. 

5.2. 

5.3. 

5.4. 

5.5. 

6. 

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

European cooperation in the youth field ...................................................................... 3 

The process................................................................................................................... 3 

The framework of European cooperation in the youth field ........................................ 4 

The open method of coordination in the youth field.................................................... 5 

Implementation of the OMC ........................................................................................ 5 

The fourteen common objectives of the OMC............................................................. 6 

Evaluation of the OMC ................................................................................................ 6 

Reinforcing the youth dimension in other policies ...................................................... 7 

Lifelong learning.......................................................................................................... 7 

Employment and social integration.............................................................................. 8 

Combatting racism and xenophobia............................................................................. 8 

Autonomy for young people ........................................................................................ 8 

Evaluation of the taking into account of the youth dimension in other policies.......... 8 

Other initiatives and actions undertaken in the context of implementing the White 
Paper priorities ............................................................................................................. 9 

Participation ................................................................................................................. 9 

Information................................................................................................................... 9 

Voluntary activities .................................................................................................... 10 

Greater understanding and knowledge of youth ........................................................ 10 

New European programme for youth......................................................................... 10 

Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 10 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  European  Union  has  been  developing  programmes  for  young  people  since  the 
late  1980s,  but  not  until  the  Commission  published  its  White  Paper  on  a  New 
Impetus  for  European  Youth1  in  November  2001  did  the  development  of  policy 
cooperation in this field really start. The cooperation process launched by the White 
Paper  and,  in  particular,  the  implementation  of  an  open  method  of  coordination  in 
this  field  have  broadened  and  deepened  the  discussion  of  youth  issues  at  European 
and  national  level,  as  well  as  at  the  level  of  those  principally  concerned,  young 
people themselves. 

The  dynamic  launched  by  this  White  Paper  obtained  more  concrete  form  with  the 
adoption by the European Council in June 2004 of the Constitutional Treaty for the 
European Union which provides for the development of the legal basis in the youth 
field. 

The prospect of reinforcing its policies and activities to promote active citizenship, in 
particular among young Europeans, is also taken up in the Commission’s proposals 
for a new financial framework from 2007 onwards2. It will be for the Council and the 
newly elected European Parliament to consolidate and develop these guidelines, and 
for the new Commission to implement them, specifically in the context of the future 
YOUTH IN ACTION programme3. 

In the context of the launch of a new cycle in youth policy, the Commission takes the 
view that it would be useful and opportune to take stock of the progress made since 
publication of the White Paper, in terms of the mandate expressly conferred upon it 
by  the  Council  and  the  undertakings  made  with  regard  to  all  those involved in  this 
process, in particular young people.  

This  document  is  therefore  a  response  to  the  Council’s  request  in  its  Resolution  of 
June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the youth field4. In 
this  Resolution,  the  Council  called  on  the  Commission  to  draw  up  an  evaluation 
report on the cooperation framework including an evaluation of the open method of 
coordination  and,  as  appropriate,  suggestions  for  its  modification.  The  provisional 
timeframe was for this report to be examined by the Council in 2004. 

2. 

EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN THE YOUTH FIELD  

2.1. 

The process 

The White Paper identified the main challenges for youth policy in a European socio-
demographic context characterised by a growing disequilibrium  between the young 
and  the  not  so  young  and  changing  living  conditions  for  young  people,  at  a  time 

1 
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4 

COM(2001) 681 final of 21.11.2001 
COM(2004) 101 final of 10.2.2004 
COM (2004) 471 of 14.7.2004  
OJ C 168 of 13.7.2002 

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when the European Union is enlarging as never before and against the backdrop of 
increasing globalisation.  

It  was  based  on  a  very  broad  consultation  among  young  people,  reflecting  the 
determination  to  bring  citizens  closer  to  the  decisions  affecting  them,  thus 
contributing to bringing political institutions closer to the public. 

The  White  Paper  announced  a  new  ambition  for  youth  and  proposed  a  new 
cooperation  framework  for  the  EU  in  this  field  that  was  both  ambitious,  reflecting 
young people’s aspirations, and realistic, setting priorities and being mindful of the 
various levels of responsibility. 
The  European  Parliament5  supported  the  proposals  in  the  White  Paper  and  its 
implementation. The same applies to the European Economic and Social Committee6 
and the Committee of the Regions7.  

