COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the European Year of Youth 2022
Date: 2024-01-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: EU policy, EU strategy, European cultural event, policymaking, promotion of the European idea, young person, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 10.1.2024  COM(2024) 1 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the European Year of Youth 2022 {SWD(2024) 1 final}  
 
 
1 

INTRODUCTION 

In 2024, young Europeans are the most educated, tech-savvy, mobile, and connected generation to 
date. Young EU citizens report on average rather high levels of subjective wellbeing1. They are active 
in the societies they live in2 and the age group which is the most satisfied with how democracy works 
in the EU3. At the same time, they are marked by the global financial crisis of 2008, the COVID-19 
pandemic and  the ongoing  Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Volatility, uncertainty and 
unprecedented  change  are  customary  for  the  73  million  young  people4  in  the  European  Union, 
influencing  their  life  opportunities  and  mental  health.  Despite  the  multiple  crises  today’s  young 
people have developed a high level of resilience.    

This context has shaped the viewpoints, needs and behaviours of today’s youth.   

While young people are heterogeneous, expressing different and sometimes conflicting visions, one 
thing is clear: they offer a unique generational perspective.  Including this diverse youth perspective 
in the process of making decisions about the present and the future is not only fair, but necessary.  

The magnitude of the challenges we face today require the engagement of all. To sustain democracy, 
secure peace, stand firm on European values and make the most of the green and digital transitions, 
we need the creativity, energy and diverse talents of all citizens, especially young people.  

That is why, in her State of the European Union address on 15 September 20215, President von der 
Leyen proposed to designate 2022 as the European Year of Youth, as a tribute to the resilience that 
young people demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic and to empower them to shape Europe’s 
future in a post-pandemic world. Support for a strong youth dimension in EU priorities and policies 
was  echoed  in  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council,  as  well  as  through  key  stakeholder 
organisations such as the European Youth Forum. 

‘Voice your Vision’ was the slogan of the European Year of Youth, a year that aimed to give young 
people positive prospects, to boost their participation in democratic life, in line with the Treaty of 
Lisbon and to give them a stronger voice in EU policymaking.  

The upcoming European elections in June 2024 further amplify the importance of engaging young 
people in the democratic process. The next European Parliament will have a deciding voice in areas 
of concern to young people – health and wellbeing, environment and climate, education and training, 
international cooperation and European values, employment and inclusion. It is therefore crucial that 
young  citizens  take  the  opportunity  to  express  their  choice  for  Europe  and  ensure  their  preferred 
representation in the EU’s directly elected assembly.  

The European Commission is committed to further delivering on young people’s expectations to give 
them a better future. This commitment will be solidified with the introduction of a youth check to 
ensure that the effects of EU policies on youth are systematically taken into account when designing 
policies, by using the full potential of the Better Regulation framework.  It aims to ensure that the 
needs and voices of young people are considered across policy domains. 

1  In  2022  young  people  16  to  29  rated  their  satisfaction  with  life  on  average  at  7.3  points  on  a  scale  from  0  (very 
dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied) (Eurostat, Quality of life indicators - overall experience of life) 
2 Flash Eurobarometer survey 502 - ‘Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth’, May 2022. 
3 European Parliament’s Spring 2023 Survey: Democracy in action - One year before the European elections 
4 Latest available Eurostat statistics on the total number of young people (aged 15-29 years). See: EU Dashboard - Youth 
- Eurostat (europa.eu). 
5 2021 State of the European Union address (europa.eu). 

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Pursuant to Article 7 of the Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  22  December  2021  on  the  European  Year  of  Youth  (2022)6,  this  Communication  outlines  key 
achievements  of  the  Year  and  priority  actions,  sustaining  the  legacy  of  the  Year  of  Youth.  The 
Commission  proposes  these  measures  in  accordance  with  Article  6(e)  of  the  Treaty  on  the 
Functioning of the European Union, where, in the field of youth, the EU has the mandate to carry out 
action  to  support,  coordinate  or  supplement  action  by  Member  States.  In  particular,  the  Staff 
Working  Document  accompanying 
the 
implementation, results, and overall assessment of the Year. 

this  Communication  contains 

the  full  report  on 

This  Communication  and  Staff  Working  Document,  together  with  the  upcoming  Commission 
evaluation  report  on  the  2019-2027  EU  Youth  Strategy7  (expected  in  2024),  will  help  shape  the 
future of EU youth policy and strengthen the input of young people into EU policymaking.8 

2  EUROPEAN YEAR OF YOUTH – KEY ACHIEVEMENTS9 

The success of the Year was the result of a multi-stakeholder and multi-level co-creation effort 
involving EU institutions, Member States, youth stakeholders and young people. As requested by the 
European Year of Youth Decision10 and to ensure optimal coordination, the Commission created a 
group of 29 national coordinators for the Year, nominated by EU Member States11, 6 national contact 
points in Erasmus+ associated countries and more than 120 European-level youth stakeholders.  

The European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the 
Regions were active contributors to the group. This wide mobilisation of diverse actors in preparing 
and  implementing  the  Year  resulted  in  new  partnerships  at  all  levels,  which  will  positively  affect 
youth cooperation for years to come.  

The Year successfully triggered large-scale mobilisation and engagement at all levels. More than 
2,700 stakeholders12 across the EU and beyond registered activities on the European Youth Portal 
map, contributing to the Year’s four objectives.13  

The activities as part of the Year were for young people and were implemented with and by them. 
Some  92%  of  the  national  coordinators  and  the  non-EU  national  contact  points  collaborated  with 
national  youth  councils  comprised  of  young  people.  Of  the  18  steering  groups/networks  set  up  at 
national level, 16 included national youth councils and 12 included other youth organisations. 

