COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy (2022-2024)
Date: 2025-03-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, education policy, gender equality, social integration, social participation, student mobility, young person, youth employment, youth movement, youth policy

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.3.2025  SWD(2025) 73 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions  on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy (2022-2024) {COM(2025) 117 final} - {SWD(2025) 72 final}  
 
 
Contents 

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 2 

1  LEGACY OF THE EUROPEAN YEAR OF YOUTH ............................................. 3 

2  ENGAGE ............................................................................................................. 7 

2.1 

Youth participation in society ................................................................................................. 7 

2.2 Youth mainstreaming .................................................................................................................. 21 

2.3 Youth employment and skills ...................................................................................................... 24 

3  CONNECT ......................................................................................................... 33 

3.1 

3.2 

3.3 

Youth mobility and volunteering........................................................................................... 33 

Youth and the digital world ................................................................................................... 37 

Communicating about the EU Youth Strategy ...................................................................... 42 

4  EMPOWER ........................................................................................................ 44 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

4.5 

4.6 

Quality youth work ............................................................................................................... 44 

Social inclusion ..................................................................................................................... 46 

Health and well-being ........................................................................................................... 57 

Education and training .......................................................................................................... 65 

Culture................................................................................................................................... 79 

Environment, climate and energy ......................................................................................... 83 

5  YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS ........................................................ 93 

6  COOPERATION NEEDS AT NATIONAL LEVEL ................................................ 97 

7  BEYOND THE EU: the Youth Action Plan in EU external action ........................ 99 

7.1 

7.2 

Neighbourhood ................................................................................................................... 103 

Other parts of the world ...................................................................................................... 108 

8  Monitoring and data ......................................................................................... 110 

8.1 

8.2 

Insights into EU spending on youth .................................................................................... 110 

Key indicators and data ....................................................................................................... 123 

9  ANNEXES .......................................................................................................... 126 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 

The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (the EUYS) is the framework for EU cooperation in the 
youth field and is based on a Council Resolution of 18 December 2018 1. The EUYS fosters 
youth and youth worker exchanges, and young people’s participation in democratic life, in line 
with Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)2, supports 
their social and civic engagement and aims to ensure that all young people have the necessary 
means to participate in society.  

EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 overall objectives 

−  enable  young  people  to  be  architects  of  their  own  lives,  support  their  personal 
development and growth to autonomy, build their resilience and equip them with life 
skills to cope with a changing world; 

−  encourage  and equip  young  people  with the  necessary  resources to become  active 
citizens,  agents  of  solidarity  and  positive  change  inspired  by  EU  values  and  a 
European identity;  
improve  policy  decisions  with  regard  to  their  impact  on  young  people  across  all 
sectors (notably employment, education, health and social inclusion); 

− 

−  contribute to the  eradication  of  youth  poverty  and  all  forms  of  discrimination and 

promote the social inclusion of young people. 

The  EUYS  engages,  connects  and  empowers  young  people3,  and  advances  youth 
participation and youth mainstreaming across policy areas. It encourages the development 
of youth policies, in synergy with other policies that target young people (e.g. health and well-
being,  the  environment  and  climate,  education  and  training,  international  cooperation  and 
European values, employment and inclusion) to help achieve the 11 European Youth Goals 4 
which were jointly developed with young people. The European Youth Goals are coherent with 
the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development5 which, by emphasising that 
the  needs  of  the  current  generation  should  be  met  without  jeopardising  those  of  future 
generations, has been a key driver for increased youth engagement in EU policy development. 

The  EUYS  operates  in  three-year  work  cycles,  at  the  end  of  which  the  European 
Commission reports on the implementation and progress in a triennial EU Youth Report. 
The EU Youth Report 2024, accompanied by two staff working documents, is the second report 
under the current EUYS and covers 2022 to2024. The priorities are set by the Council together 
with  the  Commission  in  EUYS  work  plans,  spanning  two  Council  presidency  trios.  The 

1 Resolution of the Council of the European Union and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member 
States meeting within the Council on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field: The European 
Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 
2 The article 165 of the TFEU mentions among others that “Union action shall aim at “encouraging mobility of 
students and teachers” and “encouraging the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe”. 
3 EU Youth Strategy | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
4 European Youth Goals | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
5  https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/  

2 

 
 
 
 
 
overarching thematic priority for 2022-2024 was ‘Engaging together for a sustainable and 
inclusive Europe’6.  

The  implementation  of  the  EUYS  relies  on  the  open  method  of  coordination7  and  the 
commitment of all stakeholders to work towards the common objectives and priorities and to 
have an impact at different levels. The EUYS is supported by a range of instruments8, which 
are mainly funded by the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes (e.g. the EU 
Youth Dialogue, the European Youth Portal and the European Youth Work Agenda).  

The European Year of Youth 2022 brought the EU closer to young people. It boosted youth 
participation  and  accelerated  cross-sector  cooperation  in  the  youth  field  in  line  with  the 
objectives  of  the  EU Youth  Strategy.  The  Commission  Communication  on  the  European 
Year of Youth 20229, adopted in January 2024, sets out priority actions to give young people 
a greater say in the decisions that affect them and deepen the youth dimension across a range 
of EU policies of relevance to them.  

The Commission Report on the Interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-202710, 
adopted in April 2024, complemented the Communication on the European Year of Youth. It 
echoed priority actions on youth participation and youth mainstreaming, and set out how EU 
cooperation tools can be mobilised to support further progress at EU and national levels.  

This staff working document presents the main developments and examples of activities in 
the implementation of the EUYS between 2022 and2024, highlighting the follow-up of the 
European  Year  of  Youth  legacy  activities  and  of  the  results  of  the  EUYS  evaluation 
(Section  1);  and  is  then  organised  by  the  three  core  areas  of  Engage  (Section  2),  Connect 
(Section 3) and Empower (Section 4); followed by youth-led initiatives and actions (Section 
5),  national  policy  priorities  and  EU  cooperation  needs  (Section  6),  the  international 
dimension in beyond the EU (Section 7) and monitoring and data (Section 8).   

1  LEGACY OF THE EUROPEAN YEAR OF YOUTH  

In its Communication on the 2022 European Year of Youth, the Commission put forward 60 
actions  that  give  young  people  a  stronger  role  in  EU  policymaking  and  deepen  the  youth 
dimension in a range of EU policies. The Council Conclusions on the legacy of the European 
Year of Youth 202211, adopted in May 2024, called on the Commission, in cooperation with 
the  Member  States,  to  promote  and  support  youth  mainstreaming  across  policy  areas,  to 
strengthen the quality, visibility and outreach of the EU Youth Dialogue, to put in place the 
new  EU  Youth  Stakeholders  Group,  and  to  pursue  further  efforts  to  communicate  about 
opportunities via the European Youth Portal.  

6 Council Resolution on the revision of the EU Youth Strategy Work Plan 2022-2024  
7 The open method of coordination (OMC) in the European Union may be described as a form of ‘soft’ law. It is 
a form of intergovernmental policy-making that does not result in binding EU legislative measures and it does 
not require EU countries to introduce or amend their laws. 
8 EU Youth Strategy | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
9 Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022 (europa.eu) 
10 Commission Report on the Interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (europa.eu) 
11 Council Conclusions on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 

3 

 
 
 
 
As part of a wider commitment of the Commission to give young people greater freedom and 
responsibility within the EU’s societies and democracies, and as announced by the European 
Commission  President  Ursula  von  der  Leyen  in  her    Political  Guidelines  for  the  European 
Commission 2024-202912, the Commission will set up a President’s Youth Advisory Board 
with young people from all Member States to advise the Commission President on issues that 
matter to young people and peers in their community and to act as sounding board for ideas 
developed by the Commission.  Furthermore, all  Commissioners will organise Youth Policy 
Dialogues every year to make sure that young people can use their voice to help shape Europe’s 
future.13  ‘In  December  2024,  a  symbolic  visit  by  European  Commissioner  Brunner  to  the 
Schengen  Lyzeum  in  Germany  marked  the  first  Youth  Policy  Dialogue  under  the  new 
Commission’s  mandate. The dialogue aimed to encourage open discussions with young people 
on pressing issues, including free movement, migration, and internal security. Commissioner 
Brunner discussed the EU's commitments to safe and secure borders, fair migration policies, 
and the importance of safeguarding migrants' rights14. 

•  Youth check 

As part of the follow up of the European Year of Youth, the Commission committed to using 
the  full  potential  of  the  Better  Regulation  framework  to  apply  a  youth  check  on  the  EU 
initiatives with significant youth-relevance, starting withthe Commission’s 2025 annual work 
programme15 .  

This  addressed  the  invitation  to  the  Commission  in  the  2023  Council  Conclusions  on 
promoting youth mainstreaming and the 2024 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies, 
to explore and further analyse the use of regulatory youth impact assessment mechanisms, to 
ensure that the Commission’s existing Better Regulation tools are used to their fullest16. 

The  EU  Youth  Stakeholders  Group  will  facilitate  the  ‘youth  check’  process,  in  particular 
consultations of young people, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders.  

•  EU Youth Dialogue 

The EU Youth  Dialogue (EUYD) is  also  used as a mainstreaming instrument. For instance, 
consultations  at  national  level  and  at  the  EU Youth  Conference  will  cover  any  policy  topic 
chosen  by  young  people,  including,  for  example,  mental  health,  public  transport  and 
digitalisation. As outlined in the Communication on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 
2022, work is currently underway to improve communication on the EUYD. This includes a 
re-vamp of the European Youth Portal, a  social media campaign and an explanatory video.  

In addition, the Commission is also exploring ways to align the EUYD more closely with the 
Commission’s  annual  work  programme.  Consultations  with  youth  stakeholders  on  the  path 
towards a European Degree17 (a joint degree based on common European criteria) took place 
online in February 2024 and at a workshop as part of the EU Youth Conference in March 2024.  

12 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 | European Commission (europa.eu) 
13 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 | European Commission (europa.eu) 
14 Youth Policy Dialogues | European Youth Portal 
15 Better regulation: guidelines and toolbox  
16 Council Conclusions on promoting youth mainstreaming in policy decision-making processes in the European 
Union; Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people 
17 Commission presents a blueprint for a European degree | European Education Area (europa.eu) 

4 

 
 
 
In addition, a consultation on the next generation on the EU youth programmes was held at the 
EU Youth Conference in Budapest in September. 

The  evaluation  of  the  EU Youth  Strategy  recommended  creating  more  synergies  with  other 
youth  participation  instruments  (e.g.  the  EU  Children’s  Participation  Platform)  at  EU  and 
national  level  for  visibility,  and  to  make  joint  efforts  to  involve  young  people  and  youth 
representatives with the help of civil society organisations and networks. The European Youth 
Portal will contribute to raising awareness of and create links between the EU Youth Dialogue 
and other participation initiatives such as the EU Children’s Participation Platform. 

•  Policy dialogues with Commissioners 

There were 26 policy dialogues with Commissioners during the European Year of Youth18.  

As  a  follow  to  one  of  the  main  flagship  initiatives  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth,  Vice 
President Margaritis Schinas and Commissioner Iliana Ivanova hosted policy dialogues as 
part of the European Youth Week 2024. The topic of the Policy Dialogue with Vice President 
Schinas  was  'Our  European  way  of  life’  and  the  topic  with  Commissioner  Ivanova  was  the 
‘European Degree and Learning Mobility’. The dialogues covered a range of topics pertinent 
to the European elections, which were upcoming at that time. These topics included lowering 
the voting age, climate action, European values, education and mobility, and demonstrated the 
EU’s commitment to engaging with its young people. 

In  her  Political  Guidelines  for  the  European  Commission  2024-202919,  the  European 
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would ask all Commissioners 
to organise their first annual Youth Policy Dialogues within the first 100 days of the mandate 
and that these dialogues would be repeated every year. 

•  EU Youth Stakeholders Group 

During the European Year of Youth 2022, the Commission set up a stakeholders and national 
coordinators group, which included representatives from EU institutions, Member States and 
stakeholders in the field of youth. This network fostered cooperation between EU and national 
policymakers and youth representatives and helped bring the EU closer to young people. 

To maintain and build on this achievement, the Commission committed to launch an EU Youth 
Stakeholders Group. The aim of this Group is to engage European youth organisations, national 
youth councils, youth researchers, representatives of Member States and other EU institutions 
in implementing the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 and the 2019-2027 EU Youth 
Strategy,  and  to  facilitate  exchanges  and  youth  consultations  on  forthcoming  EU  policy 
initiatives.  

The Group will: 

•  exchange  knowledge  and  good  practices  in  engaging,  connecting,  and  empowering 
young  people  and  in  implementing  the  2019-2027  EU  Youth  Strategy  and  its 
instruments, including the EU Youth Dialogue; 

18 See annex 3 for the full list 
19 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 | European Commission (europa.eu) 

5 

 
 
 
• 

facilitate  the  ‘youth  check’  process,  in  particular  the  consultations  of  young  people, 
youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders;  

•  help  improve  understanding  of  the  needs  and  concerns  of  young  people  and  youth 

• 

organisations, in their diversity and at multiple levels and 
serve as a sounding board and an incubator of ideas and actions leading towards joint 
initiatives to the benefit of young people. 

On 9 July, 2024, the Commission published a call for European youth organisations interested 
in becoming members of the EU Youth Stakeholders Group.  Member States were invited to 
nominate a national representative to the Group and to extend an invitation to their national 
youth council to nominate a representative. The European Parliament, the Committee of the 
Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee also nominated representatives.  

The EU Youth Coordinator will chair the EU Youth Stakeholders Group. 

•  Interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 

The Commission carried out an interim evaluation of the EUYS20, supported by an external 
study21 and including consultations of stakeholders, young people and the public. In essence, 
the evaluation found22 that the EUYS has been effective and remains relevant as a framework 
for cooperation on youth, youth participation and youth mainstreaming, and in relation to the 
many challenges facing young people. The main areas for improvement echo priority areas of 
the European Year of Youth’s legacy, in particular further  accelerating youth mainstreaming 
and strengthening inclusive youth participation.  

The evaluation proposed ways forward to enhance the EUYS’ impact by boosting some of its 
instruments, such as strengthening the EU Youth Dialogue, and implementing the youth check 
in  EU  policymaking.  It  also  stressed  the  importance  of  involving  young  people  and 
stakeholders in the preparation and design of the next EU Youth Strategy beyond 2027. 

•  EU Youth Strategy work plan 2025-2027 

In November 2024, the Council approved a resolution on the EU Youth Strategy work plan, 
which presents the main priorities and actions to be implemented  from 2025 to 202723. The 
Council invited the Commission to ensure cross-sectoral internal consultation in the early stage 
of designing of the next EU Youth Strategy in line with the Communication on the legacy of 
the European Year of Youth. Doing so will ensure youth mainstreaming across all policy areas. 

20 EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 – interim evaluation (europa.eu) 
21 Support study for the interim evaluation of the EU youth strategy 2019-2027 - Publications Office of the EU 
(europa.eu) 
22 Infographic_EUYouthStrategy_v5.pdf (europa.eu) 
23 Resolution of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within 
the Council on the EU Youth Strategy Work Plan 2025-2027 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2  ENGAGE  

Engage young people in meaningful civic, democratic, 
economic, social, cultural and political participation 

2.1  Youth participation in society  

•  EU Youth Dialogue  

The  EU  Youth  Dialogue  (EUYD) 24  is  the  largest  EU-level  participatory  instrument  for 
involving  young  people  in  policymaking.  It  is  a  dialogue  with  young  people  and  youth 
organisations, involving policymakers and decision-makers, as well as experts, researchers and 
other  relevant  civil  society  actors.  It  serves  as  a  forum  for  continuous  joint  reflection  and 
consultation on the priorities, implementation and follow-up of the EUYS. It is organised in 
18-month cycles, each led by the respective Trio Presidency through the European Steering 
Group, where the Commission is also represented. The EUYD is funded through Erasmus+ 
and the Commission takes an active role in its communication, follow-up and management.   

The EU Youth Conference is a regular milestone (every six months) of the EU Youth Dialogue, 
which has given more than 130 000 young people a chance to voice their opinion on policy in 
the  past  five  years.  During  the  10th    cycle  (July  2023  -  December  2024),  the  EU  Youth 
Conferences were held in Alicante (Spain), Ghent (Belgium) and Budapest (Hungary).  In a 
2024 Eurobarometer on youth and democracy25, 13% of the respondents said that they were 
aware of the EU Youth Dialogue.  

The output of the EU Youth Dialogue is visible in the Council Conclusions that the presidencies 
present at Council meetings. In particular, the 2024 Council Conclusions on the legacy of the 
European  Year  of  Youth  2022  invite  the  Commission  to  further  “strengthen  the  quality, 
visibility and outreach of the EU Youth Dialogue”, in order to secure a genuine and ongoing 
conversation between young people and EU policymakers.26 

➢  9th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue (January 2022-June 2023)  

The 9th cycle of the EUYD focused on Youth Goal #10: “Engaging together for a sustainable 
and inclusive Europe”. It was run under the Trio Presidency France, Czechia and Sweden. The 
consultations  resulted  in  several  recommendations  on  sustainability,  including  on  access  to 
information,  infrastructure  and  youth  empowerment,  which  were  published  in  the  Council 
Resolution on the outcomes of the 9th cycle27. In addition, Council Conclusions on promoting 

24 EU Youth Dialogue | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
25 https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3181  
26 Council Conclusions on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 
27 Council Resolution on the outcomes of the 9th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the  intergenerational  dimension  in  the  youth  field  to  foster  dialogue  and  social  cohesion28 
which included a summary report of the national consultations, were also published. 

A review, carried out by the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership29, found that the EUYD 
“is perceived as a very good opportunity to structure youth engagement activities and to ensure 
that young people are constantly consulted” but that there was scope for improvement in terms 
of increasing its impact on policy outcomes.  

➢  10th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue (July 2023-December 2024)30 

The 10th cycle under the Trio Presidency of Spain, Belgium and Hungary, focused on European 
Youth  Goal  #3:  inclusive  societies. The  consultation  resulted  in  several  concrete  proposals, 
including ensuring young people’s financial literacy, access to youth-friendly healthcare and 
increased cooperation between formal, informal and nonformal education systems, which can 
be implemented at the national and EU level. These were included in the Council Conclusions 
on inclusive societies for young people adopted on 13 May 202431. Measures were also taken 
to make the Conference more inclusive.  

28 Council Conclusions on promoting the intergenerational dimension in the youth field to foster dialogue and 
social cohesion 
29https://pjpeu.coe.int/documents/42128013/47261884/Review+of+the+9+cycles+of+the+EU+Youth+Dialogue
+%282010-2022%29+executive+summary.pdf/b95d939d-ffd2-382c-68f7-5597557d4e20?t=1708012066530  

30 Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within 
the Council on the outcomes of the 10th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue 
31 Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting 
within the Council on inclusive societies for young people 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
•  European Youth Week 2024  

The European Youth Week 2024, held from 12 to 19 April, focused on democratic participation 
with the theme ‘Voice your vision’. It began with a kick-off event in the European Parliament 
on  12 April,  organized  by  the  European  Commission.  Simultaneously,  the  European Youth 
Forum hosted the “LevelUp! I care, I vote” event to inform and engage young people, in the 
European elections especially those unaffiliated or inexperienced with EU programs. 

This  event  was  a  collaborative  effort  involving  the  European  Parliament,  the  European 
Economic  and  Social  Committee,  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions,  24  European 
Commission  departments,  the  National  Agencies  of  Erasmus+,  and  youth  stakeholders.  It 
featured  various  activities  across  Europe,  an  Active  Citizenship  Exhibition,  and  the 
DiscoverEU  application  round  and  a  meet-up  of  25  DiscoverEU  travelers  organised  in 
Brussels, aiming to mainstream the youth perspective across EU policy fields. 

Key  objectives  included  empowering  young  people  as  active  citizens,  encouraging  voting, 
highlighting achievements by young people, promoting opportunities from public policies and 
initiatives  like  Erasmus+  and  the  European  Solidarity  Corps,  and  addressing  topics  such  as 
green initiatives, digital transformation, inclusion, and participation. These goals aligned with 
the outcomes of the European Year of Youth 2022. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  European Year of Youth 2022  

‘Voice your Vision’ was the slogan of the European Year of Youth 
202232. The Year aimed to give young people positive prospects 
after  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  during  the  Russian  war  of 
aggression  against  Ukraine.  The  European  Year  of  Youth  put 
young people high on the political agenda and contributed to 
integrating the youth perspective across various policy fields.  

Objectives of the European Year of Youth 

Objective  1:  highlighting  how  the  green 
and  digital 
transitions  and  other  EU 
policies  provide  opportunities  to  young 
people after the COVID-19 pandemic 

Objective  2:  empowering  and  supporting 
young people, including those with fewer 
to  become  active  and 
opportunities, 
engaged citizens and actors of change 

Objective  3:  promoting 
the  various 
opportunities  available  to  young  people 
from public policies at all levels 

Objective  4:  bringing  a  youth  perspective 
across all relevant EU policy fields 

The  European  Year  of  Youth  was  essentially  a 
bottom-up  initiative  and  successfully  triggered 
large-scale  mobilisation  and  engagement.  More 
than  2  700  stakeholders33  across  the  EU  and 
beyond  organised  activities.  The  Year  created 
large-scale mobilisation and engagement, raising 
awareness of EU opportunities among millions of 
young people who took part in 13 000 activities 
across  67  countries.  More  than  30  Commission 
departments  contributed,  with  over  130  policy 
initiatives for young people, many of which were 
developed in cooperation with them.  

Social  media  campaigns  running  from  February 
2022 to May 2023 resulted in 210 million views 
and  10  million  interactions  and  reached  91.4 
million people. 

All  these  efforts  helped  meet  the  Year’s  four 
objectives as set out in Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 22 December 2021 on a European Year of Youth (2022)34. 

New youth participation formats were launched, ranging from the Youth Voices Platform to the 
policy dialogues with European Commissioners35 and the pool of European young journalists36.  

•  EU youth programmes  

Erasmus+  and  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  are  instrumental  in  strengthening  European 
identity  and  values  and  in  contributing  to  a  more  democratic  EU.  Active  participation  in 
democratic  life,  European  common  values,  and  civic  engagement  are  at  the  heart  of  both 
programmes. This is reflected in a horizontal priority, maintained throughout the 2021-2027 
programming period, fostering a strong participatory dimension in all supported activities.  The 
programmes aim to strengthen European identity and to encourage the participation of young 
people in democratic processes including European, national, regional and local elections, and 
in  other  EU  initiatives  and  platforms  revolving  around  participation  and  civic  engagement. 

32 What was the European Year of Youth? | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
33 Number of stakeholders who submitted activities on the EYY Activities map on the European Youth Portal. 
34 Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on a European 
Year of Youth (2022) 
35 Policy dialogues | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
36 Meet the pool of European young journalists | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 

10 

 
 
 
 
Both  programmes  encourage  participatory  practices  and  the  direct  involvement  of  young 
people in all phases of supported projects (project design, implementation and follow-up). 

These programmes play a crucial role as well in developing essential skills (such as social and 
intercultural  competences,  critical  thinking,  and media  literacy),  across  lifelong  learning,  to 
help  young people participate actively  and responsibly in society.  Detailed reporting on  the 
activities  of  both  programmes  is  available  in  the  2023  annual  report  of  Erasmus+37  and  the 
2021-2023 European Solidarity Corps report 38. 

The 2024 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies recognize the EU’s concerted efforts to 
promote cohesion, resilience and values through these programmes and initiatives39. 

1,201 

cooperation 

involving  more 

Under  the  2022  Erasmus+  call,  a 
budget of 339.9 million was allocated 
projects 
to 
supporting  democratic  participation 
than  4,000 
and 
organisations.  The 
programme’s 
this  priority  was 
commitment 
strengthened 
requiring 
beneficiaries to actively adopt, respect, 
advance and implement EU values in 
project activities.  

to 
in  2024, 

Since 2021, Erasmus+ has supported a 
action,  youth  participation 
new 
activities, 
to 
specifically  aiming 
empower  young  people,  foster  and 
in 
facilitate 
European  democratic  life  at  local, 
regional, national  and European  levels. Under this  action, support is  available for  local  and 
transnational initiatives run by informal groups of young people and/or organisations working 
with  young  people.  2  338  organisations  have  been  awarded  a  total  of  EUR  61.1  million  in 
grants since 2021 for the implementation of 1 643 projects aiming to involve over 320 000 
participants (16% of them young people with fewer opportunities40).   

participation 

their 

According to the 2022 Erasmus+ Annual Report41, 82% of Erasmus+ participants declare that 
they feel more European, 72% are more interested in in European topics, and 52% are more 
aware of the European values after taking part in the programme’s mobility activities.  

37 Erasmus+ annual report 2023 - Publications Office of the EU 
38 European solidarity corps - Publications Office of the EU  
39 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people 
40 In the Erasmus+ Regulation, “people with fewer opportunities” means people who, for economic, social, 
cultural, geographical or health reasons, due to their migrant background, or for reasons such as disability or 
educational difficulties or for any other reason, including a reason that could give rise to discrimination under 
Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, face obstacles that prevent them from 
having effective access to opportunities under the Programme. 
41 Erasmus+ annual report 2022 - Publications Office of the EU 

11 

 
 
 
The European Solidarity Corps builds on the achievements of more than 25 years of European 
programmes in the field of youth and solidarity. It brings together young people to build a more 
inclusive society, supporting vulnerable people and responding to societal and humanitarian 
challenges. It offers an inspiring and empowering experience for young people who want to 
help, learn and develop, and provides a single entry point for solidarity activities throughout 
the  EU  and  beyond.  The  three  strands  of  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  programme  are: 
Volunteering, Solidarity projects and Humanitarian aid. 

With  volunteering  and  solidarity  at  its  heart,  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  offers  an 
opportunity  for  young  people  to  make  a  meaningful  contribution  to  society,  while  gaining 
invaluable experience and developing new skills. Participants can  get  involved in  solidarity 
activities, across the EU and beyond, in a range of areas such as citizenship and democratic 
participation. Since 2021, a total of 995 organisations have received 129.7 million in grants to 
run  1  646  projects  (47%  out  of  total)  specifically  aiming  to  promote  “participation  in 
democratic life” (involving more than 25 000 volunteers). Furthermore, over the same period, 
the European Solidarity Corps has awarded over  EUR 2.8 million to 370 solidarity projects 
(10% of the total) specifically dealing with the topic of “democracy and participation”42.  

The SALTO Participation and Information43 resource centre was created in 2018 to enhance 
the impact of both Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps on democratic participation of 
young  people.  The  centre  provides  guidance  and  support  for  applicants,  beneficiaries,  and 
National  Agencies,  ensures  the  involvement  of  young  people,  and  organises  trainings  for 
experts and youth workers. The centre was actively engaged in initiatives to boost voter turnout 
among young people in the European Parliament elections. 

The National Agencies that manage Erasmus+ youth actions and the European Solidarity Corps 
in EU Member States and non-EU countries associated to the programmes work together in 
Training  and  Cooperation  Activities,  with  the  aim  to  build  organisational  capacity  and 
maximise the programmes’ on-the-ground impact. A key focus of several of these initiatives is 
to support and promote youth participation. For instance, “Democracy reloading, managed by 
the National Agency of the French Community of Belgium, aims to develop local democracies 
by engaging young people in municipal decision-making. “New Power in Youth”, managed by 
the  Estonian  National  Agency,  aims  to  foster  young  people’s  civic  engagement  and 
participation in democratic life. ‘ 

•  Defence of Democracy and EU citizenship’ packages 

As part of the Defence of Democracy package adopted in December 2023, the Commission 
Recommendation on inclusive and resilient elections promotes high standards for European 
and national  elections and referenda. It supports  young citizens in  exercising  their electoral 
rights, both as voters and candidates, and promotes political engagement, with a special focus 
on  young  people,  especially  first-time  voters.  This  may  include  actions  such  as  fostering 
citizenship education, organising election simulations in schools, organising knowledge tests 
or art competitions on elections, running youth-friendly communication campaigns, publishing 

42 European Solidarity Corps 01/2021 - 08/2024 
43 https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/participation/ 

12 

 
 
 
election guides to familiarise children and teenagers with the registration and voting process, 
encouraging students to become election observers and launching peer-to-peer programmes.  

Another element of the Defense of Democracy Package is the Commission Recommendation 
on  promoting  the  engagement  and  effective  participation  of  citizens  and  civil  society 
organisations in public policymaking processes44.  

As  part  of  the  ‘Citizenship  Package’45,  also  adopted  in  December  2023,  the  Commission 
presented a Guide to EU citizenship, intended to equip in particular (but not only) young and 
new EU citizens with the most essential information on their citizenship rights, illustrating the 
opportunities  these rights  offer for democratic engagement.  It was accompanied by a broad 
communication  campaign  celebrating  the  30th  anniversary  of  EU  citizenship,  with  certain 
deliverables focused on young people, under #EURightsOn. 

The  EU  Democracy  in Action  toolkit46,  published  in  May  2023,  introduces  pupils  to  the 
European Citizens’ Initiative and encourages them to take an active role in European issues. 

•  European elections 2024 

The European elections took place from 6 to 9 June 2024. It gave young citizens the opportunity 
to express their choice of preferred representation in the EU’s directly elected assembly, the 
European Parliament. While the minimum age required to vote was 18 in most EU countries, 
the minimum voting age was 16 in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Malta, and 17 in Greece.  

The  overall  turnout  of  50.74  %  was  slightly  higher  than  in  the  2019  elections  (50.66%)47. 
According  to  the  European  Parliament’s  2024  post-electoral  Eurobarometer  survey,  36%  of 
those aged 15-24 (if eligible) and 46% of those aged 25-39 voted in the 2024 elections to the 
European Parliament. Age therefore remains a determining factor in voter turnout, with older 
people  still  more  likely  to  vote  than  young  people:  51%  of  those  aged  40-54,  and  58%  of 
citizens aged 55 and over voted. The level of education also influences voter turnout: 59% of 
respondents who finished their formal education at the age of 20 or older voted in the elections, 
while the turnout was 49% for those who finished at the age of 16-19, and 44% for those who 
finished at the age of 15 or younger.The participation rate of young voters has decreased by 
6 percentage points since 2019, partially offsetting the 14 percentage points increase that took 
place between 2014 and 201948. According to the European Youth Forum’s analysis49 of the 
new European Parliament, the average age of Members of the European Parliament remains 50 
(as  in  2019),  and  people  aged  under  35  only  hold  10%  of  the  seats,  as  a  result  of  younger 
candidates consistently placed in electoral list positions with lower chances of being elected.  

On 18 July 2024, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was elected for a 
second  mandate  by  the  European  Parliament  and  presented  her  Political  Guidelines  for  the 

44  Commission Recommendation on promoting the engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil 
society organisations in public policy-making processes 
45 Citizenship Package - European Commission. 
46 ECI at school (europa.eu) 
47 Turnout | 2024 European election results | European Parliament (europa.eu) 
48 EU Post-electoral survey 2024 - October 2024 - - Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu) 
49 European Elections 2024: Young People never had a chance | European Youth Forum 

13 

 
 
 
2024-2029 European Commission50. She committed to strengthening the role of young people 
in policymaking and also stressed the need for intergenerational fairness. 

As  announced  in  the  Defence  of  Democracy  package,  the  Commission  is  preparing  a 
comprehensive report on the conduct of the 2024 European Parliament elections that will 
include an assessment of young people’s participation in those elections as voters, candidates 
and elected people.  

•  Eurobarometer 2024 ‘Youth and Democracy’ 

A Eurobarometer survey, carried out in April 202451, showed that young people are active and 
engaged: 64% said that they had participated in the activities of one or more organisations in 
the previous 12 months. In addition, 48% reported that they had taken action to change society 
by signing a petition, participating in a rally, or sending a letter to a politician. In particular, 
young people were  active  in topics relating  to  human rights  (34%),  climate change and  the 
environment (33%), health and well-being (29%) and equal rights regardless of gender, race or 
sexuality (29%). 

Young people said that the education system has prepared them well. For example, 73% said 
their education has equipped them with the necessary digital skills to identify disinformation. 
72% said their education has taught them to take care of the environment. 

Finally, the survey showed that young people continue to have a European outlook. More 
than 43% had participated in an activity in another EU country. Typical examples of this include 
studying or training (16%), volunteering (12%) and working (12%). 49% said that they were 
aware of the funding opportunities offered by Erasmus+. In addition, 67% of young people 
believed that the EU has an impact, at least to some extent, on their daily life. 

•  Youth survey on the views of young people on aspects of the EU Youth Strategy 

From 27 May to 19 August 2024, the European Commission published a survey on EU Survey 
and on the European Youth Portal to hear the views of young people aged 15-29 on some 
aspects of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-202752. The answers complemented results of other 
consultations that help provide a better picture of young people’s views and indicated how to 
give them a stronger voice in EU policymaking. A total of 2246 young people responded to the 
survey. 73% of them are not part of a youth organisation53, and only 19% of the respondents 
have heard about the EU Youth Dialogue.   

Overall, about half of the respondents indicated that they have only a limited influence over 
national and EU policies and laws that affect them54. A larger share expressed similar views 

50 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 | European Commission (europa.eu) 
51 Youth and democracy - May 2024 - - Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu) 
52 The full questionnaire is available in the annex 5 of the present Staff Working Document 
53 The following definition was provided in the survey: “Youth organisations are generally understood to be led 
by young people, non-profit, and voluntary associations. They work for example on promoting young people's 
democratic rights, encouraging their social and political participation in community life, and offering 
opportunities for personal and social development through leisure activities, voluntary engagement and non-
formal and informal learning. It can be for instance a youth council, a student association, a youth political 
organisation, etc.” 
54 48% of the young people responding stated that they had no or little say over national policies and laws. 53% 
said the same about EU policies and laws. 

14 

 
 
 
about  the  involvement  of  youth  organisations in  policy  making55.  However,  the  youngest 
respondents (aged 15-19) and members of youth organisation tended to have a slightly more 
positive outlook on both topics. In contrast, residents of capital cities are more likely to view 
both areas less favourably. 

When respondents considered areas in which they would take action, education and training 
(mentioned  by  41%  of  respondents),  environment  and  sustainability  (35%),  and  physical 
and mental health (33%) were the top three priorities. It is interesting to observe that among 
respondents who live in rural areas, physical and mental health is the second most frequently 
mentioned area for action. Conversely, for residents of capital cities, people not involved in 
youth organisations and individuals aged 20-24, the issue of inflation and the cost of living is 
particularly prominent. 

On rating the relevance of the 11 European Youth Goals, which are an integral part of the 
EU Youth Strategy and were developed by young people through the EU Youth Dialogue56, 
59% think that they are at least quite relevant. When asked in an open and optional question 
what would be the 12th European Youth Goal if they had to propose one, many respondents 
focused on addressing issues related to current living costs, with a strong emphasis on the need 
for  affordable  housing  and  improvements  in  social  security.  Education,  particularly  in 
improving  digital  and  financial  literacy,  was  another  key  focus.  Other  recurring  themes 
included the promotion of peace and the strengthening of democracy. The word cloud below 
gives a visualisation of the most recurring topics. 

Other  results  of  the  youth  survey  are  included  in  various  chapters  of  this  staff  working 
document. 

•  EU Children’s Participation Platform   

The  Commission  has  continued  to  create  synergies  between  children  rights’  policies  and 
youth  participation,  including  on  participation    that  supports  active  and  meaningful 
participation in democratic life from an early age57. This is in line with the 2021 EU strategy 

55 60% considered that youth organisations were not included in policy making at all (or only a little) in their 
country (i.e.  at local, regional, and national levels), whereas 50% said they were not included in policymaking 
at all (or only a little) at EU level.   
56 The 11 European Youth Goals are: Connecting EU with Youth, Equality of All Genders, Inclusive Societies, 
Information & Constructive Dialogue, Mental Health & Well-being, Moving Rural Youth Forward, Quality 
Employment for All, Quality Learning, Space and Participation for All, Sustainable Green Europe, Youth 
Organisations & European Programme. 
57 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people; Council Conclusions on children, youth and 
children's rights;  Communication from the Commission on the EU strategy on the rights of the child 

15 

 
 
 
 
on the rights of the child, the 2022 Council Conclusions on the rights of the child, the 2023 
Council Conclusions on inclusive societies and the 2023 Council Conclusions on children, 
youth and children’s rights. 

  Since  its  launch  in  October  2022,  the 
EU Children’s Participation Platform58 has been creating more opportunities for people aged 
under 18 to express their opinion on matters that concern them and to contribute to the decision-
making process. More than 80 organisations working directly with children in 24 EU Member 
States are now members of the platform. Children co-design and co-decide on activities and 
topics that the platform works on. 

The 2023-2024 work plan sets out the three topic areas:  

-  Feeling safe59.  
-  Democracy and voting60.   
-  Website co-creation.  

Create, Plan,  Participate61: During the meeting that took place on 27 and 28 June 2024, 
children discussed how the Platform  has worked over the past  two years,  what  to  keep, 
what to change. They meet with Iris Abraham from the Cabinet of Vice-President Suica and 
representatives  of  different  Commission  Directorate  Generals.    Thework  plan  (2025-
2026)62 (also co-created with children) will focus on:  

-  Equal opportunities and social inclusion 
-  Mental health and well-being  
-  Online safety  
-  Climate action 

Children’s engagement and participation was one of the priorities of the CERV 2024 call for 
proposals on the rights of the child and children’s participation. The eight selected projects with 
a total budget of EUR 5 million will promote an inclusive and systemic participation of children 

58 EU Children’s Participation Platform | European Union (europa.eu). 
59 Feeling Safe | EU Child Participation  
60 Democracy and Voting | EU Child Participation 
61 Create, plan, participate: first working meeting  
62 2025-26 Work Plan | EU Children's Participation Platform 

16 

 
 
 
 
at  local,  national  and  EU  levels  to  ensure  that  children’s  voices  are  heard  and  listened  to, 
especially on matters that affect them. 

On  23  April  2024,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Recommendation  on  developing  and 
strengthening integrated child protection systems in the best interests of the child63, to 
support EU Member States in ensuring that children are safe and protected from violence. Over 
1,000  children's  views  were  collected  through  the  Platform  and  are  reflected  in  the 
recommendations. 

•  Democracy survey for children 

Almost 2 000 children between the ages of 6 and 17 shared their thoughts about democracy 
in  an  online  survey64,  interviews  and  focus  groups  organised  by  the  EU  Children’s 
Participation  Platform.  The  children  surveyed  expressed  their  interest  in  having  more 
opportunities  to  discuss  decisions  that  directly  affect  them  with  the  adults  taking  those 
decisions,  including  in  schools,  local  communities  and  municipalities. They  also  said  that 
they need more civic education at school in theory and in practice. 

©European Union 

•  EU in my school 

‘EU in my school’ connects young audiences ranging from kindergarten children to first-time 
voters with EU-funded places and initiatives in their region through playful and memorable 
on-site experiences65. A flexible cooperation model allows for different activities, such as visits 
to EU-funded projects, creative competitions and EU-themed school events. The Commission 
supports these activities through conceptual, logistical and financial support to connect young 
people to the EU’s achievements in their homes. In 2022 and 2023, over 22 000 school pupils 
aged  3-19  participated  directly  in  EU  in  my  school  experiences  and  activities  as  part  of  18 
regional campaigns in regions in14 Member States. 

•  Follow-up of the Conference on the Future of Europe  

The  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe66  ended  in  May  2022  with  proposals  to  the  EU 
institutions on climate change and the environment, health, a stronger economy, social justice 

63 Protecting children from violence (europa.eu) 
64 Democracy and Voting | EU Child Participation 
65 Inforegio - #EUinmyregion (europa.eu) 
66 Conference on the Future of Europe - European Commission (europa.eu). 

17 

 
 
 
and  jobs,  EU  in  the  world,  values  and  rights,  rule  of  law,  security,  digital  transformation, 
European democracy, migration, education, culture, youth and sport. The Commission outlined 
actions  on  proposals  falling  within  its  powers  in  its  communication  ‘Putting  Vision  into 
Concrete Action’67. The Commission has acted on close to 95% of the measures proposed by 
the  Conference  that  are  within  its  remit,  including  the  continuous  and  strengthened 
participation of young people in EU policymaking through European Citizens Panels. 

The Conference proposed that the EU and its Member States focus on the specific needs of 
young people across all relevant policies, including the EU’s regional policy. The aim is to give 
young people the best possible conditions for study and work and starting an independent life, 
while involving them in democratic life and decision-making processes, including at European 
level. The Conference highlighted the crucial role of youth organisations in this regard. The 
Conference also proposed to ensure that young people’s internship and jobs adhere to quality 
standards,  including  on  remuneration,  and  called  for  banning  through  a  legal  instrument 
unpaid  internships  on  the  labour  market  and  outside  formal  education.  The  Commission 
followed  up  on  this  by  proposing  a  Traineeship  package  in  March  2024,  consisting  of  a 
proposal for a Directive and a proposal for a Council Recommendation. 

A  key  legacy  of  the  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe  is  the  embedding  of  deliberative 
democracy  in  EU  policymaking.  New  generation  Citizens’  Panels  (where  a  third  of 
participants  are  young  people  aged  16-25)  took  place  between  2022  and  2024,  making 
recommendations  ahead  of  Commission  initiatives  on  food  waste,  virtual  worlds,  learning 
mobility, energy efficiency and tackling hatred in society. In her Political Guidelines, President 
Ursula von der Leyen announced that Citizens’ Panels will continue to be organised in the years 
to come. With the 2023 Commission Recommendation on promoting the engagement and 
effective participation of citizens and civil society organisations in public policy-making 
processes68,  Member States are called to  encourage the participation  of children and young 
people  in  democratic  life  in  the  EU.  This  should  support  their  long-term  engagement  in 
European democracies as active citizens and vectors of positive transformative change and in 
political and democratic life at local, regional and national level, including in rural and remote 
areas. 

Inspired by the introduction of European Citizens’ Panels, Belgium (as part of its presidency 
of the Council of the EU in 2024) pioneered a Belgian national citizens’ panel69 on artificial 
intelligence (AI) between February and April 2024 with the aim to inspire further AI policies 
in the future. 

Youth ambassadors 

Between 2022 and 2024, the Commission launched youth ambassadors’ networks in several 
policy areas.  

67 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Conference on the Future of 
Europe Putting Vision into Action. 
68 Commission Recommendation on promoting the engagement and effective participation of citizens and civil 
society organisations in public policy-making processes 
69 Launch of citizens' panel on artificial intelligence (europa.eu). 

18 

 
 
 
The  Commission  supports  a  community  of  around  300  young  European  Climate  Pact 
Ambassadors as of 2024 to promote climate action among young people on the ground and 
support their local activities. Between 2022 and 2024, the European Climate Pact continued to 
work with young people taking part in climate action70.  

The EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassadors were selected in 2022 to promote the bioeconomy in 
society,  particularly  among  young  people.  They  are  15  young  students  and  professionals 
working  in  and  around  bioeconomy  topics,  representing  11  nationalities  and  living  in  12 
Member  States.  Since  their  appointment,  they  have  supported  the  Commission  in  raising 
awareness  of  the  bioeconomy,  for  instance,  through  the  launch  of  a  podcast,  Bioeconomy 
Matters, and the publication of the Bioeconomy Youth Vision at the Bioeconomy Changemaker 
Festival in March 2024. 

Since  2023,  the  Commission  has  supported  a  group  of  30  Young  Energy Ambassadors  to 
promote sustainable energy and the clean energy transition71. 

The Horizon Europe Young Observers initiative was one of the flagships of the European Year 
of Youth 2022. It aimed to offer the possibility to master students to participate as observers in 
Horizon  Europe  proposal  evaluations.  Through  this,  the  aim  was  to  get  them  interested  in 
science  and  inspire  them  to  consider  science-related  careers  and  active  participation  in  EU 
processes. From autumn 2022 to summer 2023, more than 100 Young Observers were part of 
this initiative. 

The second group of Black Sea Young Ambassadors (15 young ambassadors from Bulgaria, 
Gorgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine) was launched in  2023, in  addition to the 
second  group  of  the  All-Atlantic  Ocean  Youth  Ambassadors  and  the  BlueMed  Young 
Communication Ambassadors already in place72. 

As part of the Better Internet for Kids strategy (BIK+)73, the Safer Internet Centres in Europe 
organise activities based on youth participation and select BIK Youth Ambassadors to ensure 
young people's voices are included in their work. National youth panellists help set programme 
priorities, provide feedback on actions and policy, organise youth-led activities and contribute 
to the debate in international conferences such as the Safer Internet Forum74. 

