Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on implementing the common objectives for participation by and information for young people in view of promoting their active European citizenship
Date: 2006-12-07
Institutions: Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
Subjects: European citizenship, citizens' Europe, information, public awareness campaign, youth policy

C 297/6

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Official Journal of the European Union

7.12.2006

Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States,
meeting within the Council, on implementing the common objectives for participation by and
information for young people in view of promoting their active European citizenship

(2006/C 297/02)

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

whereas

In its Resolution of 27 June 2002 (1)
the Council
adopted the open method of coordination as a new
framework for European cooperation in the youth field
and endorsed the four thematic priority areas for youth
highlighted in the Commission's White Paper of
for youth’,
November 2001 entitled ‘A new impetus
namely participation,
information, voluntary activities
and a greater understanding and knowledge of youth;

In its Resolution of 25 November 2003 (2), the Council
adopted common objectives for participation by and
information for young people under the open method of
coordination and agreed to report on the implementa-
tion of those objectives by the end of 2005;

The European Council of March 2005 (3) adopted the
European Youth Pact as one of the instruments contri-
buting to the achievement of the Lisbon objectives;

In its Resolution of 24 May 2005 (4) on implementing
the common objectives
the
Council agreed to focus on increased networking among
youth-oriented information structures and on the contin-
uous training of those involved in the youth information
field;

for youth information,

(7)

(8)

In its Resolution of 15 November 2005 (7) on addressing
the concerns of young people, the Council invited the
Commission to develop a structured dialogue and called
on the Commission and the Member States to evaluate
the framework of European cooperation in the youth
field in 2009;

In its Communication of 20 July 2006 (8), the Commis-
sion proposed to confirm the relevance and validity of
the common objectives on participation by and informa-
tion for young people and to adapt and to intensify
implementation of
the adopted lines of action. The
Commission also proposed concrete actions for struc-
turing dialogue with young people and reinforcing the
governance of the open method of coordination;

noting that

1.

2.

In its European Youth Information Charter the European
Youth Information and Counselling Agency lays down a
number of guidelines for minimum standards and quality
measures which may serve as elements of a comprehensive,
coherent and coordinated approach to youth information
work, which is a part of youth policy;

In its revised European Charter on the Participation of
Young People in Local and Regional Life, the Council of
Europe highlighted the importance of creating the condi-
tions for genuine dialogue and partnership between young
people and local and regional authorities and enabling
young people and their representatives to be full actors in
the policies affecting them;

EMPHASISE THAT

In its Resolution of 24 May 2005 (5) on increasing parti-
cipation by young people in the system of representative
democracy,
in 2006 to
the Council agreed to meet
review progress on this objective on the basis of national
reports on the participation priority;

1.

the socio-economic and cultural challenges posed by the
decline in the proportion of young people in the European
population should be reflected in EC policies on youth and
generations;

In its Resolution of 24 May 2005 on the evaluation of
activities conducted in the framework of European coop-
eration in the youth field (6), the Council agreed upon
imple-
to further develop procedures
measures
menting the open method of coordination;

for

(1) OJ C 168, 13.07.2002, p. 2.
(2) OJ C 295, 5.12.2003, p. 6.
(3) 7619/1/05. Conclusion 37
(4) OJ C 141, 10.06.2005, p. 5.
(5) OJ C 141, 10.06.2005, p. 3.
(6) OJ C 141, 10.06.2005, p. 1.

2. cross-sectoral youth policies are of great importance to the
efficient implementation of the Lisbon Strategy objectives
for growth, jobs and citizenship policies;

3.

the common priorities for participation by and information
for young people have provided an impetus for national
youth policies and remain essential for promoting active
citizenship among young people, especially those with
fewer opportunities;

(7) OJ C 292, 24.11.2005, p. 5.
(8) 11957/06.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

5.

6.

7.

8.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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4. youth organisations play a key role in facilitating and
promoting youth participation and supporting young
people in achieving their full potential;

it is essential to
for the development of youth policies,
engage young people,
those active in youth work and
youth organisations, as well as youth researchers — recog-
nising their respective areas of competence — in policy-
shaping discussions on matters affecting young people;

the concept of active citizenship should be broadened to
encompass not only its social and political dimensions, but
also its cultural, economic and evolving technological
aspects;

7.