The  Year  brought  the  European,  national,  regional,  and  local  institutions  closer  to  young 
people. Thanks to the Year, a larger number of young Europeans experienced first-hand how the EU 
adds value to their lives, supports their personal development and equips them with key resources 
and  skills  to  become  active  citizens  and  agents  of  solidarity  and  positive  change.  Some  83%  of 

6 Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on the European Year 
of Youth (2022), p. 1. 
7 Resolution of the Council of the European Union on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field: The 
European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027.  
8 Actions related to EU youth policy proposed in this Communication will be developed in synergy with actions under 
the EU Strategy on the rights of the child, COM(2021) 142 final. 
9 A full report of achievements of the European Year of Youth is set out in the accompanying Staff Working Document. 
10 Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on a European Year of 
Youth (2022).  
11 As youth policy is the responsibility of the three language Communities in Belgium, three coordinators were appointed. 
12 Number of stakeholders who submitted activities on the map on the European Youth Portal.  
13 Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on a European Year of 
Youth (2022).  

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activities during the Year took place face-to-face. This outreach effort was important in informing 
young people, including those with fewer opportunities, about numerous opportunities. 

Impact of the Year’s outreach 

Impact of Year of Youth outreach 
Impact of EYY outreach 

Youth Policy Dialogues  
Youth Policy pPolicy dDialogues  
Youth Policy Dialogues  

Over  13,000  activities  organised  by  2,700 
Over  13,000  activities  organised  by  2,700 
stakeholders across 67 countries registered on 
stakeholders across 67 countries registered on 
the European Youth Portal 
the EYY map. 

92%  of  national  coordinators  and  contact 
92%  of  EYY  nationalEYY  cCoordinators  and 
contact  points  worked  with  youth  councils  of 
points  worked  with  youth  councils  of  young 
people. 
young people. 

Over  1  million  page  views  on  the  European 
Over 1 million EYY page views for Year content 
Youth Portal. 
on the European Youth Portal. 

On EU Youth social media channels: 
On EU yYouth social media channels: 

- 210 million impressions 
- 210 million impressions 

- 10 million engagements  
- 10 million engagements  

- 91,4 million people reached. 
- 91,4 million people reached. 

Some 300 young people took part in youth policy 
Some 300 young people took part in youth policy 
Some 300 young people took part in youth policy 
dialogues with European Commissioners. 
dialogues with European Commissioners. 
dialogues with European Commissioners. 

They shared their  ideas and insights  and learned 
They shared their  ideas and insights  and learned 
They shared their  ideas and insights  and learned 
how the EU functions. 
how the EU functions. 
how the EU functions. 

They  networked with their peers  and developed 
They  networked with their peers  and developed 
They  networked with their peers  and developed 
expertise in various policy areas.  
expertise in various policy areas.  
expertise in various policy areas.  

Their  voices  were  amplified  through  online 
Their  voices  were  amplified  through  online 
Their  voices  were  amplified  through  online 
communication campaigns around the dialogues. 
communication campaigns around the dialogues. 
communication campaigns around the dialogues. 
95%  of  participants  rated  the  dialogues  as 
95%  of  participants  rated  the  dialogues  as 
95%  of  participants  rated  the  dialogues  as 
excellent / very good.  
excellent / very good.  
excellent / very good.  

Young people’s biggest expectation of the Year was that society and decision-makers would listen 
more to their demands and would act on them.14 In the context of the Year, young people were at the 
centre of the political agenda and had plenty of  opportunities to voice their vision and ideas on 
issues of importance to them. Close to 90% of stakeholders in the youth sector and 66% of young 
people who provided feedback confirmed that the Year had given them these opportunities to make 
their voice heard. 

Mainstreaming the youth perspective across EU policy fields15 was a key objective of the European 
Year of Youth, achieved through a vast inter-departmental mobilisation across the Commission. More 
than 30 departments contributed, with over 130 policy initiatives for young people, many of which 
were  developed  in  cooperation  with  them.  An  estimated  EUR  140  million  was  identified  in 
relevant  EU  programmes  and  instruments  for  implementing  the  Year’s  objectives,  including  via 
campaigns,  events  and  calls  for  proposals.  At  national  level,  81%  of  national  coordinators  and 
national contact points reported that they had collaborated with ministries or public bodies other than 
those responsible for youth policy. And 69% set up steering groups/networks for the Year (of which 
non-youth-specialised ministries/public bodies formed 61%).  

The  Year’s  core  objectives  of  greater  youth  participation  and  incorporating  the  youth  perspective 
across the policy spectrum were clearly achieved and must be sustained. The European Year of Youth 
was a success story of European cooperation, and its legacy must live on. 

14 Flash Eurobarometer survey 502 - ‘Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth’, May 2022. 
15 The  Year was structured around nine policy areas of special interest to young people: European learning mobility, 
employment and inclusion, policy dialogues and participation, green, digital, culture, health, wellbeing and sports, youth 
and the world and solidarity with Ukraine. 

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3  THE WAY FORWARD 

As a legacy of the Year and in line with the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy, the Commission will take 
forward action in two key areas: 

•  giving young people a stronger voice in EU policymaking and 
•  addressing youth concerns across policy areas. 

These efforts will build on the Commission’s Better Regulation framework, which offers a clear 
structure for the consultation of stakeholders and assessment of impacts. The Commission will ensure 
a  strengthened  internal  capacity  to  work  with  young  people  and  will  put  in  place  strong  and 
continuous dialogue with stakeholders throughout the policymaking cycle.  

The Commission’s reflections have been informed by a variety of proposals to take forward efforts 
to deepen the youth dimension of EU policies16. The European Youth Forum set out suggestions 
for an EU Youth Test17. The European Parliament in its resolution on the legacy of the Year18 called 
on the Commission to adopt an EU Youth Test to ensure the engagement and commitment of young 
people in the preparation of EU policies. In its conclusions on youth mainstreaming19, the Council 
invited the Commission to use its Better Regulation framework to factor in the impact of new policies 
on young people.   