Youth4Cooperation Cross-Border Ambassadors is an initiative organised in the framework 
of the Border Focal Point Network. It is an EU-wide professional network bringing together 
experts on cross-border issues and committed to nurturing a generation of informed, engaged 
and passionate young Europeans. As part of the initiative, 10 ambassadors are selected based 
on their interest and activism in border topics. For four months, they share ideas on selected 
topics  related  to  cross-border  cooperation  and  produce  online  content  for  debate  with  the 
professional network. 

70 See Section 4.6. Environment, climate and energy   
71 Young Energy Ambassadors guidelines - European Commission The activities of the Young Energy 
Ambassadors are described in the section on climate, environment and energy. 
72 More information on their activities: https://bridgeblacksea.org/index.php/black-sea-young-ambassadors-2nd-
cohort-2023-2025/ - All AtlaNtic Cooperation for Ocean Research and Innovation - AANCHOR - All AtlaNtic 
Cooperation for Ocean Research and innovation and The Young Communication Ambassadors |. 
73 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/strategy-better-internet-kids  
74 See also Section 5 

19 

 
 
 
Key youth stakeholders have also set up their own groups of young ambassadors, such as the 
ERYICA  Youth  Ambassadors  Commission.  Annex  2  provides  an  overview  of  youth 
ambassador networks. 

•  2022 Eurograduate survey75 results on social outcomes of higher education 

As  higher  education  also  prepares  young  people  to  become  active  citizens,  the  2022 
Eurograduate  survey  asked  higher  education  graduates  in  10  countries  about  their  political 
interests  and  how  they  participate  in  the  public  debate.  While  over  90%  of  the  graduates 
consider  it  is  important  to  live  in  a  democratically  governed  country,  only  37%  of  the 
respondents  reported  to  be  politically  interested,  and  only  10%  felt  confident  enough  to 
participate in politics. 

Most  graduates  believed  that  people  have  only  a  little  influence  or  very  little  influence  on 
politics. However, most graduates engage in one to two types of political activities per year; 
most often this is done by signing petitions, boycotting certain products or using social media. 
The  survey  also  showed  that  female  graduates  have  lower  levels  of  political  interest,  even 
though their support for democracy is stronger. 

•  Pool of Young Journalists in Europe 

The  European  Commission  and  Eurodesk  involve  young  people  in  writing  articles  for  the 
European Youth  Portal76. After the successful 2022 edition,  as part of the  European Year of 
Youth 2022, two new pools of young journalists were set up for 2023 and 2024, to give young 
people a voice as storytellers. To date, around 30 young journalists selected from across Europe 
via an open call have written articles and created videos, podcasts and photo-journalism on 
themes of their choice and interest to young people. 

The  pool  was  also  given  the  opportunity  to  cover  important  European  events  and  received 
regular training in journalism. 

•  Future scenarios and young visions for European democracy 2040 

Under Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, a call for 
proposals77 published in 2024 will fund two projects on ‘future scenarios and young visions 
for  European  democracy  2040’.  The  selected  projects  will  run  for  three  years.  Submitted 
proposals  to  this  call  were  asked  to  combine  solid  scientific  forecasting  methods  with 
qualitative and speculative foresight practices, as well as large-scale activities (online and in-
person) to build and co-develop alternative future scenarios that can empower young people 
living in the EU to proactively shape their collective future. In addition, proposals should help 
to understand the visions of the next generation and how to provide them with the tools to make 
those visions a reality. 

75 EUROGRADUAT 2022 Comparative Synthesis Report (publication forthcoming 2024/2025) - 
https://www.eurograduate.eu/  
76 Young Journalists in Europe | European Youth Portal 
77 Details of the call can be found here: https://europa.eu/!drcgjf.  

20 

 
 
 
 
•  Other bodies and EU institutions 

The  European  Parliament  Youth  Hub78  invites  young  people  to  get  involved  in  European 
democracy and political debates. 

Following its 2022 own-initiative opinion on the ‘EU Youth Test’79, the European Economic 
and Social Committee  (EESC) introduced a youth  test to  its own opinions in  202480. This 
means  that  youth  representatives  can  participate  in  the  preparation  of  EESC  policy 
recommendations,  participate  in  meetings  and  hearings,  provide  written  contributions  and 
follow the uptake of EESC opinions. 

The  Council  of  Europe’s  co-management  system  is  a  good  example  of  participatory 
democracy as it combines the voices of young Europeans with public authorities responsible 
for  youth  issues.  Through  this  dialogue  in  which  each  party  has  an  equal  say,  ideas  and 
experiences can be exchanged, giving legitimacy to the Joint Council on Youth’s decisions81. 

2.2 Youth mainstreaming  

Youth mainstreaming is evolving, boosted by the European Year of Youth and the EU Youth 
Coordinator82 in cooperation with many Commission departments.  

78 EU opportunities for youth | Youth Hub | European Parliament (europa.eu). 
79 The EU Youth Test | EESC (europa.eu). 
80 Make civil society proposals youth proof! (europa.eu). 
81 https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth/co-management. 
82 EU Youth Coordinator | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
The  2023  Council  Conclusions  on  promoting  youth  mainstreaming  in  policy  decision-
making  processes  in  the  EU83  stressed  that  a  comprehensive  approach  to  tackling  the 
challenges facing young people requires their involvement and participation in policymaking 
processes.  They  invited  the  Commission  and  Member  States  to  incorporate  the  youth 
perspective in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all policies affecting 
young people’s lives. This invitation was reiterated in the 2024 Council Conclusions on the 
legacy  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth  2022  and  in  the  2024  Council  Conclusions  on 
inclusive societies for young people84. 

As presented in Section 1, the youth check was introduced in 2024 in the Commission, based 
on the existing Better Regulation tools. It will be applied to youth-relevant initiatives in the 
Commission’s  annual  work  programme  as  from  2025.  The  youth  perspective  is  already 
reflected in many Commission policies and actions, as shown in the wide range of policy areas 
mentioned in this staff working document. 

The EU Youth  Dialogue (see Section 1) together with more recent tools,  such as the policy 
dialogues with European Commissioners, also contributed to improving youth mainstreaming. 
Mutual learning activities were used to  facilitate and support Member States  that wished to 
develop a national youth check or a similar mechanism. 

Nominated in 2021, the EU Youth Coordinator strengthens cross-sectoral cooperation, as well 
as knowledge development and exchanges on youth issues within the Commission. Since then, 
the  evaluation  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  has  shown  that  the  EU  Youth  Coordinator  is  a 
frontrunner for youth mainstreaming at EU level. 

The Commission Coordinator for the rights of the child mainstreams rights of the child across 
all Commission services and policies. The rights of the child apply to all children and young 
people under the age of 18. 

During  the  European  Year  of  Youth,  a  Commission  Youth  Network  was  launched,  and 
coordinated by the EU Youth Coordinator. It enabled continuous exchanges between the DGs 
on youth-related initiatives and was a key enabler of the European Year of Youth’s strong cross-
sectoral dimension. As legacy action in the Communication on the Year of Youth, Commission 
departments  nominated  youth  correspondents  as  primary  contact  points  on  youth  issues  in 
different  policy  areas  and  members  of  the  Commission Youth  Network. The  launch  of  this 
renewed and reinforced Commission Youth Network of dedicated youth correspondents took 
place in June 2024.  

The Commission Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health (adopted 
in June 2023) marked a major step in ensuring a new cross-sectoral approach to mental health85. 
The  2023  Council  Conclusions  on  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  mental  health  of 
young people encouraged the Commission to maintain its proactive approach and continue to 
promote  actions  aiming  to  improve  young  people’s  mental  health,  including  the  various 

83 Council Conclusions on promoting youth mainstreaming in policy decision-making processes in the European 
Union 
84 Council Conclusions on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022; Council Conclusions on inclusive 
societies for young people. 
85 In particular, in the chapter ‘Boosting the mental health of children and young people’. See Section 4.3 on 
health and well-being. 

22 

 
 
 
flagship  initiatives  and  other  actions  set  out  in  the  Commission  Communication  mentioned 
above86. In addition, the Council invited the Commission to encourage carrying out evidence-
based  research  on  the  impact  of  mental  health  issues  on  young  people  and  to  support  the 
dissemination of these studies. 

In the digital realm, the work on the evaluation of the BIK+ strategy started in 2024. Children 
and young people were consulted to assess the impact of the strategy on their online lives.  

Young people will also be consulted on the preparation of the Protection of minors guidelines 
under the Digital Services Act. This will help online platforms provide a high level of privacy, 
safety and security for minors online. 

Young  people  are  actively  involved  in  shaping  the  future  of  European  Territorial 
Cooperation through consultation events. 

Youth  representatives  are  invited  to  twice-yearly  exchanges  under  the  Just  Transition 
Platform. The platform runs a working group focused on equal opportunities which includes 
a dedicated Youth Task Force focused on challenges faced by young people in regions affected 
by the green transition. To better recognise and address these challenges, the views of those 
young people facing them is key to discussions. 

In  EU  external  action,  youth  organisations  have  been  systematically  included  in  the  civil 
society  consultations  organised  by  EU  Delegations  and  through  the  creation  of  Youth 
Sounding Boards. At global and local level, young people have contributed to shaping policies 
and programmes in different areas of EU external action, such as green and digital education, 
political participation and vocational education and training (VET). Young people from Europe 
and beyond have also been involved in bilateral summits, such as the EU-AU (African Union), 
EU-LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean), EU-OCTs (-Overseas Countries and Territories), 
EU-ASEAN  (Association  of  Southeast Asian  Nations)  and Artic  Dialogues,  providing  their 
views and recommendations to policymakers. 

The Commission’s internal Task  Force on Equality is  continuously updating  mainstreaming 
equality  issues.  The  toolbox  contains  a  dedicated  chapter  on  mainstreaming  equality  in 
activities, policies, legal instruments and funding programmes in the field of youth. 

Defence and Security of the EU is a raising concern for young people. Cybercrime, terrorism 
and the risk of conflict are among the most significant concerns. Young people are increasingly 
aware  of  and  concerned  about  defence  and  security  challenges,  advocating  for  stronger  EU 
collaboration, policies and measures to address these challenges. 

•  Policy dialogues with European Commissioners  

The policy dialogues are a major feature and legacy of the European Year of Youth. In the 2024 
Communication  on  the  European  Year  of  Youth  202287,  the  Commission  committed  to 
pursue this successful flagship initiative. Between February 2022 and February 2023, policy 
dialogues  with  European  Commissioners  involved  more  than  300  young  participants  in 
exchanging ideas and views in 26 dialogues in Brussels. All Commissioners organised policy 

86 Council Conclusions on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European 
Union. 
87 Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022. 

23 

 
 
 
dialogues  on  a  chosen  theme,  identifying  and  inviting  young  participants  and  organising 
information sessions and preparatory briefings. The dialogues were a unique opportunity for 
young people to get closer to policy initiatives and policymakers and make their voices heard. 
They learned about how the EU works, networked with peers and developed their knowledge 
of various policy areas.  Overall, the main takeaways across different  policy dialogues were 
young people’s concerns about employment, sustainability and the cost of living. 95% of the 
participants  rated  the  dialogues  as  excellent  or  very  good.  The  take  aways  of  the  policy 
dialogues are available on the European Youth Portal88. 

In its 2024 survey on some aspects of the EU Youth Strategy89, the Commission asked young 
people  which  topics  would  in  their  view  be  the  most  relevant  for  future  policy  dialogues 
between young people and European Commissioners. The most selected topics were education 
and  training,  including  learning  mobility  (43%),  inflation  /  the  cost  of  living  (40%),  the 
environment, sustainability and climate change (38%), physical and mental health and well-
being  (33%),  unemployment/employment  opportunities/apprenticeships  (28%),  peace  and 
security (22%), and poverty and economic and social inequalities (20%). Inflation and the cost 
of living are the most frequently cited concerns among the two groups of oldest respondents 
(20-24 and 25-29) and those living in capital cities. At the same time, the environment is the 
top priority for members of youth organisations who took part in the survey. 

•  Youth mainstreaming approaches in EU Member States  

In  July  2024,  the  Youth  Wiki  Network90  published  a  comparative  report  on  ‘Youth 
mainstreaming, youth impact assessment and youth checks’91. It analysed youth mainstreaming 
practices  in  33  European  countries,  with  a  focus  on  youth  regulatory  impact  assessment 
instruments in four EU Member States: Belgium (the Flemish Community), Germany, France 
and  Austria.  It  also  highlighted  good  practices  in  mainstreaming  the  reflection  of  young 
people’s  concerns  in  public  policymaking.  In  nine  EU  Member  States  (Finland,  Cyprus, 
Ireland, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Sweden and Slovenia), youth issues are considered 
when developing policies in different areas (and not just youth policy). 

Under the 2025 Flagship Technical Support project on Addressing Demographic Change 
Through Reforms92, the Commission is offering support to EU Member States to mainstream 
youth  perspectives  across  all  policy  areas,  including  by  using  impact  assessment  tools  (i.e. 
national youth checks) to determine the impact of legislative changes on young people, in line 
with the European Youth Strategy 2019-2027. 

88 Policy dialogues | European Youth Portal (europa.eu). 
89 See subsection on the Youth Survey in Section 2.1. ‘Youth participation’. 
90 Youth Wiki Network. 
91 Youth mainstreaming, youth impact assessment and youth checks. 
92 TSI 2025 Flagship - Tackling the demographic change through supporting skills-labour market and social 
inclusion reforms - European Commission (europa.eu). 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2.3 Youth employment and skills  
•  European Year of Skills 2023  

The European Year of Skills took place between May 2023 and May 2024. It aimed to address 
skills gaps in the EU and boost the EU skills strategy, by focusing on changing mindsets on 
upskilling  and  reskilling  (including  via  micro-credentials). As  a  result,  this  would  further 
deliver  on  the  EU  Youth  Strategy’s  objective  to  equip  young  people  with  the  life  skills 
necessary to cope with a changing world93.  

The Year also raised awareness of the challenges around youth unemployment and issues that 
young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) are facing. and highlighted 
related  initiatives,  funding  and  networks,  thus  building  on  the  momentum  generated  by  the 
European Year of Youth. 

One of the flagship events of the European Year of Skills was entirely dedicated to a young 
audience: the ‘Meet the Champions of Excellence’ event gathered over 400 young people from 
all over Europe, highlighted the value of VET, and encouraged young people to choose VET 
as  an  effective  learning  and  career  path.  Young  EU  champions  from  international  skills 
competitions like WorldSkills, EuroSkills, and Abilympics, in more than 20 disciplines ranging 
from  mechanical  engineering  to  healthcare  and  social  care,  showcased  and  shared  their 
experiences and achievements with the participants. 

As a tangible result of this engagement, various stakeholders were involved in the ‘youth and 
skills’ angle of the Year through initiatives, projects and events. A total of 100 events in 28 
countries targeted youth specifically. These included: 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

‘Youth participation and democracy’ in Portugal 
‘Union for the Mediterranean Community of Practices on Youth Employment’ in Spain 
‘Empowering the Young Professionals of Tomorrow’ in Cyprus 
‘Digital Marketing for Social Media – Digital Young Ambassadors for SMEs’ 
‘Skills for the Future: Empowering Young People and Educators’ in Belgium 
‘Interreg and Youth’ in France  
‘Ideas, tools and experiences for re-motivating NEET youth’ in Italy 
‘Youth Speak Forum’ in Austria 
‘Skills of the future’ in Slovakia 
‘Erasmus 
Entrepreneurs’ in Moldova. 

for  Young  Entrepreneurs:  European  opportunities 

for  Moldovan 

In addition  to  the above, over 530 events  in  37 countries  targeted vocational  education and 
training  (for  example,  ‘Skills  Competition Young  Farmer’  in  Estonia,  ‘Youth  activism  and 
skills’  in  Poland,  and  ‘Towards  resilient  youth  labour  markets: Tackling  skill  shortages  and 
youth precarity through Observatory-based Research’ in Norway). 

On  the  official  website  of  the  European Year  of  Skills,  a  dedicated  section  was  created  for 
content targeting youth94. In November 2023, the Commission launched a call for proposals 
for transnational projects dedicated to developing young people’s skills and helping them find 

93 The results of the European Year of Skills are available here: Results of the European Year of Skills - European 
Union (europa.eu) 
94 https://year-of-skills.europa.eu/about/what-eu-doing-you_en. 

25 

 
 
 
employment. For a total of over EUR 9 million of European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) funding, 
20  projects  develop  or  scale  up  innovative  methods  and  practices  that  have  proven  to  be 
successful in other contexts, countries and regions. Projects focus on helping vulnerable young 
people, in particular NEETs, to develop skills that can help them find work. 

As part of the European Year of Skills, the third edition of the New European Bauhaus Prizes 
included a dedicated strand on education and learning – ‘New European Bauhaus Education 
Champions’. This strand was devoted to initiatives focusing on promoting the values of the 
New European Bauhaus in education and learning settings. Students were encouraged to apply 
with  their  own  initiatives,  and  many  selected  finalist  projects  under  the  strand  focused  on 
education and upskilling young people and students. 

•  Youth employment 

The Youth Guarantee continues to ensure that all young people, at national, regional and local 
levels,  receive  a  quality  offer  of  employment,  continued  education,  traineeship,  or 
apprenticeship  within  a  period  of  four  months  of  becoming  unemployed  or  leaving  formal 
education. Since 2020, the reinforced Youth Guarantee has extended its support to cover young 
people  below  the  age  of  30.  The  EU  supports  mutual  learning  activities  and  monitors  the 
progress of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee every year and through Employment 
Committee (EMCO) reviews every two years. Since the adoption of the Youth Guarantee in 
2013, over 50 million young people have started an offer of employment, continued education, 
apprenticeship or traineeship.   

At national level, Member States also continued to implement the reinforced Youth Guarantee. 
The latest EMCO review in November 2023 concluded, for example, that there is progress in 
identifying the target population, in reaching out to inactive and vulnerable young NEETs, and 
in  the  quality  of  the  offers.  There  is  also  a  shared  understanding  of  the  importance  of  a 
preventive approach in reducing early school leaving and inactivity. But Member States will 
need to do more, for example, to improve the registration of inactive young NEETs and put 
more emphasis on vulnerable people in rural and remote areas. Developing integrated services 
and making sure that young people are better equipped for the modern labour market, e.g. in 
terms of improved digital skills, are also essential aspects to be improved. The main financial 
support  to  Member  States’  efforts  to  implement  the  Youth  Guarantee  and  address  youth 
unemployment and inactivity is through the ESF+ and the Recovery and Resilience Facility 
(RRF).  

The Communication ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking 
potential  in  the  outermost  regions’95  acknowledges  the  educational  and  labour  market 
challenges in the outermost regions96. It encourages the Member States and regions concerned 
to set up apprenticeship, job retention and hiring schemes for young people in the outermost 
regions as part of the Youth Guarantee using EU funds. 

95 Inforegio - Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s 
outermost regions (europa.eu). 
96 The outermost regions suffer from high youth unemployment and brain drain and have particularly high levels 
of NEETs and early school leavers. 

26 

 
 
 
 
In  March  2024,  the  Commission  presented  an  action  plan  to  address  labour  and  skills 
shortages in the EU97. Among other actions, under the social innovation strand of the ESF+, 
the Commission will finance new initiatives on zero long-term unemployment as well as on 
activating and upskilling young NEETs98. 

•  Quality framework for traineeships  

According to a 2023 Eurobarometer survey99, 78% of young Europeans had taken part in at 
least one traineeship and 68% said they found a job afterwards. It is estimated100 that there are 
around 3.1 million trainees in the EU (1.6 million of them paid) and demand for traineeships 
is expected to grow at least 16% by 2030. 

In  March  2024,  the  Commission  adopted  two  new  proposals  to  improve  the  working  of 
traineeships in the EU conditions (including pay), quality, and inclusiveness(i) a proposal for 
a Directive101 on improving and enforcing working conditions of trainees who are workers and 
combating regular employment relationships disguised as traineeships; and (ii) a proposal for 
a Council Recommendation on a reinforced Quality Framework for Traineeships for all trainees 
102. These proposals aim to improve the quality of traineeships as regards working conditions 
and  their  learning  component  and  to  make  them  more  inclusive  for  those  belonging  to 
vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities.  

The policy initiative follows up on the European Year of Youth. It contributes to the European 
Year of Skills, the European Parliament’s 2023 Resolution on Quality traineeships in the Union, 
the call stemming from the Conference on the Future of Europe on quality traineeships, and, 
more broadly, to the Commission’s youth employment initiatives. 

•  ALMA  

The ALMA initiative103 (Aim, Learn, Master, and Achieve) is a social inclusion initiative that 
supports mobility across the EU for vulnerable young NEETs aged 18-29, helping them 
integrate into society and the labour market in their Member State. In the framework of the 
European Year of Youth 2022, the Commission launched a one-off EU-level call (budget of 
EUR 11.6 million) to help  Member States integrate ALMA into their ESF+ programmes  by 
piloting or scaling up ALMA type of activities. Under this call, more than 800 young NEETs 
are  participating  in  29  ALMA  projects  across  the  EU.  For  example,  the  Spanish  project 
‘Creating job opportunities for young people’ of the Asociación Arrabal-AID sent three groups 

97 Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Labour and skills shortages in the EU: an action plan; Labour 
Shortages Action Plan factsheet. 
98 See text box on the social innovation strand of the ESF+ in Section 8.1 Insights into EU spending on youth. 
99 Flash Eurobarometer 523: Integration of young people into the labour market with particular focus on 
traineeships 
100 Estimations based on the European Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS 2019 data). 
101 Commission Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on improving and 
enforcing working conditions of trainees and combating regular  
102 Commission Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a reinforced Quality Framework for Traineeships 
103 ALMA: an active inclusion initiative for young people - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European 
Commission (europa.eu). 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
of young NEETs to Lithuania, Germany and Italy. Thanks to the continuous support and tailor-
made counselling provided at all ALMA phases (preparation, mobility abroad and follow-up), 
all participants experienced positive changes, gained confidence, acquired new skills and are 
gradually finding employment or joining training and education programmes in their Member 
State of origin. 

ALMA  is  generally  implemented  under  shared  management,  and  15  Member  States  have 
shown interest in implementing the initiative as part of national or regional ESF+ programmes. 
To date104, ALMA calls have been launched at national or regional level in seven Member 
States (Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Spain, Poland, Sweden and Slovenia). 

•  Youth entrepreneurship 

The Commission supports young people on their path to entrepreneurship. Together with the 
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Commission set up 
the Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Academy (YEPA)105 in 2023. The objective of the YEPA 
is to create a policy-learning network that strengthen youth EU entrepreneurship policies. The 
network’s participants are policymakers, young entrepreneurs, representatives of national and 
international youth entrepreneurship networks, experts and social entrepreneurship networks 
from the 27 Member States. 

This  group  meets  regularly  to  share  information  on  the  barriers  that  young  people  face  in 
entrepreneurship,  for  instance,  the  lack  of  access  to  finance. Topics  such  as  entrepreneurial 
skills, networking, innovation and AI or the specific characteristics of social entrepreneurship 
are also discussed. Specific attention is given to female entrepreneurship. 

The Academy’s ambition is to push Member States to offer better support packages to aspiring 
young entrepreneurs. The project will run until the end of 2025. Among other things, this group 
delivers on the Commission’s commitment in the 2024 Commission Communication on the 
European  Year  of  Youth  2022106  to  work  with  groups  whose  untapped  entrepreneurial 
potential remains high. 

•  ESF+ support for employment and skills 

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) continues to invest in youth employment and young 
people’s socio-economic integration. In the 2021-2027 programming period, all EU Member 
States have been required to allocate an appropriate amount of their ESF+ resources to targeted 
actions and structural reforms to support youth employment. Importantly, Member States that 
had a NEET rate (aged 15-29) above the EU average107 had to allocate at least 12.5% of their 
ESF+ resources to such actions108. 

Altogether around EUR 17 billion, including an EU contribution of EUR 11 billion, will be 
invested  in  measures  supporting  youth  employment  and  young  people’s  socio-economic 
integration.  These  includes  targeted  actions  and  structural  reforms  to  support  youth 
employment,  the  transition  from  school  to  work,  vocational  education  and  training, 

104 Situation in June 2024. 
105 https://yepa-hub.org/ (launched in March 2023). 
106 Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022. 
107 For the period 2017 to 2019, on the basis of Eurostat data. 
108These Member States are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.  

28 

 
 
 
 
 
apprenticeships,  pathways  to  reintegrate  into  education  or  training  and  second  chance 
education as well as outreach measures. 

•  2022 Eurograduate survey109 results on labour market outcomes and skills uses 

Over 100 000 recent graduates in 17 countries were surveyed at the end of 2022 (graduating in 
summer  2021)  on  their  labour  market  experiences  and  the  skills  they  use  (or  need)  in  their 
current jobs. Around 90% of graduates have found a job one year after finishing their higher 
education. 

Bachelor graduates reach the highest employment rate in the field of health, whereas master 
graduates  in  information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT)  and  engineering  enjoy  the 
highest employment rates and wages,  and were  also  most satisfied with  their jobs.  Overall, 
recent graduates report good levels of satisfaction (>70%) with most job aspects,  except for 
salary and career opportunities (around 50%). 

Most higher education graduates see their education as a good basis for their job (this is slightly 
more the case for master graduates than for bachelor graduates). About two thirds of working 
graduates have a job that matches their highest education degree. They also perceive a good 
skills match overall, with more than 75% of graduates assessing their skills level as matching 
or exceeding job requirements. 

There is also a significant minority who are not working in field related to their degree or area 
of interest. While many replies suggest that graduates possess some skills that could be better 
used,  around  one  third  experienced  a  lack  of  skills  in  mastering  their  own  field  and 
communicating their ideas clearly to others. 

The dominant teaching mode is still ‘lecture style’, but this has now dropped below 50% in 
almost  all  countries  and  is  more  often  combined  with  problem-based  learning.  However, 
innovative  teaching  methods  are  still  at  a  low  level. The  survey  results  show  that  different 
teaching and learning approaches are needed to develop a broader set of skills. 

8% of recent graduates have started their own business, which may be attributed to innovative 
learning styles and extracurricular experiences. Self-employment is most common in arts and 
humanities. Graduates who had a learning mobility experience abroad increased their chance 
of finding a matching job by 7%. 

•  More initiatives for youth employment and skills  

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has allocated almost EUR 6.1 billion110 to youth 
employment support and job creation. This includes hiring and job transition incentives and 
support  for  self-employment.  For  example,  Cyprus  will  improve  the  effectiveness  of  its 
Department of Labour and Public Employment Services to reinforce support for young people. 
This  will  include  developing  an  early  warning  tracking  system  for  NEETs,  giving  them 

109 EUROGRADUAT 2022 Comparative Synthesis Report (publication forthcoming 2024/2025) - 
https://www.eurograduate.eu/  
110 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and corresponds to the measures allocated to the ‘youth employment support and youth 
job creation’ policy area as a primary or secondary policy area. These figures are based on the ex ante estimated 
cost of the relevant RRF measures. 

29 

 
 
 
coaching and career guidance for labour market orientation and integration, and preparing an 
incentive scheme for employers to hire NEETs. 

Furthermore, investments and reforms on skills and adult education amount to about EUR 41 
billion111. These focus on a wide range of issues, including the twin transition, and target both 
companies and individuals, which benefits young people as well. The recovery and resilience 
plans also pay specific attention to parts of the population that might need more targeted and 
additional support. For example, Portugal will modernise its vocational education and training 
institutions  by  installing  and  upgrading  specialised  technology  centres  in  public  secondary 
schools  and  vocational  schools,  as  well  as  in  private  educational  establishments  offering 
vocational education. In addition, training centres of the public employment service will be 
expanded and upgraded, with the goal to make training more relevant to the labour market. 

On 16 June 2022, the Council adopted a Council Recommendation on Individual Learning 
Accounts112.  Individual  Learning  Accounts  ensure  that  all  adults  regardless  of  their 
employment status can access financial support for training whenever they need it. This support 
is integrated in a user-friendly way with a registry of available training offers, certification and 
guidance, and includes paid training-leave. They incentivise the uptake of training in a joined-
up way by giving young people the means to pay for it and by ensuring that it will be financially 
worthwhile. The initiative’s scope is universal and therefore includes young adults who would 
benefit  from  individual  learning  accounts  by  developing  the  skillset  they  need  to  enter  and 
make successful transitions in the labour market. 

Member States have now moved to the design and implementation phases. Around half of the 
Member  States are  working  on  steps  towards setting  up  Individual  Learning  Accounts 
schemes,  in  most cases  supported  by  the  ESF+  and  RRF. Countries  can  also  seek  technical 
assistance  from  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  (TSI).  The  Commission  also  provides 
support to the Member States in the form of a mutual learning programme. 

As  one  of  the  initiatives  of  the  strategy  for  the  rights  of  persons  with  disabilities,  the 
Commission together with its stakeholders launched the Disability Employment package113 
in 2022, which draws attention to the situation of young people with disabilities. The package 
is  a  set  of  guidance  and  practices  aiming  to  facilitate  the  employment  of  persons  with 
disabilities.  It  covers  all  stages  from  recruitment  through  retention  and  return  to  work  of 
persons  with  disabilities114.  This  guidance  provides  advice  and  practices  to  employers, 
employment  services,  adult  learning  institutions,  public  authorities  and  persons  with 

111 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and corresponds to the measures allocated to the ‘adult learning’, ‘human capital in 
digitalisation’ and ‘green skills and jobs’ policy areas as primary or secondary policy areas. These figures are 
based on the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 
112 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on individual learning accounts 
113 Disability Employment Package to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities - 
Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu). 
114 Respective guidance documents have been prepared with the European Network for Public Employment 
Services, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, the European Union information 
agency for occupational safety and health, Member States and civil society, in the Disability Platform. 

30 

 
 
 
 
disabilities. It also aims to tackle stereotypes about persons with disabilities and the cost of 
providing workplace adaptations. 

The Commission continues supporting Member States and regions in the implementation of 
the 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes. This includes European Regional Development 
Fund  (ERDF) support in the areas of employment,  education  and training, social inclusion, 
healthcare and long-term care and sustainable tourism and culture. Young people have been 
identified  as  target  groups  that  can  benefit  based  on  the  identified  needs  in  the  targeted 
territories. 

The  Talent  Booster  Mechanism115  was  launched  in  January  2023  to  support  EU  regions 
affected by demographic challenges, including the departure of young people. The mechanism 
provides  support  in  the  form  of  training,  retaining  and  attracting  the  people,  skills  and 
competences  needed  to  address  the  impact  of  the  demographic  transition.  Enabling  young 
people to  realise their potential in  a high-quality learning environment  and facilitating their 
transition to working life are part of the Commission’s toolbox of measures116 to help Member 
States  manage  demographic  change  and  achieve  a  more  balanced  brain  circulation  across 
Europe. 

The  Youth4Reviving  (stagnating)  EU  territories  toolkit117  is  a  project  inspired  by  the 
conversations  during  a  youth  policy  dialogue  with  Elisa  Ferreira,  the  Commissioner  for 
Cohesion and Reforms. It identifies initiatives and policies that could attract young people who 
have left their regions of origin back home and encourage those who have not yet left to stay. 
The toolkit is the result of a project  that started in January 2023. The project included desk 
research,  a  multilingual  and  EU-wide  questionnaire  and  visits  to  regions  affected  by  youth 
emigration/out-migration. Education is prominently highlighted as a way to make regions more 
attractive  for  young  people,  particularly  through  strengthened  cooperation  between  higher 
education  institutions  and  local  stakeholders  to  foster  a  more  relevant  education  offer 
responding  to  local  skills  needs.  In  this  regard,  the  blueprint  for  a  European  degree118is 
instrumental to foster opportunities for attracting and retaining talent  and  creating the skills 
needed at regional level. 

To  alleviate  social  impacts  of  the  transition  towards  a  climate-neutral  economy,  the  Just 
Transition Fund (JTF) invests EUR 3.4 billion in the development of skills, assistance on the 
labour market, improving the quality of education (namely vocational and tertiary), from which 
young people also benefit. Young people are key players in implementing the Just Transition 
Fund (JTF). One of the largest areas of JTF investment is in skills, job searches and education. 
To support people affected by the green transition in coal and carbon-intensive regions, the JTF 
has  devoted  a  significant  part  of  its  resources  to  employment  programmes,  particularly  for 
young people. The Just Transition Platform (JTP) helps young people in regions who are 
most vulnerable to the effects of the transition to climate neutrality. Since 2024, the platform 
has runs a JTP Working Group on Equal Opportunities to provide a forum for vulnerable 
groups to share good practices, exchange knowledge and discuss concerns and achievements. 
The group consists of the JTP Youth Task Force, which focuses on the challenges faced by 

115 Harnessing Talent in Europe: a new boost for EU Regions (europa.eu). 
116 Demographic change in Europe - a toolbox for action. 
117 Toolkit_Youth4Reviving_stagnating_EUterritories.pdf (europa.eu). 
118 A blueprint for a European degree - Publications Office of the EU. 

31 

 
 
 
young  people  and  finding  solutions  for  them.  In addition,  the  JTP  has  managed  since  2023 
technical  assistance  on  the  ground,  with  dedicated  workstreams  on  youth  mobilisation, 
reskilling  and  upskilling  for  young  people.  Support  through  the  JTP  also  promotes  the 
development of green skills for young people to improve entrepreneurship and the development 
of the SMEs and start-ups. Youth representatives are also regularly involved in exchanges at 
bi-annual conferences organised by the JTP for all stakeholders. 

The  2023-2027  common  agricultural  policy  2023-2027  (CAP)  provides  funding  to  EU 
countries  under  specific  objectives  whose  aims  include  attracting  young  people  to  farming, 
facilitating business development and promoting employment, growth and local development 
in rural areas. EU countries’ 2023-2027 strategic plans combine funding for income support, 
rural development and market measures. Specific support to young farmers (up to 40 years old) 
features prominently in the strategic plans in the form of income support, investment support 
and  start-up  grants  and  will  amount  to  around  EUR 8.5  billion.  Overall,  it  is  expected  that 
377 000 new young farmers will benefit. In addition, young people can also benefit from the 
strategic  plans’  measures  supporting  knowledge  exchange,  innovation,  dissemination  of 
information and cooperation projects119. 

In its Translating Europe Forum, a yearly conference on translation, the Commission pays 
special attention to young people by providing them with the opportunity to meet professionals 
in the language industry, learn from their experience and share their ideas and expectations. 
Over 800 graduates and newcomers to the language industry took part in the Translating Europe 
Forum in 2023, taking advantage of networking with professional linguists, improving their 
skills and discovering new professional opportunities. 

119 Projects funded and co-funded by the CAP and implemented by and/or for young people in rural areas can be 
found in the EU CAP Network database: Good Practice | EU CAP Network (europa.eu). 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
3  CONNECT  

Connect young people through diverse forms of mobility for new connections, 
relations and exchange of experience, boosting inter-cultural understanding and 
engagement in solidarity and volunteering 

3.1  Youth mobility and volunteering  

Learning  mobility  is  key  to  youth  engagement,  connectivity  and  empowerment  and  to  the 
implementation of the European Education Area. The 2022 Council Recommendation on the 
mobility  of  young  volunteers120  was  a  deliverable  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth  and 
continued to  facilitate youth  volunteering in  the European Solidarity Corps  programme  and 
national schemes. It was followed in May 2024 by a Council Recommendation ‘Europe on 
the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities for everyone121. The Recommendation sets two 
quantitative targets to be achieved by 2030 for the mobility of higher education students (23%) 
and learners in VET (12%), and an aspiration for learners with fewer opportunities (20%). It 
also includes policy frameworks for teacher’ and apprentice’ mobility. In addition, the proposal 
for  Directive  establishing  the  European  Disability  Card  and  the  European  Parking  Card  for 
persons with disabilities122, adopted by the Commission on 6 September 2023, aims to facilitate 
the free movement of persons with disabilities by providing for the mutual recognition of their 
disability status. 

These  initiatives  aim  to  tackle  obstacles  to  learning  and  youth  mobility  and  cross-border 
volunteering and encourage the Commission and Member States to take action in areas such 
as inclusiveness, quality and the recognition of these mobility and volunteering experiences. 

In its 2024 survey on some aspects of the EU Youth Strategy123, the Commission asked young 
respondents what they would prioritise if they had the chance to spend time studying, training 
or learning in another country. Young respondents said they would prioritise developing skills 
(knowledge and soft skills,  such as adapting to new environments, self-reliance, teamwork, 
social skills) (58%), learning and practising other languages (40%), increasing their future job 
opportunities (36%), and connecting with other young Europeans (33%). 

The Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes focus on inclusion and diversity. 
For example, 32% of Erasmus+ youth mobility participants and 51% of European Solidarity 
Corps volunteers are young people with fewer opportunities.124. 

•  Erasmus+ 

Erasmus+ is the EU programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, supporting 
individuals  and  organisations.  Erasmus+  has  continued  to  grow,  and  the  milestone  of  15 

120 Council Recommendation of 5 April 2022 on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union 
121  Council Recommendation of 13 May 2024  ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobilities for everyone 
122 https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=27084&langId=en 
123 See subsection on the Youth Survey in Section 2.1. ‘Youth participation’. 
124 Between January 2021 and August 2024  

33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
million participants since its launch in 1987 was reached in 2024. Supporting the mobility of 
students,  trainees,  apprentices  and  young  people  is  the  backbone  of  Erasmus+. Through  its 
learning mobility actions, the programme equips young people with a broad range of skills and 
competences,  fosters  social  and  cultural  understanding  and  a  European  sense  of  belonging. 
Erasmus+ is an essential tool to support the implementation of the European Education Area 
and the underlying policy frameworks. 

Following two challenging years due to the COVID-19 crisis, since 2022, mobility projects 
have returned to pre-COVID levels. In 2022, more than 900 000 learners took part in a mobility 
activity supported by Erasmus+. 

Erasmus+ allocated funding to higher education institutions, enabling approximately 325 000 
students to participate in mobility activities in the 2022/2023 academic year. These projects 
have yielded positive outcomes for participants, including higher competence levels, improved 
employability, increased social cohesion and a stronger interest in the EU. In particular, 90% 
of students reported having more confidence in their abilities, 94% declared having become 
better  at  adapting  to  and  handling  new  situations,  and  90%  stated  better  collaboration  with 
people from diverse backgrounds. 

Erasmus+ mobility for school pupils saw a significant increase, highlighting the eagerness of 
young Europeans to engage in learning mobility experiences from an early age. Under the 2022 
calls,  the  programme  supported  some  12 000  pupils  to  take  part  in  an  individual  mobility 
abroad and more than 120 000 to get involved in a group mobility. 

In the field of vocational education and training, the programme supported the participation 
of 224 000 learners, apprentices and staff in mobility activities in the 2022 academic year, of 
which 12% were learners with fewer opportunities. 

Since 2021, Erasmus+ mobility actions in the field of youth have given 885 000 young people 
the opportunity to meet each other and learn outside the formal educational systems, enabling 
them to acquire or further develop skills, competences and European values. In addition, a total 
of 13 056 organisations inside and outside the EU have been granted a total amount of more 
than EUR 512.9 million. 

Erasmus+ is committed to ensuring equal access to learning opportunities for all. Since 2021, 
the programme has significantly expanded its inclusion and diversity dimension, introducing 
several  support  measures  and  financial  incentives,  as  well  as  a  strategy  that  fosters  the 
development  of  inclusive  projects125.  In  its  Conclusions  on  inclusive  societies  for  young 
people126 (2024), the Council invited the Commission to continue supporting the development 
of inclusion and inclusive projects that actively involve young people with fewer opportunities 
and strengthen their mobility. 

125 In 2021, the Commission published an Implementing Decision on the framework of inclusion measures of 
the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Programmes 2021-2027, which aims to increase the inclusiveness 
and diversity of Erasmus+. 
126 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people 

34 

 
 
 
 
 
➢  DiscoverEU and DiscoverEU Inclusion Action 

DiscoverEU offers young people who are 18 years old the opportunity to travel across Europe 
by  rail  (or  other  transport  modes  where  needed)  to  discover  Europe’s  cultural  heritage  and 
diversity, connect with other young people and with communities and acquire new skills. It 
promotes young people’s sense of belonging to the EU; and inspires young people to embrace 
sustainable travel and environmental awareness.  

Since 2022, the DiscoverEU Inclusion Action supports projects enabling young people with 
fewer opportunities to participate in DiscoverEU. It targets those who would not apply on their 
own initiative due e.g. to disability, health problems, barriers linked to education and training, 
cultural  differences,  social  or  economic  barriers,  barriers  linked  to  discrimination,  or 
geographical  barriers.  The  DiscoverEU  Inclusion  Action  offers  extra  support  while 
travelling127, such as the possibility to be accompanied, to receive extra budget for subsistence, 
organising  mobility  activities,  mentoring  and  support  for  travel  preparations.  In  total,  820 
projects were submitted and 357 contracted since 2022. The first projects started on 1 March 
2023, and more than 2 400 mobilities have been completed until October 2024.  

•  European Solidarity Corps 
➢  Volunteering strand   

to 

The  European  Solidarity  Corps  is  an 
EU  programme  which  gives  young 
people the opportunity to build a more 
inclusive  society,  support  vulnerable 
people  and 
societal 
respond 
challenges. It also offers volunteers an 
the 
experience 
enriching 
opportunity 
improve  skills  for 
to 
personal, educational, social, civic and 
The 
professional 
programme also increases the capacity 
of  participating  organisations 
to 
operate at EU and international levels. 
As one of the most visible displays of 
solidarity, 
supports 
volunteering 
young people engaging and connecting with local communities and sharing experiences. 

development. 

and 

The scope of volunteering projects is broad, covering areas such as environmental protection 
and climate change mitigation, social inclusion and community development. Between 2021 
and 2024, 4 269 projects were contracted that will involve more than 56 000 volunteers, out of 
whom 51% are volunteers with fewer opportunities128. This demonstrates that the programme 
is well suited for the specific needs of young people facing various disadvantages and obstacles. 
Building  on  the  legacy  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth,  the  Commission  also  increased 

127 Exceptionally, plane travel is covered for participants from outermost regions. 
128 European Solidarity Corps 1/2021 - 8/2024. 

35 

 
 
 
 
volunteering opportunities for young people by topping up the 2024 European Solidarity Corps 
call with EUR 13.71 million from Horizon Europe 129. 

➢  Solidarity projects 

Solidarity  projects  are  in-country  solidarity  activities  initiated,  developed  and  implemented 
directly by a group of at least five young people for 2 to 12 months. They offer young people 
a major opportunity to initiate projects on topics that matter most to them. This way they can 
express  solidarity  and  engage  by  taking  the  initiative  and  committing  themselves  to  bring 
positive change to their local community. Some of the projects can also tackle regional or even 
national issues. Solidarity projects can also have clear European added value, for example, by 
addressing EU priorities at local level. 

At the same time, through active participation  and implementation  of the solidarity project, 
young people experience non-formal learning that can boost their personal, educational and 
social development. Running their own project can empower them and make their voices heard 
on matters that they consider important. 

Since  2021,  about  3 400  solidarity  projects  have  been  contracted,  amounting  to  EUR 26.5 
million130.  These  projects  have  created  opportunities  for  over  18 000  participants  to  show 
solidarity and bring a positive change by addressing local issues. 

➢  Humanitarian Aid strand 

Participants  aged  18-35  from  EU  Member  States  and  countries  associated  to  the  European 
Solidarity Corps programme are able to participate, individually or in teams, in humanitarian 
projects. These projects: (i) facilitate the transition from the humanitarian response to long- 
term sustainable and inclusive development; (ii) help to strengthen the capacity and resilience 
of  vulnerable  or  disaster-affected  communities;  (iii)  strengthen  disaster  preparedness  and 
disaster risk reduction; (iv) link relief, rehabilitation and development; (v) support the water, 
sanitation and health sector and the agri-food sector; and (vi) support the integration of young 
people with fewer opportunities in local communities. 

Volunteers and organisations are able to rely on complementary support, e.g. involving more 
experienced  coaches  and  experts. The  aim  is  that,  through  these  actions,  young  people  can 
contribute to  making vulnerable or disaster-affected local communities more resilient while 
acquiring essential skills. Not only can these skills contribute to young people’s personal and 
socio-educational development and increase their self-empowerment and self-esteem, they can 
also boost their job prospects. 