8.

in order to increase young people's sense of European citi-
zenship, advantage should be taken of other initiatives such
as the Commission's Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and
Debate (1);

the priority themes to be discussed until 2009 within this
inclusion and diversity in
structured dialogue are social
2007, intercultural dialogue in 2008 and perspectives for
continued cooperation in the youth field in 2009. These
issues should be discussed in parallel with the priority
themes tackled under the Youth OMC and the European
Youth Pact, as well as with horizontal priorities agreed
upon in the youth field, such as anti-discrimination and
health. These themes would be further defined by the Presi-
dencies in accordance with their particular agendas.

the various forms of active citizenship which exist should
be considered as an opportunity for enhancing democracy
and bringing new topics to the political agenda;

INVITE THE MEMBER STATES TO

the open method of coordination in the youth field should
be reinforced as a means of better
implementing the
common objectives, when developing national youth policy
programmes and strategies.

AGREE THAT

the relevance and validity of the common objectives for
participation by and information for young people adopted
in 2003 are confirmed;

the lines of action adopted for the common objectives for
participation by and information for young people, as
described in the Annex hereto, will be adapted and
improved;

1.

2.

identify, by the end of March 2007, those lines of action
for participation and information on which they intend to
concentrate and to define concrete measures and/or action
plans for their implementation;

set up preparatory and follow-up mechanisms to ensure
the effective implementation of the common objectives in
inter alia young
cooperation with the relevant actors,
people, youth organisations, youth researchers and local
and regional authorities;

3. promote the common objectives for participation and
information amongst regional and local authorities, youth
organisations and young people and closely cooperate with
regional and local authorities in order to ensure the fullest
possible implementation of those objectives;

fora for debate and dialogue with young people, those
active in youth work and youth organisations, and youth
researchers, should be better structured and further devel-
oped, from the local to the European level;

4.

indicate, when reporting on the common objectives for
greater knowledge and understanding of youth at the end
of 2008, how the identified lines of action for the common
objectives for participation by and information for young
people have been implemented.

the opinions and concerns of young people should be
taken into account through both bottom-up and top-down
dialogue processes,
in order to ensure the inclusion of
those aspects of young people's lives which they themselves
consider relevant;

NOTE THAT THE COMMISSION INTENDS TO

1.

launch a youth-specific Eurobarometer;

5. due account should be taken of this structured dialogue
and its outcome in policy-making at the relevant levels;

2. mobilise European youth information networks (2)

to

support the structured dialogue;

6. an informal forum composed of representatives of young
people, the current and future Council Presidencies, the
European Parliament and the Commission should be set up
and should meet regularly, in order to ensure consistency
and continuity between agendas in the youth field;

3.

further develop the European Youth Portal;

(1) 14775/05 and 9393/06.
(2) Such as ERYICA, EURODESK and EYCA

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4. organise together with relevant partners in the participating
countries, and on a regular basis, a European Youth week
with the participation of Commissioners and representa-
tives of the other European institutions, preceded by a
European youth portal consultation whenever possible;

5. arrange encounters with young people who do not usually

have contacts with the European institutions.

INVITE THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION TO

1. ensure that the process of the open method of coordination
remains open and transparent and that the best possible
use is made of the information provided by that process;

2. develop and support a continuous and structured dialogue
aimed at ensuring a timely and effective contribution by
young people and other relevant actors in the youth field
towards the formulation of policies relevant
to young
people's lives;

3. collaborate with the relevant actors,

inter alia local and
regional authorities, as well as with educational institutions
and non-governmental organisations,
in setting up this
structured dialogue;

4. endeavour to ensure that the structured dialogue brings
together those involved in youth issues either directly or

indirectly, in order to develop a more coherent and cross-
sectoral approach to such issues;