3.1  GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE A STRONGER VOICE IN EU POLICYMAKING 

Every action that the EU takes should be inspired by solidarity between generations. The Commission 
commits to upholding intergenerational justice in its decisions to ‘leave the world a better place for 
the next generation’20. Furthermore, many EU policy initiatives and decisions have a direct impact 
on the lives of the current generation of young people, as also shown in the European youth goals21, 
which are an integral part of the EU Youth Strategy. Therefore, youth ‘mainstreaming’ – factoring in 
the youth dimension into all relevant policy areas – is a priority for EU youth policy cooperation. 

To  integrate  the  youth  perspective  across  policy  areas  when  designing  or  changing  policies,  the 
Commission will therefore ensure a ‘youth check’ by making full use of Better Regulation and 
consultation tools. This youth check does not start from scratch, as the Commission already has a set 
of  relevant  Better  Regulation22  tools,  that  will  be  complemented  with  several  youth-specific 
instruments under the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy23. 

16 The European Economic and Social Committee has adopted an own-initiative opinion on the EU Youth Test (SOC/728 
EU Youth Test); the Committee of the Regions refers to the ‘youth test’ in the Charter on Youth and Democracy launched 
with the European Youth Forum.  
17 European Youth Forum - EU Youth Test. 
18 European Parliament resolution of 24 November 2022 on the European Year of Youth 2022 legacy (2022/2953(RSP)). 
19  Conclusions  of  the  Council  of  the  European  Union  on  promoting  youth  mainstreaming  in  policy  decision-making 
processes in the European Union, (C/2023/1342). 
20 State of the Union 2022 (europa.eu). 
21 European Youth Goals | European Youth Portal (europa.eu). 
22 The European Commission’s Better Regulation agenda ensures evidence-based, transparent EU law-making based on 
the views of those impacted. See: Better regulation (europa.eu). 
23 Resolution of the Council of the European Union on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field: The 
European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027. 

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3.1.1  YOUTH CHECK: MAKING FULL USE OF BETTER REGULATION AND 

CONSULTATION TOOLS  

The Commission will ensure that the existing Better Regulation tools are used to their maximum 
potential.  The  Better  Regulation  toolbox  identifies  key  questions  to  establish  the  significance  of 
impacts for young people:  

•  Tool#31 on Education and Training, Culture and Youth, provides guidance, references and 
background on how to assess impacts on youth (democratic life, civil engagement, education 
and learning, labour market, health and wellbeing, inclusion and fight against poverty).  
•  Tool#29  on  Fundamental  rights,  including  the  promotion  of  equality,  includes  explicit 
reference to the age dimension and children’s rights in assessing impacts as well as mitigating 
potential negative impacts when policy decisions that appear neutral may have a differential 
impact on specific groups, even when such impact was neither intended nor envisaged.  
•  Tool#20  on  Strategic  foresight  supports  assessment  of  how  related  megatrends  of  e.g. 
demographic change, access to limited raw materials, rapidly transforming technological and 
socio-economic reality, may affect young people. 

The  full  implementation  of  the  Better  Regulation  tools  will  result  in  a  youth  check.  The  youth 
perspective will be embedded in policymaking in four key phases:  

1.  Assessment of youth relevance – the Commission, with the support of its youth correspondents 
(see  further  below),  and  involving  the  Youth  Network  when  needed,  assesses  if  a  planned 
initiative  included  in  the  priority  initiatives  set  out  in  Annex  I  of  the  Commission  work 
programme will have significant relevance for young people. A consistent process will be used to 
identify these key priority initiatives.  

2.  Youth consultations – when an initiative has been flagged as particularly relevant for youth, the 
Commission  will  consider  a  dedicated  youth  consultation  (targeted  surveys,  discussions  with 
young  people,  representative  youth  organisations  or  the  Youth  Stakeholders’  platform).  In 
addition, in such cases, a mandatory set of questions targeting youth will be included in the public 
consultations, with the possibility to identify the age group of respondents. This will help further 
stimulate youth contributions and outline them in impact assessments.  The new national/regional 
youth coordinators (see further below) could be mobilised to facilitate consultations at national 
level. 

3.  Impact assessment – the Commission, with the support of youth correspondents, conducts the 
impact assessment, drawing on all Better Regulation tools considered as particularly relevant for 
youth and making sure that impacts on young people are properly analysed whenever they have 
been identified as being relevant.  

4.  Scrutiny  –  the  Regulatory  Scrutiny  Board  verifies  whether  all  impacts  have  been  properly 
analysed  including  the  youth  impacts  and  consultations  whenever  they  have  been  flagged  as 
particularly relevant for the initiative. 

To keep the political momentum of youth mainstreaming for new initiatives and build up experience 
and knowledge, at EU, national and regional levels of decision-making, the Commission will launch 
a series of dedicated youth mainstreaming roundtables between relevant stakeholders, in particular 
youth  organisations,  Member  States  and  other  EU  institutions.  The  roundtables  will  take  place  in 
connection with  the publication of the Commission’s work programme, and ensure monitoring of 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
lessons learnt from the Commission’s youth check and youth mainstreaming under the EU Youth 
Strategy. 

To deepen youth mainstreaming in policymaking, the Commission will also: 

•  engage in dialogue with relevant youth partners and stakeholders, involving them further 
in  preparing  relevant  policy  proposals.  For  this  purpose,  the  Commission  will  further 
encourage  young  people  to  actively  participate  and  make  their  voices  heard  in  public  and 
targeted consultations, dialogues with policymakers and citizens’ panels. 