The  White  Paper  was  a  turning  point  in  youth  policy.  The  Commission’s  main 
findings on youth turned out to be well founded, and the priorities were confirmed by 
researchers, national authorities and youth organisations. 

The White Paper is still an important reference point in the Union and in the other 
countries of Europe and the wider world. However, the youth field is still evolving, 
and  it  will  soon  be  time  to  look  at  the  priorities  to  be  dealt  with  over  the  coming 
years. 

2.2. 

The framework of European cooperation in the youth field  

The  framework  of  European  cooperation  in  the  youth  field,  established  by  the 
Council  Resolution  of  June  2002  based  on  the  Commission  White  Paper,  has  two 
complementary strands: 

a) 

applying the open method of coordination (OMC) to the specific  priorities of 
the youth field; 

b) 

taking better account of the youth dimension in other policies. 

The  Resolution  establishes  the  principles  of  flexibility  in  the  method,  non-
discrimination  and  equal  opportunities,  the  involvement  of  young  people  and  the 
association of the applicant countries in the cooperation framework. 

In  the  Resolution,  the  four  priorities  proposed  in  the  White  Paper,  i.e.  (i) 
participation,  (ii)  information,  (iii)  voluntary  activities  among  young  people,  (iv) 
greater  understanding  and  knowledge  of  youth,  are  confirmed  as  priorities  of  the 
OMC,  and  the  procedures  to  be  followed  which  should  lead  to  the  adoption  of 
common  objectives  by  the  Council  and  the  Member  States  are  laid  down.  The 
Resolution  also  provides  mechanisms  to  monitor  the  implementation  of  the 
objectives. 

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Report No A5-0126/2002 of 19.4.2002 
OJ C149 of 21.6.2002 
Opinion 389 of 17.7.2002 

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The  Resolution  also  states  which  policies  and  programmes  should,  henceforth, 
include  a  youth  dimension:  lifelong  learning,  mobility,  employment  and  social 
integration,  combating  racism  and  xenophobia.  The  Commission’s  intention  to 
convene a working group on the autonomy of young people in society is noted. 

3. 

THE OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION IN THE YOUTH FIELD 

3.1. 

Implementation of the OMC 

In accordance with the Resolution, the European Commission sent questionnaires to 
the Member States and the applicant countries in July 2002 concerning participation 
and information and, one year later, questionnaires on voluntary activities and greater 
understanding of youth. 

The Commission analysed all the replies, drafted summary reports and drew up draft 
common objectives accompanied by lines of action. 

The  Commission  organised,  at  European  level,  consultations  on  the  questionnaires, 
summary reports and draft common objectives involving the main parties concerned. 
The European Youth Forum8 was systematically consulted, without excluding other 
forms of consultation, for example during the conferences with young people (point 
5.1).  Depending  on  the  theme  in  question  and  the  opportunities  provided,  the 
network  of  researchers  in  youth  issues  and  the  young  people  themselves  attending 
the conferences organised by the Presidencies of the Council were also consulted. 

The  common  objectives  relating  to  young  people’s  participation  and  information 
were proposed by the Commission in April 20039, and the Council adopted them in a 
Resolution of November 200310. 

The  proposed  common  objectives  for  voluntary  activities11  and  for  a  greater 
understanding and knowledge of youth12 were adopted by the Commission in April 
2004  and  should  be  the  subject  of  resolutions  at  the  Council  meeting  in  November 
2004. 

The meeting of the Directors-General for Youth, a body for discussion and informal 
policy  consultation,  has  become  particularly 
the 
implementation of the common objectives adopted by the Council.  

in  supporting 

important 

Three  working  groups  have  started  examining  1)  participation  at  local  level,  2) 
information and 3) young people’s commitment and the recognition thereof. The aim 
of these groups is to promote the exchange of good practices in order to support and 
speed up the implementation of the objectives established. The results will be used 

8 

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http://www.youthforum.org/en/  –  The  European  Youth  Forum  is  an  international  organisation 
comprising  national  youth  councils  and  international  youth  NGOs representing  the  interests  of  young 
people  throughout  Europe.  It  is  the  only  platform  in  Europe  representing  youth  organisations  at 
international bodies such as the European Union, the Council of Europe and the UN. 
COM(2003) 184 final of 11.04.2003 
OJ C 295, 05.12.2003. 
COM(2004) 337 final of 30.04.2004 
COM(2004) 336 final of 30.04.2004 

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for  the  implementation  of  the  objectives  at  national  level  and  the  drafting  of  the 
reports  which  the  Member  States  have  undertaken  to  produce  by  the  end  of  2005. 
They  will  also  serve  as  a  basis  for  the  Council’s  Youth  working  party  and  the 
Ministers themselves to deal with these subjects.  