Following  the  2021,  2022  and  2023  calls,  specific  Quality  Labels131  for  this  action  were 
awarded to 90 organisations with support roles in 20 countries and to 80 organisations with 
host roles in 41 countries. 

129 Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022. 
130 European Solidarity Corps 1/2021 - 8/2024. 
131 The Quality Label is a procedure that ensures that applicant organisations have the capacity to engage in 
humanitarian aid activities and certifies that they comply with the European Solidarity Corps programme’s 
quality standards. 

36 

 
 
 
The humanitarian aid strand has already attracted many young people. Between October 2022 
and  June  2024,  more  than  138 000  young  people  expressed  interest  in  this  strand  on  the 
European Youth Portal. 

The humanitarian aid strand had, by June 2024, funded the deployment of 350 volunteers on 
the ground on four continents. 

Young people with fewer opportunities are encouraged to participate. Organisations can apply 
for funding to receive a contribution for young people with fewer opportunities. 

•  Interreg Volunteer Youth  

The Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative offers young people aged 18-30 the possibility 
to  serve  as  'Interreg  reporters'  in  promoting  the  concrete  results  of  Interreg  projects  or  as 
'Interreg  project  partners'  through  getting  involved  in  a  project.  IVY  guarantees  a  better 
visibility for Interreg projects and programmes, with young, innovative volunteers supporting 
communication  activities  and  it  contributes  to  increased  knowledge  among  youth  about 
Interreg and Cohesion policy. 

The initiative has reached 900 participants  in  2024, considering all the volunteers deployed 
since its launch in 2017. In addition, the geographical scope of the initiative was significantly 
extended  in  December  2023,  allowing  for  all  Interreg  programmes  and  projects,  as  well  as 
Macro-Regional Strategies authorities, to host volunteers. Volunteers can now be deployed in 
all  countries  cooperating  with  the  EU  in  the  framework  of  Interreg  and  Macro-Regional 
Strategies, including in partner countries of outermost regions. 

3.2  Youth and the digital world  

The  digital  world  has  become  an  integral  part  of  youth  culture,  shaping  how  young  people 
communicate, learn and engage with society. It affects several areas covered in other sections 
of this document, such as social inclusion (Section 4.2) and education and training (Section 
4.4132). With unprecedented access to information and technology, today’s young people are at 
the forefront of digital innovation and social change. This dynamic interaction not only offers 
immense opportunities for education and personal development but also presents challenges, 
such as digital literacy and online safety. 

The results of the 2024 Commission survey on some aspects of the EU Youth Strategy133 seem 
to suggest that disinformation is a reality for young people: only 5% of the respondents said 
they rarely or never come across news or information that they believe misrepresent reality or 
is  even false134.  Over 70% of respondents  check the accuracy of news or  information  they 

132 Section 4.4 on education and training focuses on the follow-up of the Digital Education action plan, which 
sets out a long-term vision for high-quality, inclusive digital education. 
133 See subsection on the Youth Survey in Section 2.1. ‘Youth participation’. 
134 “Youth survey on the views of young people on aspects of the EU Youth Strategy” subsection in Section 2.1 
Youth participation provides an overview of the 2024 Commission youth survey. The question asked to 
respondents was “How do you usually react when you come across news or information that you believe 
misrepresent reality or is even false?”. 

37 

 
 
 
 
 
believe to be misleading or false by consulting other sources (this practice is more common 
among young residents of capital cities (80%) and those aged 25-29 (79%)). 

Upholding children and young people’s fundamental rights in the digital environment is a 
Commission priority. Children and young people should always feel safe, secure and protected 
online from content or contacts that could bother, upset or scare them, or make them feel angry, 
sad, worried or bullied online.  

The  2023  Council  Conclusions  on  digital  empowerment  to  protect  and  enforce 
fundamental rights in the digital age135 invite Member States to adopt the necessary measures 
to  provide  specific  protection  and  digital  skills  tailored  to  the  needs  of  children  and  young 
people.  Such  measures  include:  (i)  creating  high-quality  digital  content  in  education 
programmes; (ii) facilitating access to equipment; (iii) providing children and young people 
with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate safely in the digital environment, (iv) 
helping  to  identify,  among  others  cyberbullying,  grooming  and  other  forms  of  online 
harassment and crimes; (v) disseminate information on the support available to children and 
youth that are victims of crime online; and (vi) to tackle aggressive commercial practices.  

The Commission has taken major steps to ensure that the EU regulatory framework is fit for 
purpose for the current digital landscape and to protect minors online. The  Digital Services 
Act136 (DSA) which is fully applicable since February 2024, imposes obligations on providers 
of digital services in relation to the protection of children and young people. Online platforms 
accessible to children are required to put in place measures that ensure a high level of privacy, 
safety, and security for minors. Services designated as Very Large Online Platforms or Very 
Large Online Search Engines137 are required to assess and mitigate actual or expected risks that 
their service may pose to the protection of minors, the rights of the child, and the user’s mental 
and physical well-being. In 2024, the Commission opened formal proceedings on TikTok’s, 
Instagram’s  and  Facebook’s  compliance  with  the  Digital  Services  Act,  including  on  the 
protection of minors. The Commission also closed a case against TikTok, after the platform 
committed  to  permanently  withdraw  its Task  and  reward  programme  in  the  EU,  which  the 
Commission suspected had addictive effects. In 2025, the Commission will adopt guidelines 
for the protection of minors online to assist service providers in assuring a high level of privacy, 
safety and security for minors that is required by the DSA. 

The emergence of AI is transforming industries worldwide by automating complex tasks and 
improving  decision-making  processes.  As  AI  technology  rapidly  evolves,  its  potential  to 
address  global  challenges  and  revolutionise  daily  life  grows,  highlighting  the  need  for  its 
responsible development to address ethical concerns and mitigate risks. 

The  Artificial  Intelligence  Act138,  adopted  in  2024,  aims  to  protect  health,  safety  and 
fundamental rights and ensure any AI that is developed and used in the EU is trustworthy. It 
underlines the possible adverse impact of AI systems on the fundamental rights protected by 

135 Council conclusions on digital empowerment to protect and enforce  
fundamental rights in the digital age 
136 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single 
Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) 
137 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses  
138 Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down 
harmonised rules on artificial intelligence 

38 

 
 
 
the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and considers the specific rights of 
the  child.  For  example,  it  prohibits  the  use  of AI  that  exploits  children’s  vulnerabilities  to 
manipulate their behaviour in a way that can cause harm. Another example relates to the that 
providers have to put in place for high-risk AI systems. This risk management system must 
consider  whether,  given  its  intended  purpose,  the  high-risk AI  system  is  likely  to  have  an 
adverse impact on people under the age of 18. 

Additionally, AI and algorithmic management in the workplace have the potential to benefit 
young  people,  for  example,  with  increased  efficiency,  flexibility  and  personalised  job 
opportunities.  However,  safeguards  are  important  to  ensure  these  systems  are  implemented 
fairly and respect workers’ rights. The Platform Work Directive139, adopted in October 2024, 
provides key benefits by clarifying the employment status of platform workers, ensuring access 
to rights, such as the minimum wage or paid annual leave. It also mandates transparency in 
algorithmic  management,  giving  young  people  insights  into  decisions  that  affect  them,  and 
introduces  the  right  to  challenge  automated  decisions,  promoting  fairness  and  autonomy  in 
their work. The JRC report on ‘Artificial intelligence and the rights of the child’ focused on 
how researchers, policymakers and industry should involve children and their caregivers when 
designing new AI policies and initiatives. 

•  Digital safety and links with mental health 

The  2023  Council  Conclusions  on  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  mental  health  of 
young people in the European Union invited the Commission to pay particular attention to 
the promotion of safer and healthier digital spaces for young people and to foster the eradication 
of online hate speech, particularly targeting young people in the most vulnerable situations140. 
Since then, the Commission has vowed to step up efforts to tackle social media addiction and 
cyberbullying  among  young  people  by  launching  an  EU-wide  inquiry  into  social  media’s 
effects on young people’s mental health, tackling unethical addictive techniques used by online 
platforms (such as infinite scroll, default auto-play and gamification) and developing an action 
plan against cyberbullying141. 

As presented in the Commission Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental 
health142, the flagship initiative ‘Healthy Screens, Healthy Youth ensures protecting young 
people in the digital sphere, online and on social media.  

The Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy, adopted in May 2022, is a key initiative and 
part of the EU’s efforts to promote a safer and more beneficial digital environment for children 
and young people. Developed and launched with the participation of young people, this strategy 
aims  to  provide  age-appropriate  digital  services  where  every  child  in  the  EU  is  protected, 
empowered, and respected online. Pillar 2 of the BIK+ strategy and the European Declaration 

139 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-89-2024-INIT/en/pdf. 

140 Council Conclusions on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European 
Union. 
141 Political Guidelines 2024-2029 | European Commission (europa.eu). 
142 A comprehensive approach to mental health - European Commission  

39 

 
 
 
 
 
on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade aim to empower children with digital 
skills and raise their awareness of online risks143.  

In this context, a pilot phase of the MediaSmartOnline144 campaign was launched in March 
2024;  this  campaign  highlights  existing  media  literacy  initiatives  being  piloted  in  3  EU 
countries and was extended to others in the second half of 2024.  

As part of a range of new initiatives under the BIK strategy, the AdWiseOnline145 campaign, 
launched  on  Safer  Internet  Day  2024,  raises  children's  and  young  people's  awareness  of 
manipulative digital marketing practices, especially via influencers and in-game marketing, 
and  illustrates  their  rights  as  young  consumers  online.  In  addition,  the  BIK  age  assurance 
toolkit146 was published in 2024 to explain in a family-friendly language key messages and 
concepts about age assurance.  
Promoting  a  responsible  digital  transition  includes  looking  after  the  well-being  of  young 
people in the digital world and links up with initiatives that support young people’s mental 
and  physical  health,  for  example,  through  the  HealthyLifestyle4All  initiative.  In  November 
2022,  the  Council  adopted  Council  Conclusions  on  supporting  well-being  in  digital 
education147.  As  a  follow-up  to  these  Conclusions,  a  model  of  emerging  practices  and 
dedicated items on digital well-being in the SELFIE148 tool are being developed (SELFIE is 
tool that helps schools assess where they stand with learning in the digital age). In addition, the 
Council  Recommendation  on  the  key  enabling  factors  for  successful  digital  education  and 
training149 and the Council Recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills and 
competences  in  education  and  training150  underscore  the  importance  of  ensuring  that  digital 
well-being is reflected in the teaching and learning process as well as in the design of supportive 
digital teaching and learning approaches and environments. This is to help ensure that students’ 
engagement with digital technology is done so in a mindful way with a view to safeguard their 
mental health and boost their resilience both offline and online. 

In the ‘Living, working and COVID-19’ survey series by Eurofound151, 49% of 18-29-year-old 
respondents reported working from home daily or several times per week, with an additional 
16%  working  from  home  several  times  a  month.  While  the  possibility  to  work  anytime, 
anywhere,  enabled  by  digital  technologies,  may  bring  many  opportunities  in  terms  of 
autonomy,  flexibility  and  productivity,  it  may  also  lead  to  an  increased  workload  and  an 
‘always-on’ culture. This can create risks to the mental and physical health and safety and work-
life balance of workers, including young people. 

143 A European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+) | Shaping Europe’s digital future  
144  https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/media-smart-online  
145 https://www.betterinternetforkids.eu/adwiseonline https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/adwiseonline  
146 Guide to age assurance | Family-friendly explainers 
147 Council conclusions on supporting well-being in digital education. 
148 SELFIE - European Education Area (europa.eu). 
149 Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on the key enabling factors for successful digital education 
and training 
150 Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on improving the provision of digital skills and 
competences in education and training 
151https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/publications/2022/fifth-round-living-working-and-covid-19-e-survey-
living-new-era-uncertainty. 

40 

 
 
 
The 2021 European Parliament legislative resolution on the right to disconnect152, included 
a call on the Commission to present a legislative proposal on the right to disconnect and an EU 
legislative framework for telework. As part of its follow-up to the resolution, the Commission 
commissioned a large-scale exploratory study to gather evidence and to better understand the 
challenges,  opportunities  and  trends  in  relation  to  the  flexibility  of  working  time  and  work 
location, with a focus on telework and the right to disconnect153. 

As follow-up, the Commission is preparing a potential EU initiative on the right to disconnect 
and telework. As part of this and in line with its obligations under Article 154 of the Treaty, the 
Commission is conducting a formal two-stage consultation of the social partners.  

•  The European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) 

The ESCI, a key flagship of the European strategy for universities, continues to support the 
digitalisation and interoperability of higher education institutions to facilitate data exchanges, 
simplify and streamline student mobility administration, and improve the experience of mobile 
students. 

Since 2021, the ESCI has continued to gather pace, reaching 250 000 Erasmus+ app downloads 
and 2.86 million active European Student Cards issued across 18 countries by August 2024. A 
growing number of students can now get their student status securely and easily verified across 
Europe to access student services during their mobility. The digitalisation of mobility processes 
continued  to  grow  during  the  same  period.  The  number  of  higher  education  institutions 
connected to the Erasmus Without Paper (EWP) network reached 3 060 (an increase of 265 
institutions since 2023). Digital exchanges between higher education institutions also reached 
new highs: over 87 000 digital interinstitutional agreements completed in the last 12 months 
(bringing the total to 185 000 since 2021) and 126 320 digital learning agreements completed 
for  the  2023/2024  academic  year,  an  increase  of  nearly  52 000  compared  to  the  2022/2023 
academic year. 

The  ESCI  continues  to  support  the  secure  digital  exchange  of  students’  data  and  academic 
records  for  mobility  purposes,  increasing  the  integration  between  the  different  digital  ESCI 
components and the further development of digital European Student Cards that enable access 
to  a  wider  range  of  online  student  services.  Throughout  2025,  improvements  to  the  EWP 
network will enable digital signatures of multilateral agreements . There will also be testing of 
digitalised workflows for nominations and transcripts of records. The migration to a simplified 
digital infrastructure with more centralised components will also lay the ground for supporting 
the once-only data principle across ESCI components. 

152 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0021_EN.html. 
153 https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/study-social-economic-and-legal-context-and-trends-
telework-and-right-disconnect-context_en  

41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  Support instruments 

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has allocated more than EUR 28.3 billion154 to 
increasing human capital in digitalisation, which also includes young people. The recovery and 
resilience plans (RRPs) include a wide range of digital transformation measures. These include 
comprehensive digital skills strategies, actions to overcome the shortage of ICT specialists and 
to equip the broader population and workforce with digital skills, support for the development 
of cyber skills, the digitalisation of educational institutions and content, and targeted support 
for vulnerable groups. For example, in Latvia, the RRF is being used to purchase IT equipment 
for general education institutions, with targeted support for students from socially vulnerable 
groups.  The  RRF  is  also  supporting  42  municipalities  with  the  establishment  and 
implementation  of programmes  aimed at  improving young worker’s digital  skills. The RRF 
also supports other digitalisation investments, such as the digitalisation of public services and 
transport services, which benefits young people as well. 

The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  has  invested  EUR 13.4  billion  in 
‘reaping the benefits of digitisation for citizens, companies, research organisations and public 
authorities’ and EUR 2.4 billion in ‘enhancing digital connectivity’, in particular, by providing 
broadband access. For example, an ERDF programme has supported a youth centre in a rural 
area to equip digital workplaces for children and young people with hardware and software in 
order to offer meaningful extracurricular activities, e.g. in the musical-creative field. 

Digital transition, which is a key element of the EU's political agenda, is among the horizontal 
priorities of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. In 2024, a new digital strategy155 
was published for the programmes to further encourage and support projects working in these 
areas.  SALTO  Digital  will  support  the  implementation  of  the  strategies  through  guidelines, 
various materials and workshops.  

3.3  Communicating about the EU Youth Strategy  

The European Youth Portal156 is the main source of online information on EU youth policy 
and  the  EU Youth  Strategy. A  dedicated  section  presents  the  strategy  as  well  as  key  policy 
activities  and  documents.  It  is  regularly  updated  to  inform  the  public  about  the  latest 
developments and contains a wide range of resources. The European Year of Youth website 
was a window to all the activities organised by the Commission during the Year and brought 
together examples of activities in different areas that target young people. This legacy of the 
Year continues with a transformation of the EU Youth Strategy section of the portal to give 
more visibility to youth policy mainstreaming, policy dialogues, youth work and ease of access 
to the different resources on which EU policymaking is based. 

154 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and corresponds to the measures allocated to the ‘human capital in digitalisation’ policy 
area as a primary or secondary policy area. These figures are based on the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant 
RRF measures. 
155 https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/document/implementation-guidelines-erasmus-and-european-solidarity-
corps-digital-strategy  
156 https://youth.europa.eu/home_en  

42 

 
 
 
 
 
In 2023 and 2024, the EU Youth Coordinator carried out more than 160 communication and 
outreach  activities157  (speaking  engagements,  discussions  with  stakeholders,  roundtables, 
interviews and videos) and moderated six youth policy dialogues with Commissioners. The EU 
Youth Coordinator chaired the European Year of Youth national coordinator and stakeholder 
group and coordinated the  Commission Youth  Network.  She  also  led the preparation of the 
youth check process. 

ERYICA, EYCA and Eurodesk continue to promote EU opportunities for young people and 
the  European Youth  Strategy  through  their  networks.  They  use  multipliers  to  reach  out  to 
young people with fewer opportunities and those from remote and rural areas everywhere in 
Europe. 

Eurodesk is a network of 38 national coordinators and over 3 000 multipliers in 36 countries. 
Each  year,  it  keeps  over  2  million  young  people  informed  through  online  and  face-to-face 
activities. Its objective is to raise awareness among young people of mobility opportunities and 
to  encourage  them  to  become  active  citizens.  It  does  this  via  information,  support  and 
communication activities, with a priority on reaching out to those with fewer opportunities and 
who are not yet aware of such opportunities. 

Eurodesk targets two main groups: (i) young people aged 13 to 30 from all parts of society, in 
particular those with fewer opportunities; (ii) and youth workers and professionals in direct 
contact  with  young  people  and  multipliers  that  work  with  young  people  (including  youth 
organisations, youth information workers and youth policymakers). Eurodesk contributed, for 
example, to promoting the survey aiming to collect young people’s feedback for the EU Youth 
Report on the progress of the EU Youth Strategy. 

The multilingual EU Learning Corner website158 is a one-stop shop for youth materials and 
relays and promotes teaching materials on the EU developed by the EU institutions. The ‘News 
and competition’ section of the website, as well as the monthly newsletter that is sent to 130 000 
schools throughout the EU, provide the latest information on EU initiatives to engage, connect 
and empower  children and young people. Several  online and printed publications are made 
available and distributed to specific target audiences to raise awareness of the opportunities on 
offer (for example, Keeping our promise to YOU!). 

157 https://youth.europa.eu/strategy/euyouthcoordinator_en. 
158 https://learning-corner.learning.europa.eu/index_en. 

43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4  EMPOWER  

Empower young people to take charge of their own lives, 
especially through youth work 

4.1  Quality youth work  

•  European Youth Work Agenda  

Youth  work159  is  vital  for:  (i) the engagement and inclusion of all young people,  especially 
those  with  fewer  opportunities  (including  young  NEETs);  (ii)  the  promotion  of  democratic 
awareness  and  active  European  citizenship;  and  (iii)  the  green  and  digital  transitions. 
According to a civil society survey carried out as part of the EU Youth Strategy (EUYS) interim 
evaluation,  67%  of  respondents  considered  that  the  EUYS  brought  young  people  together 
through youth work activities and helped improve the quality and recognition of youth work. 

The European Youth Work Agenda (EYWA)160 complements the EUYS, strengthening the 
policy  base  for  quality  youth  work.  The  EU-Council  of  Europe  Youth  Partnership161 
supports the implementation of the EYWA with knowledge and evidence, notably through a 
steering  group162  This  steering  group  is  also  organising  the  fourth  European  Youth  Work 
Convention to be hosted by Malta on 28-30 May 2025. 

The Visible Value: Growing youth work in Europe-symposium163 provided a space for peer 
learning, networking and discussing youth work development and the EYWA. It highlighted 
recent  research,  good  practices,  initiatives  and  achievements,  celebrating  the  25  years  of 
cooperation between the EU and the Council of Europe in the field of youth. 

The  Council  Resolution  on  youth  work  in  an  empowering  Europe  was  adopted  in  May 
2024164. It emphasises the role of youth work in empowering young people, supporting their 
transition  to  autonomy  and  fostering  a  sense  of  belonging  and  solidarity  in  addressing  key 
societal challenges. It calls on Member States, the Commission and relevant stakeholders to 
support the development and practice of youth work at EU, national, and local levels, including 
through  comprehensive  youth  work  policies,  bottom-up  approaches  and  training  of  youth 
workers. 

The European Conference on Local Youth Work and Democracy  in  Brussels,  under the 
2024 Belgian Presidency (February 2024), highlighted significant progress in youth work over 
the previous 20 years. Key points included the visibility and participatory attitude fostered in 

159 Youth work covers activities of a social, cultural, educational, environmental or political nature by, with and 
for young people. They are delivered by youth workers and based on non-formal and informal learning 
processes and voluntary participation (European Youth Work Agenda, points 1-7). 
160 Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting 
within the Council on the Framework for establishing a European Youth Work Agenda 2020/C 415/01. 
161 About the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership - Youth Partnership (coe.int). 
162 Steering Group on the European Youth Work Agenda - Youth Partnership (coe.int). 
163 Visible Value: Growing youth work in Europe - Youth Partnership (coe.int). 
164 Council Resolution on youth policy in an empowering Europe, 13 May 2024. 

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
local  youth  work,  the  benefits  of  adapting  good  practices,  and  the  importance  of  creating 
supportive spaces. The Commission can further support local youth work policy, emphasising 
municipalities’ roles and enhancing youth engagement in democratic processes aligned with 
the EU Youth Strategy. 

•  EU programmes and youth work 

Several EU programmes’ actions and instruments support youth workers’ development and the 
quality,  innovation  and  recognition  of  youth  work.  The  European  Training  Strategy  for 
youth work (ETS), revised and launched at the beginning of 2022, offers a strategic framework 
for the development of youth workers’ education and training in Europe. 

EU  youth  programmes  also  support  youth  work.  The  Erasmus+  youth  action  and  the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  provide  youth  workers  with  significant  opportunities  for 
professional  development  and  cooperation  with  their  peers  across  Europe  and  beyond.  In 
funded  projects,  youth  workers  exchange  good  practices,  test  tools  and  formats,  build 
communities of practice and contribute to the development of the youth work community. More 
than  110 000  youth  workers  had  the  opportunity  to  take  part  in  Erasmus+  youth  worker 
mobility projects awarded between 2021 and 2024165. 

Erasmus+ also funds hundreds of training and cooperation activities (TCA) that are organised 
every  year  by  the  National  Agencies  network,  with  the  support  of  the  SALTO  resource 
centres166. These activities aim for a high-quality implementation of the programmes via skills 
development, cooperation and outreach. 

As part of the TCAs, National Agencies also organise strategic long-term activities. Several of 
these  relate  to  youth  work,  for  instance  with  a  focus  on  digital  youth  work,  youth  work  in 
municipalities and youth workers’ education and training. The European Solidarity Corps funds 
networking activities (which is equivalent to TCAs). 

Youthpass167,  the  EU  instrument  for  identifying,  documenting  and  validating  learning 
outcomes of non-formal and informal learning in the field of youth, targets both young people 
and youth workers (covering a specific set of competences for youth workers). Between 2022 
and 2024, almost 62 000 Youthpass certificates were issued to youth workers following their 
participation in Erasmus+ youth or European Solidarity Corps projects. 

Detailed reporting on Erasmus + and the European Solidarity Corps activities is available in 
the 2023 Erasmus+ annual report168 and the 2021-2023 European Solidarity Corps report169. 

165 Erasmus+ mobility projects for youth workers 1/2021- 8/2024. 
166 https://www.salto-youth.net/. 
167 Welcome to Youthpass – Youthpass. 
168 Erasmus+ annual report 2023 - Publications Office of the EU. 
169 European solidarity corps - Publications Office of the EU. 

45 

 
 
 
 
 
 
4.2  Social inclusion  

Social inclusion is vital for fostering a cohesive, equitable, and harmonious society. It ensures 
that all individuals, regardless of their background, identity, or abilities, have equal access to 
opportunities, resources, and rights. By promoting diversity and reducing discrimination and 
marginalisation,  social  inclusion  strengthens  community  well-being  and  solidarity.  It 
empowers  marginalised  groups,  enabling  them  to  contribute  their  talents  and  perspectives, 
which  enriches  the  collective  social  and  cultural  fabric.  Moreover,  social  inclusion  helps 
mitigate social tensions and conflicts, creating a more just and compassionate society where 
everyone can thrive. 

The  intersectional  nature  of  inclusion  challenges  (e.g.  youth  unemployment,  poverty,  social 
isolation)  can  exacerbate  the  experiences  of  groups  already  vulnerable  groups  at  risk  of 
discrimination  and  social  exclusion,  such  as  young  people  with  disabilities,  from  racial  or 
ethnic minority backgrounds such as Roma, belonging to the LGBTIQ community, belonging 
to religious minorities or those living in rural areas. 

The 2024 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people170 set out targeted 
measures to promote equity, inclusion and support for young people in  Europe, particularly 
those with fewer opportunities. In its conclusions, the Council acknowledges the challenges 
that young people face and the importance of facilitating their active participation and inclusion 
in their communities and in democratic life. It also highlights the need to improve mental well-
being and living conditions for all young people. This can be done via inclusive measures that 
facilitate the meaningful participation of all young people in decision-making and spaces that 
concern them, especially through youth work.  

The Council Conclusions on the European and international policy agendas on children, 
youth  and  children’s  rights171  call  on  Member  States  and  the  Commission  to  facilitate  a 
seamless transition from childhood to adulthood, especially for children and young people in a 
vulnerable  societal  position,  and  to  improve  cooperation,  coordination,  information  and 
exchange  at  European  level  regarding  the  relevant  policy  fields.  The  Conclusions  invite 
Member  States  to  consider  developing  or  elaborating  upon  existing  national  strategies  or 
coordinated  policies  for  children’s  rights  and  youth,  ensuring  policy  coherence  between 
children, children’s rights, and youth affairs to coordinate age-related needs. 

The 2023 Council Conclusions on the social dimension of a sustainable Europe for youth172 
stress that the social inclusion of young people is necessary to promote the understanding of 
the interconnected global challenges and to support young people in developing the knowledge, 
skills  and  competences  for  a  more  sustainable  society.  The  Conclusions  invited  the 
Commission  and  Member  States  to  consider  the  results  of  the  9th  cycle  of  the  EU  Youth 
Dialogue173 and to include a rights-based youth perspective in the design and implementation 
of social inclusion and sustainable development policies.  

170 Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people 13 May 2024 
171 Council Conclusions on the European and international policy agendas on children, youth and children’s 
rights, 13 May 2024 
172 Council Conclusions on the social dimension of a sustainable Europe for youth 
173 see Section 2.1 

46 

 
 
 
 
The  2023  Council  Recommendation  on  adequate  minimum  income  ensuring  active 
inclusion174 includes recommendations to address the needs of young adults. 

The Strategy for the  rights of persons with disabilities (2021-2030) aims  to improve the 
lives  of  persons  with  disabilities,  including  young  persons  with  disabilities  who  are  more 
disadvantaged than their peers without disabilities. To this end, the Commission committed to 
supporting inclusive education, vocational education and skills training, and employment. The 
Strategy’s  flagship  initiatives  are  implemented  through  the  Disability  Platform  that  brings 
together various EU and national  stakeholders and experts who oversee its  implementation. 
Young  persons  with  disabilities  actively  participate  in  the  European  Day  of  Persons  with 
Disabilities, which attracts over 400 delegates from across the EU. 

In the context of the Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities, the Commission has 
published guidelines on inclusive and accessible recruitment and employment of persons with 
disabilities. The guidelines are complemented by examples collected from across Europe and 
they aim to promote employing persons with disabilities175.  

On 17 and 18 April 2024, in cooperation with the European Crime Prevention Network, the 
Commission  organised  a  Crime  Prevention  Conference. The  main  topic  was  preventing  the 
recruitment of young people in organised crime. Participants shared experiences and lessons 
learned in order to combat this complex phenomenon. 

The EU Anti-racism action plan 2020-2025176 acknowledges the role that young people can 
play in combatting racism and discrimination, and an important step in this direction is to listen 
to those affected by racism and discrimination and involve them in consultations and decision-
making processes.  

Collecting and using accurate and comparable equality data across Europe is also fundamental 
to  combat  social  exclusion  and  discrimination  experienced  by  young  people  belonging  to 
specific vulnerable groups. Equality data would reflect current inequalities in several key areas 
of life and inform policymaking, allowing to assess the scale and nature of discrimination and 
social exclusion of specific groups of young people. 

•  Protecting children 

The  EU  Strategy  on  the  rights  of  the  child177    is  a  comprehensive  EU  policy  framework 
adopted by the Commission in 2021 to ensure the protection of rights of all children, and secure 
access to basic services for vulnerable children. Three years after the adoption, the Commission 
has  delivered  on  commitments  to  turn  this  Strategy  into  action.  This  brings  progress  to 
empower children, promote and protect their rights, offline and online, in the EU and globally, 
as a key achievement of the 2019-2024 Commission mandate and across all areas identified in 

174 Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion. 
175 Disability Employment Package to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities - 
Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu) 
176 EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025 - European Commission. 
177 Communication from the Commission – EU strategy on the rights of the child   

47 

 
 
 
 
the strategy. Based on the progress, the Commission will continue maximising its impact on 
the daily lives of children and responding to new challenges.  

The 2022 Council Conclusions on the EU Strategy on the rights178 confirmed a common 
commitment to fulfil the rights of all children without any discrimination, increase efforts to 
prevent  and  combat  all  forms  of  violence  against  children,  strengthen  justice  systems  and 
increase  opportunities  for  children  to  be  responsible  and  resilient  members  of  the  digital 
society. 

As announced in the Strategy,  the Commission  adopted in April 2024 a Recommendation on 
developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the best interests of 
the child179. With this Recommendation, the EU aims to bring together all its actions to protect 
children from violence. The Recommendation encourages coordination among authorities at 
different levels, professionals across sectors, international and civil society organisations and 
other stakeholders. It calls upon all child protection actors to work together to protect children 
from any form of violence (physical, mental, including in the digital world) in a coherent and 
systemic way. It also underlines that families, communities and children themselves have a key 
role to play. Integrated child protection systems should ensures a continuum of comprehensive 
and  coordinated  support  in  cases  of  violence,  which  starts  with  prevention  and  early 
identification  of  the  very  first  signs  of  violence.  Reporting  should  lead  to  swift  cross-sectoral 
support,  including  for  mental  health.  Training  and  coordination  of  professionals  are  key.  The 
than  
Recommendation 
1 000 children collected through the EU Children's Participation Platform180. 

echoes 

views 

more 

the 

of 

The Commission continues to support EU Member States in the implementation of the Council 
Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee181, which guides Member States 
in preventing and combating social exclusion. By 2030, it aims to ensure that children at risk 
of poverty or social exclusion have effective and free access to early childhood education and 
care,  education  (including  school-based  activities),  a  healthy  meal  each  school  day,  and 
healthcare. Effective access to healthy nutrition and adequate housing are also to be guaranteed. 
By the end of 2023, all Member States had submitted to the Commission their national action 
plans for carrying out the European Child Guarantee, and, by 9 October 2024, 17 of them had 
also  finalised  progress  reports.  Across  the  EU,  a  wide  range  of  stakeholders  –  including 
children  themselves  –  are  involved  in  designing,  implementing  and  monitoring  measures 
responding to the European Child Guarantee. 

As part of the 2022 Technical Support Instrument cycle182, a specific call on the implementation 
of the European Child Guarantee was launched to support authorities in carrying out actions 
and policies that prevent and combat child poverty and social exclusion. In Slovakia, the project 
supports authorities with a revised model for the social inclusion of children with disabilities 

178 Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting 
within the Council on the European and international policy agendas on children, youth and children’s rights 
179 Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the best interests of 
the child | European Commission (europa.eu), see: Protecting children from violence (europa.eu) 
180 Feeling Safe | EU Child Participation (europa.eu).  
181 Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee 
182 Technical Support Instrument 2022 call - European Commission (europa.eu). 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
 
in substitute care through an integrated package of quality services. In Portugal, the project 
supports  improving  child  well-being  and  tackling  child  poverty  and  the  social  exclusion  of 
children  and  young  people  by  focusing  on  successfully  implementing  and  monitoring  the 
European Child Guarantee. 

The EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse183, adopted in July 
2020, puts forward a series of legislative and non-legislative initiatives to ensure the protection 
of  children  and  young  people  from  sexual  abuse  and  exploitation  and  provide  appropriate 
support  and  assistance  if  they  fall  victims  of  these  crimes.  On  this  basis  the  Commission 
adopted the proposal for a regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse184 that sets 
out measures for companies to combat abuse on their services. The EU Strategy also includes 
the proposal for a Regulation185 to combat child sexual abuse that lays down temporary and 
strictly limited rules for companies to carry out the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse. 
The co-legislators also revised the 2011 Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual 
exploitation  of  children  and  child  pornography186.  It  sets  out  a  common  framework  for 
criminal  investigations  into  –  and  the  prosecution  of  –  child  sexual  abuse  and  exploitation 
crimes.  In  addition,  to  help  EU  Member  States  put  in  place  effective  prevention  measures 
against  child  sexual  abuse  in  the  EU  the  Commission  is  setting  up  a  network  for  the 
prevention of child sexual abuse.  

Child trafficking is a rapidly evolving and multi-faceted form of trafficking in human beings. 
It  is  a  severe  form  of  human  exploitation,  violence  against  children,  child  abuse  and  the 
violation of children’s rights. Children in the EU are trafficked for all  types of exploitation, 
mainly sexual exploitation and forced criminality but also forced begging, forced marriage and 
labour exploitation. 

According to 2022 data published by Eurostat, the number of registered victims of trafficking 
in human beings in the EU was 10 093187. 15% of these victims were children. Since 2013 the 
proportion of child victims of trafficking in human beings has never been as low as it was in 
2022. In 2022, children made up 22% of the trafficking victims of sexual exploitation, 7% of 
the trafficking victims of labour exploitation and 15% of the trafficking victims of exploitation 
for other purposes. 75% of the child victims of trafficking in human beings are girls, mostly 
exploited for sexual purposes. 74% are EU citizens, and 67% of them are exploited in their 

183 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual 
abuse, COM/2020/607 final, 24 July 2020. 
184 Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and 
combat child sexual abuse, COM/2022/209 final, 11 May 2022. 
185 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a temporary derogation from 
certain provisions of Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use of 
technologies by number-independent interpersonal communications service providers for the processing of 
personal and other data for the purpose of combatting child sexual abuse online, COM/2020/568 final, 10 
September 2020. 
186 Directive 2011/93/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the 
sexual  abuse  and  sexual  exploitation  of  children  and  child  pornography,  and  replacing  Council  Framework 
Decision 2004/68/JHA (Child Sexual Abuse Directive), OJ L 335, 17 December 2011, 1–14. 
187 Source: crim_thb_vexp 

49 

 
 
 
own country. Finally, the 2022 data shows that prosecutions and convictions remain low and 
6% of the suspects and convicts are children188.  

The  amended Anti-Trafficking  Directive,  adopted  on  27  May  2024,  is  based  on  a  victim 
centred and child sensitive approach and contains reinforced provisions, which also address 
child  trafficking  and  serve  to  further  protect  children.  The  modified  Directive  includes  the 
exploitation  of  surrogacy,  of  forced  marriage  and  of  illegal  adoption  among  the  forms  of 
exploitation  as  well  as  it  places  a  greater  emphasis  on  the  online  dimension,  by  including 
trafficking committed through the use of information and communication technologies to be 
considered  as  an  aggravating  circumstance  in  cases  of  sexual  exploitation.  Moreover, 
knowingly using services provided by victims of trafficking becomes a criminal offence. In 
addition, the modified Directive pays specific attention to children in residential or closed-type 
institutions  and  encourages  Member  States  to  ensure  that  national  child  protection  systems 
develop  specific  plans  to  prevent  human  trafficking.  The  Directive  also  provides  for 
confidential, child-friendly and accessible reporting procedures for child victims and requires 
specialised services, child-friendly accommodation and individual support to be provided until 
adulthood.  The  EU  Strategy  on  Combating  Trafficking  in  Human  Beings  2021-2025  also 
contains  actions  specifically  aimed  at  combating  child  trafficking,  including  prevention, 
awareness  raising,  detection  and  identification,  investigation,  prosecution  as  well  as  the 
protection of and assistance to victims, taking into account victims’ perspective and needs. 

Protection of minors online 

The Commission is fully committed to supporting the protection of minors online. Under the 
Digital Services Act (DSA), all providers of online platforms that are accessible to minors 
will need to take appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, 
safety, and security of minors on their service. Services designated by the Commission as 
Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) 
that reach more than 45 million users in the EU, are also required to assess systemic risks 
that their services  pose to children’s rights  as well as risks to  young people’s mental  and 
physical wellbeing. These services have to mitigate identified risks, for example, by using 
age assurance tools, parental controls or tools for children to signal abuse or get support. As 
the  supervisor  of  designated  services,  the  Commission  is  empowered  to  conduct 
investigations into whether designated VLOPs and VLOSEs comply with their obligations 
under  the  DSA.  In  2025,  the  Commission  will  adopt  guidelines  that  will  assist  online 
platforms to ensure the high level of privacy, safety and security that is  mandated by the 
DSA. The work under DSA is supported and complemented by the Better Internet for Kids 
(BIK) strategy.   

188 Calculations provided by Eurostat based on Trafficking in Human Beings administrative data collection 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  Young people in rural and remote areas 

The Commission aims to support and leave no one behind, including young people in rural 
and remote areas. In line with the EU Youth Strategy 2021-2027 and European Youth Goal 
#6 on ‘Moving rural youth forward’, the Commission is committed to the Long-Term vision 
for the EU’s rural areas and its action plan for stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous 
rural areas, of which rural young people are part of189. Implementation of the Long-term vision 
for  the  EU’s  rural  areas190  ,  which  proposed  a  Rural  Pact  and  a  Rural  Action  Plan,  is 
advancing. Under the Rural Pact, almost 2 700 members from organisations and authorities at 
EU, national, regional and local levels are collaborating to forge stronger cooperation across 
different policy areas for stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas, including in 
activities  focused  on  young  rural  people.  The  Rural  Pact  has  produced  good  practices  for 
attracting young people to rural areas. To enhance rural youth participation in policy making, 
it has also organised a good practice webinar on the topic191 and set up a community group on 
rural youth192.  

Under the stronger pillar, the Long-Term vision for EU’s rural areas also includes a “Support 
education,  training,  youth,  sport  and  volunteering  in  rural  areas”  action  to  increase 
opportunities  for  young  people  in  rural  areas.  Action  has  also  been  taken  under  the 
“Prosperous” pillar of the rural vision by “encouraging Member States to increase education, 
training and employment opportunities for young people in rural and remote areas under the 
Youth Guarantee and the European Education Area193.  

The  Commission  report  on  implementation  of  the  vision194,  presented  in  March  2024, 
highlights, for example, LEADER local development strategies as a tool to respond to rural 
needs in areas such as employment, social inclusion and services. The report also mentions that 
reaching out to young people in rural and remote areas as well as offering services to them has 
been  acknowledged  as  an  important  issue  to  tackle.  Even  though  there  have  been  positive 
developments in some Member States, creating jobs and providing social services for young 
people in these areas remains a challenge in most Member States. 

As  part  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth  2022,  about  1 200  activities  helped  support  rural 
two  policy  dialogues,  with  Agriculture  Commissioner  Janusz 
youth.  In  addition, 
Wojciechowski and with Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, involved young 
people from rural areas. The EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership also aims to monitor 
the implementation of youth strategies in Europe, with the preparation of a report for 2025 on 
‘Opportunities for young people living in rural and remote areas in the EU in  terms of non-
formal learning, active citizenship and participation’195. 

189   Communication A long-term Vision for EU’s rural areas – towards stronger, connected, resilient and 
prosperous rural areas by 2040 
190 EU long-term vision for rural areas  
191 Good Practice Webinar: ‘Rural youth participation in policymaking’ | Rural Pact Community Platform 
(europa.eu) 
192 The Rural Pact Community Platform 
193 Report The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward 
194The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward - European Union 
(europa.eu). 
195 As a follow-up to a first a first report on ‘Young people in rural areas: diverse, ignored and unfulfilled’ 
(2021). 

51 

 
 
 
In its Conclusions on providing glocal opportunities for young people living in rural and remote 
areas196, the Council called for greater support for young people living in rural and remote areas 
– in particular by improving access to ‘glocal’ opportunities in education and employment – as 
a  way  to  combat  demographic  challenges  in  Europe.  The  Council  also  called  on  the 
Commission to improve access to relevant EU initiatives and funds, and increase the visibility 
of rural youth in the EU’s youth programmes, including the post-2027 EU Youth Strategy. 

The  Common  Agricultural  Policy  2023-2027  (CAP)  provides  funding  support  to  EU 
countries  under  specific  objectives  aiming  to,  among  other  things,  attract  young  farmers, 
facilitate business development and promote employment, growth and local development in 
rural areas. The Strategic Plans of the EU countries for the period 2023-2027 combine funding 
for income support, rural development and market measures. Specific support to young farmers 
(up to 40 years old) features prominently in the Strategic Plans197. In the CAP Strategic Plans, 
the  participation  of  young  people  and  women  in  LEADER  governing  boards  has  been 
encouraged. A Youth LEADER forum co-organised by the EU CAP Network and the Finnish 
National Network in June 2024, focused on ways to further increase the power, participation 
and commitment of young people in LEADER policy making and implementation.198 

The EU youth programmes Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps in their “Inclusion and 
Diversity Strategy”199 supports young people living in remote or rural areas, on small islands, 
or in peripheral or outermost regions, urban suburbs, less serviced areas (with limited public 
barriers to their active participation in EU youth policy and programmes). 

In addition, young people living in remote or rural areas experience transport poverty (i.e. the 
lack of adequate transport services necessary to access essential services, school and work, or 
the  inability  to  pay  for  these  transport  services).  However,  they  will  benefit  from  measures 
financed  under  the  Social  Climate  Fund  (SCF)200,  which  is  the  first  EU  funding  instrument 
created  with  the  specific  purpose  of  addressing  energy  and  transport  poverty  and  will  be 
operational  from  2026  to  2032.  It  will  support  vulnerable  groups  of  society,  including 
vulnerable transport users, who are most affected by the green transition. 

Young people in the outermost regions201 

The unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24 in the EU dropped from 25.7 % in 
2013 to 14.4 % in 2022. Similarly, the rate of young people not in employment, education or 
training (NEETs) for those aged 15 to 29 fell from 16.1 % to 11.7 %. However, the youth 
unemployment rate remains  particularly  high  in  the outermost regions, reaching  levels  as 
high as 55.4 % in Mayotte in 2020, and 43.9 % in the Canary Islands, 41.9 % in La Réunion, 
38.7 % in Martinique and 37.8 % in Guadeloupe in 2022.In 2022, young people aged 18 to 
24 were far more likely to leave education early in these regions. For example, 28% of young 

196Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting 
within the Council on providing glocal opportunities for young people living in rural and remote areas 
197 See Section on employment and skills 
198 Young LEADER Forum | EU CAP Network  
199 Implementation guidelines - Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Inclusion and Diversity Strategy - 
Erasmus+ 
200 https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets/social-climate-fund_en. 
201 The EU has nine outermost regions (https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/themes/outermost-
regions_en) 

52 

 
 
 
 
people in French Guiana left education prematurely, compared to 6.1% in Île-de-France. In 
the Azores,  the  early  school-leaving  rate  was  27%,  compared  to  4.7%  in  Lisbon.  Further 
disparities exist in tertiary education. In Île-de-France, 55% of the population held tertiary 
degrees in  2022, while in  French Guiana, La Réunion,  and Guadeloupe, the figures were 
22%, 24%, and 24.2%, respectively.  

These  inequalities  contribute  to  limited  opportunities  for  young  people  in  the  outermost 
regions. Poor access to essential services, such as education, training, and healthcare, drives 
the number of young people migrating from regions such as Guadeloupe and the Azores, 
exacerbating demographic and economic challenges202. 

