Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council Creating the ‘YOUTH IN ACTION’ programme for the period 2007-2013
Date: 2004-11-17
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: action programme, voluntary work, young person, youth policy

C 71/34

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parlia-
ment and of the Council Creating the ‘YOUTH IN ACTION’ programme for the period 2007-2013

(2005/C 71/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Having regard to the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council – Creating the
‘YOUTH IN ACTION’ programme for the period 2007-2013 (COM (2004) 471 final – 2004/0152 (COD);

Having regard to the decision of the European Commission of 14 July 2004 to consult it on this subject,
under the first paragraph of Article 265 and Article 149 of the Treaty establishing the European Com-
munity;

Having regard to the decision of its President of 27 January 2004 to instruct its Commission for Culture
and Education to draw up an opinion on this subject;

Having regard to its opinion on the working document of the European Commission entitled Towards a
European voluntary service for young people (CdR 191/1996 fin) (1);

Having regard to its opinion on the Community action programme on European voluntary service for young
people (2) (CdR 86/1997 fin);

Having regard to its opinion on the Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing the
second phase of the Community action programme in the field of education - SOCRATES; the Proposal for a Council
Decision establishing the second phase of the Community vocational training action programme - LEONARDO DA
VINCI; and the Proposal
for a European Parliament and Council Decision establishing the Community action
programme - YOUTH (3) (CdR 226/1998 fin);

Having regard to its opinion on the Commission's Communication on the 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 cooperation in the
youth field (4) (CdR 309/2003 fin);

Having regard to its opinion on the European Commission White Paper on A new impetus for European
youth (5) (CdR 389/2001 fin);

Having regard to its opinion on the Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council
on A single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (6) (CdR 307/2003 fin);

Having regard to its global opinion on the follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus for European Youth
- Proposed common objectives for voluntary activities by young people and Proposed common objectives for
greater understanding and knowledge of youth (7) (CdR 192/2004 fin);

(1) OJ C 42 of 10.2.1997, p.1
(2) OJ C 244 of 11.8.1997, p.47 (COM(96) 610 final - 96/0318 (COD)).
(3) OJ C 51 of 22.2.1999, p.77 (COM(98) 329 final, COM(98) 330 final and COM(98) 331 final).
(4) OJ C 22 of 24.1.2001, p.7 (COM(2003) 184 final).
(5) OJ C 373 of 2.12.1998, p.20 (COM(2001) 681 final).
(6) (COM(2003) 796 final).
(7) (COM(2004) 336 final and COM(2004) 337 final).

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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 (8);

Having regard to Decision No. 790/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April
2004 establishing a Community action programme to promote bodies active at European level in the field
of youth (9);

Having regard to the 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 coop-
eration in the youth field (10);

Having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council on the 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 coopera-
tion in the youth field (COM(2003) 184 final);

Having regard to the Council resolution of 25 November 2003 on common objectives for participation by
and information for young people (11);

Having regard to the resolutions of the Council and of the Ministers for Youth meeting within the Council
on youth participation (12), on the non-formal education dimension of sporting activities in the European
Community youth programmes (13), on the social inclusion of young people (14) and on promoting young
people's initiative, enterprise and creativity (15);

Having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
on A European Voluntary Service for young people (COM(96) 610 final - 96/0318 (COD));

Having regard to the recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 July 2001 on
mobility within the Community of students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trai-
ners (16);

Having regard to the report from the Commission entitled Interim Evaluation of the Youth programme 2000 –
2006 (for the period 2000 - 2003) (COM(2004) 158 final);

Having regard to the White Paper on European governance (COM(2001) 428 final);

Having regard to Articles 13 and 149 of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the
European Community;

Having regard to its draft opinion CdR 270/2004 Rev.1 adopted on 22 September 2004 by its Commis-
sion for Culture and Education (Rapporteur: Mr Alvaro Ancisi, Member of the Municipal Council of
Ravenna (IT/EPP);

adopted the following opinion at its 57th plenary session, held on 17-18 November 2004 (meeting
of 17 November).