3.2. 

The fourteen common objectives of the OMC 

The  Commission  proposed  fourteen  objectives,  four  of  which  come  under  the 
heading of a greater understanding and knowledge of the youth field and ten target 
young people directly: 

– 

To  create  the  conditions  for  young  people’s  active  citizenship,  three 
participation  objectives  were  adopted  by  the  Council  concerning  young 
people’s participation in the life of their local community, their participation in 
the system of representative democracy and learning to participate. 

–  With  regard  to  young  people’s  information,  a  precondition  for  participation, 
the three objectives adopted by the Council relate to access to information, the 
quality  of  systems  and  the  greater  involvement  of  young  people  in  the 
preparation and dissemination of information. 

– 

– 

Voluntary activities exist in all the Member States in various forms, and the 
European  Voluntary  Service  has  been  enjoying  ever  more  success  within  the 
framework  of  the  YOUTH  programme.  The  Commission’s  objectives  are  to 
develop  these  activities  in  their  diversity,  facilitating  access  to  them  for  even 
more young people and promoting and better recognising their individual and 
collective benefit. 

Policy discussion and action must be based on a greater understanding and 
knowledge  of  youth.  The  Commission’s  first  two  objectives  focus  on 
identifying and updating existing knowledge, firstly on priority themes specific 
to the youth field and in a second stage on other themes of general interest to 
young  people,  whilst  the  next  two  objectives  relate  to  the  quality  of  the 
methods and tools, on the one hand, and the promotion of exchanges, dialogue 
and network creation on the other. 

3.3. 

Evaluation of the OMC  

The  new  framework  of  European  cooperation  has  become  a  reality,  and  the 
Commission’s undertakings have all been fulfilled. The youth field is now a political 
field where all those involved are mobilised, in dialogue and cooperating with each 
other.  

The choice of a flexible open method of coordination adapted to youth has facilitated 
the setting up of a coherent plan of action and the establishment of political priorities. 
These  European  priorities  also  constitute  a  reference  point  for  the  establishment  of 
national priorities. 

This  method  of  working  has  mobilised  the  national  administrations  and  given 
visibility  to  activities  developed  for  youth.  The  speed  at  which  the  work  plan  has 
been developed has enabled each of the successive Presidencies to make the process 

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of implementing the objectives coming under the responsibility of the Member States 
even more dynamic.  

The  open  method  of  coordination  for  youth  is  different  from  the  open  methods  of 
coordination in other areas to the extent that: 

– 

– 

the objectives laid down are still qualitative, and there are no plans to quantify 
them at this stage (‘benchmarks’); 

the implementation of the objectives, left up to the Member States, is not the 
subject of national plans of action coordinated at European level. 

Without  bringing  these  choices,  which  have  proved  to  be  indispensable  for  a 
consensual approach in the implementation of the new cooperation framework, into 
question,  it  is  important  to  consider  the  necessary  balance  between  the  method's 
flexibility and effectiveness.  

The  implementation  of  the  common  objectives  by  the  Member  States  is  crucial  for 
the  success  of  the  OMC.  Each  Member  State,  depending  on  its  national  situation, 
should draw up a plan of action to achieve the agreed objectives. 

Finally, it is essential for young people to be consulted at all levels, European as well 
as  national,  and  at  the  various  stages  of  the  procedure  (answers  to  questionnaires, 
drafting and follow-up of the national actions, reports for the Commission, etc.). 

4. 

REINFORCING THE YOUTH DIMENSION IN OTHER POLICIES 

Certain  policies  have  a  considerable  impact  on  young  people’s  lives,  in  particular 
those mentioned as priorities in the White Paper and listed in the Council Resolution 
of  June  2002:  lifelong  learning,  mobility,  employment  and  social  integration, 
combating  racism  and  xenophobia.,  and  autonomy  to  exercise  citizenship.  The 
following actions have been developed at European level: 

4.1. 