•  Support instruments 

The ALMA initiative  (Aim, Learn, Master, and Achieve) supports mobility across the EU for 
vulnerable young NEETs aged 18-29203. Both Erasmus+ and the European Solidary Corps 
provide  accessible  and  flexible  formats  of  activities  to  increase  the  participation  of  young 
people with fewer opportunities. Under the European Solidarity Corps, for example, a special 
format of volunteering in groups can be proposed for young people who do not yet feel ready 
to volunteer on their own. Short-term volunteering in teams can serve as a bridge for long-term 
activities. Over 51% of the total number of volunteers supported by the European Solidarity 
Corps since 2021 have been young people with fewer opportunities. Looking at the priorities 
tackled in the projects where these young people are involved, 3 112 of them have inclusion 
and diversity at their core. A total amount of EUR 243.5 million in grants was contracted for 
these projects, involving 46 000 participants204. There are also solidarity projects that provide 
in-country activities, meaning that participants who for different reasons are reluctant to go far 
away from home can still participate and develop their skills. 

In addition, in all education and training sectors, participants have had access to a more varied 
mobility  offer  since  the  start  of  the  current  Erasmus+  programme  in  2021.  In  the  school 
education  and  VET  sectors,  in  addition  to  short-term  and  long-term  individual  mobility 
activities,  educational  providers  can  also  send  learners  abroad  in  groups  for  peer-to-peer 
experiences in schools. This is often an ideal way for young learners to have a first experience 
abroad and to gain the confidence to go for a learning mobility alone.  

In  higher  education,  with  the  introduction  of  blended  mobility,  participants  now  have  the 
opportunity  to  opt  for  physical  mobilities  with  a  shorter  time  period  if  the  mobility  is 
accompanied by a virtual component. This allows those who feel they are unable to go on a 
long-term mobility to participate in a shorter physical mobility. These shorter mobilities can 
also act as a stepping stone to longer mobility experiences later in their studies. In addition, 
students, learners and pupils falling into one of the nationally defined categories of people with 
fewer opportunities get a bigger Erasmus+ grant. 

202 Source: Eurostat, 2022 and Chapter 2 on Social Cohesion of the Ninth Report on Economic, Social and 
Territorial Cohesion, 2024. 
203 More about ALMA initiative in section 2.3 Youth employment and skills. 
204 European Solidarity Corps 1/2021-8/2024. 

53 

 
 
 
 
In the field of youth, there is also additional financial support, in the form of top-ups and real 
cost support, and a range of support measures to encourage the participation of young people 
with fewer opportunities, including participants from the outermost regions, and better cater to 
their specific needs. The Erasmus+ youth worker mobilities provide opportunities to promote 
inclusive  practices  in  participating  organisations.  Support  is  also  available  to  give  youth 
workers with fewer opportunities the same possibilities as others to exchange with their peers. 
Another  action  under  Erasmus+  is  the  DiscoverEU  inclusion  action:  organisations  and 
informal  groups  of  young  people  can  receive  support  to  carry  out  projects  allowing  young 
people with fewer opportunities to participate in DiscoverEU on an equal footing with their 
peers. 

The  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  approach  to  micro-credentials  for  lifelong 
learning  and  employability  was  adopted  on  16 June  2022. The  Recommendation  seeks  to 
support  the  development,  implementation  and  recognition  of  micro-credentials  across 
institutions, businesses, sectors and borders. Micro-credentials offer a flexible, targeted way to 
help people, including young people, develop the knowledge, skills and competences they need 
for  their  personal  and  professional  development.  Some  Erasmus+  projects  focus  on  the 
development of micro-credentials that would help integrate young people in the society. One 
example  is  the  project  called  ‘Promoting  high  quality’,  digital  transformation  (VR 
gamification) and green transition in inclusive YW practices for youth with hearing impairment 
(or  deafness)  for  better  employability  prospects”  implemented  from  2024  to  2026  in  5 
countries.  The  project  aims  to  providing  green  employability  skills  and  empowers  young 
people and youth workers with hearing impairment by offering capacity-building training that 
ends with them receiving micro-credentials.  

Erasmus+ and the European Solidary Corps strive to make the programme documentation 
easy  to  understand  for  young  people.  This  includes,  where  possible,  the  use  of  different 
languages and formats. The programmes also ensure the user-friendliness and accessibility of 
digital learning environments, such as the European Youth Portal. Both programmes also offer 
‘Reinforced  Mentorship'  -  an  intensified  mentoring  process  that  can  be  used  to  support 
participants with fewer opportunities. 

Given that language skills are regularly mentioned as a barrier to participate in the programmes, 
language  learning  opportunities  supporting  mobility  activities  are  provided  through  the 
Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Online Language Support (OLS) and through other 
financial  linguistic  incentives.  Participants  who  wish  to  improve  their  language  proficiency 
have the opportunity to follow online language courses before and during their time abroad. 
The OLS platform offers a wide array of interactive and personalized learning activities in 29 
languages,  helping  participants  overcome  language  barriers  during  their  mobility.  OLS 
enhances  users’  language  proficiency  without  limiting  the  number  of  languages  or  courses 
followed, ensuring they can fully benefit from their international experiences.  

Since its launch in July 2022, approximately 227 000 users have registered in OLS learning 
communities, with about 335 000 course enrolments. Additionally, around 544 000 placement 
tests were taken by users to test their langue level, and 230 000 users participated in discussion 
forums run by 29 OLS community managers. In 2023 and 2024, new Vocational Education and 
Training courses were introduced in 10 fields of expertise focusing on the essential skills and 
competencies required for vocational roles, with job-specific vocabulary and communication 

54 

 
 
skills.  Furthermore,  cultural  elements  are  emphasised  to  help  learners  understand  nuances, 
etiquette  and  expectations,  which  are  crucial  for  successful  cross-border  vocational 
experiences. 

In certain cases where the main language is not covered by OLS, linguistic support is provided 
through other means by the sending or receiving organisation. On their return, participants can 
take  a  final  assessment,  which  allows  them  to  measure  the  progress  made  during  their  stay 
abroad. 

The SALTO Youth Inclusion & Diversity resource centre205 provides inclusion and diversity 
training, guidance and resources to support international youth work  and young people with 
fewer opportunities. The report on inclusion in the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps 
programmes (January 2024)206 and the contribution of the inclusion and diversity strategy in 
improving inclusion in the youth field207 have been published. 

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has allocated more than EUR 37.5 billion208 to 
support social protection, housing and integration of vulnerable groups, which includes young 
people. The  reforms  and  investments  include  improving  and  expanding  social  services  and 
social  housing,  modernising  social  benefit  systems,  fighting  energy  poverty  and  improving 
access to food and water sanitation for those households most in need. For example, in Sweden, 
the RRF will provide investment aid for student housing by increasing the supply of new rental 
dwellings. 

Many reforms and investments in the Member States’ recovery and resilience plans (RRPs) are 
in areas such as education and training, health, long-term care, housing and employment. The 
plans include specific actions that support inclusion and the well-being of socio-economically 
disadvantaged people and specific vulnerable groups. 

The  European  Social  Fund  Plus  (ESF+)  provides  funding  for  measures  to  address  social 
inequalities and poverty. In the 2021-2027 programming period, Member States have had to 
earmark  at  least  25%  of  their  ESF+  resources  to  promote  social  inclusion.  Social  inclusion 
measures funded under the ESF+ address a wide variety of issues and demographics, including 
support for the homeless, people with migrant backgrounds, people from disadvantaged groups 
and the Roma. While the ESF+ provides funding for social inclusion measures for people of 
all  ages,  certain  measures  target  children  and  young  people  specifically.  For  example,  all 
Member States, except Denmark and the Netherlands, have allocated a total of EUR 8.9 billion 
(EUR 6.1 billion in EU funding) of their ESF+ resources to address child poverty. 

Satisfying basic material needs has been better integrated and implemented more efficiently 
than in the 2014-2020 programming period. Member States have had to allocate at least 3% of 
their ESF+  resources under shared management  to  support the most deprived persons. This 
funding falls under the specific objective to address material deprivation through food and/or 

205 SALTO-YOUTH - SALTO, Inclusion & Diversity. 
206 Making EU programmes more inclusive research report (salto-youth.net). 
207 Implementation guidelines - Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Inclusion and Diversity Strategy. 
208 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and corresponds to the measures allocated to the ‘social protection’ and ‘social housing 
and other social infrastructure’ policy measures as primary or secondary policy areas. These figures are based on 
the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 

55 

 
 
 
basic material assistance and accompanying measures supporting their social inclusion, and, in 
duly justified cases, the specific objective to promote the social integration of people at risk of 
poverty or social exclusion. 

Four  transnational  projects  were  selected  following  a  call  for  proposals  under  the Asylum, 
Migration  and  Integration  Fund  Thematic  Facility,  to  support  the  inclusion  of  migrant 
children. The projects, which have been awarded more than EUR 5 million, focus on more 
effective language learning, involving local stakeholders, including schools, NGOs, local and 
regional authorities and migrant-led organisations. 

Inclusive  education  for  migrant  children  was  also  the  focus  of  the  European  Integration 
Network209, the expert group on integration composed of Member States’ experts. The Network 
met from 29 to 31 May 2024 and discussed challenges and good practices on this topic. 

Around EUR 2.9 billion has been allocated to integrating marginalised communities under the 
European Regional Development Fund in the 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes. The 
funding,  which  complements  support  under  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus,  goes  to 
comprehensive measures on social inclusion and access to mainstream services in education, 
employment, housing, healthcare and social care for different target groups of the population, 
including  young  people.  For  example,  it  includes  building  and  renovating  individual  non-
segregated social housing and associated services, developing infrastructure and equipment for 
non-residential inclusive and quality community- and family-based services (such as social and 
health facilities, community and youth centres, and counselling services). This aims to ensure 
independent living conditions and actions to tackle spatial and educational segregation. 

Under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Daphne strand 
provides funding to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children, 
young people and other groups at risk with an estimated EUR 200 million available over the 
programming period. In particular, since 2022, the calls for proposals have included a priority 
on  developing  and  strengthening  integrated  child  protection  systems,  in  line  with  the 
Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the 
best interests of the child. In 2023, over EUR 14 million was granted to seven intermediaries 
to regrant funding to and support the capacity of grassroot organisations working to strengthen 
integrated  child  protection  systems. This  will  be  done  by  improving  prevention,  protection, 
child rights-based and child-friendly support services for (potential) child victims, witnesses of 
violence  and  those  in  need  of  protection. These  services  will  also  involve  multidisciplinary 
cooperation. 

Under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Daphne strand 
provides funding to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children, 
young people and other groups at risk with an estimated 200 million euros available over the 
financing  period  In  particular,  since  2022,  the  calls  for  proposals  include  a  priority  on 
developing  and  strengthening  integrated  child  protection  systems,  in  line  with  the 
Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the 
best interests of the child. In 2023, over 14 million euros were granted to 7 intermediaries to 
regrant  funding  to  and  support  the  capacity  of  grassroot  organisations  in  strengthening 

209 European Integration Network | European Website on Integration (europa.eu). 

56 

 
 
 
integrated child protection system by improving prevention, protection, child rights-based and 
child-friendly support services for (potential) children victims/witnesses of violence and those 
in need of protection, including multi-disciplinary cooperation.   

4.3  Health and well-being  

One of the key policy areas of the 2022 European Year of Youth was to boost young people’s 
personal, social, and professional development, including attention for mental health. A number 
of  health-related  initiatives  were  launched  under  the  European  Year  of  Youth  such  as  the 
Pathways to School Success, the Expert Group for supporting Well-being at school, and the 
Youth First Technical Support Instrument flagship.  

The Flash Eurobarometer survey on mental health210, launched on 9 October 2023, showed 
that 59% of young people (16–24 year-olds) had an emotional or psychosocial problem (such 
as  feeling  depressed  or  feeling  anxious)  in  the  last  12  months.  In  addition,  the  Health  at  a 
Glance  report  2022211  showed  that  1  in  2  young  Europeans  reported  unmet  needs,  and  that 
depression among young people more than doubled. 

The European Youth Goal #5 is to achieve better mental well-being and end the stigmatisation 
of  mental  health  issues,  thus  promoting  the  social  inclusion  of  all  young  people. This  goal 
places a particular focus on prevention measures, the development of an inclusive intersectional 
approach and the fight against stigmatising mental health issues.  

Over  EUR  42  billion212  from  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Fund  (RRF)  is  allocated  to 
increasing  the  resilience,  sustainability,  adequacy,  availability,  accessibility  and  quality  of 
health care systems,  which all benefits  young people as  well.  Health infrastructure is  being 
developed,  modernised  and  digitalised,  the  equipment  for  treatment  and  diagnosis  is  being 
purchased,  and  primary  care  and  prevention  are  being  supported.  Many  investments  and 
reforms also support changes to the management of public health funds, healthcare governance 
and the development of human resources in the healthcare sector. For example, in Poland, the 
RRF supports increasing the capacity of medical teaching facilities to attract more students, to 
modernise  the  medical  teaching  programme  and  improve  the  clinical  base  for  teaching  in 
central clinical hospitals.  

Young people can benefit from investments in health and long-term care under the European 
Regional  Development  Fund.  Member  States  and  regions  have  allocated  EUR  7.4  billion 
under  ERDF  in  2021-2027  Cohesion  Policy  programmes  to  the  delivery  of  family  and 
community-based  care  services.  Measures  are  also  in  place  to  improve  accessibility, 
effectiveness and resilience of health systems, including health infrastructure and equipment 
and  digitalisation  of  healthcare.  This  support  aims  to  improve  health  outcomes,  strengthen 

210 https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/mental-health-0_en  
211 https://doi.org/10.1787/507433b0-en  
212 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data are based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and correspond to the measures allocated to the policy area ‘healthcare’ as primary or 
secondary policy area. These figures are based on the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 

57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
primary care and foster disease prevention and person-centred care, which will in turn improve 
equal access to mainstream health and long-term care services. 

•  Mental health 

Following  the  announcement  of  ‘a  new  initiative  on  mental  health’  by  President  von  der 
Leyen  in  her  2022  State  of  the  Union  address,  the  Commission  Communication  on  a 
comprehensive approach to mental health213 was adopted on 7 June 2023. The Commission 
consulted young people on this topic and took into account their opinions submitted through a 
voice  recording  platform  and  the  youth  policy  dialogue  with  Commissioner  Kyriakides, 
which was held during the European Year of Youth. This Communication marks a major step 
to ensure a new cross-sectoral approach to mental health. 

The  Communication  was  followed  in  November  2023  by  Council  Conclusions  on  a 
comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European Union214. 
The Council Conclusions call on Member States to take action, especially in areas of national 
competence,  such  as  mental  health  services.  They  highlight  the  importance  of  coordinated 
multi-sectoral  efforts,  involving  young  people’s  views,  to  reduce  and  destigmatise  mental 
health issues, and take into account the prevalence of these issues in policymaking. They also 
underscore  the  key  role  of  youth  work  in  protecting  the  mental  health  of  young  people  by 
enabling them to participate in activities. These activities are largely based on the relationships 
and trust between young people and youth workers and help develop their capacity to seek help 
when they are facing emotional and psychological difficulties. The Conclusions invite Member 
States to encourage improving equal and affordable access for young people, especially those 
in vulnerable situations, to mental healthcare services that offer prevention, treatment and care, 
while  increasingly  working  across  disciplines  and  moving  towards  person-centred  and 
community-based  solutions.  They  invite  the  Commission  to  pay  particular  attention  to 
promoting safer and healthier digital spaces for young people and to work on eradicating online 
hate speech, particularly targeting groups of young people in the most vulnerable situations215. 

All 20 flagship initiatives of the Commission Communication on a comprehensive approach 
to mental health, are being implemented or have been completed216.   These actions are led 
by national authorities and stakeholders, with the coordination and horizontal support of the 
Commission.  They  include  projects  supported  by  EU  financial  instruments,  such  as  the 
EU4Health  programme217,  Horizon  2020  and  Horizon  Europe,  and  the  Digital  Europe 
Programme218. The implementation of the comprehensive approach to mental health focuses 
on concrete actions benefitting citizens and health systems at the country level. These initiatives 
are spearheaded by national authorities and stakeholders, in collaboration with international 
partners  such  as  the  World  Health  Organization  (WHO),  the  Organisation  for  Economic 

213 A comprehensive approach to mental health - European Commission 
214 Council Conclusions on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European 
Union. 
215 See also subsection ‘Digital safety and links with mental health’ in Section 3.2. Youth and the digital world. 
216 A comprehensive approach to mental health - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu) 
217 See for instance the Icehearts and and Let’s talk about children projects for exchanges of best practices, each 
worth EUR 4 million 
218 Overviews of these programmes are available in section 8.1 Insights into EU spending on youth 

58 

 
 
 
 
 
Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, and 
UNICEF. 

Four flagship initiatives have been identified as  having a particular impact on boosting the 
mental health of children and young people: 

•  Work has started on a ‘child and youth mental health network’ to exchange 

information, mutual support and perform outreach via the Youth Ambassadors; 

•  The Commission is supporting UNICEF in developing a ‘prevention toolkit’ 

• 

addressing the links between mental and physical health and key health factors; 
In January 2024, the Commission launched the ‘Child &Youth Well-being and Mental 
Health First’ multi-country project under the Technical Support Instrument. This 
project is providing tailored technical expertise to four EU Member States to design 
and implement substantive reforms;  

•  The ‘Healthy Screens, Healthy Youth’ initiative aims to better protect young people in 

the digital sphere, online, and on social media. 

An updated tracking framework219 published on 10 October 2024 on the occasion of World 
Mental Health Day  provides  information  on the implementation  of the flagships stemming 
from the Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health. 

A number of mental health-related initiatives were launched under the European Year of Youth 
such as the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways to School Success220 and the Expert 
Group on supportive learning environments for groups at risk of underachievement and for 
supporting  well-being  at  school.  The  Expert  Group  developed  concrete  guidelines221  for 
policymakers  and  educators  aimed  at  addressing  well-being  and  mental  health  at  school. 
Published  in  May  2024,  the  guidelines  contain  11  recommendations  coupled  with  tips  and 
inspiring  practices  to  help  policymakers  and  educators  to  implement  a  whole-system  and 
whole-school  approach to  well-being and mental  health.   They advocate  for comprehensive 
strategies  to  promote  well-being,  support  for  educators,  and  collaboration  with  various 
stakeholders to create healthier educational environments.  

The  ‘Healthier  Together’  -  EU  non-communicable  diseases  initiative  provides  the 
framework for the Commission’s support to Member States to address the key public health 
challenges, including mental health. Financial support via the EU4Health programme has been 
made available to support the implementation of actions under the Healthier Together initiative. 
For  example,  through  the  joint  action  ‘Mental  Health Together’222  ,  national  authorities  are 
working  together  to  promote  mental  health  in  community  settings,  such  as  schools. 
Stakeholder-led  projects,  such  as  EASE-Y,  promote  mental  health  and  well-being  among 

219https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6317c605-5f5d-4d4f-9c8a-
d5c93e869814_en?filename=ncd_tracking-framework-mh_en.pdf  
220 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. It highlighted the emotional 
wellbeing of children and young people as a key factor for improving their chances of succeeding in education 
and life in general. 
221 https://education.ec.europa.eu/news/supporting-wellbeing-at-school-new-guidelines-for-policymakers-and-
educators  
222 The Joint Action - Mental Health And WellbeingMental Health and Wellbeing 

59 

 
 
 
 
vulnerable adolescents and MELODIC provides mental health support for young adults with 
cancer.  

The EU-CoE Youth Partnership is conducting a study on the mental health and well-being 
of young people as part of the Work plan 2024-2026. This involves analysing available support 
systems at different levels, providing guidance for policy and practice and further exploring 
the  different  triggers  that  aggravate  young  people’s  mental  health  and  well-being  (socio-
economic, climate, conflict, digitalisation, working conditions, etc.). The research is part of the 
Commission’s efforts to improve mental well-being and reduce the stigma of mental health 
issues. 

The Youth Wiki Network published a report on ‘The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 
on the mental health of young people. Policy responses in European countries’ (2022)223. 
The report analysed how European countries addressed the challenges the pandemic created 
for the mental and emotional well-being of young people. The report concluded that European 
countries  were  generally  proactive  in  drawing  up  measures  to  support  young  people 
during the pandemic. The findings also pointed to some areas where further action could be 
taken, such as youth work and sport. Based on the evidence provided and on the analysis 
conducted, the report can serve as inspiration for further action. 

To  facilitate  communication  among  young  people,  the  National  Youth  Agency  of  Malta 
developed the ‘Stories from young people during coronavirus’ project to give young people 
a voice during the pandemic. The project  involved creating a platform  where young people 
could  recount  their  experiences  of  living  through  the  COVID-19  pandemic.  Their  stories 
highlighted  the  difficulties  encountered  and  the  resilience  shown  to  overcome  them.  The 
platform provided information on resources available and, in doing so, served as inspiration 
for others to cope with similar challenges. 

The types of measures implemented in countries focused on the use of online and social media 
to  reach  out  to  young  audiences.  In  Austria,  the  ‘Fit  &  Strong  2021:  #better  together’ 
awareness campaign was conducted through posts and podcasts published on Facebook and 
Instagram. Well-known influencers were involved in  raising awareness  of how to  recognise 
symptoms of mental and emotional distress among young people and awareness of available 
support services. 

Online workshops addressing these issues were also organised. For example, Cyprus invited 
experts  and  young  people  to  debate  the  state  of  young  people’s  mental  health  during  the 
pandemic. Facebook Live discussions were also held to promote awareness of the challenges 
faced  and  to  support  resilience.  Websites  were  also  a  common  initiative  across  countries. 
Germany created an information portal – ‘Corona und du’ – on the mental health of children 
and  adolescents.  The  website  offered  children  and  young  people  advice  and  assistance  to 

223 The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people – Publications Office of the 
EU (europa.eu). 

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
support  them  during  the  pandemic  and  strengthen  their  psychological  and  emotional  well-
being. 

The Joint Research Centre ran several activities on threats affecting young people’s well-
being, including studies on loneliness, on how schools can mitigate young people’s feelings of 
loneliness224,  on  socio-economic  disadvantages  and  learning  outcomes  in  Europe  after  the 
pandemic225, and what happened in households during the pandemic. 

Under the BIK+ strategy, the Commission  continues to  co-fund the Safer Internet  Centres 
network226 and their helplines providing assistance to children and young people on online risks 
(such as cyberbullying) affecting their mental well-being and hotlines to report child sexual 
abuse material online227. 

Under the Technical Support Instrument, the Commission is supporting the implementation 
of flagship initiatives of the Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health. 
Put forward in 2024, the Flagship Project on Mental health: Fostering well-being and mental 
health228  demonstrated  a  high  demand  from  authorities  to  design  and  implement  reforms 
specifically targeted to the young generation. It supports the promotion of well-being at school, 
including the promotion of socio-emotional skills, the healthy use of technology,  as well as 
addressing the  mental  health  risks of online gambling and gaming. Already under the  2023 
flagship Youth First229 flagship project, nudging EU Member States to design and implement 
reforms dedicated to the young generations, several authorities from four EU Member States 
successfully requested support to address the emotional well-being and physical and mental 
health of young people. As a result of this joint effort, in January 2024, the Technical Support 
Instrument multi-country project supporting mental health and care for the well-being of 
vulnerable children and young people230 was launched in the four participating EU Member 
States, namely Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia and the region of Andalusia (Spain). In all participating 
countries, the project develops tools and builds capacity across sectors to actively adress the 
promotion of healthy lifestyles and well-being and the prevention of mental health problems 
of young people. Youth associations are included in the project governance and are consulted 
in all key phases of the project.  

Well-being and mental health is an important priority of Erasmus+. For instance, through its 
Training  and  Cooperation  Activities,  Erasmus+  supports  a  long-term  strategic  activity  on 
‘Mental health in youth work’. It aims to raise awareness, develop mental health literacy and 
equip youth workers with the skills to support young people in a changing world. Health and 
well-being are also supported and promoted through projects receiving Erasmus+ funding. In 
the current programme’s 2021-2023 calls, there were 10 projects that focused on health and 

224 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128731. 
225 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/13381883-ec31-11ee-8e14-01aa75ed71a1/language-
en. 
226 https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/about/insafe-inhope  
227 See also the links between digital and mental health in the section 3.2 
228 TSI 2024 Flagship - Mental health: Fostering well-being and mental health (europa.eu). 
229 YOUTH FIRST – supporting children and youth wellbeing, education, training, social protection and labour 
prospects - European Commission (europa.eu) 
230 Supporting mental health and care for the wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people - European 
Commission (europa.eu) 

61 

 
 
 
well-being that were funded under Key Action 2: Partnerships for cooperation and exchanges 
of good practices. 

From 2021 to 2023, the European Solidarity Corps placed a strong emphasis on supporting 
activities in the field of health (including mental health and well-being). Each year, this field 
was  one  of  the  specific  annual  priorities  for  the  programme’s  centralised  action 
‘Volunteering Teams in High Priority Areas’. Beyond the scope of this action, the priority 
also  inspired  a  range  of  projects  across  the  other  action  formats  (volunteering  projects  and 
solidarity  projects  implemented  at  decentralised  level).  In  2023,  the  health  priority  focused 
more on vulnerable and disadvantaged population groups, including gender-specific needs and 
issues relating to mental health. 

Detailed  reporting  on  the  activities  of  both  programmes  is  available  in  the  2023  Erasmus+ 
annual report231 and the 2021-2023 European Solidarity Corps report232. 

Under  the  Citizens,  Equality,  Rights  and  Values  (CERV  programme,  the  2024  call  for 
proposals on the rights of the child and children’s participation included a priority on children’s 
mental health. 12 projects were selected with a total budget of over EUR 5.6 million to tackle 
children’s mental health, prioritising prevention, protection and support in a multidisciplinary 
and participatory approach involving children. 

Several Horizon Europe projects233 focus on the relationship between young people’s health 
– including mental health – and the environment. This research contributes to the understanding 
of how environmental factors shape health outcomes, disease prevention, and the overall well-
being in young people. 

•  Health and sport 

Sport  and  physical  activity  are  crucial  for  young  people’s  health  and  well-being.  Regular 
exercise and sport is crucial for staying physically and mentally fit. Sport helps tackle weight 
and obesity and plays an important part in preventing and reducing the impact of many other 
health-related conditions. There are also serious social and economic costs related to physical 
inactivity. While the obligation of legislating health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) lies 
with Member States, the Commission is able to support, coordinate and complement national 
actions. 

The Commission and the World Health Organization (WHO) have highlighted the benefits of 
organised and non-organised sports234, which play a vital role in promoting a healthy and active 
lifestyle among Europe’s young people. To encourage the development of effective policies in 
Member States, most activities in the field of sport now focus on implementing the Council 
Recommendation  on  promoting  health-enhancing  physical  activity  (HEPA)  across 

231 Erasmus+ annual report 2023 - Publications Office of the EU. 
232 European solidarity corps - Publications Office of the EU. 
233 See for instance EQUAL-LIFE, ATHLETE, YOUTH-GEMS, SMILE, VARCITIES and MELCAYA. 
234 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/policies/sport-and-society/physical-activity-and-health. 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
 
sectors235.  Commission  activities  therefore  push  for  strengthening  cooperation  between 
stakeholders – EU Member States, the WHO, and civil society. In late 2023, the Commission 
and the WHO Regional Office for Europe signed a joint contribution agreement, strengthening 
collaboration  begun  in  2015.  The  agreement  supports  EU  Member  States  in  developing, 
implementing and evaluating policies to increase levels of health-enhancing physical activity. 

In addition, as a follow-up to the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle 236 (which reached 180 000 
the  Commission  set  up 
Europeans  and  collected  103  pledges  across  Europe), 
HealthyLifestyle4All237, a two-year campaign running from 2021 to 2023 that aimed to link 
sport and active lifestyles with health, food and other policies. It showcased the Commission’s 
commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles for everyone across generations and social groups, 
noting that everyone can benefit from activities that improve health and well-being. 

Each participating organisation and institution committed voluntarily to carry out an initiative, 
activity or campaign to promote healthy lifestyles for all, across generations and social groups. 
Such a pledge may have consisted of an original initiative or an addition to an existing activity 
to  be  launched  during  the  campaign. The  ultimate  aim  of  a  pledge  was  to  make  a  specific 
contribution to HealthyLifestyle4All. 

The Mapping on healthy lifestyles study, published in December 2023238, takes stock of two 
years of activity of the HealthyLifestyle4All campaign. 

The  EU4Health  programme  also  promotes  healthy 
the 
Health4EUKids joint action implements best practices on promoting healthy lifestyles among 
children and their families. Another example is the Schools4Health project, which aims to make 
every school a health-promoting school that prioritises the health of the school community. 

lifestyles.  For  example, 

•  Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan 

As part of the Prevention Package under the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the Commission 
published  in  January  2024  a  Proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  vaccine-
preventable cancers239. This proposal includes measures to boost the uptake of vaccination 
against human papillomaviruses among preadolescent and adolescent children. 

On 17 September 2024, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation 
on smoke and aerosol-free environments240, which replaces Council Recommendation of 2009 

235 The Council Recommendation of 26 November 2013 on promoting health-enhancing physical activity across 
sectors established the collection of information and data on HEPA levels and policies and are based on the EU 
Physical Activity Guidelines. 
236 Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle (europa.eu). 
237 HealthyLifestyle4All initiative (2021-2023) - Sport (europa.eu). 
238 Mapping on healthy lifestyles - Publications Office of the EU. 
239 Proposal for a Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers - European Commission 
(europa.eu). 
240 Proposal for a Council Recommendation on smoke and aerosol-free environments - European Commission 
(europa.eu). 

63 

 
 
 
 
 
aiming to protect people from exposure to second-hand smoke and aerosols and contributing 
to achieving a tobacco-free generation. 

In  September  2023,  as  part  of  Europe’s  Beating  Cancer  Plan,  the  Commission  launched  an 
evaluation  study  of  the  EU Action  Plan  on  Childhood  Obesity241. The  objectives  of  the 
evaluation study are to examine the progress of the Action Plan and to provide an overview of 
the efforts carried out by EU Member States to address its key areas, as well as ongoing and 
planned actions on childhood obesity. In addition, it aims to identify obstacles and remaining 
challenges and to collect best practices in policy approaches contributing to the promotion of 
healthy  diets  from  a  young  age.  The  findings  of  the  study  will  contribute  to  informing  the 
Member States and the Commission on the possibility for future action at national level and 
feed into a potential revision or follow-up of the EU action plan. 

Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan looks specifically at helping children with cancer. It focuses 
on access to diagnosis and treatment through the new EU Network of Comprehensive Cancer 
Centres.  It  also  includes  an  inter-speciality  cancer  training  programme  to  help  deliver  the 
highest  standards  of  care.  This  complements  what  has  already  been  done  by  the  European 
Reference Network for paediatric cancer (PaedCAN), which aims to increase survival rates and 
quality of life through cooperation, research and training. 

One of the goals for patients and survivors is ensuring a high quality of life. For instance, a 
Cancer Survivor Smart Card is being developed to help improve the health and well-being of 
cancer survivors throughout Europe. In addition, a Youth Cancer Survivors Network is now up 
and running to spark dialogue between young cancer survivors. 

In 2023, the EU Cancer Mission launched a new dialogue with young cancer survivors242 
from  all  over  Europe  through  a  series  of  thematic  workshops  and  a  conference  to  better 
understand  the  challenges  they  face  during  and  after  cancer  treatment.  The  enables  young 
cancer patients and survivors to co-create initiatives that will help address their specific needs, 
focusing  on  physical  and  mental  well-being  and  other  aspects,  such  as  follow-up  care  and 
continuity in education. The dialogue has led to many concrete outcomes, including a research 
topic in the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission 2024 work programme on the late effects of cancer 
treatment and quality of life and a study on the provision of adolescent and young adult care in 
Europe under the 2024 EU4Health work programme. The engagement also helps increase the 
awareness of the needs of young cancer survivors among stakeholders and Member States. This 
was, for example, the main goal of the workshop on ‘Improving quality of life of young cancer 
survivors’  at  the  Research  and  Innovation  Days  2024  held  on  21 March  2024243.  Similarly, 
young cancer survivors are actively supporting the Cancer Mission Bus Roadshow244 piloted 
in 2024 in Lithuania, Poland and Romania. The roadshow aims to raise awareness of cancer, 

241 The EU action plan was adopted by the 28 EU Member States with Iceland, Norway and Switzerland in 2014 
with support from the European Commission. Its overarching goal was to contribute to halting the rise in 
overweight and obesity in children and young people (0-18 years) by 2020. EU Action Plan on Childhood 
Obesity 2014-2020 - European Commission. 
242 Dialogue with Young Cancer Survivors - European Commission (europa.eu). 
243 European Research and Innovation Days | Research and Innovation (europa.eu). 
244 EU Cancer Mission Roadshow | Research and Innovation (europa.eu). 

64 

 
 
 
focusing on prevention and screening, as well as the crucial role of research to progress in the 
fight against cancer. 

•  Illicit drug use 

The Commission Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health245 can play 
an  important  supportive  role  in  helping  Member  States  address  the  mental  health  needs  of 
young people affected by drug use. The Communication emphasises early intervention, support 
for psychological well-being and integration of mental health services into drug prevention and 
harm reduction programmes. Its flagship project, EU-PROMENS246, helps build the capacity 
of  health  and  other  professionals  in  delivering  multidisciplinary  training  and  exchange, 
including those affected by drug use. 

The  EU  Drugs  Strategy  2021-2025247  prioritises  measures  relevant  to  children  and  young 
people. The European Drug Report 2024: Trends and Developments248 presents the European 
Union Drugs Agency’s latest analysis of the drug situation in Europe. Surveys conducted by 
most  EU  Member  States  suggest  that  in  the  15-34  age  group,  1.5 million  people  used 
amphetamines in 2023 (i.e. 1.5% of this age group), 2.2 million used MDMA (2.2%) and 2.5 
million used cocaine (2.5%). 

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, was reported in acute drug-toxicity presentations 
to emergency services of 6 out of 23 sentinel hospitals in 2022. Most cases involved young 
males (under 25) who went to emergency services during weekdays. A small number of cases 
involved alcohol, and cannabis was the drug most commonly reported in cases of polydrug use 
toxicity. 

LSD was reported by 15 centres in 12 of the 17 participating EU Member States and Norway 
in 2022. The drug was reported in an estimated 0.7% of presentations (median) across the 23 
centres. Three  quarters  of  the  presentations  were  in  males,  and  40%  were  younger  than  25 
years. One in three LSD-related presentations required admission to intensive care. 

4.4  Education and training  

Education and training formed a central topic during the European Year of Youth. They are 
crucial  for  personal  and  societal  development  and  to  equip  individuals  with  essential 
knowledge,  skills,  and  critical  thinking  abilities  needed  to  navigate  and  succeed  in  an 
increasingly complex world. 

245 A comprehensive approach to mental health - European Commission. 
246 EU-PROMENS Project Page - EU-PROMENS. 
247 EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025  
248 Understanding Europe’s drug situation in 2024 – key developments (European Drug Report 2024) | 
www.euda.europa.eu. 

65 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
The  importance  of  learning  mobility  is  emphasised  in:  i)  the  2024  Commission 
Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022249; ii) the 2022 Council Recommendation 
on the mobility of young volunteers250; iii) the 2024 Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the 
Move’251; and iv) the recommendations of the 2022 Conference on the Future of Europe252. 
These  outline  several  actions  aimed  at  sustaining  the  legacy  of  the Year  and  continuing  to 
advance in this area. 

The  EU  aims  to  enable  all  Europeans  to  receive  the  best  education  and  training  possible, 
regardless of their background or circumstances. To advance this, it has committed to creating 
a European Education Area (EEA)253, a common space for quality and inclusive education 
and lifelong learning across borders for all. To achieve this vision, the European cooperation 
takes place within the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 
towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030) set out in the February 2021 
Council Resolution254. To help the education and training systems adapt to the digital age, the 
Commission  has  adopted  the  Digital  Education Action  Plan  (DEAP)  2021-2027255.  The 
Action Plan is a key enabler to achieving the European Education Area, setting out a long-term 
approach and vision for high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe256. 

In 2023, the Commission carried out a mid-term review process of the EEA257, and several 
important themes emerged for continued cooperation: the importance of boosting equity and 
inclusion, of tackling teacher shortages, and of enhancing European citizenship education, of 
which  the  last  places  particular  importance  on  youth  for  Europe’s  future.  Enhancing  youth 

249 Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022. 
250 Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across the European Union. 
251 Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities for everyone. 
252 Conference on the Future of Europe - European Commission (europa.eu). 
253 European Education Area. 
254 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the  
European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030) 2021/C 66/01. 
255 Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) - European Education Area (europa.eu). 
256 See subsection on digital education and skills. 
257 European Education Area midterm review process report 

66 

 
 
 
 
participation  through  non-formal  and  informal  learning,  youth  work  and  volunteering 
contributes to civic engagement and active citizenship, and complements European citizenship 
education in formal education and training settings. In the 2023 Council Conclusions on the 
contribution  of  education  and  training  to  strengthening  common  European  values  and 
democratic  citizenship258,  Member  States  affirm  the  role  of  education  in  shaping  active, 
engaged and creative citizens. 

As part of the European Education Area, the 2022 Council Recommendation on Pathways 
to  School  Success259  offers  policy  guidance  to  Member  States  for  systemic  approaches  to 
reducing underperformance in basic skills, and early leaving from education and training and 
promoting upper secondary education completion.   

In  March  2023,  the  Commission  adopted  the  European  Higher  education  package  260,  in 
order to   pave  the way towards a  European degree,  in  line with  the European  strategy for 
universities261, to give students more opportunities to study at various universities in different 
EU countries and to graduate with a single widely recognised diploma. The The aim is to have 
a degree that would be automatically recognised everywhere in the EU, awarded jointly and on 
a voluntary basis by a group of universities across Europe, based on a common set of criteria 
agreed at EU level. 

Central  to  realising  the  ambition  of  the  pathway  for  a  European  degree  and  making  the 
European Education Area a reality, the European Universities initiative brings together a new 
generation of Europeans who are able to study and work in different European countries, in 
different  languages,  across  sectors  and  academic  disciplines.  As  of  2024262,  65  alliances 
encompass more than 570 higher education institutions of all types, providing students in all 
parts  of  Europe,  including  in  rural  areas  and  outermost  regions,  with  access  to  a  richer 
education  offer,  in  cooperation  with  research  departments  and  businesses.  Pooling  their 
expertise,  knowledge  and  resources,  including  expensive  equipment,  the  alliances  allow 
students  to  develop  a  broader,  future-oriented  set  of  skills  and  competences  including  in 
strategic sectors, while fostering a sense of European belonging. 

There are different ways of learning and the European Commission finds each of them relevant. 
Formal  education  is  highly  structured,  occurring  in  traditional  institutions  like  schools  and 
universities,  and  leads  to  recognised  certifications  and  degrees.  In  contrast,  non-formal 
education  is  flexible  and  takes  place  in  diverse  settings  such  as  community  centres  and 
workplaces, focusing on practical skills and personal development without necessarily leading 
to formal certifications. 

To promote learning about the EU from an early age and reach out to new groups, the scope of 
Jean  Monnet  actions  under  Erasmus+  was  widened  to  include  schools  and  vocational 
education and training (VET) institutions. Launched in 2022, the newest Jean Monnet action, 

258 Council conclusions on the contribution of education and training to strengthening common European values 
and democratic citizenship (C/2023/1339) 
259 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. 
260 Commission presents a blueprint for a European degree | European Education Area (europa.eu) 
261 Communication from the Commission on a European Strategy for Universities 
262 New funding for additional European Universities alliances will boost cooperation in higher education | 
European Education Area. 

67 

 
 
 
Learning EU Initiatives263, enables teachers in schools and VET institutions in the Erasmus+ 
programme countries to develop activities bringing facts and knowledge on the EU to a broad 
spectrum of learners, also reaching out to their community (parents and families, local actors 
and authorities). To help teachers’ engage their students on EU matters, Jean Monnet Teacher 
Training  funds  activities  proposed  by  higher  education  institutions  and  institutes  offering 
teacher training to deliver specific training to teachers. These institutions can apply for a grant 
up to EUR 300 000 for a period of 3 years. Lastly, the Jean Monnet Schools Networks enable 
good practices to be exchanged between schools and higher education institutions. Networks 
with  a  minimum  six  schools  and  VET  institutions  from  at  least  three  different  Erasmus+ 
programme countries can apply for a grant of up to EUR 300 000 over a three-year period. 

The Long-Term vision for EU’s rural areas264 includes a “Support education, training, youth, 
sport and volunteering in rural areas” action to increase opportunities for young people in 
rural  areas.  Actions  have  also  been  taken  under  the  prosperous  pillar  of  the  rural  vision  by 
“encouraging Member States to increase education, training and employment opportunities for 
young people in rural and remote areas under the Youth guarantee and the European Education 
area265;  

Youth4Regions266  helps journalism students and young journalists learn about the EU and its 
actions  in  their  region.  In  2023,  42  participants  from  the  EU,  as  well  as  neighbouring  and 
accession countries came to Brussels for a week to follow training sessions about journalism 
and the EU, receive mentorship and work together with experienced journalists, and visit media 
organisations.  The  programme  includes  the  Megalizzi  –  Niedzielski  prize,  which  rewards 
aspiring journalists that show a strong attachment to the EU and its values. 

In the alumni survey of January 2022, 78% of the respondents deemed the programme to have 
benefited their career thanks to networking and professional advice, while half think that their 
skills improved. The vast majority of the respondents also found that the programme helped 
their  personal  development,  be  it  in  terms  of  understanding  of  the  EU  (93%),  intercultural 
understanding  (71%)  or  creating  friendships  (62%).  17%  mentioned  that  the  programme 
enabled them to start their professional careers. The latest selection of applicants took place on 
15 August  2024.  Successful  young  journalists  came  together  in  Brussels  for  training, 
monitoring and exchanges in October 2024. 

In line with the Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain 
research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe267, and as part of the European 
Year of Skills, the European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp) 
was officially launched with a dedicated website in July 2024, after being developed in close 
consultation with stakeholders. It is part of an overall package of measures that the Commission 
developed to strengthen research careers in Europe. ResearchComp identifies and describes, 
including with learning outcomes, the transversal competences that researchers are advised to 

263 Jean Monnet Learning EU initiatives for schools and VET providers. 
264 EU long-term vision for rural areas (see sub-section on Younth in rural and remote areas in section 4.2 Social 
Inclusion) 
265 Report The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward 
266 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/communication/partnership-with-media/youth4regions_en  
267 Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, 
innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe. 

68 

 
 
 
 
develop  for  successful  careers  spanning  across  sectors.  It  continues  to  be  promoted  among 
stakeholders,  generating  a  high  level  of  interest  and  use,  and  there  was  a  call  in  Horizon 
Europe’s 2024 WIDERA work programme to support its implementation. 

It  is  further  promoted  in  EU  TalentOn,  a  science  competition  for  early  career  researchers 
representing all disciplines of science, aged between 21 and 35, who are working, studying or 
completing their PhD in Europe. This programme is addressed to everyone willing to develop 
innovative solutions in order to achieve one of the EU’s five objectives: i) adaptation to climate 
change, ii) cancer prevention and cancer patient care, iii) ocean and water restoration, iv) smart 
cities, and v) transition towards healthy soils. Initiated, funded, and co-created by the European 
Commission, EU TalentOn was launched as a part of the 2022 European Year of Youth. The 
following edition took place in Katowice in September 2024. The first edition of EU TalentOn 
brought to Leiden 104 researchers between 21 and 35 years old to work in teams on a challenge 
related to one of the five EU Missions, and it featured a programme co-created with academia, 
entrepreneurs and industry.The next edition took place in Katowice, European City of Science 
2024, in September 2024.  

The EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) is a science competition for 14 to 20 year 
olds,  organised  annually  by  the  Commission.  It brings  together  winners  of  national  science 
competitions  to  compete  on  an  international  stage  where  they  present  their  projects  to  an 
esteemed jury. The contest is about young people, scientific excellence and innovative ideasand 
aims to encourage contestants to study STE(A)M subjects and to pursue careers in science, 
research and innovation.  EUCYS laureates are the brightest of Europe’s future scientists and 
it is important to provide a safe, encouraging, engaging and stimulating environment for them 
to interact with high level scientists and their peers. Over  3,500 contestants have taken part 
since the first contest took place 35 years ago. It is estimated that over 500,000 students embark 
on scientific projects every year in the hope of reaching national and international science fairs 
for  school  going  students.  The  2022  edition  of  the  European  Contest  for Young  Scientists 
(EUCYS) took place under as part of the European Year of Youth, bringing together almost 140 
young scientists from 14 to 20 years of age to showcase their scientific projects and to exchange 
knowledge  and  experiences  with  their  peers,  encouraging  them  (especially  young  girls)  to 
pursue a career in science. The contest took place in 2023 in Brussels and in 2024 in Katowice. 
The next edition will be in Riga in 2025. 