•  pursue the successful policy dialogues with Commissioners, which were a flagship of the 
Year.  Young  people  from  across  Europe  and  beyond  will  have  a  regular  opportunity  to 
exchange with Commissioners on key topics and initiatives, focused on the Commission work 
programme.  

• 

further  strengthen  its  internal  capacity  to  work  with  young  people.  Building  on  the 
experience  of  the  Year,  the  Commission  will  continue  the  internal  Commission  Youth 
Network where youth correspondents would be the primary contact points on youth issues 
in their respective policy areas and would help strengthen cross-sector cooperation and youth 
mainstreaming.  This  network,  animated  by  the  EU  youth  coordinator,  will  exchange 
information on policies in preparation that could have a potential impact on young people and 
liaise with the Youth Stakeholders’ platform group. 

•  As a follow up to the Conference on the Future of Europe – an unprecedented exercise in pan-
European democracy – the Commission decided to give young citizens a stronger voice in EU 
policymaking by regularly convening randomly selected citizens’ panels – one-third of whom 
are  young  people  to  deliberate  on  certain  key  policy  initiatives.24  Three  panels  have  been 
organised since the conclusion of the Conference to deliberate on food waste, virtual worlds 
and learning mobility. The strong youth dimension should be maintained for citizens panels 
that will take place in the future. 

Key actions:  

1. Use the full potential of youth mainstreaming as part of the Commission’s Better Regulation 
framework and toolbox, resulting in a youth check 

2. Continue youth policy dialogues with Commissioners 

3. Continue ensuring a strong youth participation in citizens’ panels  

4. Mobilise further the internal Commission Youth Network of youth correspondents  

5. Launch a series of dedicated youth mainstreaming roundtables  

24 Communication from the Commission on the Conference on the Future of Europe - Putting Vision into Concrete Action, 
COM(2022) 404 final. 

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3.1.2  MOBILISING DIALOGUE AND MAINSTREAMING INSTRUMENTS UNDER THE 2019-

2027 EU YOUTH STRATEGY  

Meaningful youth participation25 is a cornerstone of any well-functioning democracy, contributing to 
a more inclusive and cohesive society, and in this sense, is also particularly relevant  for the 2024 
European elections. As part of the ‘Defence of Democracy’ package a Recommendation promoting 
high  democratic  standards  on  European  and  national  elections  and  referenda  supports  broad 
participation  of  different  groups,  including  youth  participation  in  elections26.  It  also  includes  a 
Recommendation  on  promoting  the  engagement  and  effective  participation  of  citizens  and  civil 
society organisations in public policy-making processes27, which among others promote children’s 
and young people’s meaningful, inclusive and safe participation, without discrimination of any kind. 
In line with the Recommendation, Member States should undertake specific efforts to strengthen the 
participation  of  children  and  young  people  in  political  and  democratic  life  at  local,  regional  and 
national level including in rural and remote areas. 

Active  participation  in  society  and  democracy  is  a  means  to  increase  young  people’s  key  skills, 
prospects, sense of belonging and positive outlook. The 2022 Eurobarometer survey on Youth and 
Democracy showed growing youth engagement, as 58% of the young respondents declared they were 
active in the societies they live in.28  

The Year resulted in a strong push for more and better opportunities for young people to develop as 
active citizens and participate in democratic life and decision-making. Youth participation therefore 
emerged as the top theme of the Year, with the largest number of activities (43%) on the European 
Youth Portal’s activity map29. ‘More opportunities to make young people’s voices heard at all levels’ 
was also the top follow-up action, preferred by 61% of young people, 72% of stakeholders and 73% 
of national coordinators and national contact points in the surveys. Youth participation needs to take 
place in all policy areas relevant for young people. It is therefore key to boost the EU Youth Strategy 
instruments. To maintain and build on the Year’s momentum for dialogue and mainstreaming, the 
Commission will:    

•  strengthen the EU Youth Dialogue, the main youth participation instrument in Europe, by 
increasing  its  visibility  and  outreach,  involving  more  and  diverse  youth  organisations  and 
improving  the  dissemination,  uptake  and  follow-up  on  the  outcomes  of  the  dialogue  at  all 
levels,  and  stepping  up  efforts  to  involve  young  people  with  fewer  opportunities.  The  EU 
Youth  Dialogue  is  an  ongoing  conversation  with  young  people  and  youth  organisations 
involving policy and decision makers, as well as experts, researchers and other relevant civil 
society bodies. To help reach the grassroots level in youth consultations, this dialogue could 
be better linked to key upcoming Commission initiatives. For this purpose, the Commission 
will align the dialogue’s focus more closely with the Commission work programme. To 
support the enlargement process, the Commission  will explore how to engage further with 
youth from candidate countries and potential candidates.  

• 

facilitate  exchanges  and  youth  consultations  on  forthcoming  policy  initiatives,  with  a  new 
Youth Stakeholders’ platform group, building on the Year’s stakeholders’ group, with the 

25 During the Year of Youth the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership published the study ‘Meaningful youth political 
participation in Europe: concepts, patterns and policy implications’. 
26 Commission Recommendation on inclusive and resilient elections, C(2023)8626 final. 
27 Commission Recommendation on promoting the engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil society 
organisations in public policy-making processes, C(2023)8627 final. 
28 Flash Eurobarometer survey 502 - ‘Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth’, May 2022. 
29 Organisers, whether stakeholders or young individuals from around Europe and beyond, were welcomed to showcase 
their European Year of Youth initiatives on the European Youth Portal’s activities map.  

7 

 
 
 
participation  of  youth  organisations,  youth  researchers,  Member  State  representatives  and 
other EU institutions. The work of the platform will closely follow upcoming EU initiatives. 

•  develop  further  the  European  Youth  Portal  as  a  one-stop-shop  for  EU  opportunities  for 
young people supporting outreach, awareness raising and communication with young people. 
Information and awareness are prerequisites for meaningful youth participation, and they also 
enhance the sense of European belonging and outlook for young people.  