(8) OJ L 117 of 18.5.2000, p. 1.
(9) OJ L 138 of 30.4.2004, p. 24.
(10) OJ C 168 of 13.7.2002, p.2
(11) OJ C 295 of 5.12.2003, p.6
(12) OJ C 42 of 17.2.1999, p.1
(13) OJ C 8 of 12.1.2000 p.5
(14) OJ C 374 of 28.12.2000, p.5
(15) OJ C 196 of 12.7.2001, p.2
(16) OJ C 613 of …. 2001

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1. The Committee of the Regions' views

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

1.8
stresses that the particular national circumstances of
each country must be taken into account in the implementa-
tion of the programme. It should be possible to allocate funds
local
for activities which fall naturally within the remit of
authorities. Similarly,
it should be possible to support local
activities which have already been tried and tested;

believes

1.1
that promoting European citizenship and
including young people in society are top political priorities for
the Committee; that it is at local and regional level that young
people express active citizenship in practice; and that
the
proposal is linked to the EDUC commission's priorities (point
1.2 of the EDUC Commission work programme for 2004);

is therefore aware that young people's active citizen-
1.2
ship, their sense of European belonging, and their growing
sense of solidarity and mutual understanding are essential for
the social cohesion of the Union and for peace;

1.3
supports the five areas of actions identified by the
Commission, and particularly those on ‘Youth for Europe’ and
‘European voluntary service’, as these may influence, and have
a multiplier effect on, national youth policies;

1.4
especially welcomes the ‘Youth of the World’ action
programme which extends opportunities for exchanges and
voluntary work to neighbouring countries of
the enlarged
Union; also welcomes actions 4 and 5 for identifying support
systems to foster cooperation between youth workers, civil
society
policymakers
working on youth issues;

administrations

organisations,

and

1.9
notes that the introduction and annexes to the proposal
provide for financing of partnerships with regional and local
in the long term,
authorities, with the aim of developing,
projects which combine several of the programme's measures,
with the funding being used for coordination projects and
activities; and notes that partnerships with local and regional
authorities are also provided for in relation to the action
concerning youth workers and support systems. However, the
Committee points out that these provisions are not clearly
incorporated into the text of the decision itself.

2. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

a) believes it is important to identify new instruments to
simplify the programme and make it more flexible,
make procedures transparent and ensure that programme
users have easy access to information,
for example by
exploring possibilities for greater decentralisation of struc-
tures;

1.5
concurs with the decision to take account of demo-
graphic, economic and socio-cultural change and to widen the
programme's target audience by extending it to the 13–30 age
group rather than the 15-25 group;

b) believes that for the programme to be successful, the role
of local and regional authorities should be more fully
exploited, enabling young people to become fully involved
in active citizenship, in the political and day-to-day life of
their community, in voluntary work and in building a sense
of solidarity;

1.6 welcomes the open method of coordination adopted
and the principle that EU policies on youth issues should
complement national policies, on condition that local and
regional authorities are fully involved, that their fundamental
role in ensuring the success of the programme is fully exploited
and that the method is guided by the principles of subsidiarity,
proximity and proportionality;

c) emphasises that

information on the programme can be
most effectively guaranteed at regional and local level, not
least for disadvantaged young people. The regional and local
level is also the ideal environment to trigger new initiatives,
promote the growth of youth NGOs and their planning
capacity at European level, and to experiment and exchange
best practice;

recognises that participating countries need to adopt
1.7
suitable measures to tackle mobility problems so that partici-
pants can benefit
fully. Suitable instruments must also be
adopted at national and European level to ensure that the
young people participating in the programme receive recogni-
tion for the voluntary work carried out and the non-formal and
informal training received. Integrating the ‘Youth’ programme
with other Community action programmes would be helpful
here.

d) believes

that

the following three key points, which
the
emerged clearly from the
programme and are being addressed by the Commission,
should be monitored constantly:

interim evaluation of

— the lack of legislation on voluntary work in many
European countries to protect the rights of volunteers
and recognise the special nature of their work;

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— the problems faced by participants as regards mobility,
and their legal, social and health protection rights, parti-
cularly in partner countries;

— the lack of suitable instruments, at national and Euro-
pean level, that recognise the non-formal and informal
education received by young people participating in the
programme's actions;

e) highlights the need to support NGOs that are active at Euro-
pean level, and the European Youth Forum; but emphasises
the equally important need to support national forums and
link them in networks, to promote opportunities for young
people's local initiatives and for the small associations that
promote European projects locally.