Leiden European City of Science 2022 was a year-long initiative co-funded by the European 
Commission, designed to engage the public with science through a 365-day festival featuring 
daily activities such as lectures, workshops, exhibitions, excursions, and events. This stream of 
activities was dedicated to young people, shedd light on the importance of youth for a better, 
greener,  more  inclusive  and  digital  future,  and  launched  several  initiative  to  engage  the 
European youth in science. A key focus was youth involvement, in line with the European Year 
of  Youth.  Notable  youth-centred  events  included  the  Bright  Young  Minds  programme, 
providing  opportunities  for  young  people  to  participate  in  scientific  discussions  and 
collaborative  problem-solving  events. The  second  edition  of  the  festival,  although  in  a  less 
extensive  form,  took  place  in  Katowice  in  2024.  While  the  Commission’s  support  for  the 

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
European  City  of  Science  concludes  after  2024,  it  has  introduced  a  new  initiative  called 
‘Science Comes to Town,’ which will be piloted in 2026 and aims to achieve similar objectives. 

Under  Horizon  Europe,  the  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation,  three 
dedicated  calls  for fundings were published to  support  and strengthen the development  and 
implementation of a STE(A)M268 education approach across Europe.  

With the dedicated funds for widening participation and strengthening the European Research 
Area  (WIDERA)269,  a  first  call  for  funding  intitled  “Developing  a  STE(A)M  roadmap  for 
Science Education in Horizon Europe” funded three projects with an EU contribution of €5 
129 446,25, which started in September 2022. The EU funded project Road-STEAMer270 is 
creating a STEAM roadmap for science education in Horizon Europe, providing guidance to 
the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation on how to foster greater interest 
in  STEM  through  the  integration  of  artistic  and  creative  thinking.  The  EU  funded  project 
SENSE271  is  working  on  shaping  a  flexible  roadmap  for  future-making  STEAM  education 
across Europe to radically re-configure the education of young citizens, by connecting schools 
with life and society with work. The last EU funded project from this cluster, SEER272, is 
currently developing a set of roadmaps that will pave the way for the policy and institutional 
changes  necessary  for  the  large-scale  implementation  and  mainstreaming  of  STE(A)M 
education in Europe. 

Through  another  WIDERA  call  for  funding,  “Support  to  the  implementation  of  an  EU 
Manifesto for STE(A)M education and research and innovation career paths to tackle gender 
inequalities in the ERA”, the EU funded project ST(R)E(A)M IT273 started on January 1st 
2024 with a total EU contribution of EUR 1.8 million. Its main objective is to initiate change 
about  the  persisting  gender  inequalities  in  STEM  education,  research,  and  innovation  to 
contribute  to  the  implementation  of  the  ‘The  European  Manifesto  for  gender-inclusive 
STE(A)M education and careers’. By encouraging sustainable collaboration between STEM-
oriented  businesses,  secondary  and  higher  education  institutions,  research  organisations, 
informal  science  education  establishments,  NGOs,  and  civil  society  organisations, 
ST(R)E(A)M  IT intends to  provide several  tools  to close the  existing  gender gap in  STEM 
education and career. 

Under  the  Cluster  2  ‘Culture,  Creativity  and  Inclusive  Society’274,  a  call  on  ‘Cultural  and 
creative  approaches  for  gender-responsive  STEAM  education’  funded  the  EU  project 
STEAMbrace275. The project started its activity on 1 January 2024 with an EU contribution 
of EUR 2.9 million. By merging STEM with arts, the project hopes to create a strong European 

268  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. 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. 
269 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/jobs-research/researchcomp-european-competence-framework-
researchers_en 
270 Road-STEAMer Developing a STEAM Roadmap for Science Education in Horizon Europe 
271 SENSE. SENSE. The New European Roadmap to STEAM Education 
272 The SEER The STE(A)M Education European Roadmap 
273 ST(R)E(A)M IT/STREAMING GIRLS AND WOMEN INTO STEAM EDUCATION, INNOVATION AND 
RESEARCH | STREAM IT  
274 Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society - European Commission (europa.eu). 
275 European coordination network and activities to embrace a sustainable and inclusive STEAM educational 
system: the blend of artistic and creative approaches in STEM education, research & innovation. 

70 

 
 
 
alliance,  employing  creativity  and  evidence-based  approaches  to  create  a  sustainable  and 
inclusive STEAM education methodology. It will in particular raise awareness about the value 
of STE(A)M education, R&I for competitiveness, gender equality and career perspectives by 
implementing the first EU STE(A)M week for future women innovators. It will also include 
validation with 11 to 18-year-old students to better understand gaps and limitations in STEM 
education across demographics. 

The Commission addresses the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM education 
and training, including through the STEAM approach and the Women in Digital initiative276, 
in line with the Digital Education Action Plan, the European Strategy for Universities, and the 
Digital  Decade  Policy  Programme  target.  More  concretely,  as  part  of  the  action  plan,  over 
47 000 girls aged 14-19 in 23 countries boosted their digital and entrepreneurial competences 
by completing the  Girls  Go  Circular277 training programme since the launch of its  pilot  in 
2020. Also, over 13 ESTEAM Fests for girls and women have been organised, which are 1-
day workshops taking place across Europe. 

The Commission is  supporting 12 EU Member States  in  designing and implementing  skills 
reforms  under  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  2024  flagship  on  Skills278. The  projects 
selected help develop young people’s skills for them to thrive economically and personally via 
quality early childhood education and care, the development of competence-based curriculum, 
skills forecasting system, and micro-credentials across all stages of education, and  integration 
of migrants and refugee children through the education system. 

For example, the Commission will help Portugal further strengthen its capacity to assess the 
skills  needs  and  effectively  target  skills  mismatches  in  higher  education.  It  will  do  so  by 
developing  a  forecasting  system  that  can  be  used  by  higher  education  institutions  to  better 
adjust  their  offer  to  the  labour  market  needs  and  address  challenges  emerging  from  rapid 
technological developments, the digital revolution and green transition as well as demographic 
and geopolitical changes. 

Under  the  TSI  2025  Flagship  Technical  Support  project  on  Addressing  Demographic 
Change Through Reforms279, the European Commission is offering support to EU Member 
States  to  help  the  young  generation  by  means  of  education  reforms.  Possible  support  areas 
include:  improving  the  inclusiveness,  quality  and  accessibility  of  education  and  training 
systems at all levels, including non-formal and informal learning, also through the engagement 
of families in children learning; facilitating the acquisition and consolidation of basic skills and 
key competences ; promoting whole-school approaches to combatting underachievement and 
early  leaving  from  education  and  training  and  promoting  school  success  for  all  learners, 
through  partnerships  with  local  services,  NGOs,  social,  health  professionals,  and  the 
community at large, including parents.  

276 Women in Digital (europa.eu). 
277 Girls Go Circular | Digital and Entrepreneurial Skills for the Circular Economy (eit-girlsgocircular.eu). 

278 TSI 2024 Flagship – Flagship on Skills: Fostering skills development systems better adapted to the labour 
market (europa.eu). 
279 TSI 2025 Flagship - Tackling the demographic change through supporting skills-labour market and social 
inclusion reforms - European Commission (europa.eu). 

71 

 
 
 
As a follow-up to the Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on vocational education and 
training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience280, Member States have 
designed  their  national  implementation  plans  to  respond  to  the  agreed  priorities.  Many  of  the 
measures  focus  on  young  people  in  initial  VET  such  as  development  of  work-based  learning  / 
apprenticeship schemes,  or on building up Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) . 

Centres of Vocational  Excellence (CoVEs)  are partnerships  comprising local  and regional 
public  and  private  actors  and  stakeholders  that  work  together  to  provide  high  quality 
vocational  education,  training,  and skills  for young  people  and  adults.   The  Erasmus+ 
programme provides  EUR 400 million to fund at least 100 CoVE projects in the period 2021-
2027. In the period 2021-2023, 41 projects have been running, and additional 16 new projects 
were selected under the 2024 call. Many CoVEs focus on horizontal topics relevant for youth. 

The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) aims to strengthen the supply, quality 
and  overall  image  of  apprenticeships  across  Europe,  while  also  promoting  mobility  of 
apprentices. Since its launch in 2013, 41 countries281 have made national commitments under 
the Alliance, and in 2022 and 2023, also Armenia, Georgia and Moldova joined the EAfA.  In 
2024, EAfA received more almost 470 pledges  made by various apprenticeship stakeholders. 
Altogether, companies, employers and intermediaries have pledged to provide over 3 million 
apprenticeships opportunities since 2013. 

The European Apprentices Network (EAN) is a platform which since 2017 has regrouped 
apprentices, youth organisations and other bodies related to apprenticeships. Its aim is to ensure 
that young apprentices are involved in policymaking related to VET and apprenticeships.  In 
2024  the  EAN  carried  out  a  survey  to  address  the  mental  well-being  of  apprentices282,  to 
identify the challenges they face, potential solutions and effective practices.  

As for promoting the importance of financial literacy, especially that of the framework for 
children and young people published by the Commission and the OECD/INFE in September 
2023, the Commission and the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority organised a 
high  level  Conference  on  financial  literacy,  resilience  and  inclusion  under  the  Belgian 
Presidency  on  20  February  2024  .  The  conference  addressed  the  different  dimensions  of 
financial  literacy  and  looked  at  how  to  build  on  existing  work  in  this  area  to  identify 
opportunities,  challenges  and  best  practices.  The  conference  as  well  as  the  financial 
competence frameworks contribute to the aim of empowering the youth and creating a more 
inclusive society. 

Following the call in April 2024 by the European Council for “strengthening financial literacy 
of citizens and promoting awareness-raising initiatives”, on 14 May 2024 the Council adopted 
detailed Conclusions on financial literacy283. In these Conclusions, the Council encourages 
Member  States  to  consider  integrating  financial  education  in  school  curricula  and  foster 
financial  education  for  adults  through  events,  seminars,  workshops  and  awareness  raising 
campaigns. It also invites the Commission to continue promoting the uptake of the financial 

280 2020/C 417/01  
281 These include the 27 EU Member States, 8 candidate countries, all 4 European Free Trade Association 
countries, as well as Israel and Armenia. 
282  https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1147&furtherNews=yes&newsId=10799  
283https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/05/14/capital-markets-union-council-approves-
conclusions-on-financial-literacy/  

72 

 
 
 
competence frameworks and to facilitate the exchange of best practices by Member States and 
its stakeholders. 

The defence and aerospace ecosystems are essential  for EU and its citizens’ security  and 
play a significant role in today's society. However, recent surveys show that the workforce is 
ageing and is very male dominated. To attract and retain the talent and increase diversity, the 
Commission has a number of actions, which are promoted in an accessible and inclusive way 
(e.g.  testimonial  videos  with  female  role  models).  For  space,  these  include  CASSINI 
Hackathons,  organised  every  semester  at  10  different  locations  across  Europe,  with  past 
editions on Space for International Development & Humanitarian Aid or Space for Defence & 
Security. Projects like ASTRAIOS, focusing on creating an overview of current space curricula 
to  identify  space-related  education  and  training  to  improve  future  career  pathways,  or 
UNIVERSEH,  the  European  space  University  for  earth  and  humanity,  an  alliance  of  7  EU 
Universities,  aimed  at  setting-up  an  inter-university  campus  with  enhanced  teaching  and 
learning  opportunities  and  interactive  experiences  within  space  sector.  In  July  2024,  the 
Commission launched a matchmaking platform, the Space Career Launchpad, aimed to give 
university students and young graduates hands-on experience through internships and entry-
level jobs with particular focus on startups and SMEs. 

The defence industry has had difficulties attracting young people. Although this has changed 
to a large extent over the last years, it is still seen as a problem in some Member States. The 
Commission  has  conducted  a  survey  on  the  perceptions  and  experiences  of  the  European 
defence industry as an employer, in order to understand the underlying factors. The results will 
be presented in 2025.    

•  Support instruments 

The European Social Fund+ (ESF+) supports the entire education and training cycle from 
early childhood education to life-long learning, higher education and VET to make sure that 
people get the right knowledge and skills at all stages of life. 

In the 2021-2027 programming period, the ESF+ will have invested around EUR 17.3 billion, 
including an EU amount of around EUR 11 billion, in the employment and socio-economic 
integration of young people. Measures supporting youth employment focus on a wide range of 
issues, all converging towards how to accompany young people into the labour market.  

Furthermore, around EUR 64.7 billion, including an EU amount of EUR 42 billion, is allocated 
to  education,  training  and  skills  investments,  including  measures  targeting  young  people 
specifically.  

In addition, EUR 8.4 billion284 has been allocated under the European Regional Development 
Funds (ERDF) to support efforts by Member States and regions towards ensuring equal access 
to inclusive and quality education and training, addressing territorial and social disparities in 
accessing these services, with a particular focus on deprived areas and vulnerable groups. This 

284 Cohesion Open Data Platform Data Story: Cohesion Policy Support for education, training and skills  
https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/stories/s/Cohesion-policy-support-to-education-training-and-/jxir-9xbs#erdf-
support-much-more-than-education-and-training-infrastructure-and-equipment   

73 

 
 
 
 
support  is  provided  in  close  cooperation  with  the  ESF+  and  consists  primarily  of  building, 
renovating or expanding infrastructure at all education and training levels, providing equipment 
and the conditions for digital education, and education desegregation measures, from which 
young people will benefit. 

Nearly EUR 53 billion285 from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is allocated to 
education  at  all  levels.  This  includes,  amongst  others,  reforms  and  investments  in  early 
childhood education and care (ECEC), making schools more inclusive, improving the quality 
of the curricula, fighting early school leaving, expanding the number of places available at all 
levels  of  education,  internationalising  higher  education,  expanding  STE(A)M  education, 
upgrading  the schools/universities infrastructure, and digitalising teaching  and learning.  For 
example,  in  Croatia,  the  RRF  aims  to  increase  the  relevance  of  secondary  education,  by 
improving the labour market relevance of vocational programmes and supporting enrolment in 
schools which are relevant for jobs that are most needed. The digital transformation of higher 
education will also be supported. 

Up until now, more than 11.7 million persons286, including young people, have benefited from 
different types of education and training support and more than 500 000 people287 have already 
benefited from increased classroom capacity or modernised childcare and education facilities. 

•  Digital education and skills 

Digital  skills  are  essential  for  everyone,  including  young  people,  so they  can  participate  in 
society, in education and training, as well as in the labour market. The Commission has put in 
place actions to help develop the full spectrum of digital skills, ranging from basic to advanced. 
This  comes  along  with  actions  towards  supporting  the  development  of  a  high-performing 
digital education ecosystem, which is a requirement for learners to acquire the digital skills 
they need to thrive in today’s world, creating also more and better opportunities for everyone 
as  regards  learning  and  teaching  in  the  digital  age.  Support  for  upskilling,  including  digital 
upskilling, is a core objective of EU funding. The European Social Fund Plus is the EU’s 
main  training  investment  instrument.  As  of  July  2024,  EUR 2  billion  has  been  allocated 
exclusively to help develop digital skills for the 2021-2027 period, beyond other more general 
measures that may also involve developing digital skills through, for example, modernising 
education and training systems or delivering active labour market policies. 

In addition, under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, over EUR 28 billion288 will be spent 
digital skills and education in the current financing period. For example, in Spain, the RRF is 
supporting  digital skills for  both employed and unemployed people, in  particular for young 
people. 

285 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and correspond to the measures allocated to the policy areas ‘general, vocational and 
higher education’ and ‘early childhood education and care’ as primary or secondary policy area. These figures 
are based on the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 
286 See footnote on RRF Common Indicators in Section 8.2 Insights into EU spending on youth 
287 See footnote on RRF Common Indicators in Section 8.2 Insights into EU spending on youth 
288 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data are based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and correspond to the measures allocated to the policy area ‘human capital in 
digitalisation’ as primary or secondary policy area. These figures are based on the ex ante estimated cost of the 
relevant RRF measures. 

74 

 
 
 
The  Digital  Skills  &  Jobs  Platform289  brings  together  different  stakeholders  (students, 
teachers,  and  adults,  both  employed  and  unemployed)  and  also  gathers  and  connects  the 
national coalitions. It is a central hub for information around digital skills in Europe. On this 
platform,  users  can  find  useful  resources,  articles,  training  and  funding  opportunities,  and 
opinions from inspirational leaders. 

Under  the  Better  Internet  for  Kids  strategy  (BIK+),  the  co-funded  Safer  Internet  Centres 
network provide training, awareness raising activities and resources in all EU languages to help 
provide digital skills and media literacy among young people. 

The  Commission  is  also  continuing  to  build  the  Cybersecurity  Skills  Academy290.  This 
initiative, part of the 2023 European Year of Skills, contributes to increasing the Commission’s 
effort to  support cybersecurity skills.  with  the objective of training  additional  cybersecurity 
experts. Building on work conducted under the Cybersecurity Skills Academy, the Commission 
has announced in December 2024 an upcoming Industry-Academia Network which aim will 
be to strengthen the connections between industry and academia in the field of cybersecurity 
skills  for  professionals.  Other  initiatives  conducted  by  the  European  Union  Agency  for 
Cybersecurity  (ENISA)  such  as  the  European  Cybersecurity  Challenge291  and  the 
Cybersecurity Higher Education Database (CyberHEAD)292 aim respectively at enhancing 
cybersecurity  talent  across  Europe  and  connecting  high  potentials  with  industry  leading 
organisations,  and  at  allowing  young  talents  to  make  informed  decisions  on  the  variety  of 
possibilities offered by higher education in  cybersecurity293. In October 2024, ENISA also 
launched  the  CyberEducation  platform294,  which  acts  as  a  central  hub  for  cybersecurity 
educational resources tailored for primary and secondary schools in each Member State. The 
platform will help advancing cybersecurity literacy and resilience in Europe's schools. 

Exploiting  synergies  between  initiatives  such  as  the  Cybersecurity  Skills  Academy  and 
funding instruments such as Digital Europe Programme295, the European Universities play a 
key role to enhance digital skills development including for young people. They notably are 
strong possible contributors to  the industry-academia network to  bridge  cybersecurity  skills 
gap, and several alliances develop digital specialised masters (for instance, the Arqus Master 
Programme in International Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence). 

The Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP) 2021-2027296 sets out a long-term approach and 
vision  for  high  quality,  inclusive  and  accessible  digital  education  in  Europe  through  two 
strategic priorities, namely fostering the development of a high-performing digital education 
ecosystem  and  enhancing  digital  skills  and  competences  for  the  digital  transformation. 

289 Home | Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (europa.eu). 
290 Communication on the Cybersecurity Skills Academy | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu) 
291  https://ecsc.eu/  
292 CYBERHEAD - Cybersecurity Higher Education Database — ENISA 
293 How students can use CyberHEAD to choose academic programmes aligning with their interests 
and aspirations: https://videos.enisa.europa.eu/w/4Qx8c9HD7QjRAZujMnR5AV 

294 ENISA CyberEducation Platform — ENISA 

295 The Digital Europe Programme | Shaping Europe’s digital future This programme is also mentioned further 
in the present section. 
296 Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) | European Education Area (europa.eu) 

75 

 
 
 
Responding to the strategic priorities of the DEAP, in November 2023, the Council adopted 
two  Recommendations  to  support  Member  States  in  addressing  the  digital  divide  in 
education  and  training  (i.e.  Council  Recommendation  on  the  key  enabling  factors  for 
successful digital education and training) and supporting the development of people’s digital 
skills  (i.e.  Council  Recommendation  on  improving  the  provision  of  digital  skills  and 
competences in education and training)297.   

The  Council  Recommendations  are  the  result  of  the  Structured  Dialogue  with  Member 
States on digital education and skills298 that took place between October 2021 and March 
2023.  The  Dialogue  gathered  different  sectors  and  institutions  of  government,  as  well  as 
various stakeholders, such as social partners, civil society and the private sector, who shared 
their experience and best practices. The Dialogue increased the political commitment of the 
EU  Member  States  to  achieving  EU  objectives  on  digital  education  and  skills  and  raised 
awareness of the key factors for the successful digital transformation of education and training 
systems and improvement of digital skills. To support Member States and stakeholders in the 
implementation of the Council Recommendations the European Commission has launched new 
actions,  including  the  launch  of  two  Expert  Groups:  An  Expert  Group  supporting  the 
Commission in drafting guidelines for teachers and educators on high quality informatics 
and another supporting the Commission in drafting guidelines and quality requirements for 
accessible,  well-designed  and  high-quality  digital  education  content.  The  guidelines  are 
expected to be published in 2025. 

As  part  of  the  DEAP,  the  Commission  published  another  two  sets  of  guidelines  in  October 
2022: i) ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in education299, 
which aim to support educators in understanding the potential benefits and risks of AI and data 
use in education; and ii) guidelines to help teachers and educators promote digital literacy 
and  address  disinformation  through  education  and  training300.  Both  sets  of  guidelines  are 
translated into all EU official languages  and are  of valuable help  for teachers in  supporting 
young people. 

flagship 

the  programme’s 

Work continues on other actions and initiatives under the Digital Education Action Plan. One 
of 
the  Digital  Education  Hackathon 
(DigiEduHack)301. Through the Hackathon,  the Commission  promotes the development  and 
application of digital skills among participants, the great majority of which are young people 
(pupils, students from secondary or tertiary education, young entrepreneurs). Since its launch 
in  2019,  DigiEduHack  has  become  one  of  the  EU’s  flagship  grassroot  initiatives  in  digital 

initiatives 

is 

297 Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on the key enabling factors for successful digital education 
and training (europa.eu); Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on improving the provision of digital 
skills and competences in education and training (europa.eu) 
298 Digital Education Action Plan – Action 1 | European Education Area (europa.eu) 

299 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/d81a0d54-5348-11ed-92ed-01aa75ed71a1/language-
en. 
300 Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through 
education and training - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu). 
301 Homepage - DigiEduHack 2024. 

76 

 
 
 
 
education, encouraging user-driven innovation and providing insights into trends for education 
and training in the digital age. 

To  support  the  DEAP’s  priorities,  the  European  Digital  Education  Hub302  strengthens 
cooperation and exchange in digital education at the EU level. Its mission is to overcome the 
current  fragmentation  of  digital  education  policy,  research  and  implementation  practices  at 
European  level.  The  Hub  brings  together  people  working  at  all  levels  and  in  all  sectors  of 
education  and  training.  It  aims  to  support  peer  learning  and  collaboration  and  enable  best 
practices  to  be  shared.  The  Hub  gathers  a  wide  range  of  professionals  interested  in  digital 
education, including school educators, teacher trainers, policy makers, and researchers. 

Since July 2023, a Working Group of around 140 higher education stakeholders and experts 
within  the  European  Digital  Education  Hub  has  been  collaboratively  designing  a  higher 
education interoperability framework. This framework aims to achieve interoperability for 
the learning and teaching systems of European higher education institutions, promoting virtual 
mobility,  virtual  exchange  and  the  development  of  joint  degrees,  programmes,  and  course 
catalogues. 

Another action under the DEAP was to update in 2022 the Digital Competence Framework 
(DigComp) to take account of emerging technologies such as AI, datafication and phenomena, 
such  as  teleworking,  disinformation  and  the  new  skill  requirements  they  bring.  Work  is 
continuing  on  a  more  comprehensive  update  to  take  account  of  new  skills  requirements, 
learning  outcomes. 
including  work  on  digital  skills  gaps  and  needs  as  well  as 

As 2024 marks the midpoint of  the DEAP, the Commission  has  begun a  comprehensive 
review to evaluate the impact of the actions taken, and to adapt its strategy and future actions 
in  response  to  emerging  challenges  and  opportunities. The  aim  is  to  ensure  that  the  DEAP 
remains responsive and effective in advancing digital education at the EU level. The review of 
DEAP  will  help  ensure  its  efficacy  in  fostering  a  safe,  informed  and  technologically  adept 
learning environment for all, including young people. 

The  review  process  began  with  a  launch  event  in  April  2024,  where  stakeholders  shared 
perspectives and feedback on DEAP actions in the first years of its implementation. Among the 
participants there were an alumni from the Girls Go Circular programme303 and four global 
winners of the 2023 DigiEduHack edition, who had the opportunity to pitch their solutions to 
the audience. The review process entails a series of stakeholder consultations throughout 2024. 
As part of the consultation with social partners that took place in July 2024, young people’s 
representatives contributed with their perspectives. The Commission has also organised online 
consultation meetings with VET and civil society stakeholders to get their views on the DEAP’s 
achievements and ambitions for the future. 

Learning by doing emphasises practical experience over passive learning, encouraging active 
involvement in tasks to  apply theoretical knowledge in real-world situations. This hands-on 
approach  fosters  deep  understanding,  problem-solving  skills,  and  confidence  through 

302 European Digital Education Hub - European Education Area (europa.eu). 

303 Girls Go Circular | Digital and Entrepreneurial Skills for the Circular Economy (eit-girlsgocircular.eu). 

77 

 
 
 
 
experimentation and learning from mistakes. It cultivates a dynamic learning process that is 
both  enriching  and  empowering  across  various  fields  of  study.  For  that,  the  Commission 
provides  young  people  with  different  EU-funded  opportunities  to  get  involved  and  develop 
digital skills. 

Both  Erasmus+  and the  European Solidarity Corps  have digital transformation  as one of 
their  overarching  priorities,  in  line  with  the  DEAP’s  strategic  priorities,  and  with  the  two 
Council  Recommendations  adopted  in  November  2023  on:  a)  the  key  enabling  factors  for 
successful  digital  education  and  training304;  and  b)  improving  the  way  digital  skills  and 
competences are provided in education and training305. 

To  support  the  digital  transformation  in  a  human-centric  manner  and  address  societal 
challenges such as AI, social media or disinformation more effectively, Europe needs education 
and training systems that are fit for the digital age. 

The  Erasmus+  programme  seeks  to  prepare  individuals  and  organisations  for  the  digital 
transition and to provide them with the skills and competences needed in a digitally advanced 
society  and  work  environment.  It  promotes  actions  to  step  up  the  development  of  digital 
competences throughout society and focuses both on basic and advanced digital skills, as well 
as on digital literacy. The programme provides funding for cooperation projects that support 
the digital transformation planning of  education  and training institutions,  including  primary 
and secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET), higher education and adult 
learning institutions. 

Erasmus+ 2022 call 

Budget 

743.9  million  of  the  2022  budget 
projects 
for 
supporting digital transition (59% 
of the total) 
1,653 or 41% of the total number 
Number of cooperation projects 
6,200 
Number of organisations 
Traineeships in advanced digital skills in Higher Education 
12,300 
Traineeships in cross all fields of education, training and youth   17,000 

cooperation 

The Erasmus+ teacher academies have been set up to further help in creating and applying 
digital  pedagogies  and  to  help  boost  teachers’  expertise  in  using  digital  tools,  including 
accessible and assistive technologies. The SELFIE for Teachers306 is an online self-reflection 
tool that helps teachers identify strengths and gaps in their digital competences and plan further 
training.  The  European  Universities  initiative  plays  a  key  role  in  helping  young  people 
develop  the  digital  skills  and  competences  required  to  accelerate  innovation  and  meet 
sustainability goals. The initiative supports young people in their personal and professional life, 
and helps maintain a digitally literate, democratic and open European society. 

304 Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on the key enabling factors for successful digital education 
and training (europa.eu). 
305 Council Recommendation of 23 November 2023 on improving the provision of digital skills and 
competences in education and training (europa.eu). 
306 SELFIE for TEACHERS | European Education Area (europa.eu). 

78 

 
 
 
 
The  European  Solidarity  Corps  can  play  a  role  by  helping  Europeans,  regardless  of  their 
gender, age and background, live and thrive in the digital age through projects and activities 
that aim to boost digital skills, foster digital literacy and/or develop an understanding of the 
risks and opportunities of digital technology. Since 2021, 927 (22% out of total) volunteering 
projects had digital transition as a priority, involving over 14 000 volunteers307. 

The programmes also promote the use of virtual and digital components such as information, 
communication and technology tools in all projects and activities.  

In 2022, the SALTO Digital308 resource centre was set up to advance the implementation of 
the digital priority in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps through the provision of 
resources  to  National  Agencies,  potential  applicants  and  beneficiaries,  capacity  building 
activities and monitoring actions.  

In  addition,  the  Digital  Europe  Programme309  provides  funding  for  higher  education 
programmes in key digital areas, like artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud computing, 
quantum technologies, high performing computing, semiconductors, virtual worlds or robotics 
to  increase  the  number  of  Information  and  communication  technology  (ICT)  graduates  in 
Europe able to design, deploy and use the different advanced digital technologies. 

To help reduce disparities and address the uneven deployment of high-speed internet access in 
schools,  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  Digital  programme310  supports  gigabit  and  5G 
connectivity for smart communities, where socio-economic drivers such as schools are located. 
This  action  promotes  best  practices  in  5G  connectivity  in  local  communities  and  schools, 
alongside other education and training institutions. 

The  EU  Code Week311  spreads  computational  thinking,  coding  and  related  digital  skills  to 
schools’ teachers and students. The Code Week strives to widen the offer and lower the barrier 
for teachers to integrate programming and technology in their everyday teaching practices. It 
provides equal access to digital skills to all children, regardless of their economic background 
or gender. 

4.5  Culture   

Culture plays an essential role in reaching out to young people. According to the Eurobarometer 
survey312,  23%  of  young  Europeans  identify  culture  as  a  key  factor  in  community-building. 
Creative Europe – the European Commission’s flagship programme to support the culture and 
creative sectors – co-finances actions and projects to promote European cultural content to a 
large audience including younger people. It facilitates the cross-border circulation and mobility 
of artists and professionals – including young talents – in Europe and beyond. 

307 European Solidarity Corps 01/2021 – 08/2024. 
308 Useful Resources on Digital Transformation 
309 The Digital Europe Programme | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu) 
310 Connecting Europe Facility - CEF Digital | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu) 
311 EU Code Week 
312 Eurobarometer survey: Youth and Democracy in the European Year of Youth. 

79 

 
 
 
 
 
Culture  Moves  Europe313,  for  example,  awards  mobility  grants  to  artists  and  cultural 
professionals so they can work abroad. It has a special focus on emerging artists. In 2023-2024 
almost 6 000 individual artists received mobility grants and 1 037 artists participating in the 
residencies were supported by the scheme. 

Creative  Europe  also  supports  young  creatives  through  its  Platforms  for  the  Promotion  of 
Emerging Artists314. For instance, Versopolis315 is a European poetry platform that builds upon 
novel  opportunities  for  emerging  European  poets.  It  envisages  cooperation  and  growth 
continuing, given that Creative Europe selected it from two open calls within the Support for 
European Platforms initiative. From 2022-25 the Versopolis was granted EUR 1 936 815 from 
the Creative Europe programme. 

Furthermore, the Pan-European Cultural Entities316 scheme helps transnational orchestras 
train  and  boost  the  careers  of  young  musicians.  For  example,  the  European  Union Youth 
Orchestra (EUYO)317 continues to provide an exceptional bridge between music colleges and 
the professional music world for generations of Europe’s finest musicians. The project aims to 
professionalise the capacity of the orchestra and its young musicians so it can act as Cultural 
Ambassador for EU values, while pursuing the highest levels of artistic excellence. Each year, 
at  least  150  members  from  all  Member  States  are  selected  through  a  rigorous  recruitment 
process.  In  2021-2023  the  EUYO  was  granted  EUR 1 800 000  from  the  Creative  Europe 
programme.  

In addition, Creative Europe supports young talents through the horizontal scheme Networks 
of Cultural and Creative Organisations318. In particular, the Euro-Mediterranean Network 
for  the  professional  development  of  young  artists  (BJCEM)319  ranges  from  cultural 
institutions to independent organisations, with partnerships throughout Europe, the Middle East 
and Africa.  In 2022-2024, the BJCEM was granted EUR 326 136 from the Creative Europe 
programme. 

As the largest funding scheme of Creative Europe’s Culture strand, the European Cooperation 
Projects320  support  cultural  projects  addressing  young  audiences  and  talents.  New 
Perspectives for Action (NPA)321, for example, is a four-year transnational co-creation and 
circulation project by 13 interdisciplinary art organisations across Europe. It builds upon the 
results of the successful Re-Imagine Europe project (2017-2021). For 2023-2027, the NPA was 
granted EUR 2 000 000 from the Creative Europe programme. The countries participating are: 
Austria,  Croatia,  France,  Germany,  Italy,  Lithuania,  the  Netherlands  (coordinator),  North 
Macedonia, Norway, Portugal and Slovakia. 

EU  cultural  prizes,  co-funded  by  Creative  Europe,  recognise  the  excellence  of  emerging 
European talents.  In 2023, the  EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture  –  Mies van der 

313 Culture Moves Europe – Culture and Creativity (europa.eu). 
314 European Platforms for the promotion of emerging artists. 

315 Versopolis. 
316 Pan-European Cultural Entities - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu). 
317 European Union Youth Orchestra. 
318 European networks - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu). 
319 Euro-Mediterranean Network for the professional development of young artists. 
320 European cooperation projects - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu). 
321 New Perspectives for Action. 

80 

 
 
 
Rohe  Award  (EUmies  Awards  Young  Talent)322,  supported  under  Creative  Europe,  was 
granted  to  three  qualifying  university  master’s  degrees  that  include  a  design  proposal.  By 
bringing together the most talented graduated architects and some of the best architecture firms 
and institutions in Europe, the Young Talent Winners have the chance to develop strategies, 
synergies or complementarities with the firms and institutions of their choice. The Young Talent 
award aims to support the talent of recently graduated architects, urban planners and landscape 
architects, who will be responsible for transforming our environment in the future. 

Likewise,  the  Music  Moves  Europe  award323  and  the  European  Union  Prize  for 
Literature324 recognise emerging European literary and music talents – many of those writers 
and  musicians  are  under  30  –  and  promote  them  to  a  diversified  audience  including  young 
people.  Furthermore,  the  European  Heritage  Awards325  highlight  and  acknowledge 
achievements in protecting and promoting heritage, which often involve young people, be it as 
heritage  professionals  or  volunteers.  For  example,  in  the  Citizens’  Rehabilitation  of  the 
Tsiskarauli Tower project in Akhieli (Georgia) – one of 26 award-winners in 2024 – 54 young 
volunteers  from  different  European  countries  worked  closely  with  the  rural  area’s  local 
community to restore a historic landmark over the course of three years. This has enabled these 
volunteers  to  experience  cross-border  collaboration  and  acquire  new  skills  and  heritage 
practices.  In  addition,  each  of  the Awards’  selection  committees  includes  a  young  member, 
ensuring young people are represented in the selection of the award-winning projects. 

In March 2024 the second edition of the  Day of European Authors326 took place in all 40 
Creative Europe countries gathering almost 2 000 reading events. It aimed to reconnect the 
younger  generation  with  books  and  reading  as  well  as  to  encourage  them  discovering  the 
cultural and linguistic diversity of European literature. The second edition had a stronger focus 
on the collaboration between schools and book sectors. 

In  addition  to  that,  all  European  Capitals  of  Culture  (ECoC)327  have  ambitious  youth 
programmes. Title-holding  cities  engage  the  public,  especially  young  people,  in  developing 
(part of) the cultural programme or gaining professional experience through volunteering, and 
they design projects or schemes to increase youth interest in the arts and culture. This was also 
the case with the three ECoC cities in 2023. To give a few examples, as part of its outreach 
activities,  Elefsina  2023  (Greece)  involved  teenagers  and  youths  in  a  series  of  educational 
programmes  for  the  student  community  in  the  Municipality  and  the  wider  region.  The 
programme  of  Timisoara  2023  (Romania)  had  a  number  of  flagship  events  that  had  been 
especially dedicated to young audiences. Finally, the Volunteer Programme of Veszprém 2023 
(Hungary), which included a focus  on youth  participants,  received the Quality  Label  of the 
European Solidarity Corps. Furthermore, together with Timisoara 2023, Kaunas (ECoC 2022), 
and Tartu (ECoC 2024), Veszprém 2023 was a partner in the Erasmus + funded Youth creatives 
going  digital  project.  The  aim  of  the  project  was  to  enable  participating  organisations  to 

322 EUmies Awards Young Talent - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu). 
323 MME Awards. 
324 Home Page | EU Prize for Literature (euprizeliterature.eu). 
325 https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/. 
326 Day of European Authors - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu) 

327 European Capitals of Culture - Culture and Creativity (europa.eu) 

81 

 
 
 
 
increase  their  capacity  to  support  young  people  to  take  full  advantage  of  the  opportunities 
created by digital and entrepreneurship.   

Creative  Europe  also  co-funds  the  European  Heritage  Days  (EHDs)328,  one  of  the  most 
widely  celebrated  participatory  cultural  events  in  Europe.  Co-organised  by  the  EU  and  the 
Council of Europe, the EHDs provide access to thousands of rarely opened sites and unique 
events in 48 countries to over 20 million people every year. Since 2019 the EHDs have run a 
special  initiative,  the  Young  European Heritage  Makers329,  a  youth  competition  targeting 
children in  primary  and  secondary schools  across  Europe. Through this  competition  among 
classrooms, the action aims to reconnect youngsters with their local heritage while giving them 
a voice in promoting it. The winning classroom will be offered a trip to Strasbourg to visit the 
Council of Europe’s premises. 

In  2021-2027,  support  for  culture  and  cultural  heritage  under  the  European  Regional 
Development  Fund  (ERDF)  provided  support  to  programmes  totalling  EUR 5  billion  and 
EUR 0.4  billion  under  Interreg  programmes.  The  support  includes  investment  in  cultural 
infrastructure, conservation of cultural heritage, digital and green measures in cultural sites, 
support for long-term cultural activities that foster social inclusion and innovation, and culture 
as part of regeneration of public spaces. Young people have been identified as a target group in 
ERDF support for culture and cultural heritage in many cohesion policy programmes. They are 
expected  to  benefit  from  better  access  to  culture  and  potential  creation  of  job  and  social 
inclusion opportunities driven by such support for culture. For example, the 2021-2027 ERDF 
ESF+ programme for Sicily (IT) seeks to generate employment opportunities for young people 
through its ERDF investments in revitalising cultural heritage and cultural spaces dedicated to 
culture and creative production, with an innovative and digital approach being used. As part of 
the efforts to support disadvantaged areas in the city by harnessing the potential of culture, the 
2021-2027 ERDF programme for Berlin will invest in developing and modernising art schools 
for young people, youth leisure centres and neighbourhood centres among other cultural sites. 

The  Digital  Europe  Programme  is  supporting  the  digital  transformation  of  museums, 
galleries, libraries and archives across the EU. It aims to enable younger generations to access 
to EU’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. The  Digital Europe Programme is funding worth 
EUR 7.5 million per year to the common European data space for cultural heritage. The 
data space, based on the Europeana.eu platform, is accelerating the digitisation of monuments, 
sites, objects, artifacts and intangible heritage, to protect and preserve those at risk, and boost 
their reuse in domains such as education, tourism and creative sectors. It also aims to provide 
more  immersive  and  personalised  cultural  experiences  with  advanced  technologies  such  as 
artificial intelligence and extended reality; virtual worlds applications offer huge opportunities 
to attract young audiences.   

•  Multilingualism 

The  European  Commission  coordinates  the  European  Master’s  in  Translation  project 
(EMT)330.  By  promoting  high-quality  training  criteria  in  translation  education,  this  network 
actively  supports  multilingualism  and  dialogue  while  ensuring  the  upskilling  of  young 

328 European Heritage Days | European Heritage Days. 
329 Young European Heritage Makers | European Heritage Days. 
330 European Master’s in Translation (EMT) - European Commission. 

82 

 
 
 
professionals in the changing landscape of AI-based technologies and digital developments. It 
brings  together  more  than  2 000  master  students,  along  with  hundreds  of  academics, 
researchers, professors and young professionals. Recent milestones include the updating of the 
EMT  Competence  Framework331  and  the  new  five-year  mandate332  (2024-2029)  with  81 
programmes. 

The  Commission  Representations  in  the  Member  States  organise  numerous  events  and 
activities across the EU to promote language learning, translation and multilingualism. 
To this end, they visit schools and universities to give presentations, and invite pupils, students 
and teachers to activities such as mini-language classes, fairs, contests and workshops. Every 
year,  they  organise  celebrations  on  the  European day  of  languages333  involving  in  particular 
school teachers and students. In 2023, 71 EDL events were organised in 25 countries with almost 
200 000 participants and reaching almost 1.5 million people online. 

The  Juvenes Translatores  translation  contest334,  organised  by  the  Commission  every  year  in 
November, gathers over  3 000 teenagers from  about  700 schools across all EU countries to 
translate texts linked to EU priorities. Having 552 language combinations possible among the 
EU’s 24 official languages on offer, participants become aware of the rich European cultural 
heritage and benefits it offers. The ever growing interest from schools confirms the success of 
the contest in reaching out to young people and in promoting language learning in secondary 
education, as a means of connection, becoming aware of the EU cultural diversity and having 
an advantage in the job market. 

4.6  Environment, climate and energy  

Around  EUR 346  billion335  of  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  (RRF)  is  allocated  to 
reforms and investments supporting the green transition, which benefit young people as well. 
These include: i) supporting the deployment of renewables and energy efficiency renovations 
of  public  and  private  buildings;  ii)  developing  green  skills;  iii)  reforming  the  regulatory 
framework;  and  iv)  stepping  up  green  urban  mobility  and  the  production  of  zero  or  low-
emission vehicles. For example, in Denmark, the RRF supports the development of skills and 
knowledge related to green technologies and sustainability in vocational education and training 
schools, as well as in adult vocational training. 

The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  allocates  EUR 93.4  billion  towards 
achieving  the  green  transition.  With  young  people  having  the  highest  stake  in  a  successful 
delivery of the green transition, the investments in, e.g. the circular economy, climate change 
mitigation  and  adaptation  and  wastewater  treatment  are  directly  related  to  ensuring  a 

331 emt_competence_fwk_2022_en.pdf. 
332 EMT members 2024-29 - European Commission. 
333 EDL - European Commission. 
334 Juvenes Translatores - European Commission. 
335 Figure as of 16 October 2024. Data are based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and 
Resilience Scoreboard and correspond to the measures allocated to the policy pillar ‘green transition’ as primary 
or secondary policy pillar. These figures are based on the ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 

83 

 
 
 
 
 
sustainable future. For example, in Portugal, the ERDF helps implement energy improvement 
measures in basic and secondary schools in Madeira. 

In addition, young people will benefit from measures financed under the Social Climate Fund, 
which  will  be  in  operation  in  2026-2032.  It  will  support  vulnerable  groups  of  society, 
particularly  vulnerable  households,  vulnerable  transport  users  and  vulnerable  micro-
enterprises, who are most affected by the green transition. Support will be provided to Member 
States through non-repayable financial grants based on national social climate plans submitted 
to the Commission. 

•  Youth participation for the environment, climate and energy 

In line with the 2022 Council Conclusions on young people as actors of change in order to 
protect the environment336, the Commission has committed to create further opportunities to 
be involved in  and help  shape the green  transition, including by promoting youth volunteer 
activities addressing environmental issues, by facilitating young people's access to training that 
equips them with the necessary skills for the green jobs of tomorrow, and by supporting young 
entrepreneurs seeking to develop solutions to environmental issues. 

The  Commission  Recommendation  on  developing  and  strengthening  integrated  child 
protection systems includes recommendations to Member States to protect children from the 
impact of climate change and environmental hazards on their rights. This includes involving 
children in decision-making related to climate change, as well as a child-protective and child-
sensitive approach in their climate change adaptation337 and mitigation plans.  

Building  on  the  many  opportunities  created  during  the  European Year  of Youth  for  young 
people  to  be  involved  in  and  help  shape  the  green  transition,  the  Commission  supports  a 
community  of  around  300  young  European  Climate  Pact  Ambassadors  as  of  2024    in 
promoting  climate  action  among  young  people  on  the  ground  and  supporting  their  local 
activities.  In  2023-2024,  the  European  Climate  Pact  continued  to  work  with  young  people 
taking part in climate action.  