•  explore the feasibility of providing micro-grants in the future Erasmus+ programme. These 
low-threshold and low-value grants were successfully tested by some national coordinators 
during the Year. They provide easy access to funding for young people to work on common 
projects,  develop  their  skills,  capacity  for  action  and  their  confidence,  to  make  a  positive 
difference  in  their  communities.  Moreover,  micro-grants  are  an  efficient  mechanism  for 
raising young people’s awareness of and interest in EU opportunities for young people. 

•  bring the EU closer to young people and raise awareness about EU opportunities during the 
European Youth Week, 12-19 April 2024, with the theme of democratic participation. The 
Week is highly relevant in advance of the 2024 European elections. As part of the Week, a 
second edition of the LevelUp! event will be organised, as tested under the European Year of 
Youth,  by  the  European  Youth  Forum  in  cooperation  with  the  Commission  and  the 
Parliament. The aim is to improve the advocacy, communication and organisation skills of 
youth activists and to increase the participation of young people in elections, including the 
2024 European elections.  

• 

further  support  youth  engagement  in  EU  external  action,  through  youth  advisory 
structures in EU Delegations, and specific global initiatives such as the Women and Youth 
(WYDE)30  in  Democracy  Initiative.  The  Commission  will  further  reinforce  this  youth 
institutional engagement, by connecting youth from Europe and over the world and bringing 
members of its global youth networks, such as the Youth sounding boards together in 2024.  

•  create synergies between youth participation and child participation actions31 responding to 
children’s  right  to  be  heard.  Continue  the  implementation  of  the  new  EU  Children’s 
Participation Platform32 which involves children in EU decision-making and supports the 
active participation in democratic life from an early age.  

•  encourage Member States to establish national or regional youth coordinators, following 
the  example  of  the  EU  youth  coordinator.  These  coordinators  would  increase  cross-sector 
cooperation on youth issues, both at national and regional level, and between Member States 
and the Commission. They would be invited to contribute to the Youth Stakeholders’ platform 
and liaise with the EU youth coordinator. In line with the enhanced priorities for enlargement 
announced by President von der Leyen, the participation of candidate countries and potential 
candidates will also be encouraged. 

As youth mainstreaming is still a relatively new concept, the introduction of concrete mainstreaming 
instruments at EU and national levels  (including youth checks, youth tests or similar)  needs to be 
gradual and accompanied by a set of capacity-building measures, including peer learning, evidence 

30  The  WYDE  initiative  includes  5  components:  (i)  youth  participation  in  public  affairs,  (ii)  youth  for  freedoms  of 
association  and  assembly,  (iii)  youth  and  women  in  parliaments,  (iv)  youth  and  women  in  political  parties  and  (v) 
advancing young women’s political participation in decision-making 
31 Communication from the Commission on the EU strategy on the rights of the child, COM(2021) 142 final. 
32 EU Children's Participation Platform. 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
gathering, training and resources, to build knowledge of what works. This is key to designing the 
most  effective  way  to  achieve  the  objective  of  youth  mainstreaming,  without  introducing  an 
unnecessary administrative burden. For this purpose, the Commission will: 

•  present in 2024 an analytical report, based on input from Member States, with an overview 

• 

of national experiences with youth mainstreaming approaches. 
facilitate exchanges of good practices and organise peer-learning activities for interested 
Member States. These activities could develop toolkits, guidelines and training resources.  
•  cooperate  with  international  organisations, like the  Council of Europe and the OECD, to 

further enrich the evidence base and lessons learnt from mainstreaming youth policy. 

The findings can also feed into the discussions at the dedicated youth mainstreaming roundtables. 

Key actions:  

1. Strengthen the EU Youth Dialogue  

2. Set up a Youth Stakeholders’ platform group  

3. Develop further the European Youth Portal as a one-stop shop for EU opportunities 

4. Explore the feasibility of micro-grants under future Erasmus+ 

5. 2024 European Youth Week on democratic participation and LevelUp! event for 
youth activists    

6. Support youth engagement in EU external action 

7. Create synergies between youth and children participation actions 

8. Encourage Member States to establish national or regional youth coordinators 

9. Build knowledge and capacity on youth mainstreaming through peer learning, 
evidence gathering, training and resources 

3.2  ADDRESSING YOUTH CONCERNS ACROSS POLICY AREAS 

The youth mainstreaming actions outlined above are potentially relevant for all policy areas. Young 
people should be able to express their views in all areas that concern them, and their needs should be 
considered in all decisions affecting them.  

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
What key themes did young people think the 
European Year of Youth should focus on?33 

Source: Flash Eurobarometer survey 502 ‘Youth and democracy in the European Year of Youth’, May 2022 

Therefore, in following up on the Year and reflecting young people’s main concerns, the Commission 
will take forward actions in the following five key policy fields of relevance to young people: health 
and wellbeing, environment and climate, education and training, international cooperation and 
European values, employment and inclusion.  