Lifelong learning 

The  Council’s  Youth  working  party  contributed  to  the  Council  Resolution  of  June 
200213 on lifelong learning, which recognises the value of non-formal and informal 
education in youth activities outside a formal educational framework. 

Follow-up was ensured in the form of the implementation of the work programme on 
the  objectives  of  education  and  training  systems14  and  the  Copenhagen  Declaration 
on Enhanced European cooperation in vocational education and training15. 

The  European  Commission  has  also  jointly  drafted  a  working  document  with  the 
Council  of  Europe16,  and  organised  a  research  seminar  on  the  recognition  and 
validation of education and training in the youth field17. 

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OJ C 163, 09.07.2002. 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/et_2010_en.html 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/copenhagen/index_en.html 

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4.2. 

Employment and social integration 

The Council’s Youth working party contributed to the Employment Committee with 
a  view  to  taking  young  people’s  situation  into  account  in  the  revision  of  the 
European Employment Strategy and its guidelines in 2003.  

In May 2004, the Youth Council adopted a Resolution on young people and social 
inclusion  which  recommends,  in  particular,  that  young  people  with  fewer 
opportunities  be  given  priority  in  the  open  method  of  coordination  relating  to 
combating social exclusion. 

4.3. 

Combatting racism and xenophobia 

In  May  2004,  the  Council  adopted  a  Declaration  on  Racism  and  Intolerance  in 
relation to Young People18 which establishes a plan of action up to the end of 2005. 

The  Commission  has  stepped  up  its  cooperation  with  the  European  Monitoring 
19  and  has  supported  many  projects  to  combat 
Centre  on  Racism  and  Xenophobia 
racism  and  xenophobia  using  the  YOUTH  programme,  in  particular  a  European 
Internet site against racism and xenophobia for young people20.  

4.4. 

Autonomy for young people 

In October 2003, the Commission organised a seminar on young people’s autonomy 
for experts on various subjects. This is a complex subject relating to young people’s 
economic  independence,  their  free  choice  of  path  in  life  and  their  personal 
development.  Young  people’s  autonomy  is  linked  to  other  policies:  education, 
employment,  social  protection  and  financial  security.  Suggestions  for  action  to  be 
taken  were  made  in  May  2004  to  the  Directors-General  for  Youth,  who  approved 
them. 

4.5. 

Evaluation of the taking into account of the youth dimension in other policies 

The  various  policies  recognised  as  priorities  in  the  White  Paper  have  all  been 
examined  closely  to  ensure  that  they  take  into  account  issues  relating  to  young 
people.  

The  initiatives  taken  are  helping  to  build  bridges  for  the  necessary  interactions 
between the various methods, plans of action and programmes. 

The results are encouraging, but the first lessons to be drawn are: 

16 

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http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-
operation/Youth/2._Priorities/research_partnership.asp#TopOfPage 
http://www.training-youth.net/ 
Declaration of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting 
within the Council, on Racism and Intolerance in relation to Young People (9405/04 of 28 May 2004). 
http://www.eumc.eu.int/eumc/index.php 
http://www.d-a-s-h.org 

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– 

– 

that you have to better understand the situation of young people with regard to 
these  policies  in  order  to  influence  them,  which  is  why  a  greater  knowledge 
and understanding of youth is important; 

that all actors (policymakers, youth organisations) at all levels (local, regional, 
national and European) have to be mobilised in order to have real impact. 

5. 

OTHER 
IMPLEMENTING THE WHITE PAPER PRIORITIES  

INITIATIVES  AND  ACTIONS  UNDERTAKEN 

IN  THE  CONTEXT  OF 

In addition to the activities provided for in the Council Resolution, the Commission 
undertook to step up the Union’s political action in the priority areas identified in the 
White Paper.  

5.1. 

Participation 

The participation of young people is a policy objective and is treated as such in the 
OMC. It is also one of the principles of good governance at European level. In this 
context: 

– 

– 

– 

The Commission has organised a direct dialogue with young people and their 
organisations at each step of the OMC. 