To give young people a prominent space in the Pact community, the Climate Pact prioritised 
the recruitment of more young ambassadors in its latest open call in September 2023, with the 
goal of one third of all new ambassadors being under the age of 35. That target was reached, 
as the Pact now includes around 300 young Pact Ambassadors out of about 850, many of whom 
coordinate initiatives on the ground with the Pact’s support and/or have a big youth following 
on social media or in their communities. Some of the Pact’s partner organisations also focus on 
young people (e.g. the European Youth Parliament and Save the Children). 

In terms of activities, the Climate Pact has been involved in the European Youth Week 2024, 
in which eight Pact Ambassadors participated and talked about their activities related to climate 
action  and  the  involvement  of  young  people.  The  Pact  has  also  involved  young  Pact 
Ambassadors at events, and launched a set of citizen engagement tools that have been used by 

336 Council Conclusions on fostering engagement among young people as actors of change in order to protect 
the environment 
337 Notably in light of the Commission Notice Guidelines on Member States’ adaptation strategies and plans 
2023/C 264/01 (OJ C 264, 27.07.2023) 

84 

 
 
 
young  (and  not  so  young)  Pact  Ambassadors  around  Europe  to  engage  their  community. 
Furthermore, the Pact helps amplify young Pact Ambassadors’ voices, giving them a platform 
by  inviting  them  to  events  and  exchanges  with  EU  representatives  and  policymakers,  and 
promoting them on the Commission’s website and social media channels. Young Climate Pact 
Ambassadors  held  an  exchange  with  a  Commission  Director-General  during  the  2024 
European Youth Week about how young people across Europe can take climate action at local 
level. The discussion was focused on concrete actions anyone could take and highlighted the 
easy-to-use Climate Pact citizen engagement tools as a way for young people to engage other 
people in their communities. 

Also during the 2024 European Youth Week, young people spoke with Commission staff about 
the role EU humanitarian aid plays in providing support to those most affected by climate 
change  and  the  resulting  forced  displacement.  They  also  discussed  how  environmental 
degradation and resource scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, can contribute to social and 
political instability, ultimately leading to displacement and conflict in vulnerable regions. 

Outside of the multiple Youth Dialogues organised in Brussels during the European Year of 
Youth, the European Commission has also organised public dialogues between Commissioners 
and young people (including from outside Europe) at international climate conferences, such 
as COP27, COP28, and COP29. 

The  Commission  also  helps  young  people  contribute  to  the  achievement  of  the  EU’s 
disaster resilience goals as an essential tool for strengthening resilience to future disasters. As 
part of the strengthening of European civil protection activities, the EU developed the Union 
Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)338 and its Young Civil Protection Professionals (YCCP) 
group.  Through  the  annual YCPP  event,  the  EU  supports  young  people  in  networking  and 
collaborating with the emerging generation of the UCPM community. 

A  yearly  two-day  study  visit  is  organised  in  Brussels  for  around  60  young  participants 
interested or already involved in civil protection and disaster risk management. Participants 
include students, researchers, professional  and volunteer firefighters, medical personnel and 
civil protection experts. The event gives participants the opportunity to learn about the general 
architecture of the UCPM and the realities of working in civil protection, especially targeting 
evidence-based decision-making in crisis situations. 

In addition, a group of 27 young civil protection professionals participated in the 8th European 
Civil Protection Forum in 2024 and benefited from relevant exchanges during this event with 
1 500 participants. 

The Commission encourages networks of green cities and regions (such as the Green City 
Accord initiative) to engage young trainees and volunteers in local green projects. The Green 
City Accord secretariat has launched preparatory actions to this effect. 

Under the Just Transition Fund, the EUTeens4Green promotes young people’s participation in 
the  just  transition  towards  climate  neutrality  and  a  greener  Europe.  Some  70  projects  were 

338  The  UCPM  aims  to  strengthen  cooperation  between  EU  countries  and  participating  states  to  improve 
prevention, preparedness and response to disasters. 

. 

85 

 
 
 
implemented  between April  2023  and  March  2024  by  young  people  aged  15-24  years  old, 
living in 41 Just Transition regions. In April 2024, the closing conference took place in Brussels 
as  part  of  the  European  Week  of  Youth.  Young  people  representing  the  different  projects 
debated about ways to strengthen youth involvement in policymaking and to improve young 
people’s possibilities to shape and lead the green transition. Lessons learned from the projects 
have also resulted in a full list of recommendations (e.g. establishment of youth representation 
bodies,  more  institutionalised  involvement  of  young  people,  financial  and  administrative 
support  for  youth-led  projects,  capacity  building  for  young  people)  to  ensure  that  cohesion 
policy,  and  specifically  the  Just Transition,  continue  to  engage  young  people  in  future. The 
Commission  is  sharing  lessons  learned  and  policy  recommendations  from  EUTeens4Green 
with Member States and stakeholders and is reflecting on how to keep young people interested 
and engaged in local development and green topics. 

Efforts have continued towards the EU commitment to planting 3 billion additional trees before 
2030, the #3BillionTrees pledge339. All EU Member States are contributing by registering new 
trees.  The  EU  campaign  #ForOurPlanet340,  launched  in  2022  in  the  context  of  the  UN 
Biodiversity  Conference  (COP15),    encourages  Commission  Representations  and  EU 
Delegations,  together  with  citizens  and  civil  society  organistions,  to  take  part  in  concrete 
activities for nature and climate. In 2024, the focus of the campaign was on tree planting in 
various contexts, including urban greening, reforesting after forest fires and agroforestry. More 
than  40  events  were  organised  worldwide  to  support  the  campaign,  many  involving  young 
people.  

339 The #3BillionTrees Pledge - European Commission (europa.eu) 
340 #ForOurPlanet | EEAS (europa.eu) 

86 

 
 
 
 
 
Between  May  and  October  2024,  the  Commission  organised  a  #WaterWiseEU  awareness-
raising campaign with the slogan ‘See Water Differently’341. The campaign aims to encourage 
Europeans to rethink the way they use, manage and value water. The Commission is working 
with  many  partner  organisations  to  promote  the  campaign,  some  targeting  young  people, 
including the World Scout Organisation. As part of EU Green Week Partner Events342 and as 
part of the #WaterWiseEU campaign, the Commission is supporting several youth-led events 
and activities targeting young people across the EU. 

Every year, the #EUBeachCleanup campaign includes hundreds of clean-up events organised 
by EU Representations and Delegations aiming to raise awareness about marine litter. Many 
schools  participate,  including  EU  blue  schools.  The  2022  European  Year  of  Youth  helped 
develop a specific targeting towards young people; and the campaign was presented as part of 
the 2024 European Youth Week. 

Since  2023,  the  Commission  supports  a  community  of  Young  Energy Ambassadors343  to 
promote  sustainable  energy  and  the  clean  energy  transition.  This  group  of  30  young 
professionals  (aged  18  to  34  years  old)  is  selected  every  year  from  different  career  stages 
(studies, employment, personal engagement, etc.) in the clean energy sector. The Young Energy 
Ambassadorship programme is a year-long commitment that aims to strengthen the connection 
between  young  people  and  the  European  Sustainable  Energy Week  (EUSEW)  –  a  yearly 
conference organised by the Commission – and the EU’s energy policies. This helps increase 
young people’s interest and involvement in sustainable energy. 

The EUSEW is committed to involving the younger generation in discussions on clean energy. 
Since  2020,  the  European Youth  Energy  Day344  has  been  organised  as  part  of  the  EUSEW 
Policy Conference, to give young participants the chance to get involved in debates on Europe’s 
sustainable  energy  transition.  In  2024,  the  European  Youth  Energy  Day  hosted  a dialogue 
between generations345, a closed-door session to co-create recommendations on the future of 
clean  energy  for  the  next  Commissioner  in  charge  of  energy  as  well  as  a  dialogue  with 
Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič during the closing session346. 

341 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/water/water-wise-eu_en. 
342 https://green-week.event.europa.eu/partner-events_en. 
343 https://sustainable-energy-week.ec.europa.eu/young-energy-ambassadors_en  
344 Young Energy Ambassadors - European Commission. 
345 EUSEW Interactive. 
346 EUSEW Interactive. 

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•  Teaching and learning for the green transition and sustainable development 

The  Commission  supports  Member  States  in  their  implementation  of  the  Council 
Recommendation on learning for the green transition and sustainable development347. In 
line with the 2022 Council Conclusions on young people as actors of change in order to 
protect the environment348, the Commission also aims to support young people in acquiring 
the  necessary  competences  and  facilitate  their  access  to  training  that  prepares  them  for  the 
green jobs of tomorrow.  

The Education for Climate Coalition, a flagship initiative of the European Education Area 
by 2025349 and an essential part of the European Green Deal350, is a participatory community 
that aims to support teaching and learning for the green transition and sustainable development. 
Since  the  launch  of  the  community  platform351  on  the  first  Education  for  Climate  Day  (25 
November 2021), the platform over 7 500 users have logged in to exchange ideas on how to 
combat climate change. The Coalition also has a youth group352 which in 2024 runs the Youth 

347 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on learning for the green transition and sustainable development. 
348 Council Conclusions on fostering engagement among young people as actors of change in order to protect 
the environment 
349 See Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on achieving the European Education Area by 2025, 
COM(2020) 625 final. February 2021 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in 
education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030);  2022 EEA progress 
report. 
350 The European Green Deal 
351 Education for Climate Coalition 
352 Education for Climate Youth Group 

88 

 
 
 
 
Climate Lab353, a peer-learning café where young participants can engage with peers, explore 
an existing climate-related issue and propose practical solutions that can be implemented by 
interested  stakeholders.  2024's  topic  is  “How  to  approach  AI  and  Climate  Change  in 
Learning  Communities”,  which  the  Youth  Climate  Lab  explores  with  experts  from  the 
European Union Intellectual Property Office, the European Commission and its Joint Research 
Centre.   

In  December  2022,  the  Higher  Education  Working  Group  under  the  EEA  strategic 
framework  organised  a  peer-learning  activity  (PLA)  on  the  higher  education  sector’s 
contribution to the green transition and sustainable development. The outcomes of this PLA 
highlight  the  need  of  a  clear  policy  framework,  along  with  adequate  core  funding  and 
incentives, investments in lifelong learning, as well as a whole-institution approach and more 
local and regional engagement. Knowledge sharing is also key, with both national and EU-
level  support  acting  as  an  enabler  to  scale  up  innovations,  share  information  and  instigate 
practices to mobilise the higher education community. The PLA conclusions also stress that 
students  and  young  people  are  driving  forces  behind  the  green  transition  and  sustainable 
development,  pushing  for  institutional  changes.  The  conclusions  also  cite  their  behavioural 
changes possibly generating a positive impact. In addition, further efforts are needed to include 
students in designing and implementing sustainability strategies, and suggestions have been 
made  to  better  support  and  recognise  students  who  volunteer  in  environment  and  climate-
related activities. 

The green transition is a key pillar of the European strategy for universities, aiming to ensure 
appropriate skills are provided to learners so they can thrive in and drive the green transition. 
The Eurograduate 2022 survey354 showed high levels of awareness among higher education 
graduates, with 73% of the graduates surveyed believing that climate change is mainly human 
driven.  54%  of  these  graduates  are  very/extremely  worried  about  climate  change. 
Environmental sustainability is a (very) important part of the curriculum for 30% of the recent 
graduates  (2020/21),  a  7%  increase  on  those  graduating  in  2016/17.  On  the  whole,  73%  of 
graduates  also  support  the  idea  that  individual  action  is  effective,  regardless  of  what  other 
people do. 

The  European  Universities  alliances  are  leading  when  it  comes  to  promoting  climate  and 
environmental literacy for learners with innovative and flexible approaches. They develop joint 
programmes  and  courses  promoting  transdisciplinary  challenge-based  approaches  for 
intercultural teams, and engage staff and students from different backgrounds and disciplines 
in order to establish the links between education, research and innovation. Concrete examples 
are  CHARM-EU  Joint  Master’s  Degree  in  Global  Challenges  for  Sustainability,  Unite! 
Alliance's  work  towards  an  international  Energy  PhD  programme,  INVEST  joint  Bachelor 
Specialisation  (e.g.  in  Regional  Food-System  Transitions  &  Environmental  Quality; 
Sustainable Communities in Energy Transition) or joint Master’s programmes for instance in 
Sustainable Urban Development. Some alliances such as Una Europa and AURORA develop 
lifelong  learning  opportunities  embedded  in  flexible  learning  modules  such  as  micro-
credentials in sustainability and climate change, providing opportunities for climate upskilling 
and reskilling. 

353   Education for Climate Coalition Youth Climate Lab  
354 EUROGRADUAT 2022 Comparative Synthesis Report (publication forthcoming 2024/2025) - 
https://www.eurograduate.eu/. 

89 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The  EU  continues  to  support  the  European  coalition  for  ocean  literacy  (EU4Ocean)355 
launched in 2020 to improve the EU citizens’ awareness and education about our ocean, seas, 
and waters. The coalition currently has more than 1000 registered members across its three 
communities, two of which specifically target students and young people. 

The Youth4Ocean Forum356 brings together young people committed to ocean conservation, 
focusing on enhancing their capacity and empowering them to influence decision-making and 
policy.  Its Young  Ocean Advocate  programme  also  offers  mentoring  and  support  to  forum 
members working on specific ocean projects in the EU. During 2022-2024, the Youth4Ocean 
Forum recruited over 100 new Young Ocean Advocates across Europe. Accredited projects 
range  from  science  communication  and  awareness-raising  to  community  engagement, 
research,  and  innovation.357  Young  Ocean  Advocates  participated  in  capacity-building 
workshops and training sessions and played a central role at high-visibility events such as the 
European Maritime Day358, the European Ocean Days359, the European Youth Week360, the first 
Ocean Literacy World Conference361, UNFCCC COPs, and UN Ocean Conferences. 

The Network of European Blue Schools362 supports EU teachers in integrating ocean-related 
issues  into  project-based  learning.  Common  topics  in  blue  school  projects  include 
sustainability,  climate  change,  the  environment,  and  the  blue  economy.  This  EU  network, 
which grew from 46 schools in January 2022 to 630 in December 2024, has been recognised 
as  a  best-case  example  and  has  inspired  the  establishment  of  a  global  blue  school  network 
coordinated by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. 

The JRC Youth Programme supports the Commission’s effort in disseminating its scientific 
knowledge while encouraging public engagement in the EU. The objectives of the programme 
are: to raise awareness of the benefits of the EU by sharing information on how EU science 
supports  citizens;  to  provide  an  understanding  of  the  role  of  science  in  policymaking  and 
stimulate students to learn science; to foster critical thinking, promote European collaboration 
and enhance citizen engagement with science. Additionally, the programme tests and launches 
  co-creation. 
new  ideas  and  methodologies  for  feedback  mechanisms  and  content 

Empowering  Youth  and  Early  Career  Ocean  Professionals 
through 
intergenerational  learning  and  dialogue  is  essential  for  shaping  new  value  systems  and 
enhancing ocean knowledge. In this regard, activities in the Atlantic (under the All-Atlantic 
Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance - AAORIA) in the Mediterranean and in the Black 
Sea   aim  to  mainstream  both  young  people  and  ECOPS   into  policy  formulation  and 
implementation. Building on the success of the intergenerational dialogue session organized at 
the Galway Statement 10-year anniversary event in Galway, Ireland (5-6 July 2023) which saw 

(ECOPs) 

355 EU4Ocean Coalition | Drive change together (europa.eu) 
356 Youth4Ocean Forum | Become a changemaker for the ocean! (europa.eu) 
357 More information about the YOAs and their projects is available on the Maritime Forum website. 
358 Youth4Ocean Forum at the European Maritime Day - European Commission (europa.eu) 
359 Ocean Literacy in Action at the European Ocean Days - European Commission (europa.eu) 
360 Join Youth4Ocean Forum Activities at the European Youth Week Kick-Off Event - European Commission 
(europa.eu) 
361 A group of YOAs was involved in the drafting of the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action. 
362 Network of Blue Schools | Little waves make a big ocean! (europa.eu) 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
active  participation  of  more  than  60 Atlantic  ECOPs,  yearly  ECOP  events  are  foreseen  in 
conjunction with AAORIA annual Forums, such as the event Ottawa in October 2024. 

Several Horizon Europe projects, including those from the EU Mission Restore our Ocean 
and Waters, organise dedicated summer schools for ECOPs and awareness-raising activities 
targeting young people363. Also they have created a network of Early Career Researchers (e.g. 
the Marine Sabres Project364).  

•  Agriculture 

The Commission highlights 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 to 
using sustainable practices and transitioning towards a net-zero emission economy. 

•  The New European Bauhaus 

The New European Bauhaus365 (NEB) initiative continues to inspire a grassroots movement 
across  the  EU,  involving  Member  States,  regions  and  municipalities  in  promoting  climate 
resilience and environmental sustainability. It has established over 150 projects in research and 
innovation, cohesion, regional and urban development, skills development, and culture. The 
NEB community with almost 700 official partners has reached millions of Europeans and the 
NEB Prizes366 have encouraged many individuals and organisations to embed the NEB ideas 
and values in their projects. 

As  part  of  the  NEB  Prizes,  every  year  a  dedicated  strand  recognises  and  supports  young 
people’s creativity and talent. The ‘New European Bauhaus Rising Stars’ celebrates and awards 
the  best  ideas  developed  by  people  under  30  that  involve  implementing  the  values  of 
sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics across Europe. Since 2021, over 1 700 applications from 
young people were received in this dedicated strand. 

363 See the Plastic Pirates – Go Europe initiative: www.plastic-pirates.eu)  
364 www.marinesabres.eu 
365 A New European Bauhaus – bringing culture to climate action (europa.eu). 
366 New European Bauhaus Prizes 2024 | New European Bauhaus Prizes 2024 (europa.eu). 

91 

 
 
 
 
 
•  Green horizontal priority in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps 

Green transition, which is a key element of the EU's political agenda, is among the horizontal 
priorities of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. In 2024, a new green strategy367 was 
published for the programmes to further encourage and support projects working in these areas. 
SALTO Green will support the implementation of the strategies through guidelines368, various 
materials and workshops. 

To contribute towards achieving the European Green Deal, both the Erasmus+ and European 
Solidarity  Corps  programmes  integrate  green  practices  into  all  projects  and  activities  and 
promote  environmentally  sustainable  and  responsible  behaviour  among  participants  and 
participating  organisations.  Organisations  and  participants  should  therefore  employ  an 
environmental-friendly approach when designing and implementing their activities. Activities 

367 https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/document/implementation-guidelines-erasmus-and-european-solidarity-
corps-green-strategy  

92 

 
 
 
 
 
 
contributing to other existing EU initiatives in the area of environmental sustainability (e.g. the 
New European Bauhaus) are highly encouraged. 

In  2021,  the  Commission  introduced  financial  incentives  for  green  travel  in  2021  for  the 
Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes and increased these amounts in 2024 
to accelerate the use of low-emission modes of transport by participants in these programmes. 
Moreover, incorporating green practices into all facets of project implementation is part of the 
award criteria.  

Practically, close to 1 600 volunteering projects that have green practices as a main priority 
have  been  implemented  since  2022  by  almost  1 000  different  organisations,  with  a  total 
contracted amount of approximately EUR 125 million in grants. Out of the 2 709 Solidarity 
projects, 26% (709) dealt with green skills and promoted environmental protection369. 

Under  the  Erasmus+  2022  call,  a  budget  of  EUR  592.1  million  was  allocated  to  1 285 
cooperation projects supporting environment and climate change, involving 5 205 beneficiary 
organisations. 

The  SALTO  Green370,  set  up  in  2022,  provides  training,  guidance  and  resources  such  as 
webinars, best practices, compendium of projects focusing on green transition and sustainable 
development  to  support  National  Agencies,  stakeholders  and  potential  applicants  under  the 
Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. 

5  YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS  

The survey that the Commission launched in 2024 to consult young people on some aspects of 
the EU Youth Strategy371 (hereafter “youth survey”) asked young people to provide examples 
of youth-led  initiatives  and actions  that their organisations  have been involved in. The 
most  frequently  mentioned  initiatives  were  (i)  councils,  forums,  debates  and  consultations, 
followed by (ii) campaigns, events and festivals, (iii) volunteering programmes, (iv) seminars 
and training, (v) demonstrations and protests, and (vi) mentorship programmes or job fairs. 

Some members of youth organisations mentioned their work to support ideas for improving 
the electoral process to encourage young people to participate in it (e.g. right to vote at 16). 
Some organisations conducted training programmes and resources to educate young people 
about politics and the EU. Others have launched campaigns and petitions on issues like climate 
change, social justice and fair elections. An example was provided by a member of the Young 
Fair Trade Advocates (YFTA), a youth  organisation  which connects  young people with  fair 
trade  ideals,  educating  them  about  EU  institutions  to  raise  their  awareness  and  bring  about 
positive changes in areas such as climate justice, labour rights and sustainable trade practices. 
The  YFTA  have  developed  45  comprehensive  policy  recommendations  addressing  climate 
justice,  fair  trade  and  labour  rights,  aiming  to  influence  decision-making  in  the  European 

369 European Solidarity Corps 01/2021 – 08/2024. 
370 https://agence.erasmusplus.fr/en/salto-green-sustainable-development/. 
371 See subsection on the Youth Survey in Section 2.1. ‘Youth participation’. 

93 

 
 
 
 
Parliament. These recommendations were designed to promote sustainable and equitable trade 
practices and to improve the labour rights of workers in global value chains. 

In the framework of the Commission’s Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY), Citizens Engagement 
Activities (CEAs) provide volunteers with a small budget to organise activities to inform and 
engage local populations on the benefits of cohesion policy in their region. For example, in 
April 2024, an IVY volunteer reached out to more than 50 people of all age groups in a CEA 
as  part  of  Green Arctic  Interreg Awareness  Day,  held  at  the  Luleå  tekniska  universitet  in 
Sweden. The event included information on cohesion policy, interactive exercises for pupils, 
and a showcase of Interreg projects in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region. Incurring costs 
of less than EUR 800, the volunteer managed to gather  a diverse  group  of local  public  and 
project representatives for an interactive and fruitful exchange. 

Young people from Member States and EU accession countries are involved in the context of 
Interreg through the Youth4Cooperation Group. This group is composed of students, interns 
and young workers interested in Interreg and cohesion policy. Its main aim is to make sure that 
their  ideas  are  heard  by  the  Commission  and  taken  forward  to,  for  example,  the  managing 
authorities of Interreg programmes. The youth group was particularly active in 2022, during 
the  European Year  of Youth. Young  people  were  invited  as  participants  and  speakers  to  the 
Youth for Cooperation Summit, which formed part of the Interreg Annual Event 2022. In 2024, 
the group was working on youth-led ideas as part of the European Year of Skills. One group is 
working  on  creating  a  workshop  on  Interreg  and  macro-regional  strategies  to  be  shared  by 
young people in their local areas (with schools, universities and municipalities). This initiative 
will  continue  to  involve  young  people  in  designing  the  future  of  the  European  territorial 
cooperation – a ‘Youth for future cooperation’ event will be held in Brussels, inviting young 
people to produce recommendations. 

Youth councils formed under the Alpine, Danube, and Adriatic-Ionian strategies represent 
young people’s voices and interests of the country they live in and of the entire macro-region. 
Young people take part in concrete initiatives and are often engaged in communication and co-
working with the strategies on managing social media channels. The youth councils are led by 
the governance structures of the strategies, which organise their involvement and yearly youth 
camps. 

The Commission supports young people in the outermost regions through the EUR 1 million 
grant  scheme  Youth4Outermostregions372.  This  scheme  funds  small-scale  projects  led  by 
young people or youth organisations in the outermost regions  enabling them  to  become 
active in  their local  communities, with  an overarching  emphasis  on promoting equality  and 
inclusion. Approximately 70 actions will run from September 2024 until June 2025.  

Children and young people from across Europe are involved in planning and leading the agenda 
of  the  Safer  Internet  Forum373,  an  annual  international  conference  on  online  safety.  The 
Forum  also  brings  together  international  stakeholders  to  discuss  the  latest  trends,  risks  and 
solutions related to child online safety and the impact of technology on individuals and society. 

372 Call relaunched – Youth for Outermost Regions: €1 million to support youth in the outermost regions 
(europa.eu). 
373 Safer Internet Forum | Shaping Europe’s digital future  

94 

 
 
 
A young respondent to the survey on some aspects of the EU Youth Strategy374 mentioned an 
example of a digital inclusion project in Spain led by a group of young people to provide a 
digital skills training programme for older people, facilitating their access to technology. 

Several youth survey respondents provided examples of their activities to promote equality 
and  inclusion  for  people  with  disabilities.  For  example,  a  project  in  Cyprus  gives 
opportunities to young people with disabilities and other psychological problems by enabling 
them participate in theatre and the singing performances. A youth-led project in Spain provides 
training and organises cultural activities for a community of families with children who have 
disabilities of any kind.  

On  education  and  training,  some  youth  survey  respondents  reported  on  their  work  to 
encourage  participation  in  exchange  programmes  to  promote  mobility  and  intercultural 
learning. Some of them organised workshops  and courses  on teaching  history  and the EU’s 
political structure, and provided training activities for vulnerable groups to increase their social 
integration. 

Several youth survey respondents mentioned youth-led activities in the cultural field, such as 
i) programmes  promoting  intercultural  dialogue  and  understanding,  ii) cultural  events  e.g. 
festivals and concerts, and iii) workshops celebrating cultural diversity. For example, a youth 
organisation  based  in  Madrid  organises  workshops  in  which  20  international  students  from 
around 15 different European countries spend a week in Madrid sharing their experiences and 
their cultural and technological knowledge. 

The EUTeens4Green project375 promotes young people’s participation in the just transition 
towards  climate  neutrality  and  a  greener  Europe.  This  is  in  line  with  the  2022  Council 
Conclusions on young people as actors of change in order to protect the environment376, 
which invited the Commission to support young entrepreneurs seeking to develop projects that 
focus on practical solutions to environmental issues. Under the EUTeens4Green, young people 
aged 15-24 years old implemented 70 projects. During the European Week of Youth, young 
representatives of the different projects debated about ways to strengthen youth involvement 
in  policymaking  and  to  improve  young  people’s  possibilities  to  shape  and  lead  the  green 
transition. The lessons learned and policy recommendations from these debates were shared by 
the Commission with Member States and stakeholders. 

Beyond the EU, the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF)377 focuses on youth-led solutions to 
achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals378 and the Women and Youth in Democratic 
Engagement  Initiative  supports  youth-led  initiatives  to  boost  the  capacities  of  youth 
organisations and young leaders379. 

374 See subsection on the Youth Survey in Section 2.1. ‘Youth participation’. 
375 See the section on Environment, climate and energy. 
376 Council Conclusions on fostering engagement among young people as actors of change in order to protect 
the environment. 
377 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/youth/youth-empowerment-fund_en. 
378 See Section 7 on the youth action plan. 
379https://epd.eu/what-we-do/programmes/women-and-youth-in-democracy-wyde-civic-engagement-supporting-
women-and-youth-participation-in-democratic-processes/; https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-
and-events/news/summit-democracy-eu-launches-milestone-programmes-empower-youth-key-actors-
democracy-2023-03-31_en. 

95 

 
 
 
The Charlemagne Youth prize380, run by the European Parliament and the Foundation of the 
International  Charlemagne  Prize  of Aachen,  is  awarded  to  youth-run  projects  that  promote 
European and international understanding, strengthen democracy and active participation. 

•  Youth participation activities and Solidarity projects 

Beyond the horizontal priority on ‘Participation in democratic life, common values and civic 
engagement’  pursued  by  the  Erasmus+  and  the  European  Solidarity  Corps  across  all  their 
actions, each of these programmes has a specific action format encouraging young people to 
participate through grants for youth-led initiatives: Youth participation activities (Erasmus+) 
and Solidarity projects (European Solidarity Corps). 

•  Youth Participation Activities (Erasmus+) 

These form  a  new format  (introduced in  2021) specifically focusing on youth  participation, 
boosted financially and designated as one of the flagship initiatives of the European Year of 
Youth  in  2022.  Youth  participation  activities  support  youth-led  initiatives  run  by  informal 
groups  of  young  people  or  youth  organisations  (with  young  people  actively  involved  in  all 
stages of the project, including its design) to boost civic, economic, social, cultural and political 
participation. The scale of projects can range from local to transnational (always with a 
demonstrated European added value). They can last between 3 and 24 months and participation 
is open to young people between 13 and 30 years of age. Individual projects may receive grants 
up  to  a  maximum  of  EUR 60 000.  Informal  groups  of  young  people  applying  without  the 
support of an established organisation may benefit from coaching in one or more fields of their 
choice and specific additional support is available for young people with fewer opportunities. 

•  Solidarity projects (European Solidarity Corps)  

A grassroots format designed specifically for young people wishing to come up with their 
own projects, Solidarity projects are activities that are initiated, developed and carried out by 
young people themselves (in groups of at least five people between 18 and 30 years of age) for 
a period from 2 to 12 months. This format gives groups of young people the chance to take 
responsibility and commit themselves to addressing key challenges within their communities. 
Coaching is available to help young people acquire/improve various competences linked to the 
topic of their project or to learn about project management. Specific support for young people 
with fewer opportunities is also available. 

380 Charlemagne Youth Prize | Youth Hub | European Parliament | Youth Hub | European Parliament (europa.eu) 

96 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6  COOPERATION NEEDS AT NATIONAL LEVEL 

The Future National Activities Planners381 allow Member States to voluntarily share their youth 
policy priorities and cooperation needs in line with the EU Youth Strategy. To inform the 2024 
EU Youth Report and help identifying priorities for mutual learning activities under the EUYS, 
the Commission carried out a survey to collect-updates from Member States382. The results are 
summarised below.    

•  National policy priorities  

Respondents indicated that the main challenges for young people in their country are mental 
health and well-being (74% of respondents), youth participation in democratic life (48%) and 
inflation/cost of living (33%). 

As  regards  the  question  about  what  comprise  the  current  main  national  youth  policy 
priorities, a majority (78%) selected youth participation, followed by youth work (56%) and 
social inclusion (52%). The European Youth Goals considered as most relevant in this context 
were Youth Goal 3: Inclusive societies (74%), Youth Goal 5: Mental Health and Well-being 
(63%) and Youth Goal 9: Space and Participation for all (59%). 

• 

 Topics for EU cooperation 

Under Engage, respondents were mainly interested in EU cooperation in the areas of youth 
participation (78%), youth mainstreaming (67%) and the EU Youth Dialogue (59%). For the 
EU Youth Dialogue, most of the interest was in cooperating on communication and outreach, 
and increasing impact and follow-up. The preferred tools for cooperation on these topics were 
peer learning (focused on policy development, exchange of good practices, methods and tools) 
and evidence building/research.  

Under Connect, respondents were mainly interested in EU cooperation on digitalisation and 
its impact on young people and learning mobility (59% for each topic) as well as synergies 
between EU and national programmes and schemes (48%). The preferred tools for cooperation 
on these topics were peer learning (focused on policy development, exchange of good practices, 
methods and tools), and evidence building/research.  

Under  Empower,  respondents  were  mainly  interested  in  EU  cooperation  on  recognition  of 
youth work and non-formal and informal learning (48%), youth worker education and training 
and  synergies  with  the  work  of  the  Council  of  Europe  on  youth  work  (44%  for  each). The 
preferred  tools  for  cooperation  on  these  topics  were  peer  learning  (focused  on  policy 
development, exchange of good practices, methods and tools) and evidence building/research.  

Specifically on youth mainstreaming and cross-sector cooperation, the preferred tools for 
cooperation  were  training  and  cooperation  or  networking  activities  under  the  EU  youth 

381 Future National Activities Planners | European Youth Portal (europa.eu) 
382 25 Member States took part to the survey. The separate replies from the 3 communities of Belgium are 
considered in the analysis of the results. Three replies were submitted on behalf of Slovakia (National Youth 
Council, Erasmus+ agency, and the Ministry). For consistency, the reply of the Ministry is considered in the 
analysis. The full questionnaire is available in the annex 4 of the present Staff Working Document. 

97 

 
 
 
 
programmes (quality and support measures under Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps) 
and expert group, platform or roundtables at EU level.   

Many respondents also showed interest in EU cooperation on transversal topics, in particular 
in the areas of monitoring and data and communication and outreach to young people.  

Respondents also indicated that certain some areas were particularly important for cooperation 
on EU, including:  

social inclusion and participation; 

- 
-  youth unemployment and young people not in employment, education or training; 
- 

recognition of youth work and non-formal and informal learning, and mental health and 
well-being; 

-  youth mainstreaming and cross-sector cooperation (on themes such as social inclusion, 

digitalisation, climate change); 

-  multi-level cooperation from local to EU and international; 
- 

research and data.  

Public  authorities  at  national  and  regional  level  can  apply  under  the  Technical  Support 
Instrument  (TSI)  to  design  and  implement  youth  policy  reforms.  An  integral  part  of  TSI 
projects is the review of good practices and exchanges with other public administrations, with 
recommendations  on  the  possibility  to  replicate  them  in  the  national,  regional  and/or  local 
context.  Public  authorities  can  also  jointly  apply  for  technical  support,  as  part  of  a  multi-
country/multi-regions project. 

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7  BEYOND THE EU: the Youth Action Plan in EU external action 

As the key deliverable of the global dimension of the European Year of Youth, the EU adopted 
its first-ever Youth Action Plan in EU external action383 (YAP) in October 2022. With this 
major political development, the YAP is the overarching framework for all global, regional and 
national (partner countries) EU initiatives worldwide. Developed in consultations with youth 
organisations and young people, the YAP aims at promoting a strategic partnership with young 
people  in  EU  external  action  and  to  engage,  empower  and  connect  youth  from  the  EU  and 
partner countries from all regions through specific initiatives.  

The  YAP  includes  commitments  to  advance  meaningful  youth  engagement  in  the  EU 
institutional processes – including in EU Delegations -, as well as in bi-regional and multilateral 
processes, paying particular attention to ensuring diversity and inclusion in those processes. 

With the three pillars mirroring the EU Youth Strategy, the Youth Action Plan in EU external 
action  encompasses  multiple  initiatives,  programmes  and  projects  at  national,  regional  and 
global level across various geographic and thematic areas. 

At global level, the EU Youth Sounding Board (YSB) for International Partnerships is a 
group  of  young  people  who  advise  the  European  Commission  on  youth  participation  and 
empowerment  in  EU  external  action.  Its  second  cohort  (2022-2024)  works  on  several 
initiatives, from providing advice on how to connect across national youth advisory structures 
of EU Delegations to contributing to the policy on green and digital education. 

Prepared  together  with  a  group  of  40  global  and  regional  youth  organisations,  the  Youth 
Dialogue Platform has been set up as a space for regular dialogue with youth organisations on 
EU external action. Through a call for expression of interest384, a group of 250 youth-led and 
youth-focused  organisations  has  been  established  in  2024  and  will  follow  the  YAP 
implementation.   

At country level, an increasing number of EU  Delegations have set up local youth advisory 
structures385, such as YSBs. As of October 2024, there were 33 YSBs across  the world  and 
through the YAP the EU commits to creating such structures in most EU Delegations by 2027. 

In  addition,  EU  Delegations  systematically  include  youth  organisations  in  the  regular 
consultations and engagement with civil society organisations and more than 80% of the EU 
Delegations have nominated youth focal points. 

Through the Youth Action Plan, the EU commits to follow the areas of work outlined by the 
UNSC  Resolution  2250  on  Youth,  Peace  and  Security  (YPS):  participation,  protection, 

383 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. 
384 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/call-expression-interest-youth-dialogue-platform-eu-external-
action_en 
385https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/youth/youth-participation_en#youth-advisory-
structures-in-eu-delegations. 

99 

 
 
 
 
 
prevention,  partnerships  and  disarmament,  demobilisation  and  reintegration.  This  is 
increasingly important in conflict situations around the world, not least in Africa and the Middle 
East, and in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU includes YPS as an integral 
and predominant topic in its national and regional dialogues with non-EU countries.  

in  collaboration  with 

the  network  of  EU  Delegations, 

Under the YAP’s first pillar of action – partnership to engage – the European External Action 
Service, 
the 
#OurVoiceOurFuture global social media campaign, which ran in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The 
campaign aimed to bridge the gap between EU institutions and young demographics, empower 
young people by amplifying positive stories, and push for young people to take part in policy 
and decision-making processes. As a result, the campaign created a network of young people 
with  significant  dissemination  potential.  In  2023  alone,  the  #OurVoiceOurFuture  hashtag 
reached an estimated 97.8 million people across more than 100 countries and was used in posts 
in over 100 languages. 

launched 

At  regional  level,  youth  engagement  tracks  have  been  organised  in  relation  to  high-level 
political  meetings 
(EU-African  Union/AU,  EU-Association  of  Southeast  Asian 
Nations/ASEAN,  EU-Community  of  Latin  American  and  Caribbean  States/CELAC,  EU-
Overseas Countries and Territories/OCTs) allowing young people to engage and transmit their 
views and recommendations on bi-regional relations to political leaders. 

Youth engagement has also been prominent in several other processes and events such as the 
EU-NGO Human Rights Forum386 in December 2023, the Global Gateway High-level event 
on  Education  in April  2024,  and  the  Global  Gateway  High-Level  Youth  Event:  “Engage, 
Empower, Connect” in October 2024. 

Celebrating  the  second  anniversary  of  the YAP  adoption,  the  Global  Gateway  High-Level 
Youth Event387 (9-10 October 2024) aimed to consolidate the foundations of the youth agenda 
in EU external action by connecting youth networks and showcasing the political potential of 
partnering with young people. The forum marked an important milestone for the EU and its 
partners underlining the importance of young people as a catalytic investment for the future. 
The  forum  multiplied  the  impact  of  youth  action  by  strengthening  the  connection  with  and 
between all the young people engaged in EU external action. The Youth Recommendations 
on International Partnerships388 provided forward-looking views from young people and are 
designed to inform and inspire the European Commission’s political leadership to keep young 
people among the political priorities for its new mandate. 

The  programmes  AU-EU Youth  Lab389  and  the  Youth  Europe  Sahel-  Engagement  de  la 
Jeunesse au Sahel (YES-ENJEU)390 have been officially launched and will further promote 

386 https://eungoforum2023.eu/ 
387 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/global-gateway-high-level-youth-event_en. 
388https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/document/download/775aa0fb-7788-438c-b6cf-
45adc920da20_en?filename=global-gateway-high-level-youth-event-2024-youth-recommendations_en.pdf. 
389 https://aueuyouth.com/ 

390 https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/burkina-faso/lancement-du-projet-yes-enjeu-au-sahel_fr; 
https://www.acra.it/cosa-facciamo/aree-di-intervento/senegal/enjeu 

100 

 
 
 
 
 
the engagement and empowerment of young people in Africa and support youth-led initiatives 
there. 

At multilateral level, a partnership with the UN Youth Office (EUR 1 million) was announced 
in  May  2024391  and  the  EU@UN  Youth  delegates  programme  now  comprises  its  second 
cohort: these initiatives strengthen young people’s participation in the EU’s multilateral agenda 
and  policy  making,  through  for  example,  advocacy,  capacity  building  and  mentoring 
opportunities. 

In addition, a financial framework partnership agreement and action grant (EUR 3 million over 
4  years)  was  signed  with  the  global  youth-led  organisation  United  Network  of  Young 
Peacebuilders (UNOY). These aim to support the UNOY’s work in relation to young people, 
peace  and  security  and  the  implementation  of  the  UN  2250  Resolution  through  advocacy, 
capacity building, support for youth-led initiatives and the strengthening of internal networks. 

YAP flagships 
The  flagship  initiatives  showcasing  the  three  pillars  of  action  of  the YAP  have  all  been 
launched.  
ENGAGE - Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative 
The  Women  and  Youth  in  Democratic  Engagement    (WYDE)    initiative  supports  the 
engagement of young people in decision-making, political processes and civic movements 
at global and partner country level. Among the different activities of the programme, more 
than  50  sub-grants  were  already  awarded  in  30  countries,  providing  the  opportunities  to 
young  people  to  take  concrete  actions  at  local  level.  The Youth  Democracy  Cohort  also 
represents a major success of the programme gathering more than 250 youth organization 
networks. WYDE also includes a youth advisory board that showcases the commitment to 
ensure young people are integrated in the programme’s implementation. 
EMPOWER – Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) 
The Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) in partnership with the Big 6 Youth Organisations392 
was officially  launched  at  the YAP  first  anniversary event  in  Nairobi in  October 2023393. 
Through low-barrier funding accessible for young people at the grassroots level, the YEF 
focuses on youth–led solutions for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The 
programme includes youth engagement mechanisms, such as the Youth Panel – a group of 
young people selected through an open call, who will recommend how and where the funding 
is awarded. The first call for proposals for youth-led initiatives received more than 10.000 
submissions. 
CONNECT – Africa-Europe Youth Academy 
The  Africa-Europe  Youth Academy  aims  to  enhance  the  capacities  and  opportunities  of 
young  people  to  act  as  multipliers  for  sustainable  development  and  as  bridge-builders 

391 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/eu-un-cooperation-eu-announces-
support-un-youth-office-2024-05-13_en. 
392 Formed in 1996, the Big Six Youth Organisations are an alliance of leading international youth-serving 
organisations. The Big Six comprises the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), the World 
Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (World YMCA), the World Alliance of Young Women’s 
Christian Associations (World YWCA), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), the 
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and The Duke of Edinburgh’s 
International Award (The Award). 
393 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/eu-launches-youth-empowerment-fund-
new-partnership-worlds-largest-youth-organisations-support-young-2023-10-04_en  

101 

 
 
 
 
between Africa  and  Europe.  Its  first  component,  launched  in April  2024394,  consists  of  a 
youth leadership programme undertaken in a Team Europe approach (France, Italy). 

The  EU  is  funding,  to  the  tune  of  EUR 10.5  million,  the  project  ‘STRIVE  Juvenile: 
Preventing  and  Responding  to  Violence  against  Children  by  Terrorist  and  Violent 
Extremist  Groups’.  The  project  combines  global  efforts  with  country-specific  activities 
focusing on Indonesia, Iraq and Nigeria. The overall objective is to prevent and counter violent 
extremism affecting children, in full respect of human rights, gender equality and international 
law. With this project, the EU intends to disrupt terrorist groups’ recruitment of children and 
promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of children associated with these groups. STRIVE 
Juvenile supports  the partner countries in  a dual capacity by: (1) strengthening  government 
strategies,  policies  and  mechanisms  related  to  child  association  with  terrorist  groups;  and 
(2) increasing  the resilience of children and their environment  against violent  extremist  and 
terrorist agendas. In Indonesia, the project partnered with Peacegeneration, a youth-led civil 
society  organisation,  to  strengthen  resilience  against  terrorist  propaganda.  The  initiative 
involved  collaboration  with  17  schools,  where  46  counsellors  were  trained.  The  project’s 
activities reached over 15 000 children, providing them with the skills and knowledge to resist 
extremist influences. 

The EU has extended several initiatives beyond its borders. For instance, Erasmus+ finances 
online exchanges in higher education and youth with countries in the Southern Mediterranean, 
the Western Balkans, the Eastern Neighbourhood and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Commission 
finances Erasmus+ youth and sport capacity-building activities in the Western Balkans, the 
Southern Neighbourhood, and, since 2024, the Eastern Neighbourhood. 

The  European  Solidarity  Corps  programme  includes  a  strong  international  dimension,  by 
involving  young  people  and  organisations  from  non-EU  countries  not  associated  to  the 
programme. Due to its extended geographical scope, the Corps contributes to the EU efforts to 
promote solidarity and address societal challenges. 

In the European Solidarity Corps 2023 Call, the EU launched a new action called the ‘European 
Voluntary  Humanitarian Aid  Corps’  that  allows  young  volunteers  aged  18-35  from  the  EU 
Member  States,  plus  Iceland,  Liechtenstein,  North  Macedonia  and Türkiye  to  contribute  to 
humanitarian aid projects around the world. Selected projects involve at least one organisation 
from a country not associated to the programme. 

As of December 2023, the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) initiative395 has expanded its scope 
allowing for all Interreg programmes and projects as well as macro-regional strategies to host 
volunteers. Therefore, all  public authorities and  project  beneficiaries in  regions cooperating 
with the EU as part of the cohesion policy are eligible to host volunteers. This includes not only 
candidate countries and neighbourhood countries, but also partner countries  from outermost 

394 https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/global-gateway-eu-launches-new-
regional-initiatives-africa-boost-youth-mobility-and-skills-including-2024-04-11_en  
395 See section on Youth mobility and volunteering. 