3.2.1  HEALTH AND WELLBEING 

The COVID-19 pandemic was a serious challenge to mental health, especially among young people. 
In addition, they face numerous challenges from digital tools including social media and this puts 
increasing  pressure  on  many  young  people’s  mental  health.  During  the  COVID-19  pandemic, 
increased loneliness and reduced social interaction, lost opportunities, uncertainty about the future 
and anxiety caused by fear and loss all generated stress. 34 35 36  

Improving mental and physical health and wellbeing is the fastest growing priority for young people 
in the EU37. The Commission’s Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health38 
from June 2023 was a first and major step to ensure a new cross-sectoral approach to mental health. 
In  its  preparation,  specific  contributions  on  the  mental  health  of  youth  have  been  collected.  The 
Communication  on  mental  health  identifies  20  flagship  initiatives  and  EUR  1.23  billion  financial 
support from several EU funding instruments. The Commission will: 

33 Respondents could select up to three answers. 
34 Report from the Commission on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2021, COM/2021/636 final. 
35 According to a UNICEF report from 2021, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people (15-19 
years of age) after road accidents, and in the EU, the annual value of lost mental health, in children and young people is 
estimated at EUR 50 billion.  
36 According to the Health at a Glance report 2022 one in two young Europeans reported unmet needs for mental health, 
and depression among young people more than doubled.  
37 Flash Eurobarometer survey 502 - ‘Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth’, May 2022. 
38 Communication from the Commission on a comprehensive approach to mental health, COM(2023) 298 final. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  help  the  Member  States  implement  the  November  2022  Council  Recommendation  on 
Pathways  to  School  Success,39  which  highlights  the  emotional  wellbeing  of  children  and 
young people as a key factor for improving their chances of succeeding in education and life 
in general; 

•  prepare guidelines on wellbeing in schools, to be published in 2024 through the Commission 

Expert Group on supportive learning environments;   

•  as a priority in 202440, and as announced in the EU strategy on the rights of the child41, present 
a  Commission  Recommendation  on  the  development  and  strengthening  of  integrated 
child protection systems in the Member States. This will be centred on children’s needs and 
will ensure better use of existing EU tools (legislation, policy measures and funding); 

• 

• 

• 

implement  flagship  initiatives  under  the  new  Commission  Communication  on  mental 
health, such as support the creation of a children and young people’s mental health network 
in  2024,  to  exchange  information,  mutual  support  and  perform  outreach  via  Youth 
Ambassadors, and  develop a  prevention toolkit, addressing the interlinks  between mental 
and physical health and key health determinants;  

through the ‘Healthy Screens, Healthy Youth’ action, young people in the digital sphere, 
online and on social media, will be better protected;  

support the Member States in the monitoring of the impact of the digital transformation 
on children’s well-being through the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) portal; 

•  support Member States to enhance young people’s well-being and mental health under the 
Technical Support Instrument 2024 flagship on Mental health: Fostering well-being and 
mental health42 and continue the support under the Youth FIRST Flagship to strengthen the 
mental health and care of vulnerable children and young people; 

•  ensure safer and healthier digital space for young people through the enforcement of the 
Digital Services Act, requiring online platforms accessible to minors to ensure a high level of 
privacy, safety and security for them;  

•  present a Prevention Package under the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, including: 

o  a  draft  Council  Recommendation  on  vaccine-preventable  cancers,  boosting  the 
uptake  of  vaccination  against  Human  papillomaviruses  among  preadolescent  and 
adolescent girls and boys, and  

an  update  of  the  2009  Council  Recommendation  on  smoke-free  environments, 
protecting people from exposure to second-hand smoke and aerosols and contributing 
to the achievement of a Tobacco-free Generation; 

• 

support youth in the outermost regions to improve quality of life tailored to their regions 
through the EUR 1 million grant scheme Youth4Outermostregions43; 

39  Council  Recommendation  of  28  November  2022  on  Pathways  to  School  Success  and  replacing  the  Council 
Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to reduce early school leaving. 
40 As part of the 2024 Commission work programme. 
41 Communication from the Commission on the EU strategy on the rights of the child, COM(2021) 142 final. 
42 TSI 2024 Flagship - Mental health: Fostering well-being and mental health (europa.eu). 
43 Call relaunched – Youth for Outermost Regions: €1 million to support youth in the outermost regions (europa.eu). 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2.2  ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE  

The success of the EU Green Deal relies on active citizen participation. The European Year of Youth 
created opportunities to be involved in and help shape the green transition. Young people should be 
equipped with relevant skills and knowledge to act on environmental and climate change challenges 
with creative and innovative solutions. To build on these efforts the Commission will:    

•  support a community of young EU Climate Pact Ambassadors to promote climate action 

among young people on the ground and support their local activities;  

•  support the contribution of young people to the achievement of the Union disaster resilience 

goals as essential tool for strenghtening resilience to future disasters; 

• 

increase  volunteering opportunities  for young people to  address  the green transition,  by 
topping-up the 2024 European Solidarity Corps call from Horizon Europe;  

•  encourage networks of green cities and regions (such as the Green City Accord initiative), 

to engage young trainees and volunteers in local green projects; 

• 

further  promote  youth-led  climate  projects  in  the  EUTeens4Green  project  under  the  Just 
Transition Fund; 

•  support Member States as they implement the Council Recommendation on learning for 

the green transition and sustainable development44; 

•  promote the new Youth Learning Lab as part of the Education for Climate Coalition;  

• 

reach out to young people through the Commission’s upcoming campaign on climate and 
democracy ahead of the 2024 European elections; 

•  promote the involvement of young people from the Western Balkans in the green transition 

via a dedicated Western Balkans Youth Lab; 

•  expand the reach of the Girls Go Circular action, by the European Institute of Innovation 
and  Technology  and  Knowledge  and  Innovation  Communities,  to  boost  digital  and 
entrepreneurial skills for girls in the field of circular economy. 

•  highlight the need to support generational renewal in agriculture, as young people are a 
source of new ideas and energy, with innovative initiatives, and are committed towards 
sustainable practices and transition. 

