Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 24 May 2005 meeting within the Council on the evaluation of activities conducted in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field
Date: 2005-06-10
Institutions: Council of the European Union, Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
Subjects: political cooperation, youth policy

10.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 141/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of
24 May 2005 meeting within the Council on the evaluation of activities conducted in the frame-
work of European cooperation in the youth field

(2005/C 141/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTA-
TIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES MEETING
WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

5. On 15 November 2004 the Commission submitted to the
Council a communication on the evaluation of activities
conducted in the framework of European cooperation in
the youth field (5).

Whereas:

1. The European Commission's White Paper entitled ‘A new
impetus for European youth’ (1), presented on 21 November
2001, sets out a new framework for European cooperation
on youth affairs.

2. The Council,

in its conclusions of 14 February 2002 (2),
recognised the White Paper as the starting point for devel-
oping a European framework for cooperation on youth
affairs.

3. In its Resolution of 27 June 2002 (3) the Council

(a) adopted the open method of coordination as the new
framework for cooperation on youth policy and
approved four thematic priorities: participation, infor-
mation, voluntary activities and greater understanding
and knowledge of youth;

(b) invited the Commission, no later than the end of the
first implementation exercise for the four thematic prio-
rities, to prepare an evaluation report in association
with the Member States on the framework for coopera-
tion, covering in particular an evaluation of the open
method of coordination and, as appropriate, sugges-
tions for its modification, and to submit that report to
the Council for consideration.

4. In its resolution of 25 November 2003 (4), the Council
recalled that implementation must be flexible, incremental
and appropriate for the youth field, and must respect the
powers of the Member States and the principle of subsi-
diarity.

6. On 21 February 2005, the Council adopted a contribution
to the Spring European Council on the basis of a commis-
sion Communication (‘Working together for growth jobs
— A new start for the Lisbon strategy’) on the Mid-term
review of the Lisbon Strategy which states that ‘we still need
a vision for society which can integrate both the ageing and the
young’.

7. The Spring European Council on 22 and 23 March 2005
adopted a European Pact for youth as one of the instru-
ments for fulfilling the Lisbon objectives.

EMPHASISE THAT trends among young people are changing
constantly, hence the need for regular adjustments to youth
policy priorities.

WELCOME the assessment given by the Commission in its
communication entitled ‘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’, which points out that political cooperation has
paved the way for:

(1) 14441/01 – COM(2001) 681 final.
(2) OJ C 119, 22.5.2002, p. 6.
(3) OJ C 168, 13.7.2002, p. 2.
(4) OJ C 295, 5.12.2003, p. 6.

— the consultation and closer involvement of young people

and their organisations at all levels of political debate,

(5) 13856/04 – COM(2004) 694 final.

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Official Journal of the European Union

10.6.2005

— the development of

and structured dialogue
between young people and their organisations, administra-
tions and policymakers,

regular

— the direct involvement of young people and their organisa-
tions in the discussions on the European Constitution,

— a higher profile for measures targeting young people,

— exchanges of examples of good practice,

— the launch of the European Youth Portal.

SHARE THE VIEW of the Commission who, in its communica-
tion of 27 October 2004, highlights the following points as
warranting closer consideration:

— priorities for European cooperation with regard to youth

policy,

— the need for all actors (policymakers, youth organisations)
at all levels (local, national and European) to be mobilised
in order to have a real impact.

AGREE

— to further develop the procedures for implementing the
open method of coordination once the common objectives
for a given priority have been agreed; this could involve:

— taking stock of the national situation in respect of these
objectives, using a set of methods determined by each
Member State,

— setting out priority lines of action,

— assessing the progress achieved since the initial review,

— consulting young people in an appropriate fashion at

— the effectiveness of the open method of coordination as it

the various stages of the process,

affects young people,

— a reassessment of the balance between the flexibility and
effectiveness of the open method of coordination in the
youth field,

— the need for young people and their organisations to be
consulted constantly and in a structured way, at both
national and European level,

— the need for a better understanding of the situation of
the youth

young people in order to take into account
dimension in other policies and to influence such policies.

— to ensure consistency between the open method of coordi-

nation and the European Pact for Youth.

INVITE THE COMMISSION

to propose implementing procedures, taking into consideration
the above agreed principles in view of a future implementation
by Member States, bearing in mind the Conclusions of the
Spring European Council, the national reports relating to the
common objectives on Participation and Information, and
taking into account the views of young people and their orga-
nisations.