102 

 
 
 
 
regions396. In the digital realm, Safer Internet Day is celebrated every year on every continent, 
in around 190 countries and regions. 

7.1  Neighbourhood 

EU candidate countries and potential candidate 
[Albania,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  Georgia,  Kosovo,  Moldova,  Montenegro,  North  Macedonia, 
Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine] 

The  enlargement  process  gained  new  momentum  in  2023-2024.  The  Commission 
Communication on EU enlargement policy - 2024 Enlargement Package397, presented in 
October 2024, assesses the progress made by the 10 countries on the path towards accession 
and includes Commission’s recommendations on reform priorities. The Package stresses that 
democracy,  the  rule  of  law  and  fundamental  values  are  the  cornerstones  of  the  EU’s 
enlargement  policy.  It  is  for  the  Council  of  the  EU  to  decide  on  the  next  steps  in  the 
enlargement process.  

The Commission Communication on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews398, 
presented  in  March  2024,  explores  the  implications  of  a  larger  EU  in  four  main  areas  – 
values, policies, budget and governance. It also mentions the importance of people-to-people 
programmes  –  such  as  Erasmus+,  especially  in  relation  to  young  people  –  fostering  a 
common  European  spirit,  and  creating  synergies,  for  example,  with  the  Regional  Youth 
Cooperation  Office  in  the  Western  Balkans,  or  the  networks  of  Young  European 
the  enlargement  and 
Ambassadors,  Goodwill  Ambassadors  and  Jeel  Connect 
neighbourhood countries. Following the Communication, the Commission will carry out in-
depth policy reviews in early 2025. 

in 

The  European  Education  Area  and  the  Erasmus+  programme  support  the  ongoing 
reform processes in the candidate countries. Erasmus+ supports enlargement by building up 
and strengthening cross-border cooperation, capacity building, international partnerships and 
exchanges  among  students,  trainees,  teachers,  youth  workers,  etc.  in  the  EU,  candidate 
countries and potential candidate countries. At this moment, North Macedonia, Serbia and 
Türkiye  are  associated  to  the  Erasmus+  programme.  North  Macedonia  and  Türkiye  are 
associated  to  the  European  Solidarity  Corps.  programme.  Therefore,  these  countries 
participate in these respective programmes with the same status as EU Member States. 

Erasmus+  offers  other  opportunities  to  candidate  countries  that  are  not  associated  to  the 
programme in the field of Youth. For example, actions on learning mobility of individuals 
in this field provide non-formal and informal learning opportunities for young people and 
youth  workers.  Erasmus+  also  offers  youth  participation  activities  that  support  youth-led 
local and transnational initiatives to boost meaningful civic, economic, social, cultural and 
political participation. 

396 Programmes - Keep.eu. 
397 2024 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy - European Commission 
398https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/926b3cb2-f027-40b6-ac7b-
2c198a164c94_en?filename=COM_2024_146_1_EN.pdf. 

103 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Young people from the Western Balkans (since 2023) and from Ukraine (since 2024) can 
now  apply  to  NEB  Rising  Stars,  the  dedicated  strand  of  the  New  European  Bauhaus 
Prizes399 for young people. 

•  Western Balkans  

The Commission  supports Western Balkans governments  in  adopting and implementing the 
Youth Guarantee mirroring the EU model400, to address the difficulties faced by young people 
not in education, employment or training. North Macedonia has been fully implementing the 
scheme since 2019. Piloting started in 2023-2024 in Albania, Kosovo and Serbia. Bosnia and 
Herzegovina  is  finalising  its  Youth  Guarantee  implementation  plan  for  national  adoption. 
Montenegro  has  adopted  its  implementation  plan  and  is  preparing  for  piloting. A  regional 
technical assistance facility, composed of the European Commission, the European Training 
Foundation and the International Labour Organization, supports the Western Balkan economies 
in the implementation process. 

The  Western  Balkans  Youth  Lab  initiative  is  instrumental  in  strengthening  formal  and 
informal mechanisms for youth participation by mobilising young people and connecting them 
with policymakers. Youth policy labs provide a safe space for young people to participate on 
an equal footing with policymakers and to engage meaningfully in policymaking based on the 
principles of co-management and co-production. Six working groups worked throughout 2022 
to  identify  ways  to  raise  mental  health  awareness  and  support  measures  to  address  mental 
health issues among young people. The solutions identified and the final results and next steps 
for  continued  cooperation  between  young  people  and  policymakers  were  presented  at  a 
conference in Belgrade in June 2023. The Youth Lab also promotes the involvement of young 
people from the Western Balkans in the green transition. 

In the field of education, the Commission supports the involvement of Western Balkans in the 
2021-2030 strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training. To inspire 
transformation  of  the  higher  education  sector  in  the  Western  Balkan  region,  in  2023,  the 
European  Universities  initiative401  was  opened  to  all  Western  Balkans’  universities402. 
According  to  the  results  of  the  2024  Erasmus+  call  for  European  Universities,  14 Western 
Balkans universities are taking part as full partners in the European Universities alliances. A 
campus  of  the  College  of  Europe  was  established  in Tirana  in  2024). The Western  Balkans 
Superschools programme is a programme for school exchanges in the Western Balkans with 
the objectives to support the peacebuilding and reconciliation process and intercultural learning 
and dialogue among schools, students and their communities. 

399 A New European Bauhaus – bringing culture to climate action (europa.eu). 
. 
400 The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 
30 receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship or traineeship within a 
period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education. See more on the Youth Guarantee in 
Section 2.3 Employment and skills. 
401 European Universities initiative | European Education Area (europa.eu). 
402 In addition to those associated to the Erasmus+ programme that were already eligible before. 

104 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
In  the  context  of  the  European  Year  of  Youth,  the  Commission  ran  a  major  regional 
communication campaign titled ‘Made of us – an EU-Western Balkans road trip’, as part 
of the WeBalkans regional communication programme for the Western Balkans. This campaign 
aimed to show how the EU invests in a number of important areas, particularly in the future of 
young people, as well as to highlight how close the Western Balkan partners already are to the 
EU. In April-May 2023, 12 young EU and Western Balkan vloggers were selected to travel 
across the region to  share their  experiences, promote EU projects  and showcase the hidden 
beauties and unique cultural heritage of the Western Balkans403. 

North  Macedonia  is  now  fully  associated  to  the  Erasmus  +  and  European  Solidarity  Corps 
programmes,  while  Serbia  is  associated  to  the  Erasmus+  programme.  Therefore,  these 
countries  participate  in  these  respective  programmes  with  the  same  status  as  EU  Member 
States. Regarding Western Balkans countries not yet fully associated to Erasmus+, since 2021, 
close to 3 000 participants from those countries have received support that has enabled them to 
participate in such projects. 

•  The Eastern Partnership  

The  Eastern  Partnership,  a  joint  initiative  of  the  EU,  its  Member  States  and  Armenia, 
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. 

In  the  key  action  on  cooperation  for  innovation  and  the  exchange  of  good  practices  of 
Erasmus+, partnerships for cooperation enable participating organisations to gain experience 
in international cooperation, strengthen their capacities and produce high-quality innovative 
deliverables. The Commission offered Erasmus+ youth and sport capacity building actions 
in the 2024 call for participation by young people and sport organisations from countries in the 
Eastern Neighbourhood404, in order for them to build their capacity405. 

The  EU4Youth  initiative406  continues  to  support  youth  leadership  and  entrepreneurship 
through various actions, including capacity building, fellowships, support for policy dialogue, 
and providing grants to organisations active in these areas. 

Under  the  phase  III  of  the  programme,  more  than  9 000  young  participants  took  part  in 
activities to develop competences. In 2022, 39 youth policy discussions were introduced, while 
more than 5 500 young people were reached. Very positive achievements are observed in terms 
of  learning  and  participatory  experiences,  and  success  stories  have  been  publicised  on  the 
impact  on  the  specific  policy  areas  considered  by  the  youth  policy  labs,  such  as  youth 
employment, greening of the economy and social entrepreneurship. The  six policy labs that 
took  place  in  2022  i) monitored  the  way  recommendations  by  2021  youth  policy  labs  were 
implemented, and ii) promoted the sustainability of Youth Policy Lab approach. 

Under  the  Phase  IV  of  the  initiative,  which  started  in  July  2023  ‘’EU4Youth:  Youth 
empowerment and engagement’’ and aims to increase the capacity of youth organisations and 
public institutions to jointly implement more participatory and structured policy dialogue in 
the  EaP  region  and  improving  the  quality  and  outreach  of  youth  work  for  mobilising  and 

403 (More information on EU-funded projects and opportunities for young people in the Western Balkans are 
available here: WeBalkans | Your Story, Our Future | EU projects in the Western Balkans). 
404 Except Belarus. 
405 As a follow-up to the 2023 Commission Decision to open up Erasmus+ capacity building actions in youth 
and sport to countries of the Eastern Partnership. 
406 Youth - EU NEIGHBOURS east. 

105 

 
 
 
engaging more young people from remote/less advantaged and conflict-affected areas. Work is 
ongoing to ensure better visibility of the EU in the EaP countries, and to coordinate the existing 
EU4Youth  projects  and  actions  carried out  in  the EaP region  at  regional, national  and local 
levels. 

The Erasmus+ programme mobilises its efforts to mitigate the consequences of the Russian 
war of aggression against Ukraine, including by supporting projects that promote educational 
activities and enabling people fleeing the war in Ukraine to integrate into their new learning 
environment. As part of its capacity-building higher education call, the programme includes an 
open competitive call with a total budget of EUR 5 million to help create an open education 
digital environment to offer quality higher education for students fleeing from Ukraine or who 
are internally displaced. 

The Erasmus+ programme has offered flexible and multiple opportunities for both students and  
staff  from  Ukrainian  higher  education  institutions  since  the  outbreak  of  the  Russian  war 
aggression against Ukraine. Students studying at a Ukrainian higher education institution at 
any study level from short cycle, bachelor, master to doctoral level may receive a grant to study 
at  their  host  higher  education  institutions  in  any  EU  Member  State  or  non-EU  country 
associated to the Erasmus+ programme. In addition, both students and recent graduates from 
Ukrainian higher  education institutions can do a traineeship in  one of these countries. Staff 
from Ukrainian higher education institutions may also receive an Erasmus+ grant for a short 
period. 

Since 2021, over 6 900 participants from Ukraine in youth exchanges and in projects involving 
mobility of youth worker projects have been supported by Erasmus+407. 

The European Solidarity Corps programme was also quickly mobilised to support Ukrainians 
fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion by allowing projects to refocus on assistance to displaced 
Ukrainians, funding close to 1 000 Ukrainians since the start of the invasion. 

Instrumental in building Europe’s connections to the world and promoting European values 
globally, EU Universities support the strengthening of higher education in partner countries 
with close to 35 Ukrainian higher education institutions engaging in the alliances’ activities as 
associated partners. 

A European Commission project supports the printing of 1.5 million textbooks in the Ukrainian 
language  for  fifth  grade  students  under  the  new  Ukrainian  curriculum  They  also  include  a 
Ukrainian-language insert on the Erasmus+ programme and the opportunities it offers.  

The EU4Health programme supports psychological first aid to displaced people (including 
children) from Ukraine via a contribution agreement of EUR 31.2 million with the Red Cross. 

In  2022  and  2023,  Armenia,  Georgia  and  Moldova  joined  the  European  Alliance  for 
Apprenticeships,  which  aims  to  strengthen  the  supply,  quality  and  overall,  image  of 
apprenticeships across Europe, while also promoting mobility of apprentices.  

In Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, the overall objective of the project ‘Strengthening cross-
sectoral  cooperation  for  youth  entrepreneurship  education  in  the  South  Caucasus’  (January 
2024-June  2025)  is  to  strengthen  the  quality  and  recognition  of  youth  entrepreneurship 
education in the South Caucasus region through multi-stakeholder cross-sectoral cooperation 
for youth employability, specifically youth entrepreneurship. 

407 Erasmus+ Mobility projects for youth workers 01/2021 - 08/2024. 

106 

 
 
 
•  Southern Neighbourhood  

the  Southern 
implemented  various  communication  activities 
The  Commission 
Neighbourhood. One of these initiatives is the EU Jeel Connect network, which was set up to 
help raise awareness about the EU’s contribution towards providing a better future for young 
people  across  the  Southern  Neighbourhood  and  support  more  robust  and  enhanced  youth 
engagement.  EU  JEEL  CONNECT  exists  in  many  countries  and  territories  in  the  Southern 
Neighbourhood  including Algeria,  Egypt,  Jordan,  Lebanon,  Libya,  Morocco,  Palestine  and 
Tunisia. In January 2024, a new phase was launched to identify EU Jeel Connectors. 

in 

The Commission has adopted a Youth package for the Southern Neighbourhood. As part of 
the package, the Mediterranean youth in action programme is being implemented by the Anna 
Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures in the 43 Member States 
that  comprise  the  Union  for  the  Mediterranean  (UfM).  The  programme  aims  to  encourage 
young people to take part in politics, bridge the gap between generations, and promote active 
citizenship in the Mediterranean region. The programme also aims to engage young individuals 
through  various  activities  and  empower  them  as  agents  of  positive  change  and  responsible 
leaders. The youth package also includes the Youth NEETs South project implemented by the 
International  Labour  Organization.  This  examines  the  approach  uses  to  implement  the  EU 
Youth  Guarantee  and  aims  to  extract  some  methodologies  and  practices  to  support  the 
activation of young people in the region. 

The  Young  Civil  Society  Leadership  Programme  (YCSLP),  part  of  the  Med  Dialogue  for 
Rights and Equality II, funded by the European Commission, led by DAI Global Belgium, and 
implemented by the Anna Lindh Foundation, focuses on improving the skills of civil society 
leaders who show potential in policymaking, policy dialogue and advocacy408.In 2022, the UfM 
adopted a Youth Strategy409 and an Agenda for 2030. The UfM youth focal points meet on a 
regular basis with a focus on one of the three thematic clusters identified by the UfM Youth 
Agenda  (environment  and  climate  action,  social  inclusion  and  participation,  education  and 
employment), with the dual objective of setting out the subtopics for the UfM Mediterranean 
Youth Lab 2024 and mobilising actors to carry out the Agenda’s actions. The Mediterranean 
Youth  Lab  took  place  in  2024  around  the  thematic  clusters  of  the  UfM  Youth  Agenda. 
Moreover, the main focus of the 5th UfM Ministerial meeting on Employment and Labour, 
held in May 2022 in Morocco, was on ‘Employment and employability of the most vulnerable, 
especially among youth and women’. The ambitious Marrakech Ministerial Declaration and an 
actions-related roadmap 2022-2025 were adopted at the meeting. 

Since  2021,  almost  4 300  young  people  and  youth  workers  sent  by  organisations  from  the 
Southern Neighbourhood have benefited from Erasmus+ KA1410grants, and over 1 300 have 
benefited from the European Solidarity Corps. 

408 https://south.euneighbours.eu/opportunity/young-civil-society-leadership-programme-ycslp-second-cycle/  
409 UfM Youth Strategy 2030: Euro-Mediterranean Youth towards a Common Goal (ufmsecretariat.org). 
410 KA1: Learning mobility of individuals 

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7.2  Other parts of the world 
•  Sub-Saharan Africa 

As part of the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, and with a contribution of 
EUR  970  million,  the  flagship  initiative  on  Youth  Mobility  for Africa  promotes  learning 
mobility opportunities within Africa and between Africa and the EU. It supports cooperation 
in higher education and skills development, and promotes Africa as a study destination. Youth 
Mobility  for  Africa  brings  under  one  umbrella  several  existing  and  new  EU-funded 
programmes,  including  Erasmus+,  the  Intra-Africa  Academic  Mobility  Scheme,  the 
Harmonisation of African Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation, the support 
to the African Continental Qualifications Framework, the Young African Leaders Programme, 
and the Africa-Europe Youth Academy. 

The Africa-Europe Youth Academy will channel financial support of EUR 50 million towards 
formal and informal learning opportunities and exchanges for young people willing to improve 
their  leadership  skills  and  create  networks  of  change-makers  in  Africa.  It  will  be  partly 
implemented through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Youth action, open to Sub-Saharan 
countries as off the 2025 call. 
In  2024  two  additional  regional  programmes  were  launched.  The  AU-EU  Youth 
LabProgramme bringing the voices of young people in the Africa-EU Partnership processes 
and support youth-led cooperation initiatives between the two continents.  

In Sahel, the Youth Europe Sahel (YES-ENJEU) project was officially launched on 16th May 
2024 with events in all the six countries (Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina 
Faso). It aims to support young people’s participation, promote intercultural dialogue, as well 
as strengthen career guidance services to promote entrepreneurship and access to employment.  

The EU supported several regional dialogues with African partners focused on Youth, Peace, 
and Security (YPS). More specifically, the Africa–Europe Youth Conference in Italy (October 
2022) featured a dedicated YPS panel with EU experts taking part. In May 2024, the EU also 
funded a conference on the Coups d'État in the Sahel (totalling around EUR 120,000), as part 
of  the  Local  European  Youth  Event.  The  event  highlighted  the  role  of  young  activists  in 
building a participatory civic space to prevent radicalization, with the participation of the EU 
Special Representative for the Sahel. 

•  Latin America and the Caribbean 

In  July  2023,  the  EU  organised,  as  a  side  event  of  the  EU-CELAC  (Community  of  Latin 
American  and  Caribbean  States)  Summit  in  Brussels,  an  EU-Latin  America  and  the 
Caribbean (EU-LAC) Forum, involving young people, civil society organisations and local 
authorities. The overall objective of the EU-LAC Forum was to have an inclusive exchange 
with non-state actors and to discuss opportunities to build a sustainable and inclusive future for 
both regions. The outcome of the Forum was the preparation of three complementary sets of 
recommendations from young people, civil society organisations and local authorities. These 
contributions were presented to the leaders during the EU-CELAC Summit. 

In  2024,  the  EU-Caribbean  ‘Meet  the  Leaders’  Civil  Society  and Youth  Forum  took  place, 
to  provide  a  constructive  dialogue  and  reach  consensus  on  policy 
which  aimed 
recommendations on climate, social issues, youth empowerment and economic growth. 

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•  North America 

As  part  of  the  European  Commision’s  EU-North America  Education  Outreach  project 
(‘Creating  the  Next  Generation  of  Transatlanticists’),  the  yearly  EU-US  Young  Leaders 
Seminar  took  place  in  Brussels  in  March  2024  to  discuss  “The  Security  Implications  of 
Climate  Change”.  The  seminar  consists  of  a  series  of  discussions  involving  50  young 
professionals and students from the EU and the United States, who are alumni of education and 
people-to-people programmes (Erasmus+, Erasmus Mundus, MSCA, Fulbright-Schuman). To 
frame  the  discussions,  guest  speakers  from  the  EU  Institutions,  think-tanks,  academia,  US 
authorities  and  international  organisations  delivered  a  series  of  panel  sessions,  giving  the 
opportunity to the participants to interact with them. The young leaders also received coaching. 
This Seminar was a stepping stone ahead of the Informal EU-US dialogue on the climate and 
security nexus meeting held at officials level in June 2024. This is a good example of people-
to-people connections leading to more formal engagement. 

•  Asia and the Pacific  

In  2022,  on  the  margin  of  the  EU-ASEAN  Summit,  a  Youth  Day  was  organised  to  bring 
together young people from both regions to discuss challenges and provide recommendations. 

The  2022 ASEAN  Regional  Forum  approved  a  ‘Framework  on  Inclusive  Processes  for  the 
Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security Agendas in Confidence Building 
Measures, Preventive Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution.’ 

In August 2024, youth and civil society organisation representatives from across the Pacific 
region participated in the EU-Pacific ‘Meet the Leaders’ Civil Society and Youth Forum hosted 
in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. The event sought to strengthen the  EU-Pacific Partnership through a 
constructive dialogue based on recommendations from youth and civil society organisations. 

The Forum concluded with a set of robust recommendations reflecting the voice of youth and 
civil society representatives in the region. These recommendations, which aimed to improve 
the  EU-Pacific  Partnership,  emphasised  the  need  for:  i)  young  people  to  increase  their 
involvement  in  decision-making  processes,  ii)  a  commitment  to  the  rule  of  law  and  human 
rights, and iii) a steadfast commitment to environmental sustainability. 

•  United Kingdom 

In October 2023, the Delegation of the EU to the United Kingdom set up a European Affairs 
Society  Network.  This  meets  three  times  per  academic  year,  each  time  at  a  different  UK 
university, to discuss European affairs: for example, the event held in May 2024 focused on 
the  European  elections.  The  European  Affairs  Societies  are  open  to  British,  EU  and 
international students interested in EU affairs. 

•  Arctic 

The EU is supporting the Youth Together for Arctic Futures project. Launched in January 
2024 by a group of Arctic and European partner organisations, the projects aims to empower 
young  people  in  the  Arctic  region  and  Europe  in  order  to  influence  policy  for  a  peaceful, 
sustainable and prosperous Arctic future. The four-year project aims to provide young people 
in both regions with knowledge, skills and opportunities to work towards implementing good 

109 

 
 
climate  and  nature  policies  for  the  Arctic.  Special  attention  will  be  given  to  including 
underrepresented  groups  in  the  Arctic,  including  women,  indigenous  peoples  and  social  or 
other minorities. A key part of the project is the establishment of an EU-Arctic youth dialogue, 
which will become a part of the  EU’s  flagship events  on the Arctic, namely  the EU Arctic 
Forum and the Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue. To ensure that the project reflects the needs and 
perspectives  of  young  people,  a  youth  board  consisting  of  young  people  from  Arctic  and 
European regions will steer its direction. 

8  Monitoring and data  

8.1 

Insights into EU spending on youth  

The  EU  offers  many  funding  opportunities  to  support  young  people  under  the  2021-2027 
multiannual financial framework (MFF), with the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps 
programmes being the main sources of funding that directly support the implementation of the 
EU Youth Strategy. 

The EU long-term budget for 2021-2027 (MFF)411 of €1.074 trillion (in 2018 prices), combined 
with the temporary recovery instrument, NextGenerationEU (NGEU), of  EUR 750 billion (in 
2018 prices), helps repair the economic and social damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic 
and steers the transition towards a modern and more sustainable Europe412.  

The NextGenerationEU413 funds kick-started the recovery in a limited period of time. They are 
included  in  :  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  (€672.5  billion);  REACT-EU  (  EUR  47.5 
billion);  Rural  development  (EUR  7.5  billion);  Just  Transition  Fund  (EUR  10.0  billion); 
InvestEU (EUR 5.6 billion); RescEU (EUR 1.9 billion); Horizon Europe (EUR 5.0 billion). 

The expenditure categories (‘headings’)414 of the 2021-2027 long-term EU budget reflect the 
sectoral  policy  areas  in  which  it  intervenes  (total  EUR  billion  with  NGEU),  including:  1. 
Single Market, Innovation and Digital (EUR 161 billion), 2. Cohesion, Resilience and Values 
(EUR  1  203.2  billion),  3.  Natural  Resources  and  Environment  (EUR  419.9  billion),  4. 
Migration and Border Management (EUR 25.7 billion), 5. Security and Defence (EUR 14.9 
billion),  6.  Neighbourhood  and  the  World  (EUR  110.6  billion),  and  7.European  Public 
Administration (EUR 82.5 billion). 

•  Single Market, Innovation and Digital 

This  heading  aims  to  step  up  investment  in  areas  such  as  research  and  innovation,  digital 
transformation, strategic infrastructure, and the Single Market. Youth-related spending is found 
in particular in the Horizon Europe programme. 

➢  Horizon Europe - Framework Programme for Research and Innovation  

411 The allocations per spending category in current prices are available on Headings - European Commission (europa.eu)    
412   See: 2021-2027 long-term EU budget & NextGenerationEU | European Commission (europa.eu) 
413   See: EU’s next long-term budget & NextgenerationEU - Key facts and figures | European Commission 

(europa.eu) 

414   See: Headings: expenditure categories | European Commission (europa.eu) 

110 

 
 
 
 
 
Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is supporting research on youth. Thus, topics related to youth 
have been included in the Work Programmes of Cluster 1 (Health), and Cluster 2 (Culture, 
Creativity and Inclusive Society). Research related to youth will focus on inclusive education 
and  training,  tackling  inequalities,  social  fairness,  social  inclusion,  migration,  health, 
democracy, cultural heritage, etc.  

Research topics related to youth include: 

•  The impact of inequalities on democracy 

•  Education for democracy 

•  Providing support in a changing world of work and social protection 

•  Determining key drivers of inequality trends 

•  Addressing poor learning outcomes in basic skills and early school leaving in Europe 

• 

Integration of emerging new technologies into education and training 

•  Games and culture shaping our society 

•  Overcoming discrimination for an inclusive labour market 

•  Conditions for the successful development of skills matched to needs 

•  Non-communicable diseases risk reduction in adolescence and youth 

The following are examples of calls for proposals under Horizon Europe: 

✓  With the dedicated funds  for widening  participation  and strengthening the European 
Research  Area  (WIDERA)415,  a  call  for  funding  titled  ‘Developing  a  STE(A)M 
roadmap for science education in Horizon Europe’ funded three projects with an EU 
contribution of EUR 5 129 446.25, which started in September 2022. 

✓  Through another WIDERA call for funding, ‘Support to the implementation of an EU 
Manifesto for STE(A)M education and research and innovation career paths to tackle 
gender inequalities in the ERA’, the EU-funded project ST®E(A)M IT416 started on 
1 January 2024 with a total EU contribution of EUR 1.8 million. 

✓  Under the Cluster 2 ‘ Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society’417, a call on ‘Cultural 
and creative approaches for gender-responsive STEAM education’ funded the EU 
project  STEAMbrace418.  This  project  began  on  1 January  2024  with  an  EU 
contribution of EUR 2.9 million. 

415 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/jobs-research/researchcomp-european-competence-framework-
researchers_en. 
416 ST(R)E(A)M IT/STREAMING GIRLS AND WOMEN INTO STEAM EDUCATION, INNOVATION 
AND RESEARCH | STREAM IT. 
417 Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society - European Commission (europa.eu). 
418 European coordination network and activities to embrace a sustainable and inclusive STEAM educational 
system: the blend of artistic and creative approaches in STEM education, research & innovation. 

111 

 
 
 
 
 
➢  InvestEU 

The InvestEU programme  supports investment across the EU through a policy-driven and 
market-based approach. It consists of the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the 
InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund’s rationale in combination with InvestEU Advisory Hub 
and InvestEU Portal is based on the proven effectiveness of budgetary guarantees to crowd in 
private capital in EU priority areas that experience market failures and sub-optimal investment 
conditions. 

The EU budgetary guarantee supporting investment in young people and education falls 
under the Social Investment and Skills Window (SISW) with the budget of EUR 2.8 million. 
Currently  seven  implementing  partners  deploy  financial  products  (debt,  equity)  under  the 
SISW, and three more implementing partners are negotiating new financial products under the 
SISW (as a result of the first cut-off date under the second call for expression of interest). 

Relevant policy areas covered by operations relate mainly to skills, education, training, social 
infrastructure (which includes educational infrastructure and student housing), social economy, 
social innovation, integration of vulnerable people, inclusion and accessibility. As of the end 
of  April  2024,  approved  financing  by  InvestEU  implementing  partners  under  the  SISW 
represents around EUR 2.67 billion. This amount of financing is expected to mobilise more 
than EUR 8.8 billion in private and public investments. The amount of support is expected to 
increase during the remaining implementation period until the end of 2028. 

Examples of operations backed by InvestEU guarantee  

➢  Jacob’s University: deferring of tuition fees by establishing an income sharing 
agreement to their students at substantially more favourable terms. This aims 
to give to a wider range of students access to education. 

➢  Cyprus  University  of  Technology:  the  construction  of  Tepak  student 
residences and associated sports infrastructure as well as the construction and 
renovation of academic and research facilities and a photovoltaic park. 
➢  Università  degli  Studi  di  Milano:  construction  of  new  campus,  where  the 
University intends to relocate the teaching and research activities of its STEM 
departments. 

➢  Fondation Apprentis d’Auteuil; funding to renovate and expand of its Saint-
Philippe  education  campus  in  Meudon,  which  no  longer  meets  regulatory 
standards and the needs of nearly 600 vulnerable young people currently in 
education and training. 

➢  EduCapital  II:  the  first  specialised  impact  fund  in  Europe  on  skills  and 
education,  that  seeks  to  have  a  positive  social  impact,  in  terms  of  reach, 
inclusion and learning outcomes. The Fund’s strategy targets investments into 
software and hybrid (tech-enabled hardware) solutions that improve learning 
outcomes,  and  reach  marginalised  population  segments  from  toddlers  to 
adults. 

112 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
➢  Digital Europe Programme 

The Digital Europe Programme (DEP) 419 provides funding for higher education programmes 
in  key  digital  areas,  like  artificial  intelligence,  data  analytics,  cloud  computing,  quantum 
technologies,  high  performing  computing,  semiconductors,  virtual  worlds  or  robotics  to 
increase the number of Information and communication technology (ICT) graduates in Europe 
able to design, deploy and use the different advanced digital technologies.  

In particular, under DEP, there is funding provided for the network of the Safer Internet Centres 
in the Member States and the Better Internet for Kids Platform.    

➢  EU4Health 

The EU4Health programme, running from 2021 to 2027, is a major initiative with an overall 
initial financial budget of EUR 5.7 billion. The programme budget was reduced to EUR 4.6 
billion  following  the  revision  of  the  2021-2027  MFF.    The  programme  aims  to  improving 
health across the EU. It aims to improve the health of children and young people by focusing 
on disease prevention and health promotion, and addressing health determinants. 

The programme funds actions that involve: 

• 

•  supporting children’s and young people’s mental health, e.g. best practices such as ‘Ice 
hearts’  and  ‘Let’s  talk  about  children’  projects,  each  worth  EUR 4  million,  and 
psychological  first  aid  to  displaced  people/children  from  Ukraine  via  a  contribution 
agreement of EUR 31.2 million with the Red Cross; 
increasing vaccination rates: examples include i) the project ‘Overcoming Obstacles to 
Vaccination  (EUR 5.25  million)  identifies  and  pilots  exemplary  practices  in 
overcoming  structural  barriers  to  vaccination,  including  vaccination  against  human 
papillomaviruses for adolescent girls and boys; and ii) a EUR 3 million contribution 
agreement on immunisation with the WHO, which also focuses on children and young 
people; 

•  promoting  healthy  lifestyles:  examples  include  i) the  joint  action  Health4EUKids 
implements  best  practices  on  promoting  healthy  lifestyles  for  children  and  their 
families; and ii) the Schools4Health project which aims to turn all schools into health-
promoting schools that prioritise the health of the school community; 
improving the quality of life of young cancer survivors. 

• 

In addition, EU4Health invests in digital health tools and services, ensuring that young people 
have  access  to  modern,  efficient  healthcare.  By  strengthening  health  systems  and  boosting 
resilience, EU4Health aims to create a healthier future for the younger generation. 

•  Cohesion, Resilience and Values  

The main programmes under this expenditure category aim to strengthen the cohesion among 
EU Member States, reduce disparities in EU regions both within and across Member States, 
and promote sustainable territorial development. Through investment in young people, health 
and actions to protect EU’s values, the programmes seek to make Europe more resilient, 

419 The Digital Europe Programme | Shaping Europe’s digital future  

113 

 
 
 
cohesive and inclusive in its response to the various challenges that the continent faces and 
will be facing in the future. 

The  most  relevant  examples  under  this  heading  refer  to:  i)  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus 
(ESF+)  that  supports  youth  employment,  upskilling  and  reskilling  of  workers,  and  poverty 
reduction;  ii)  the  ERDF;  and  iii)  the  Erasmus+  programme  that  continues  to  create 
opportunities  for  the  education,  training  and  mobility  of  young  people.  The  Recovery  and 
Resilience Facility and REACT-EU (channelled as a top-up of the 2014-2020 ERDF and the 
ESF+ allocations), as part of the NextGenerationEU temporary recovery framework, are also 
included under this heading. Furthermore, there are other relevant programmes and funding 
schemes presented below that need to be taken in consideration. 

➢  The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)420 

The ESF+ is a key financial instrument for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, 
to support jobs and create a fair and socially inclusive society. The ESF+ has a total budget of 
over EUR 140 billion. It invests in people, creates and protects job opportunities, promotes 
social  inclusion,  fights  poverty  and  develops  the  skills  needed  for  the  digital  and  green 
transition. 

It also includes a more ambitious requirement for investing in young people and addressing 
child poverty, as proposed by the Commission. Member States that have a rate above the EU 
average of young people not in employment, education or training (the so-called NEETs aged 
between 15-29 years) should allocate at least 12.5% of their ESF+ resources to targeted actions 
and  structural  reforms  to  support  youth  employment,  helping  these  young  people  find  a 
qualification, or a good quality job in line with the Youth Guarantee. All other Member States 
must allocate an appropriate amount of their ESF+ resources towards achieving this aim. The 
Commission is urging Member States to use this and other existing funding opportunities to 
further  increase  investments  in  youth  employment  measures.  Altogether  around  EUR 17.3 
billion, including an EU contribution of EUR 11 billion, will have been invested in measures 
supporting youth employment and young people’s socio-economic integration. 

Examples of actions under the ESF+ Social Innovation strand 

Under the social innovation strand of the ESF+, new initiatives have been launched on 
activating and upskilling young NEETs, on the ALMA social inclusion model and on the 
zero long-term unemployment scheme:  

✓  In 2023, the Commission launched a call for proposals421 for transnational projects 
dedicated  to  developing  young  people’s  skills  and  helping  them  to  integrate  the 
labour  market.  20  projects  will  receive  a  total  of  over  EUR  9  million  of  ESF+ 
funding to develop or scale up innovative methods and practices that have proven to 
be successful in other contexts, countries and regions.  

420   See: https://ec.europa.eu/european-social-fund-plus/en    
421 Social Innovations for the Upskilling of Vulnerable Youth, Especially Young People not in Employment, 
Education, or Training (NEETs) (closed) » Europos socialinio fondo agentūra  

114 

 
 
 
 
✓  In  2023,  the  Commission  also  launched  a  call  for  proposals  for  supporting  the 
integration of long-term unemployed422 (including vulnerable young people) into 
the labour market, with a total grant budget of EUR 23 million. The call focuses on 
combatting 
long-term  unemployment  from  a  geographical  perspective  by 
implementing  and  replicating  established  and  promising  innovations,  bringing 
together key stakeholders at local levels. Grant agreements are to be signed in April 
2025.  

✓  In the framework of the European Year of Youth, the Commission launched a one-
off  EU-level  call  (budget  of  €11.6  million)  to  help  EU  Member  States  integrate 
ALMA423  in  their  ESF+  programmes,  by  piloting  or  scaling  up  ALMA  type  of 
activities. 

Since 2013, the Youth Guarantee424 has ensured that all young people, at national, regional 
and local levels, receive a quality offer of employment, continued education, traineeship, or 
apprenticeship  within  a  period  of  four  months  of  becoming  unemployed  or  leaving  formal 
education.  Since  2020,  the  reinforced  Youth  Guarantee  has  extended  its  support  to  young 
people  aged  under  30  and  is  funded  through  the  NextGenerationEU  and  the  long-term  EU 
budget, in particular the European Social Fund+. The EU supports mutual learning activities 
and  monitors  the  progress  made  annually  in  implementing  the Youth  Guarantee.  Since  the 
Youth Guarantee was adopted in 2013, over 50 million young people have taken up an offer of 
employment, continued education, an apprenticeship and a traineeship. 

The  Communication  “Putting  people  first,  securing  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth, 
unlocking  potential  in  the  outermost  regions”425  acknowledges  the  educational  and  labour 
market challenges in the outermost regions. It encourages concerned Member States and these 
regions  to  set  up  apprenticeship,  job  retention  and  hiring  schemes  for  young  people  in  the 
outermost regions within the Youth Guarantee using EU funds. 

➢  EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation426 

The  EU  Programme  for  Employment  and  Social Innovation  (EaSI)  aims  to  promote  a  high 
level of quality and sustainable employment, guarantee adequate and decent social protection, 
combat social exclusion and poverty, and improve working conditions. In the financial period 
2021–2027 the EaSI programme is included under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). The 
EaSI  Programme  has  a  comprehensive  performance  monitoring  system  with  biannual 
performance monitoring reports.  

422 https://socialinnovationplus.eu/update-on-the-call-innovative-approaches-tackling-long-term-unemployment/ 

423 See section 2.3 on employment and skills 
424 See: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079&langId=en  
425 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Region on Putting people first, securing 
sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions 
426   See: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1081 

115 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
➢  The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) 

The RRF is at the heart of the EUR 800 billion NextGenerationEU (NGEU) plan: It will last 
until the end of 2026. It has a two-fold objective: to (i) help Member States to recover from the 
COVID-19 pandemic, and (ii) make their economies and societies more sustainable, resilient 
and prepared for the green and digital transitions, in line with the EU’s priorities. 

 The RRF is the EU’s first major performance-based funding programme, disbursing a 
total of up to EUR 650 billion (in 2024 price) in grants and loans to Member States against the 
progress made towards an ambitious agenda of reforms and investments put forward in their 
national recovery and resilience plans (RRP), which is: 

• 
• 

in line with the EU's green, digital and socio-economic policy priorities, and 
tailored  to  address  national  challenges  identified  in  the  European  Semester  country-
specific recommendations. 

 More than 25% of the RRPs are dedicated to social objectives. 

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is supporting important reforms and investments 
relevant  for  young  people  across  all  Member  States.  In  total,  more  than  EUR  66  billion  is 
dedicated to reforms and investments supporting children and young people427. Measures 
cover a wide range of policy areas, including employment support, education at all levels, such 
as vocational education and training, and housing. For instance, the RRF dedicates almost EUR 
6.1 billion to supporting youth employment and job creation.  More than 7.5 million young 
people  aged  15-29  have  already  benefited  from  the  RRF,  including  monetary  and  in-kind 
support, such as education, training and employment support428.  

➢  Technical Support Instrument (TSI) 

The TSI429 is the EU programme that provides tailor-made technical expertise to EU Member 
States to design and implement reforms. The support is demand-driven and does not require 
co-financing from Member States. 

The TSI operates on an annual basis. Each year, there is an open call for proposals from EU 
Member State administrations – launched at national, regional or local level. Also, each year, 
the Commission further proposes a list of flagship technical support projects, comprised of a 

427 Figure as of 29 August 2024. Following the methodology used for reporting social expenditure as set out in 
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2105, the Commission flagged measures that include a focus on children and 
young people. The Commission applied this methodology not only to measures of a social nature, but to all 
other measures included in adopted RRPs that have a focus on children and young people, in order to better 
capture these throughout the plans. This did not have to be the main focus of the concerned measures. Measures 
not flagged as such may also have an impact on children and young people. These figures are based on the 
ex ante estimated cost of the relevant RRF measures. 
428 The Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard includes a set of common indicators related to the objectives of the 
RRF.  The  common  indicators  show  how  the  implementation  of  the  RRPS  is  progressing  towards  achieving 
common objectives and the overall performance of the RRF. Member States collect the common indicators data 
and report their numbers to the European Commission twice a year, by the end of February and the end of August. 
In total, the Commission, the Member States and the European Parliament have identified 14 common indicators 
across all six policy pillars in the Delegated Regulation EU 2021/2106. 

429 Technical Support Instrument - European Commission (europa.eu). 

116 

 
 
 
 
list  of  (pre-identified)  support  measures  to  select  from.  The  support  measures  are  just 
orientational, and Member States may use them in various configurations, and may also wish 
to add new measures to the proposed packages. These flagship projects are meant to address 
pivotal EU and national policy priorities, and are developed in consultation with all relevant 
Commission departments. 

Four TSI  flagship  support  projects  have  in  particular  contributed  to  reforms  in  the  field  of 
youth: (i) the TSI 2022 Flagship on the Implementation of the European Child Guarantee; (ii) 
the TSI 2023 Youth First Flagship; (iii) the TSI Skills Flagship; and (iv) the TSI Mental health 
Flagship. 

In the period covering the TSI calls for 2022 to 2024, the Commission supported 34 youth-
related  projects  through  funding  of  more  than  EUR 25  million.  The  projects  aimed  to 
address the needs of the younger population that spanned across multiple sectors and policy 
domains,  including  i)  social  protection;  ii)  education  and  training;  and  iii)  health.  Specific 
projects have aimed to: i) expand access to mental health and well-being services for young 
people (focusing on prevention and early intervention approaches); ii) improve the quality and 
labour  market  relevance  of  vocational  education  and  training;  and  iii)  develop  strategies  to 
improve the inclusiveness of education at all levels. 

For  example,  through  the  TSI,  the  Commission  helped  the  Irish  authorities  develop  a  new 
policy  framework  for  children  and  young  people,  encompassing  important  government 
initiatives such as the National Action Plan to implement the European Child Guarantee430. In 
concrete terms, the project provided recommendations to improve the governance, monitoring 
and  evaluation  of  child  and  youth  policies,  including  by  addressing  existing  data  gaps  and 
inter-agency  and  cross-departmental  collaboration. 
introducing  new 
Furthermore, the project provided guidance on how to strengthen stakeholder collaboration for 
delivering services for children and young people, including through a greater reliance on local 
coordination structures. The project is part of the European Child Guarantee flagship, which 
facilitates  the  implementation  of  concrete  actions  and  policies  to  prevent  and  combat  child 
poverty and social exclusion, with specific attention to children experiencing disadvantages 

incentives 

for 

➢  Erasmus+: the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport431  

The general objective of the 2021-2027 EU programme for education, training, youth and sport 
is to support, through lifelong learning, the educational, professional and personal development 
of people involved education, training, youth and sport, in the EU and beyond. This contributes 
to  sustainable  growth,  quality  jobs  and  social  cohesion,  to  driving  innovation,  and  to 
strengthening European identity and active citizenship. 

430 Towards a new governance framework for children and youth policies in Ireland - European Commission 
(europa.eu). 
431   See: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-

plus/node_en#:~:text=Erasmus%2B%20is%20the%20EU's%20programme,youth%20and%20sport%20in%
20Europe.&text=Erasmus%2B%20is%20open%20to%20individuals,Commission%2C%20along%20with
%20other%20organisations. 

117 

 
 
 
The Programme has an overall indicative budget of more than EUR 26 billion of the total EU 
budget for the period 2021-2027432 and an additional 2 billion from EU external cooperation 
funds433).  The  threshold  of  total  budget  allocation  under  Erasmus+  2021-2027  for  Youth  is 
10.3%.  

➢  European Solidarity Corps434 

The overall indicative budget of the European Solidarity Corps is EUR  1 009 billion of the 
total EU budget for the period 2021-2027 in current prices, and covers activities that include 
volunteering in the area of humanitarian aid. The European Solidarity Corps’ activities support 
the  objectives  of  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  for  2019-2027,  which  encourage  young  people  to 
become active citizens, agents of solidarity and positive change for communities across Europe 
and beyond with the new humanitarian action, inspired by EU values and a European identity. 

➢  Recovery  Assistance  for  Cohesion  and  the  Territories  of  Europe  package  (REACT-

EU)435 

With  an  allocation  of  EUR   47.5  billion  (EUR  50.5  billion  in  current  prices),  REACT-EU 
contributes to a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy by adding fresh additional 
resources to existing cohesion policy programmes. 

For  the  ERDF,  the  REACT-EU  resources  are  used  primarily  to:  i)  support  investments  in 
products and services in the area of health or social infrastructure; ii) provide support in the 
form of working capital  or investment support to SMEs’ investments in sectors with a high 
potential for job creation; iii) support investments that contribute to the transition towards a 
digital  and  green  economy;  iv)  support  investments  in  infrastructure  providing  basic  public 
services; and v) support economic support measures in the regions that are most dependent on 
those sectors most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. 

The European Social Fund (ESF) is benefitting from the top-up resources provided by REACT-
EU. ESF measures are planned to help job seekers and preserve jobs, advance education and 
skills and promote the social inclusion of people in vulnerable situations.  The top-up to ESF+ 
funding will be vital in terms of shoring up access to employment for those affected by the 
crisis - and is reflected by millions invested to ensure our labour market continues to expand 
in its recovery. 