3.2.3  EDUCATION AND TRAINING 

The theme of education and training was an important topic during the Year, a year that coincided 
with  the  celebration  of  the  35th  anniversary  of  the  Erasmus+  programme  and  the  resumption  of 
learning abroad after the pandemic. The need to further facilitate this, was highlighted in a Council 
Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young  volunteers45,  the  recent  ‘Europe  on  the  Move’ 

44 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on learning for the green transition and sustainable development. 
45 Council Recommendation of 5 April 2022 on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Council Recommendation46 and in the recommendations of the 2022 Conference on the Future of 
Europe47. The Commission will: 

• 

take forward the work towards a joint European degree in 2024, in line with the European 
Strategy  for  Universities,  helping  to  build  a  stronger  sense  of  European  belonging  among 
higher education students and academic staff involved in transnational academic programmes. 
The joint European Degree label would be a complementary certificate, based on European 
common criteria, to the qualifications gained by students graduating from joint programmes; 

•  promote a stronger role for young people in the Digital Education Hub, in the 2024 review 
of  the  Digital  Education  Action  Plan  and  in  other  initiatives  linked  to  making  digital 
education in Europe high-quality, inclusive and accessible to all including in rural and remote 
territories; 

•  consolidate the Jean Monnet for schools action under Erasmus+ to further promote learning 

about EU integration and values from an early age;  

•  encourage Member States to increase education, training, sport, volunteering and employment 
opportunities  for  young  people  in  rural  and  remote  areas,  as  foreseen  in  the  EU  Rural 
Action plan48; 

•  continue  in  2024  the  EU  TalentOn  initiative  for  talented  young  researchers  and  the  EU 
Contest for Young Scientists initiative, as part of the Katowice European City of Science 
2024; 

•  address  the  underrepresentation  of  girls  and  women  in  STEM  education  and  training, 
including through the STEAM49 approach, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan and 
the European Strategy for Universities; 

•  support Member States to design and implement reforms aimed to develop young people’s 
skills,  under  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  2024  flagship  on  Skills:  fostering  skills 
development systems better adapted to the labour market50. The support will address persistent 
skills mismatches, labour shortages and upskilling of the workforce for the green and digital 
transition, as well as adapting education systems.  

•  promote the participation of Western Balkans universities under the European Universities 

Initiative; 

•  promote  the  uptake  of  the  joint  EU/OECD-INFE  financial  competence  framework  for 

children and youth in the EU51  among Member States and stakeholders. 

46 Europe on the Move - a proposal on the future of learning mobility | European Education Area (europa.eu) 
47 Conference on the Future of Europe (europa.eu). 
48 Communication from the Commission  - A long-term vision for the EU's rural areas  - towards stronger, connected, 
resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040, COM(2021) 345 final. 
49  The  STEAM  approach  refers  to  the  inclusion  of  arts,  social  sciences  and  the  humanities  in  STEM  education,  as  a 
transdisciplinary, inclusive and future-oriented approach to learning, to make STEM studies and careers more appealing 
to a diverse group of learners. 
50  TSI  2024  Flagship  -  Flagship  on  Skills:  Fostering  skills  development  systems  better  adapted  to  the  labour  market 
(europa.eu). 
51 European Union/OECD, Financial competence framework for children and youth in the European Union. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2.4 

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND EUROPEAN VALUES  

As the key deliverable of the global dimension of the European Year of Youth, the EU presented its 
first-ever Youth Action Plan in EU external action52, designed together with youth organisations and 
young people. The Action Plan aims to engage, empower and connect youth from the EU and partner 
countries from all regions through specific initiatives, enabling them to bring their perspective and 
participate as partners in EU external action. The Commission will:  

• 

to  increase  EU  engagement  with  young  people  globally,  through  the  implementation  and 
strengthening  of  initiatives  such  as  the  EU  Youth  Sounding  Board  for  International 
Partnerships and the increasing setting up of youth advisory structures of EU Delegations.  

•  support the contribution of young people to the achievement of the Sustainable Development 
Goals with essential tools, resources and skills including through initiatives such as the Youth 
Empowerment Fund53 and the Africa-Europe Youth Academy. 

•  set up a platform for regular dialogue and consultations with youth organisations worldwide 
through the Youth Dialogue Platform in EU external action54, and ensure youth inclusion 
in  various  consultation  processes  including  as  part  of  the  roll-out  of  the  Global  Gateway 
Strategy55.  

•  provide space and support capacities for the active participation of youth in peace building, 
security sector reform and mediation processes, to ensure young people’s specific needs and 
priorities are taken into account and their role in reconstruction is recognised and supported, 
in line with the EU’s commitment to the UN Peace and Security Agenda.  

•  open Erasmus+ youth and sport capacity building actions in the 2024 call (through funds 
from NDICI-Global Europe) to participation by youth and sport organisations from Ukraine 
and other countries from the Eastern Partnership region, to build their capacity. These actions 
are already open to all Western Balkans partners. Explore the potential of Erasmus+ in other 
regions, especially in the areas of virtual exchanges and youth capacity building; 

• 

further support the recently created Network of European Affairs student societies across 
UK universities. A youth advisory structure will be launched in the EU Delegation to the UK 
as part of the Youth Action Plan in EU external action. 

•  with a view to the UN Summit of the Future, continue working together with the EEAS and 
EU Member States towards an ambitious and action oriented Pact for the Future, including 
on its Chapter specifically focused on youth and future generations, and ensure its follow up. 

52 Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council Youth Action Plan (YAP) in EU external action 
2022  –  2027  Promoting  meaningful  youth  participation  and  empowerment  in  EU  external  action  for  sustainable 
development, equality and peace, JOIN(2022) 53 final. 
53 The  Youth Empowerment Fund was launched on 4 October 2022 and will be implemented in partnership with the 
world’s largest youth organisations through the Global Youth Mobilization. 
54 The call for expression of interests to be a member of the Youth Dialogue Platform in EU external action was launched 
on 6 October 2023. 
55 The Global Gateway Civil Society and Local Authorities Dialogue Platform was launched on 24 October 2023 and 
includes youth organisations. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2.5  EMPLOYMENT AND INCLUSION  

The EU helps Member States reduce youth unemployment and inactivity, including through focusing 
on  youth  in  a  situation  of  vulnerability,  such  as  young  persons  with  disabilities  and  indirectly  by 
investing in the economic development of all EU regions. Addressing social, economic and territorial 
disparities is relevant to young people as it improves equal access to employment, education,social 
inclusion services and opportunities. The aim is to help young people access opportunities regardless 
of their socioeconomic background or place of residence and propel the digital and green transitions 
and inclusive growth forward. The reinforced Youth Guarantee will continue to be an essential tool 
to help young people enter the labour market. Under NextGenerationEU, the Recovery and Resilience 
Facility is promoting investments and reforms in the Member States, with a focus on the green and 
digital transitions and other policies for children and young people, such as education and skills. 