The  conferences  co-organised  with  the  Council  Presidencies  on  subjects 
relating to young people’s participation and voluntary activities have facilitated 
the  development  of  regular  and  structured  dialogue  between  young  people, 
administrations and policymakers. 

The Commission has supported the initiatives to involve young people actively 
in  the  discussions  surrounding  the  drafting  of  the  new  European  Constitution 
(YOUTH 2002, convention for young people in July 2002). 

In the context of new activities for the benefit of young people, the Commission has 
launched two calls for proposals for pilot projects in favour of youth participation21 
and their networking. 

5.2. 

Information 

The  European  Youth  Week  from  29  September  to  5  October  200322  enabled  to 
highlight the political action taken in favour of young people at European level and 
in the Member States, as well as the results of the YOUTH programme, with a series 
of events at the European Parliament, the Commission and throughout Europe. 

The launch of the European portal on youth23, in May 2004, was the conclusion of a 
long-term  project  to  provide  accessible,  useful  and  high-quality  information  for 
young Europeans, as announced in the White Paper.  

21 
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OJ C/140 of 14.6.2003 and OJ C/113 of 30.4.2004 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/youthweek/index_en.html 
http://europa.eu.int/youth/ 

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5.3. 

Voluntary activities 

Together with the Italian Presidency, the Commission organised, in November 2003, 
a  conference  on  civic  services  in  Europe.  The  conference  called  for  enhanced 
cooperation between these services at European level24. 

5.4. 

Greater understanding and knowledge of youth 

The  Commission  has  published  the  results  of  two  Eurobarometer  surveys,  one  in 
2001 for the Member States of the Union25, the other in 2003 for the then candidate 
countries26, confirming that young people’s interest in Europe is accompanied by a 
certain mistrust of traditional political institutions. 

Researchers working in the youth field were involved in drawing up the White Paper, 
the proposed common objectives, the conferences organised by the Presidencies and 
the work of the group on autonomy. 

An  agreement  between  the  Commission  and  the  Council  of  Europe  has  led  to 
progress  in  the  development  of  a  database  on  youth  policies,  and  the  development 
and enhancement of analyses and data on the OMC priorities. 

5.5. 

New European programme for youth 

On 14 July 2004, the Commission proposed  a new European programme  for  youth 
for the period 2007-2013, entitled YOUTH IN ACTION. This new programme will 
ensure continuity with the current programme and facilitate the development of new 
activities in support of the priorities established in the context of policy cooperation, 
in  particular  young  people’s  participation,  which  contributes  to  their  active 
citizenship,  the  extension  of  voluntary  activities  and  support  for  the  studies  and 
research required to gain a better understanding of youth. 

6. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The Commission calls on the Council to recognise the results achieved so far in the 
area of European cooperation in the youth field. 

All  the  undertakings  in  the  Commission  White  Paper  have  been  fulfilled.  A 
consistent  cooperation  framework  has  been  created.  A  widespread  mobilisation  of 
young  people,  youth  organisations,  public  authorities,  ministers  and  European 
institutions has been achieved. 

Yet,  already,  the  Union  is  facing  new  challenges  in  this  field.  It  is  important  to 
prevent  any  loss  of  the  new  impetus  imparted  by  the  White  Paper.  Once  the  new 
Constitutional  Treaty  has  been  ratified,  new  actions  will  be  needed,  given  that 
society in general and youth in particular are evolving so fast.  

24 
25 
26 

http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/whitepaper/post-launch/post_en_3.html#voluntary 
EB 55.1 ‘Young Europeans in 2001’ 
CCEB 2003.1 ‘Youth in the New Europe’ 

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For  this  reason,  the  Commission  would  like  to  draw  the  Council’s  attention  to  the 
following aspects: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

The  priorities  of  the  framework  of  European  cooperation  in  the  youth  field, 
which should guide political action in this area in the coming years (reinforcing 
existing priorities, new priorities, etc.) must be discussed. 

The  balance  between  the  flexibility  and  effectiveness  of  the  open  method  of 
coordination in the youth field must be reassessed.  

The open method of coordination must lead to effective action at Member State 
level, in particular in order to continue to guarantee young people’s support for 
and commitment to the process. 

Young people should be consulted constantly, in a structured and effective way 
at both national and European level. 

The Commission will communicate its conclusions to the European Parliament, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. 

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