➢  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF),  including  its  European  Territorial 

Cooperation (Interreg) strand, and the Cohesion Fund  

With a budget of close to EUR 253.3 billion for 2021-2027, the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund  
continue to enable investments towards delivering a smarter, greener, more connected, more 
social Europe that is closer to its public. These funds allow the EU Member States and regions 

432   Source: Regulation (EU) 2021/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of of 20 May 2021 

establishing Erasmus+: the Union Programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing 
Regulation No 1288/2013 

433 Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe. Article 13(6) of 
Regulation EU 2021/947 
434   See: https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en 
435   See: Commission welcomes the political agreement on REACT-EU (europa.eu) 

118 

 
 
 
 
to  respond  to  current  challenges  by  boosting  sustainable  and  inclusive  development  and 
resilience in European regions and communities. 

The ERDF invests close to EUR 30 billion into projects that enable young people to benefit 
from  opportunities  related  to  the  digital  and  demographic  transition,  access  to  quality  local 
services including in the areas of employment, education and training, social inclusion, social 
housing,  health  and  care,  sustainable  tourism,  and  culture.  Furthermore,  the  ERDF  and  the 
Cohesion Fund invest EUR 93.4 billion into low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon 
economy, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and 
sustainable urban mobility. Young people need access to a sustainable, affordable and reliable 
transport system. This includes developing sustainable and accessible transport options such as 
rail,  public  transport  and  cycling  and  walking.  In  the  2021-2027  period,  the  ERDF  and 
Cohesion Fund are helping develop a seamless and door-to-door transport system with funding 
amounting to EUR 40.3 billion. 

Under  its  Interreg  strand,  ERDF  supports  cooperation  between  regions,  citizens  and 
economic stakeholders over their respective land and maritime borders with a budget of EUR 
8.05 billion. As one of the key instruments of the EU supporting cooperation across borders 
through  project  funding,  Interreg  aims  at  jointly  tackling  common  challenges  and  finding 
shared  solutions  in  fields  such  as  health,  environment,  research,  education,  transport, 
sustainable  energy  and  more.   In  the  2021-2027  period,  internal  cross-border  Interreg 
programmes have to allocate resources to the Policy Objective 4 ‘a more social and inclusive 
Europe’  thus  offering  the  possibility  to  implement  youth-related  projects.  In  addition,  the 
Interreg transnational programmes linked geographically to the EU Macro Regional Strategies 
give the full support to the implementation of the Strategies where the youth involvement is a 
priority. 

➢  Social Climate Fund  

Young  people  experiencing  energy  or  transport  poverty  (i.e.  the  lack  of  adequate  transport 
services needed to access essential services, school and work, or the inability to pay for these 
transport services) will benefit from measures financed under the Social Climate Fund. The 
fund is the first EU funding instrument created for the specific purpose of addressing energy 
and transport poverty. It will be operational in the 2026-2032 period and will mobilise at least 
EUR 86.7 billion to support vulnerable groups of society, in particular vulnerable households, 
vulnerable  transport  users,  and  vulnerable  micro-enterprises,  who  are  most  affected  by  the 
green  transition.  The  support  will  be  provided  to  Member  States  through  non-repayable 
financial support (grants) based on national social climate plans submitted to the Commission. 

➢  Rights and Values programme436 

The EUR 1.55 billion ‘Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values’ (CERV) programme437 is the 
biggest-ever EU fund to be established for promoting and protecting fundamental rights inside 
the EU. Its main objective is to protect and promote people’s rights and values as enshrined in 
the Treaties, the Charter and in the applicable international human rights conventions. This is 

436   See: JUST - Item (europa.eu) 
437   See: Funding & tenders (europa.eu) 

119 

 
 
 
achieved  by  supporting  civil  society  organisations  and  other  stakeholders  active  at  local, 
regional, national and transnational level. The CERV programme is based on 4 strands:  

1.  Equality,  Rights  and  Gender  Equality -  promote  rights,  non-discrimination, 
equality,  including  gender  equality,  and  advance  gender  and  non-discrimination 
mainstreaming;  

2.  Citizens’  engagement  and  participation -  promote 

the  engagement  and 
participation  of citizens in the democratic life of the EU and exchanges between 
citizens of different Member States and to raise awareness of the common European 
history. For instance, a call for proposals on the rights of the child and children’s 
participation  was  launched  in  2024,  with  23  projects  being  selected  with  a  total 
budget of EUR 12 million. Some 12 projects will tackle children’s mental health 
while the others  will promote an inclusive and systemic participation of children at 
local,  national  and  EU  levels  to  ensure  their  voices  are  heard  and  listened  to, 
especially  in  matters  that  affect  them,  as  well  as  help  children  understand  their 
democratic rights..  

3.  Daphne - fight violence, including gender-based violence. One of the objectives of 
the Daphne programme refers to young people, among other vulnerable groups, by 
aiming to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, young people, 
as well as violence against other groups at risk, such as LGBTIQ people and people 
with disabilities438. This strand provides an estimated EUR 200 million available 
over  the  financing  period.  In  2023,  over  EUR  14  million  was  granted  to  seven 
intermediaries to regrant funding to support the capacity of grassroot organisations 
in  strengthening  integrated  child  protection  system  by  improving  prevention, 
protection,  child  rights-based  and  child-friendly  support  services  for  (potential) 
children victims/witnesses of violence and those in need of protection, including 
multi-disciplinary cooperation.   

4.  Union values - protect and promote Union values.   

➢  Creative Europe439 

Creative Europe invests in actions that strengthen cultural diversity and respond to the needs 
and challenges of the cultural and creative sectors. The Creative Europe programme for 2021-
2027,  with  a  budget  of  EUR   2.44  billion:  i)  safeguards,  develops  and  promotes  European 
cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage to large audiences including younger people; and 
ii) increases the competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors,  
particularly the audiovisual sector. An example of an action that targets young people is the 
Pan-European Cultural  Entities440 scheme, which  helps  transnational  orchestras to  train  and 
boost the career of young musicians. 

➢  EU Careers Student Ambassadors programme 

438   Source: call-fiche_cerv-2021-daphne_en.pdf (europa.eu) 
439 See also section 4.5 on culture 
440 Pan-European Cultural Entities. 

120 

 
 
 
The EU Careers Student Ambassadors programme aims to promote EU career opportunities 
across  selected  university  campuses.  The  programme  engages  universities  and  student 
ambassadors through the European Personnel Selection Office. These ambassadors serve for 
one academic year, representing the EU at job fairs, delivering presentations, managing social 
media, and building networks within their universities. The programme's budget for the 2023–
24 academic year, including conference and training costs, is EUR 104 000. 

•  Natural Resources and Environment 

The EU budget continues to be a driver of sustainability: investing in sustainable agriculture 
and maritime  sectors,  alongside climate  action,  environmental protection, food  security and 
rural  development.  A  part  of  the  programmes  under  this  expenditure  category  supports 
Europe’s farming, agricultural and fisheries sectors and seeks to make them more competitive. 
Other programmes are dedicated exclusively to achieving the EU’s environmental and climate 
objectives.  Although  this  heading  does  not  make  direct  reference  to  young  people,  the 
following funding schemes could be relevant and are included as regards monitoring the EU 
spending on youth-related activities in the future. 

➢  Just Transition Fund (JTF) 

To address the social and economic consequences that results from efforts to fulfil the objective 
to reach climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, a Just Transition Fund helps the most vulnerable 
coal-  and  carbon-intensive  regions  address  the  economic  and  social  costs  of  the  climate 
transition. The Just Transition Fund received additional funding from NextGenerationEU and 
is  equipped  with  EUR  19.7  billion. A  toolkit  for  youth  participation  in  the  Just  Transition 
Fund441 has also been developed. 

➢  Support for young farmers442 

 The  2023-2027  Common  Agricultural  Policy  provides  for  several  forms  of  support 
specifically for young farmers. Young farmers receive complementary income support through 
the European agricultural guarantee fund, as well as grants, loans or guarantees through the 
European  agricultural  fund  for  rural  development.  The  overall  support  will  amount  to 
approximately  EUR  8.5  billion.  Launched  in  2019  by  the  Commission  and  the  European 
Investment Bank (EIB), a EUR 1 billion loan facility to young farmers has attracted interest 
from several intermediaries in different EU countries, The financing targets have been met in 
a relatively short time, despite the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By 
early 2023, 98% of the financing was signed with intermediary banks. 

➢  The EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme443 

The scheme pursues the objectives of contributing to viable food production and promoting 
healthy eating habits among school children. With a total budget of EUR 220.8 million per 
school year it supports the distribution of fruit, vegetables, milk and certain milk products to 

441   Youth for a just transition - Publications Office of the EU  
442   See:  Young farmers - European Commission (europa.eu) 
443   See:https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/market-

measures/school-fruit-vegetables-and-milk-scheme_en 

121 

 
 
 
school  children,  from  nursery  to  secondary  school,  as  well  as  accompanying  educational 
measures.  

➢  Blue careers for a sustainable blue economy444 

The  EU  supports  cooperation  projects  between  business  and  education  through  the  ‘Blue 
careers  for  a  sustainable  blue  economy’  calls  for  proposals  under  the  European  Maritime, 
Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. Eight new projects kicked off in September 2023445, following 
the fourth edition of the call. With a total budget of EUR 7.5 million, the projects aim to help 
develop the next generation of blue skills and to provide opportunities for attractive and long-
term maritime careers, especially for young people. Previous editions funded 18 projects with 
include 
a 
the NAUTILUS and BBMBC projects446. 

EUR 11  million. 

Success 

budget 

stories 

total 

EU 

of 

•  Migration and Border Management 

Programmes under this heading tackle challenges linked to migration and the management of 
borders. Young people are directly impacted by migration policies. The Asylum, Migration and 
Integration Fund continues to target young migrants in different situations, asylum applicants, 
refugees,  beneficiaries  of  integration  policies,  returnees  and  unaccompanied  minors.  For 
instance,  four  transnational  projects,  with  a  total  budget  of  EUR 5  million,  were  selected 
following  a  call  for  proposals  under  the Asylum,  Migration  and  Integration  Fund Thematic 
Facility to support the inclusion of migrant children. 

•  Neighbourhood and the World 

Programmes  under  this  heading  invest  in  the  EU’s  external  action  in  its  neighbourhood,  in 
developing  countries  and  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  current  MMF  streamlined  and 
simplified EU  external  action  financing  instruments  for  international  and  development 
cooperation, crisis response and peace-building actions. It did this by merging several external 
financing instruments - including the European Development Fund - into one single financing 
tool  called  the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and  International  Cooperation  Instrument 
(NDICI).  This  instrument  promotes  multilateralism,  strategic  priorities  and  achieving  key 
international commitments and objectives, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, 
the  2030 Agenda  and  the  Paris Agreement. The  NDICI  has  been  allocated  a  total  financial 
budget  of  EUR  79.462  million  for  the  period 2021-2027, providing  funding  through  three 
pillars: Geographical, Thematic, and Rapid Response.  

➢  The EU4Youth Programme447 

Young  people  are  at  the  heart  of  EU  cooperation  with  its  Eastern  partners  through  the 
EU4Youth  programme  funded  by  the  EU.  The  EU  helps  develop  young people's  skills  and 
employability,  promotes  education  and  training  and  supports  their  involvement  in  civic, 
cultural, academic and professional exchanges. Investing in young people is investing in the 

444 EMFAF Blue Careers Call 2023 (europa.eu) 
445 Eight EMFAF projects kickstarted their work to develop the next generation of blue skills - European 
Commission (europa.eu). 
446 Training the water sports professionals of tomorrow - European Commission - BBMBC: From a blue career 
project to a Mundus master - European Commission. 
447   See: EU4Youth Days - EU4Youth Days 

122 

 
 
 
future.  Greater  and  better  opportunities  for  young  generations  must  be  provided  inside  and 
outside  the  EU  to  support  effective  and  responsible  citizenship  and  prosperous,  stable  and 
democratic societies. 

➢  DEAR Programme448 

The Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) programme supports projects 
that  get  Europeans  involved,  especially  young  people,  in  global  social,  economic  and 
environmental  development  issues.  Through  European  civil  society  organisations  and  local 
authorities, the aim is to raise awareness and support active engagement. The programme seeks 
to  tackle  global  challenges,  such  as  climate  change  and  inequalities,  and  to  promote  global 
justice, human rights, sustainable development and democratic participation. 

8.2  Key indicators and data  

Data plays a crucial role in the EU Youth Strategy to ensure evidence-based monitoring and 
development.  With  its  cross-sectoral  nature  and  youth  mainstreaming  objective,  the  EUYS 
benefits from data, research, studies and surveys in many policy areas by many Commission 
departments, Member States and stakeholders. Key knowledge and data sources are described 
below: 

-  Youth Wiki449, which provides  comparable qualitative information  on youth related 

national policies.   

The Youth Wiki information on national youth policies is regularly updated (by a network of 
national correspondents, nominated by national authorities of Erasmus+ programme countries). 
The  information  is  based  on  official  documents,  such  as  laws,  decrees,  regulations  and 
recommendations. Between 2022 and 2024, the Commission, with the help of the Youth Wiki 
Network, published two analytical reports, one on young people's mental health450 and one on 
youth mainstreaming approaches in Member States451. Comparative maps to illustrate data in 
some areas were updated and created, including new maps on youth work452. 

-  Eurostat, which provides survey and other data on the situation of young people. 

In 2024, Eurostat launched an updated thematic section on children and young people453. It 
presents detailed, age-specific breakdowns across various topics, such as health and well-being, 
social  inclusion,  youth  employment  and  digital  skills.  There  is  also  an  interactive  tool454 
presenting statistics on young Europeans in a fun and easy way.  

448   See: https://dearprogramme.eu/   
449 Youth Wiki: Europe's Encyclopedia of National Youth Policies (europa.eu) 
450 The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people (europa.eu). 
451 Youth mainstreaming, youth impact assessment and youth checks - Publications Office of the EU 
(europa.eu). 
452 Comparative Overviews (europa.eu). 
453 Eurostat thematic section on children and youth 
454 Eurostat interactive tool Young Europeans 

123 

 
 
 
 
 
 
-  Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programme data. 

This includes programme dashboards and data from National Agencies with the RAY research 
network455,  which  provide  data  and  analysis  on  the  EU  youth  programmes.  In  2024,  the 
Commission launched a data storytelling initiative providing easy public access to Erasmus+ 
information  and  data456.  The  Commission  publishes  reports  on  the  implementation457  of 
Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity  Corps, which include  comprehensive data annexes 
and examples of supported projects and initiatives. 

-  Partner organisations 

Further  sources  include  the  EU-Council  of  Europe Youth  partnership458  (which  provides 
research and training materials on topics related to young people), civil society organisations 
and  networks459  and  international  organisations460  (which  provide  data  and  research  on 
topics related to young people).  

-  Examples of data in the EUYS sphere 

In 2023 and 2024, the EU Children’s Participation Platform conducted two consultations with 
children and young people below the age of 18 resulting in data on what they need to feel safe 
and on democracy and voting461. 

During the European Year of Youth 2022, the EUYS’s evidence-base was strengthened with 
the publication of an updated EU Youth Dashboard462, based on proposals from the expert 
group  on  youth  indicators463.  The  dashboard  is  composed  of  a  selection  of  statistical 
indicators  on  the  situation  of  young  people  (grouped  according  to  the  EUYS  core  areas  of 
Engage,  Connect  and  Empower),  complemented  with  contextual  indicators.  The  EU Youth 
Dashboard  takes  the  cross-sectoral  nature  of  youth  policy  into  consideration,  which  is 
important for youth mainstreaming. The expert group proposal also included a new dashboard 
of mainly qualitative policy indicators on the EUYS instruments. Efforts are ongoing on this 
new dashboard to explore further what data is available and accessible for the EUYS. 

Furthermore, during the European Year of Youth,  reports  on international,  EU, and national 
youth  programmes  worldwide464  contributed  to  an  evidence-based  approach  for  the  Youth 
Action  Plan  in  EU  external  action,  and  to  other  youth  policies  in  the  EU  and  around  the 
world. Developed in consultation with youth organisations and the Youth Sounding Board for 
International  Partnerships,  the  monitoring  framework  of  the  Youth  Action  Plan  in  EU 

455 Research-based analysis of European youth programmes | RAY (researchyouth.net) 
456 Data visualisations on Erasmus+ - Erasmus+ (europa.eu) 
457 Factsheets and statistics on Erasmus+ - Erasmus+ (europa.eu) 
458 Youth research - Youth Partnership (coe.int) 
459 For example the European Youth Forum’s: Youth Progress Index | European Youth Forum 
460 For example the OECD’s work on youth policies and investing in youth: Youth employment and social 
policies - OECD 
461 Children's Voices in the European Union | Child Participation (europa.eu) 
462 EU dashboard - Eurostat (europa.eu). 
463 Proposal for an updated dashboard of EU youth indicators - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu). 
464 Youth in External Action: Bridging policy and data: JRC Publications Repository - Youth in external action 
(europa.eu); Patchwork: mapping international data on youth: JRC Publications Repository - Patchwork: 
Mapping international data on youth (europa.eu) 

124 

 
 
 
external action465 will further contribute to the collecting data on youth. It will specifically 
look  at  institutional  change  that  can  strengthen  youth  engagement  in  EU  policymaking  and 
progress towards the Youth Action Plan’s objectives in thematic priorities. 

-  Other EU institutions and bodies 

Other  EU  institutions  and  bodies  also  provide  analysis  and  research  on  policy  issues  of 
relevance for the EUYS. The European Parliament’s research service provides Members of the 
European Parliament, and where appropriate parliamentary committees, with research in order 
to assist them in their work. The European Parliament also publishes surveys (for example, the 
European  Parliament’s  2024  post-electoral  Eurobarometer466)  and  studies  (for  example,  the 
Parliament’s  2024  Study  on  Maximising  the  impact  of  EU  initiatives  on  skills467).  The 
European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions also 
produce studies and publications to support their work and to raise awareness of EU policy 
developments. One example is the European Economic and Social Committee’s 2024 study on 
youth participation in policy and decision-making processes468. 

465 YAP monitoring framework: 0ee0521d-2633-412c-be28-40bfc858287f_en (europa.eu) 

466 EU Post-electoral survey 2024 – October 2024 – Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu). 
467 Maximising the Impact of EU Initiatives on Skills (europa.eu). 
468 Structured and Meaningful Youth Participation in Policy and Decision-Making Processes - Mapping Local, 
National, EU, and International Good Practices | EESC (europa.eu). 

125 

 
 
 
 
 
 
9  ANNEXES 

Annex 1: List of main EU policy documents adopted in the youth field 2022-2024, mutual 
learning activities and studies 

Commission Communications on youth/of youth relevance 2022-2024: 

➢  Commission  Recommendation  on  developing  and  strengthening  integrated  child 

protection systems in the best interests of the child, 23 April 2024 

➢  Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European 

Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Labour and skills 

shortages in the EU: an action plan, 20 March 2024 

➢  Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022, 10 January 2024 

➢  Commission Defence of Democracy package, 12 December 2023 

➢  Commission Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health, 7 June 

2023 

➢  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, 4 October 2022 

➢  Commission  Communication  on A  Digital  Decade  for  children  and  youth:  the  new 

European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+), 11 May 2022 

➢  Commission Communication on a European Strategy for Universities, 18 January 2022 

➢  Commission  Communication  A  long-term  vision  for  EU’s  rural  areas  –  towards 

stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040, 30 June 2021 

➢  Commission Communication -  EU Strategy on the rights of the child, 24 March 2021 

126 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Council Conclusions, Recommendations and Resolutions on youth/of youth relevance 2022-
2024 

➢  Resolution  of  the  Council  on  the  EU  Youth  Strategy  Workplan  2025-2027,    25 

November 2024 

➢  Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member 

States meeting within the Council on the outcomes of the 10th cycle of the EU Youth 

Dialogue, 10 December 2024 

➢  Conclusions  of  the  Council  and  of  the  representatives  of  the  governments  of  the 

Member States meeting within the Council on providing glocal opportunities for young 

people living in rural and remote areas, 10 December 2024 

➢  Council Conclusions on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022, 31 May 2024 

➢  Council Conclusions on inclusive societies for young people, 13 May 2024 

➢  Council Resolution on youth work policy in an empowering Europe, 13 May 2024 

➢  Council  Conclusions  on  the  European  and  international  policy  agendas  on  children, 

youth and children’s rights, 13 May 2024 

➢  Council  Conclusions  on  a  comprehensive  approach  to  the  mental  health  of  young 

people in the European Union, 30 November 2023 

➢  Council  Conclusions  on  promoting  youth  mainstreaming  in  policy  decision-making 

processes in the European Union, 20 November 2023 

➢  Council Conclusions on the social dimension of a sustainable Europe for youth, 26 May 

2023 

➢  Council Resolution on the revision of the EU Youth Strategy Work Plan 2022-2024 , 

26 May 2023 

➢  Council Resolution on the outcomes of the 9th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue, 26 

May 2023 

➢  Council Conclusions on promoting the intergenerational dimension in the youth field 

to foster dialogue and social cohesion, 29 December 2022 

➢  Council conclusions  on the Youth  Action Plan in EU  external action, 28  November 

2022 

127 

 
 
 
➢  Council Conclusions on Pathways to School Success, 28 November 2022 

➢  Council conclusions on supporting well-being in digital education, 28 November 2022 

➢  Council  Recommendation  on  learning  for  the  green  transition  and  sustainable 

development, 16 June 2022 

➢  Council Conclusions on the EU Strategy on the rights of the child, 09 June 2022 

➢  Council Conclusions on Fostering engagement among young people as actors of change 

in order to protect the environment, 12 April 2022 

➢  Council  Recommendation  on  the  mobility  of  young  volunteers  across  the  European 

Union, 5 April 2022 

➢  Council Recommendation on building bridges for effective European higher education 

cooperation, 5 April 2022 

Commission proposals  

➢  Commission  Proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  a  reinforced  Quality 

Framework for Traineeships, 20 March 2024 

➢  Commission Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on 
improving  and  enforcing  working  conditions  of  trainees  and  combating  regular 
employment  relationships  disguised  as  traineeships  (‘Traineeships  Directive’),  20 
March 2024 

Main mutual learning and knowledge gathering activities 2022-2024 in the field of youth 

Peer-learning  activity  supporting  Member  States  to  develop  solidarity,  volunteering,  civic 
service and mobility schemes for young people at national, regional or local level, 28-29 April 
2022 

Information  and  networking  event  on  the  EU  Youth  Test/Check  organised  by  the  Belgian 
Presidency on the Council of the European Union, 26 Avril 2023  

Mainstreaming youth policy event organised by the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the 
European Union, 19 June 2023 

Expert conference celebrating and evaluating the past ten cycles of the EU Youth Dialogue organised 
by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, 10 December 2024 

Main studies 2022-2024 

Youth Wiki network, Comparative report on Youth mainstreaming, youth impact assessment 
and youth checks, 2024 

Youth Wiki Network report on ‘The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health 
of young people’, 2022 

128 

 
 
 
 
 
Research report: Mapping age assurance typologies and requirements469, 19 April 2024 

Youth in External Action: Bridging policy and data: 
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC130554  

 Patchwork: mapping international data on youth: 
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128858 

Youth  Perspectives  in  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean;  Evidence  from  Latinobarómetro 
survey 

The RAY research network provides data and analysis on the EU youth programmes470. 

The EU-Council of Europe Youth partnership471 provides research and training materials on 
youth policy related topics. For the purpose of the EU school scheme review, three evaluation 
support studies were conducted to backup evaluation process472: 

European Commission,  Directorate-General  for Agriculture  and Rural  Development, 
Evaluation support study of the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme – Final 
report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022 

European Commission,  Directorate-General  for Agriculture  and Rural  Development, 
Complementary evaluation support study on the EU School fruit, vegetables and milk 
scheme – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023 

European Commission,  Directorate-General  for Agriculture  and Rural  Development, 
Synthesis  and  analysis  study  of  the  public  consultation  and  evaluation  reports  of 
Member States pertaining to the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme 2017-
2022 – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023 

Study on funding for EU rural areas, April 2024 

469 Research report: Mapping age assurance typologies and requirements 

470  Research-based analysis of European youth programmes | RAY (researchyouth.net) 
471 Youth research - Youth Partnership (coe.int) 
472 The Commission presented findings from the evaluation support study, public consultation and Eurobarometer 
520 during the conference ‘An EU school scheme fit for the future’, which took place in Brussels on 24 November 
2022. 

129 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 2: Policy dialogues with Commissioners 

Date 
3 February 2022 

7 April 2022 

17 May 2022 

24 May 2022 

13 June 2022 

Commissioner 
Executive  Vice-
President 
Margrethe Vestager  
Executive 
President 
Timmermans 

Vice-
Frans 

Commissioner 
Didier Reynders 

Commissioner 
Helena Dalli 

Commissioner 
Nicolas Schmit 

DG JUST 

DG EMPL 

21 June 2022 

Vice-President 
Margaritis Schinas 

DG COMM 

20 September 2022  Commissioner 
Thierry Breton 

21 September 2022  Commissioner 
Johannes Hahn 

26 September 2022  Commissioner 
Kadri Simson 

DG GROW 

DG BUDG 

DG ENER 

27 September 2022  Commissioner 
Elisa Ferreira 

DG REGIO 

28 September 2022  Maciej  Popowski 
(Acting  Director-
General, 
Neighbourhood and 
Enlargement 
Negotiations) 

11 October 2022 

25 October 2022 

Commissioner 
Mariya Gabriel 

Commissioner 
Mairead 
McGuinness 

DG NEAR 

DG EAC 

DG FISMA 

9 November 2022  Commissioner 
Adina Vălean 

DG MOVE 

DG 
DG COMP 

Topic  
Taking  competition  policy 
into the future  

DG CLIMA 

Sustainable  Consumption 
and Production 

DG JUST 

Right to repair initiative 

Strengthening  the  role  of 
equality bodies 

income 

Social  protection  for  all: 
minimum 
and 
beyond 
Our  European  Way  of  Life 
–  the  model  of  society  we 
stand for 
Entrepreneurship 

Financing 
priorities 

future 

EU 

How to ensure that Europe’s 
future energy independence 
is sustainable 
Addressing  brain  drain: 
retaining 
attracting 
and 
talents in EU regions 
Building  bridges  among 
communities 

Research  and  innovation  at 
school  -  the  role  of  young 
people 
Future  of  finance,  digital 
sustainable 
currency, 
finance,  access  to  finance 
for  vulnerable  groups  and 
finance literacy 
Jobs in Transport 

130 

 
 
15 November 2022  Commissioner 
Janez Lenarčič 

DG ECHO 

29 November 2022  Commissioner Jutta 

DG INTPA 

Urpilainen 

30 November 2022  Commissioner 
Paolo Gentiloni 

DG ECFIN 

change, 

and 
Climate 
humanitarian  action  and 
International  Humanitarian 
Law 
Building partnerships as the 
way 
in 
forward 
geopolitically  challenging 
times 
Measuring  what  matters: 
looking beyond GDP 

5 December 2022  VP Dubravca Šuica  SG 

Geography of Discontent 

6 December 2022  Vice-President 
Maroš Šefčovič 

DG CLIMA 

8 December 2022  High 

EEAS 

Representative  and 
VP Josep Borrell 

10 January 2023 

EVP 
Dombrovskis 

Valdis 

DG ECFIN 

DG HOME 

DG ENV 

23 January 2023 

25 January 2023 

31 January 2023 

Commissioner 
Ylva Johansson 

Commissioner 
Virginijus 
Sinkevičius 

Commissioner 
Janusz 
Wojciechowski 

the  Youth 

Innovations  for  the  Future 
of  Europe  –  the  voice  of 
youth 
Engaging 
in 
Global  Politics:  towards  a 
stronger  Europe 
a 
changing world 
Supporting  People  Now  & 
Repowering  our  Economy 
for the Future 
Protecting  young  people 
from organised crime 

in 

Sustainable  and  circular 
textiles 

DG AGRI 

Young people in agriculture 
and rural areas 

7 February 2023 

VP Věra Jourová 

SG 

22 February 2023  Commissioner 

DG SANTE 

Stella Kyriakides 

and 

freedom 
Media 
pluralism in the EU 
Towards  a  comprehensive 
approach to Mental Health 

131 

 
 
 
 
 
Annex3: List of Ambassador networks and stakeholders groups  

Name of the network 

Young 

All-Atlantic  Ocean  Youth  Ambassador 
Programme 
BIK Youth Ambassadors 
Bioeconomy Youth Ambassadors 
Black Sea Young Ambassadors 
BlueMed 
Ambassadors 
EU Children’s Participation 
Platform 
EU Climate Pact Ambassadors 
EU Youth Stakeholders Group 
European Digital Education Hub 
Horizon Europe Young Observers 

Communication 

Responsible  European  Commission 
department 
RTD 

CNECT 
RTD 
RTD 
RTD 

JUST 

CLIMA 
EAC 
EAC 
RTD 

Network of Young European Ambassadors on 
Holocaust Remembrance 
Overseas  Countries  and  Territories  (OCT) 
Youth Network 
Pool of Young Journalists in Europe 

JUST 

INTPA 

EAC 

Young Energy Ambassadors 

ENER/CINEA 

Young European Ambassadors (YEA)  
Youth Advisory structures in EU Delegations 
Youth Sounding Board  
Youth4Cooperation 
Ambassadors 
Youth4Ocean Forum 

Cross-Border 

NEAR 
EEAS, INTPA 
INTPA 
REGIO 

MARE 

132 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 4: Questionnaire for the Future National Activities Planners473  

Please choose the Member State you represent when replying to this questionnaire. 

□: Austria 
□ Belgium (Flemish Community) 
□ Belgium (French Community) 
□ Belgium (German-speaking Community)  
□ Bulgaria 
□ Croatia 
□ Cyprus 
□ Czechia 
□ Denmark 
□ Estonia 
□ Finland 
□ France 
□ Germany 
□ Greece 
□ Hungary 
□ Ireland 
□ Italy 
□ Latvia 
□ Lithuania 
□ Luxembourg 
□ Malta 
□ Netherlands 
□ Poland 
□ Portugal 
□ Romania 
□ Slovenia 
□ Slovakia 
□ Spain 
□ Sweden 

Please  indicate  the  national  ministry/department/service  you  represent  when  replying  to  this 
questionnaire. 

Section 1 - Your youth policy priorities in line with the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy 

 Please indicate which of the below are generally considered as the main challenges for 

1. 
young people in your country [please select maximum 3] 

□ Education and training 
□ Environment and climate change 
□ Digitalisation 
□ Inflation/Cost of living 
□ Mental health and well-being 
□ Physical health and well-being 
□ Peace and security 
□ Poverty and economic and social inequalities 

473 Published on EUSurvey - Welcome from 12 March 2024 to 17 July 2024. See the main findings in section 6. 
Cooperation needs at national level. 

133 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
□ Unemployment 
□ Youth participation in democratic life  
□ Democracy and the rule of law 
□ Other: [please specify, max 30 words]  

2.  Which European youth goals are particularly relevant considering your national youth policy 
priorities? [please select maximum 3]: 
. 

□ Youth Goal 1: Connecting EU with Youth 
□ Youth Goal 2: Equality of All Genders 
□ Youth Goal 3: Inclusive Societies 
□ Youth Goal 4: Information and Constructive Dialogue 
□ Youth Goal 5: Mental Health and Wellbeing 
□ Youth Goal 6: Moving Rural Youth Forward 
□ Youth Goal 7: Quality Employment for All 
□ Youth Goal 8: Quality Learning 
□ Youth Goal 9: Space and Participation for All 
□ Youth Goal 10: Sustainable Green Europe 
□ Youth Goal 11: Youth Organisations and European Programme 

[Optional] Please provide a few examples of on-going or planned actions for the selected 

3. 
youth goals [maximum 200 words] 

4.  Which are your current main national youth policy priorities? [please select maximum 3] 

□ Social inclusion 
□ Youth participation 
□ Youth work 
□ Non-formal and informal learning 
□ Learning mobility  
□ Volunteering 
□ Youth mainstreaming 
□ Other: [please specify, max 30 words] 

To what extent has the European Year of Youth 2022 or its legacy/follow-up influenced your current youth policy 

5. 
priorities? [please select 1 option] 

□ To a great extent 
□ To some extent 
□ Not at all 

[Optional] Please provide a few examples of how the European Year of Youth influenced your youth policy priorities 

6. 
[maximum 200 words] 

Section 2 - Your needs within the European cooperation context 

1.  ENGAGE 

On  which  topics  would  you  like  to  cooperate  in  a  European  context  under  the  core  area 
ENGAGE? [Please select maximum 3] 

□ Youth participation in democratic and social life, including innovative and alternative forms of 

youth participation  

134 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
□ EU Youth Dialogue: [+please select sub-topic(s):] 

□ communication, outreach, inclusion 
□ mechanisms for channelling recommendations and follow-up  
□ complementarity and synergies with other youth participation mechanisms 

□ Youth mainstreaming and involving stakeholders and young people in the development of 
policies 
□ Development and recognition of youth representation/representative youth structures 
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

Please  indicate  which  EU  cooperation  tool(s)  would  be  most  useful  to  support  your  work  on 
these topics [please select maximum 3] 

□ Evidence building/research 
□ Expert group, platform or roundtables at EU level 
□ Peer learning focused on policy development and on exchange of good practices, methods and 
tools 
□ Training and cooperation or networking activities under the programmes 
□ Peer counselling 
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

2.  CONNECT 

On  which  topics  would  you  like  to  cooperate  in  a  European  context  under  the  core  area 
CONNECT? [Please select maximum 3] 

□ Cross-border learning mobility, including volunteering 
□ Complementarity and synergies between EU and national programmes and schemes  
□ Implementation of the Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers across the 
EU  
□ Implementation of the Council Recommendation on ‘Europe on the Move – learning mobility 
opportunities for everyone’ 
□ Validation and recognition of competences gained through learning mobility, including 
volunteering 
□ Digitalisation and its impact on young people  
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

Please  indicate  which  EU  cooperation  tool(s)  would  be  most  useful  to  support  your  work  on 
these topics [please select maximum 3] 

□ Evidence building/research 
□ Expert group, platform or roundtables at EU level 
□ Peer learning focused on policy development and on exchange of good practices, methods and 
tools 
□ Training and cooperation or networking activities under the programmes 
□ Peer counselling 
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

3.  EMPOWER 
On  which  topics  would  you  like  to  cooperate  in  a  European  context  under  the  core  area 
EMPOWER? [please select maximum 3] 

□  
□ Implementation of the European Youth Work Agenda  
□ Complementarity and synergies with the work of the Council of Europe on youth work  
□ Youth worker education and training 
□ Grass root/local youth work development 
□ Recognition of youth work and non-formal and informal learning 
□ Youth information and support  

135 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

Please  indicate  which  EU  cooperation  tool(s)  would  be  most  useful  to  support  your  work  on 
these topics [please select maximum 3] 

□ Evidence building/research 
□ Expert group, platform or roundtables at EU level 
□ Peer learning focused on policy development and on exchange of good practices, methods and 
tools 
□ Training and cooperation or networking activities under the programmes 
□ Peer counselling 
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

4. YOUTH MAINSTREAMING AND CROSS-SECTOR COOPERATION 

How  would  you  like  to  use  EU  cooperation  in  the  youth  field  to  develop  your  work  on  youth 
mainstreaming and cross-sectoral cooperation?  

□ Peer learning [+ please select topics:]  

□ implementation of youth checks and/or other mainstreaming tools 
□ capacity building for youth mainstreaming, e.g. methods for policy makers to engage with 
young people and civil society organisations 
□ setting up youth advisory structures  
□ specific policy areas/topics, such as youth mental health and well-being, and other: [please 
specify maximum 3 policy areas/topics:] 
□ Expert group, platform or roundtables at EU level 
□ Training and cooperation or networking activities under the programmes  
□ Other: [please specify, maximum 30 words] 

5. TRANSVERSAL TOPICS FOR COOPERATION 

Would you also be interested to cooperate in a European context on the below topics:  

□ Communication and outreach to stakeholders, such as policy makers, civil society organisations, 
youth councils, platforms) on the EU Youth Strategy and its instruments and opportunities 
□ Communication and outreach to young people, especially focusing on  those harder to reach, on 
the EU Youth Strategy and its instruments and opportunities  
□ Monitoring and data on the EU Youth Strategy’s progress, youth policy developments and on the 
situation of young people 

6. FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR COOPERATION 

[Optional] Free text box for sharing your potential ideas and views on the outlook for European 
cooperation in the youth field and priorities to focus on in the cooperation in the future [maximum 
300 words]  

136 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 5: Questionnaire for the Youth survey on the views of young people on aspects of 
EU Youth Strategy474 

1.  How old are you? 

[SINGLE ANSWER] 
  15-19 
  20-24 
  25-29 

2.  In which country do you live? 
[SINGLE ANSWER] 

  EU Member State  

  Austria  
  Belgium  
  Bulgaria  
  Croatia  
  Cyprus  
  Czechia  
  Denmark  
  Estonia  
  Finland  
  France  
  Germany  
  Greece  
  Hungary  
 
Ireland  
 
Italy  
  Latvia  
  Lithuania  
  Luxembourg  
  Malta  
  Netherlands  
  Poland  
  Portugal  
  Romania  
  Slovak Republic  
  Slovenia  
  Spain  
  Sweden  

  Other country associated to the Erasmus+ Programme:  

 
Iceland 
  Liechtenstein 
  North Macedonia 
  Norway 

474 Published on the European Youth Portal from 27 May 2024 to 19 August 2024. See the main findings in 
section 2.1. Youth participation in society, sub-section “Youth survey on the views of young people on aspects 
of EU Youth Strategy” 

137 

 
 
 
 
  Serbia 
  Türkiye 

  Other [Please specify – 100 characters maximum] 

3.  Would you say you live in… 
[SINGLE ANSWER] 

 
 
 
 

A rural area or a village 
Small or medium-sized town 
Large town/city 
Capital city 

4.  Are you currently part of a youth organisation? (Youth organisations are generally understood 
to  be  led  by  young  people,  non-profit,  and  voluntary  associations.  They  work  for  example  on 
promoting young people's democratic rights, encouraging their social and political participation 
in community life, and offering opportunities for personal and social development through leisure 
activities, voluntary engagement and non-formal and informal learning. It can be for instance a 
youth council, a student association, a youth political organisation, etc.)  
[SINGLE ANSWER] 

  Yes [please specify which organisation(s) - 500 characters maximum] 
  No 

5.  To what extent do you feel you can have a say over policies and laws affecting young 

people…? 
In your country (ex. local, regional, national levels) 

- 

[Scoring 1-5, visualised through 5 stars; 1 not at all – 5 to a large extent] 

-  At EU level 

[Scoring 1-5, visualised through 5 stars; 1 not at all – 5 to a large extent] 

6.  According to you, to what extent are youth organisations included in policy making...   
- 

In your country (ex. local, regional, national levels) 

[Scoring 1-5, visualised through 5 stars; 1 not at all – 5 to a large extent] 

-  At EU level 

[Scoring 1-5, visualised through 5 stars; 1 not at all – 5 to a large extent] 

7.  The EU organises policy dialogues between young people and European Commissioners to 
provide  opportunities  to  exchange  on  key  topics  and  initiatives.  For  the  future  policy 
dialogues, which topics do you think would be the most relevant? 
[You may select up to three] 

  Education and training, including learning mobility 
  Environment, sustainability and climate change 
  Digitalisation and artificial intelligence 
 
  Physical and mental health and well-being 
  Peace and security 
  Migration 

Inflation/Cost of living 

138 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International cooperation and European values 

 
  Poverty and economic and social inequalities 
  Unemployment/Employment opportunities/Apprenticeships 
  Youth participation in democratic life  
  Democracy and the rule of law 
  Other: [please specify, 250 characters maximum]  

8.  The EU Youth Dialogue is a dialogue mechanism between young people and decision makers 
taking place within the EU Youth Strategy and is organised in 18-month cycles. Have you ever 
heard about the EU Youth Dialogue? 
[SINGLE ANSWER] 
  Yes, I heard about it and I participated [Please specify which ones, and mention whether this 

was at national or EU level - maximum 500 characters] 

  Yes, I heard about it but I have never participated  
  No 
 

I don’t remember  

➢  Question 9 to appear only if the reply to 8 was “Yes I heard about it and participated” 

9.  Where did you first hear about the EU Youth Dialogue? 

[SINGLE ANSWER] 
  School 
  National youth council 
  European Youth Portal 
  Social Media 
  Friends 
  Other: [please specify, 250 characters maximum] 

10.  The 11 European Youth Goals* which are an integral part of the EU Youth Strategy were 
developed by young people through the EU Youth Dialogue. To what extent do you feel the 11 
Youth Goals address the concerns of young people?  
(*The 11 European Youth Goals are: Connecting EU with Youth, Equality of All Genders, Inclusive 
Societies, Information & Constructive Dialogue, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Moving Rural Youth 
Forward,  Quality  Employment  for  All,  Quality  Learning,  Space  and  Participation  for  All, 
Sustainable Green Europe, Youth Organisations & European Programmes) 

[Scoring 1-5, visualised through 5 stars; 1 not at all – 5 to a large extent] 

11.  If you were to propose a 12th Youth Goal, what would it be? 

[Optional] 
[Open text, 250 characters maximum] 

12.  If you had the chance to spend time studying, training or learning in another country, what 

would you prioritise? 
[You may select up to two] 

  Connect with other young Europeans  

139 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Develop skills (knowledge and soft skills, such as adaptation to new environment, self-

reliance, teamwork, social skills, etc.) 

  Learn about Europe and its diversity and/or cultural heritage  
  Learn and practice other languages 
 
  Other [please mention, 250 characters maximum] 

Increase your future job opportunities 

13.  A recent evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy recommends that the youth perspective should 
be strengthened when addressing challenges such as digitalisation and artificial intelligence 
(AI). Which statement best describes your attitude towards AI? 
[You may select up to two] 

  AI is already part of our daily lives and we will have even more opportunities to use it in the 

future  

  AI is a useful tool but needs to be human-centred and well safe-guarded 
  AI will put machines above humans and is dangerous 
  AI will take over our jobs and therefore increase unemployment 
 
 

I have never used AI and have no opinion 
I do not know 

14.  How  do  you  usually  react  when  you  come  across  news  or  information  that  you  believe 

misrepresent reality or is even false? 
[Several options allowed] 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

I check the accuracy of the news in another source (fact-checking website, social or traditional 
media, scientific, etc) 
I check the accuracy of the news with my family 
I check the accuracy of the news with teachers, educators, youth workers, etc. 
I check the accuracy of the news with other young people (friends, peers, etc.)  
I share on my own social media to check if others have seen it 
I alert other people about the false information 
I comment to flag that it is fake 
I ignore the news or information and do not think about it any longer 
I rarely or never come across news or information that I believe misrepresent reality or is even 
false 
I do not know 

15.   Youth  work  covers  a  wide  variety  of  social,  cultural,  educational,  environmental  and/or 
political activities by, with and for young people. Youth work is done outside of the formal 
education environment and supports young people’s personal development, social integration 
and active citizenship. Examples include leisure-time activities, activities of youth centres, and 
political activism. In your view, youth work is useful to…  
[You may select up to two] 

 

Improve informal skills (such as teamwork, leadership, intercultural interactions, critical 
thinking…) 

  Facilitate young people’s inclusion in society 
  Facilitate young people’s participation in decision-making 
  Learn about universal values such as human rights, gender equality, democracy, peace, 

pluralism. 

  Engage with others in recreational/cultural/social activities 

140 

 
 
 
 
 
 
I don’t know youth work 

 
  Other (please specify) 

16.  If you could take an action in support of a cause that you care about, in what area would it 

be?  
[You may select up to three] 

Inflation/Cost of living 

  Education and training, including learning mobility 
  Environment, sustainability and climate change 
  Digitalisation and artificial intelligence 
 
  Physical and mental health and well-being 
  Peace and security 
  Migration 
 
  Poverty and economic and social inequalities 
  Unemployment/Employment opportunities/Apprenticeships 
  Youth participation in democratic life  
  Democracy and the rule of law 
  Other: [please specify, 250 characters maximum]  

International cooperation and European values 

➢  Question 17 to appear only if the reply to 4 was Yes. 

17. Please give two or three short examples of youth-led initiatives/actions in which you or your 
organisation  have  been  involved.  (Possible  examples  are  campaigns,  petitions,  projects, 
debates, etc.) 
[Optional – open text – 2500 characters maximum]  

141