Traineeships  are  an  important  steppingstone  for  young  people  into  the  labour  market.  Given  the 
distinct benefits of traineeships, young people have asked for better conditions for training in the EU 
and petitioned for a ban to unpaid traineeships as a legacy of the European Year of Youth56. In its 
resolution  of 14 June 2023 with  recommendations to  the Commission  on quality  traineeships, the 
European Parliament called on the Commission to ensure minimum quality standards for traineeships, 
including remuneration57. For this purpose, the Commission will: 

•  update  its  quality  framework  for  traineeships  in  2024  to  address  issues  including  fair 
remuneration and access to social protection. In particular, the Commission intends to follow 
up  the  Parliament’s  resolution  with  a  proposal  for  a  legislative  act,  in  full  respect  of 
proportionality, subsidiarity and better law-making principles; 

• 

further implement the ALMA initiative (aim, learn, master, achieve) to help disadvantaged 
young  people  aged  18-29  years  to  integrate  into  the  society  and  labour  market  in  other 
countries. Following an EU-level call for project proposals under ALMA, it is expected that 
more than 800 young people who are not in education, employment or training will participate 
in 29 projects cross the EU58.  

•  work  with  groups  whose  untapped  entrepreneurial  potential  remains  high,  including 

young people, through awareness, mentoring and coaching campaigns59; 

•  continue  supporting  EU  Member  States  and  regions  in  the  implementation  of  2021-27 
Cohesion  Policy  programmes60,  including  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund 
support  in  the  areas  of  employment,  education  and  training,  social  inclusion,  social  and 
healthcare,  sustainable  tourism  and  culture,  from  which  young  people  as  identified  target 
groups will benefit according to the identified needs in the targeted territories; 

•  support EU regions affected by demographic challenges, including from the departure of their 
young  population,  with  the  Talent  Booster  Mechanism.  The  Mechanism  supports  EU 

56 No more unpaid internships! | European Youth Forum. 
57  The  resolution  calls  for  the  Commission  to  submit  a  proposal  for  a  directive  on  open  labour  market  traineeships, 
traineeships  in  the  context  of  active  labour  market  policies  (ALMPs)  and  traineeships  that  are  a  mandatory  part  of 
professional training. 
58 15 Member States have so far committed to include ALMA in their national or regional ESF+ programmes (2021-27) 
59 Action 17 of the SME Relief Package.  
60 Cohesion policy - The EU's main investment policy.  

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
regions to train, retain and attract the people, skills and competences needed to address the 
impact of the demographic transition;  

•  continue support the Western Balkan governments in the implementation of the Youth 
Guarantee  mirroring  the  EU  model  and  promote  similar  approaches  in  neighbourhood 
countries to address the difficulties faced by young people not in education, employment or 
training (NEET). 

•  continue  supporting  EU  Member  States  in  the  implementation  of  the  European  Child 
Guarantee with the objective to prevent and combat discrimination and social exclusion. 

•  as  one  of  the  initiatives  of  the  Strategy  for  the  Rights  of  Persons  with  Disabilities61,  the 
Commission together with its stakeholders will develop the Disability Employment Package, 
set of guidance and practices aimed at facilitating employment of persons with disabilities. 
Amongst others, the guidance focuses on career guidance and hiring practices, relevant for 
young persons with disabilities. 

•  encourage the development of prosperous, stronger, connected and resilient rural areas, 

which will support the employment of young people in line with the Long-Term Vision for 
Rural Areas. 

4  SUSTAINING OUR COMMITMENT TO EUROPE’S YOUNG PEOPLE  

EU institutions and Member States strengthened their existing commitment to young people during 
the European Year of Youth, in line with the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy objectives of promoting 
youth participation and embedding the youth perspective into policymaking. It is critical to sustain 
and build on this. Support for children and young people is essential to ensure that the next generation 
of Europeans is equipped to tackle the challenges of our rapidly changing world and face the future 
with confidence. 

The European Commission will support young people further with concrete follow-up actions as set 
out in this Communication. Central to this approach is the collaborative spirit embodied in the Year 
itself. It solidified a shared understanding that projects targeting youth are more efficient and effective 
when created and implemented in collaboration with young people and youth stakeholders. Results 
are amplified when EU institutions, national, regional and local authorities are open and dedicated to 
cooperation and continuous dialogue.  

This dialogue and cooperation will be especially important in efforts to engage young people in the 
2024 European elections. But youth participation does not start and end with voting only. It grows 
from a small step taken – be it volunteering for a community theatre project or taking part in a national 
beach clean-up campaign. Other forms of youth participation include running for a student council, 
launching a petition or taking part in a consultation in the EU Youth Dialogue, joining an international 
youth NGO, attending the European Youth Event or European Youth Week, or taking part in a project 
run by the EU youth programmes. All of these represent youth participation in action. 

61 Communication from the Commission on Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-
2030, COM(2021)101 final. 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The opportunities given to young people shape them as citizens and impact the choices they make 
and paths they will take in life. This can ultimately define the direction Europe will take. This is why 
the European Union will give young people a stronger role in the formulation and development of 
EU policies.  

2022 was their year; the future should be theirs too.  

17