5. encourage an inclusive approach to this dialogue involving
young people engaged in various and innovative forms of
active citizenship, non-organised young people and young
people with fewer opportunities and create conditions for
the equal participation of all young people;

6. encourage peer learning activities on information for and
participation by young people, where appropriate involving
European countries which are not members of the EU;

7.

set up on a voluntary basis a working group at European
level to consider practical means of assessing the impact of
implementation of the common objectives for participation
by and information for young people. The Commission is
invited to report back to the Council on the results
achieved by this working group;

8. make the best use of the 2007 — 2013 ‘Youth in Action’

programme to support this structured dialogue;

9. discuss the implementation of this structured dialogue at
national and European level in the context of the evaluation
of the framework of European cooperation in the youth
field in 2009.

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ANNEX

MEASURES TO REINFORCE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON OBJECTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION BY
AND INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Depending on the circumstances and priorities of each Member State, and without prejudice to the different responsibil-
ities of the national, regional and local authorities within the Member States, the following non-exhaustive list of lines of
action may be pursued:

1. Access for young people to information services

INFORMATION

(a) establish and promote — notably through the improved coordination of information services in their territory —

coherent, overarching youth information strategies which address all issues relevant to young people;

(b) develop web-based information and counselling services and other innovative approaches to youth information,
such as mobile youth information units, so as to facilitate the access to information of young people with fewer
opportunities;

2. Quality information

(c) provide education and training opportunities for those responsible for youth information;

(d) further develop individual information and counselling services;

(e) develop youth information and counselling services suited to the needs of young people themselves, and use

those information channels that are most frequently used by young people;

(f) make the best use of existing guidelines for minimum quality standards and/or develop quality standards in order

to ensure high quality information;

(g) improve the evaluation of the quality of the information;

(h) endeavour to ensure that the findings of youth research are available in an understandable and user-friendly

manner;

3. Participation by young people in information activities

(i) encourage youth organisations to disseminate information about their central role in building civil society;

(j) enhance the participation of young people in producing and evaluating public information strategies;

(k) encourage young people to participate in the collection, production and dissemination of information targeted at

them and of interest to them, and in related counselling activities.

1. Participation by young people in civic life

PARTICIPATION

(a) create suitable conditions for the functioning of youth organisations and youth action groups, for instance by

providing financial support or facilities for their activities;

(b) encourage the provision of wide-ranging and equal opportunities for all young people to participate;

(c) encourage young people and youth organisations to establish global partnerships;

(d) identify new forms of participation and support pilot projects to underpin these new forms;

(e) promote structured dialogue with young people on issues that are of concern to them, involving both national
youth councils and young people engaged in new forms of active citizenships, such as networks and action
groups, in the consultation process;

(f) support the development of and networking between local participative structures, such as youth councils, which
systematically involve young people in local decision-making bodies and mobilise the support of regional and
local authorities;

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(g) ensure that young people are systematically consulted on matters concerning them and encourage the develop-

ment and the implementation of local youth initiatives;

(h) create cross-sectoral policies at national level and involve young people in their implementation;

(i) study the possibilities for establishing web-based associations;

(j) develop tools to promote participation, such as guidelines for participatory mechanisms or interactive policy

participation fora on the Internet.

2. Greater participation by young people in the system of representative democracy

(k) develop practical measures to ensure the increased participation of young people in the institutions of represen-

tative democracy, whilst respecting the values of human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality;

(l) make better use of information technology to facilitate the participation of young people in elections at local,

national, regional and European levels;

(m) where appropriate, consider debating the voting age and make full use of the experience gained in some

Member States;

3. Support for various forms of learning to participate

(n) develop synergies with actions that are undertaken in the education field. At European level this can be achieved
through closer links with the open method of coordination in education and training. Appropriate measures at
national, regional and local level, for instance active citizenship initiatives with schools, should be developed
within the Member States;

(o) provide young people with non-formal learning opportunities that will increase their participation in the develop-
ment of civil society and strengthen the links between school and civil society, youth organisations and local
youth work. Special attention should be paid to young people with fewer opportunities;

(p) develop, assess and disseminate best practices on democracy education and youth participation.