Recommendation 1

Article 3(5)

Text of the Commission proposal

CoR Amendment

In the context of the general objective to promote Euro-
pean cooperation in youth policies

In the context of the general objective to promote Euro-
pean cooperation in youth policies, particularly at regional
and local level

R e a s o n

The amendment takes account of the fact that it is at local community level that good practices promoting
young people's active citizenship can be developed, encouraging them to play a part in the life of their
community, in the mechanisms of representative democracy and in learning to participate.

Recommendation 2

Article 8(2)

Text of the Commission proposal

CoR Amendment

The Commission and the participating countries shall take
appropriate measures to develop structures at European,
national and, if necessary, regional or local level to achieve
the objectives of the programme and to derive the greatest
benefit from the actions of the programme.

The Commission and the participating countries shall take
appropriate measures to develop structures at European,
national and, if necessary, regional or local level to achieve
the objectives of the programme and to derive the greatest
benefit from the actions of the programme.

R e a s o n

To achieve the programme's objectives there needs to be widespread access to information on the opportu-
nities that it offers for both young people and youth workers. It is also important to support NGO projects
at regional and local level and publicise the measures that support young people's initiatives.

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Recommendation 3

Article 8(3)

Text of the Commission proposal

CoR Amendment

The Commission and the participating countries shall take
appropriate measures in order to promote the recognition
of non-formal and informal education for young people,
in particular via the issue of a national or European-level
document or certificate recognising,
the
experience gained by the beneficiaries and attesting to the
direct participation of the young people or youth workers
in an action under the programme.

in particular,

The Commission and the participating countries shall take
appropriate measures in order to promote the recognition
of non-formal and informal education for young people, in
particular via the issue of a national or European-level
document or certificate recognising,
the
experience gained by the beneficiaries and attesting to the
direct participation of the young people or youth workers
in an action under the programme or in a similar action
that has gained European recognition. This objective may
be strengthened by complementarity with other Com-
munity actions as stipulated in Article 11.

in particular,

R e a s o n

To obtain recognition of non-formal or informal competences gained by participating in voluntary work,
solidarity activities and cultural exchanges, these activities must link up with other fields of Community
action such as education, training and culture as laid down in Article 11, and with national policies and
instruments as laid down in Article 12.

Recommendation 4

Article 8(6)(b)

Text of the Commission proposal

CoR Amendment

6 (b) (bis) may provide that national agencies decentralise
some of their responsibilities at regional and
local level

R e a s o n

The decentralisation of some functions of national agencies at regional and local level can secure greater
access and proximity to those benefiting from the programmes. This could be especially useful in helping
small NGOs, as regards information, promotion, the bidding phase and project assessment, and also for
reaching young people with fewer opportunities.

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Recommendation 5

Article 12(1)

Text of the Commission proposal

CoR Amendment

The participating countries may be awarded a European
label for national or regional actions similar to those in
Article 4.

The participating countries may be awarded a European
label for national, or regional or local actions similar to
those in Article 4.

R e a s o n

Young people's first steps in democratic life and voluntary work are mainly made at local authority level. It
is here also that non-formal and informal learning settings are developed.

Recommendation 6

Article 4(4)

Draft opinion

Amendment

4) Youth workers and support systems

4) Youth workers and support systems

The aim of this action is to support bodies active at Euro-
pean level in the field of youth, in particular the operation
of youth NGOs, their networking, the exchange, training
and networking of youth workers, encouraging innovation
and quality, providing young people with information and
developing the structures and activities needed for the
programme to meet these goals.

The aim of this action is to support bodies active at Euro-
pean level in the field of youth, in particular the operation
of youth NGOs, their networking, the exchange, training
and networking of youth workers, encouraging innovation
and quality, providing young people with information and
developing the structures and activities needed for the
programme to meet these goals; and to promote partner-
ships with regional and local authorities.

R e a s o n

To emphasise in the main body of the decision, too, the goal of promoting partnerships with regional and
local authorities, which is already mentioned in the introduction and annexes with reference to Action 4.

Brussels, 17 November 2004.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB