Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council reviewing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue
Date: 2025-05-12
Institutions: Council of the European Union, Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
Subjects: EU strategy, European cooperation, education policy, governance, political participation, social dialogue (EU), social participation, young person, youth movement, youth policy








C_202503130EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/3130


2.6.2025






Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council reviewing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue
(C/2025/3130)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

UNDERLINE THAT:









1.


In light of the ongoing dynamic challenges young people are facing in the European Union, and taking into account the European Commission’s report on the interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy (1) and the recommendations from the previous cycles of the EU Youth Dialogue, there is a growing need to review the Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council establishing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue (2).












2.


The Commission Communication on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 (3), its report on the interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy (4), and the Council conclusions on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 (5) all emphasise the need to give a stronger voice to young people and ensure that they can shape the present and future of the European Union. The EU Youth Dialogue is a fundamental mechanism for doing so in the European context.












3.


The continued relevance and impact of the EU Youth Dialogue are critical to advancing the Union’s goals of inclusivity, cohesion and democratic engagement (6). The EU Youth Dialogue should remain meaningful, adaptable, responsive and aligned with the changing needs and aspirations of young people, thereby reinforcing the EU’s commitment to fostering active, engaged and empowered young people across Europe.












4.


The EU Youth Dialogue is a major youth participation mechanism in the EU, and could be an inspiration worldwide. Key elements of the mechanism include direct dialogue between young people, civil society organisations, international non-governmental youth organisations and researchers on the one hand and decision-makers representing all levels on the other, consultation of young people on topics relevant to them, and continuous partnership in the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue process at all levels. With regard to the implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue and in line with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (7), the European Youth Goals should continue to serve ‘as inspiration and provide an orientation for the EU, its Member States and their relevant stakeholders and authorities’ (8).












5.


The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 specifies a number of aspects framing the implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue:






a)


building on past experiences,










b)


aiming for a clearer and leaner process,










c)


preferably following 18-month work cycles,










d)


setting one thematic priority per cycle,










e)


following its work plan,










f)


providing flexibility with regard to the actors taking part in the governance and implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue,










g)


continuously following up and monitoring quality outcomes and the impact of the whole process,










h)


recognising the role of National Working Groups, which are the entities at Member State level tasked with organising consultations, and with promoting and contributing to the impact on the dialogue with youth (9). In accordance with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, ‘Member States are encouraged to enable youth participation in all phases of implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue by giving, inter alia, a leading role in the National Working Groups to the National Youth Council’ (10).
















6.


The European Commission’s interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 highlights the need to strengthen communication on the EU Youth Dialogue, including through mutual learning activities, youth mainstreaming, and monitoring. It also emphasises the need to safeguard the progress on inclusion, ensuring that efforts continue to address this important aspect of the dialogue.












7.


The European Commission’s interim evaluation points out that a key area for attention is to further develop and support a process to channel recommendations from the EU Youth Dialogue to relevant stakeholders at all levels. This also includes ensuring mechanisms for informing participants and stakeholders on follow-up at all levels.












8.


The future Youth Advisory Board of the President of the European Commission is a new initiative. It will advise on issues that matter to young people and their peers in their community and act as a sounding board for ideas developed by the Commission. When designing the Board and its missions, its possible connections with the EU Youth Dialogue should be considered so that the members of the Youth Advisory Board could relay the messages of young people and the results of the EU Youth Dialogue at the EU’s highest political level.












9.


It is necessary to ensure greater transparency and effectiveness of the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue by clearly defining the roles of all stakeholders, and by strengthening their cooperation and responsibility for implementing the Trio Presidency priorities.












10.


The Commission communication ‘Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’ (11) and the Resolutions of the Council on the results of the cycles of the EU Youth Dialogue and the European Commission's interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy could serve as guiding documents for anyone involved in the EU Youth Dialogue.





AIM TO:









11.


Strengthen and improve the EU Youth Dialogue in the coming years by developing and implementing practical measures to address the process’s main challenges. This should include:






a)


developing an approach towards providing regular feedback at EU, national, regional and local level to young people and youth organisations on the outcomes of the EU Youth Dialogue process and follow-up activities in order to ensure meaningful dialogue and youth participation at all levels. This should include a reflection on how more concrete outcomes could be reached within the process, for example by better aligning the EU Youth Dialogue with the European Commission's work programme and policy agenda by focussing on selected concrete (joint) implementation measures;










b)


creating a common communication strategy for the EU Youth Dialogue to ensure the sustainable dissemination of transparent and youth-friendly information in all phases of the process.
















12.


Pursue the objective of strengthening the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue, in particular by focusing on the actors involved, their roles, the organisational framework within which their activities take place and the governance-related implementation issues, while at the same time recognising the important role that the EU youth sector plays in the EU Youth Dialogue’s organisational framework (12).












13.


Enhance the accessibility and quality of the EU Youth Dialogue to ensure the inclusive participation of young people in all their diversity, strengthen cooperation among Member States, and enhance the implementation and monitoring of youth-related initiatives.












14.


In the context of the enlargement process, explore how to engage further with young people from candidate countries and potential candidates in the EU Youth Dialogue, where appropriate.





CONSIDER THAT:









15.


The Trio Presidency should take the lead role in steering the implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue. This process is carried out in close cooperation with the Member States, the European Commission, National Working Groups, the European Youth Forum, and other representatives of youth civil society as well as National Agencies (13), where appropriate. To ensure effective coordination, the Trio Presidency should organise this work through the European Steering Group.












16.


The European Steering Group serves as the governance platform for the EU Youth Dialogue. Its members include representatives of the Trio Presidency and their youth representatives from the National Working Groups, preferably via the National Youth Councils, as well as the European Commission and the European Youth Forum. Other relevant stakeholders, such as National Agencies, researchers, experts, and representatives of the previous and the upcoming Trio Presidency could also participate in the European Steering Group at the invitation of the Trio Presidency.












17.


The role of the European Steering Group is to:






a)


provide overall guidance for the EU Youth Dialogue, covering matters such as the cycle’s thematic priority, ensuring continuity within and across cycles, consultation instruments, implementation activities and events relevant for the process, including the EU Youth Conferences;










b)


provide input, tools and support where appropriate, with a view to ensuring the high quality of the EU Youth Dialogue and thematic consistency within each cycle;










c)


cooperate effectively with the National Working Groups by providing guidelines, tools and support, including facilitating regular exchanges where appropriate, with a view to ensuring the high-quality implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue;










d)


ensure that a participatory evaluation of the cycle is carried out, monitored, followed up and used, ensure the wide dissemination of the evaluation, and provide support for the monitoring and follow-up of the EU Youth Dialogue’s outcomes across policy areas affecting young people;










e)


ensure a qualitative and evidence-based approach to the implementation and management of the EU Youth Dialogue with the support of researchers;










f)


contribute to ensuring the preservation of the institutional memory of the EU Youth Dialogue in cooperation with the European Commission and the European Youth Forum;










g)


facilitate a smooth transition to the next Trio Presidency;










h)


consider the outcomes and recommendations of previous cycles of the EU Youth Dialogue related to improving its governance, where appropriate;










i)


explore methods for strengthening the evaluation, monitoring and follow-up of the EU Youth Dialogue and its outcomes at all levels;










j)


cover any other aspects that the Trio Presidency, in consultation with the Member States and youth representatives, might deem appropriate.
















18.


In order to ensure the transparent and smooth functioning of the European Steering Group of the cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue and support the preservation of the institutional memory, the Trio Presidency should prepare a working document and an explanatory note, setting out the objectives and themes of the EU Youth Dialogue and specifying the roles of all actors involved in the European Steering Group, as well as all operational tasks and working methods.












19.


The role of National Working Groups is to:






a)


implement the consultation on the EU Youth Dialogue at local, regional and national level;










b)


effectively communicate the objectives and priorities of the EU Youth Dialogue to young people and decision-makers and actively promote them at local, regional and national level;










c)


raise awareness of the EU Youth Dialogue and how to participate at local, regional, national level;










d)


stimulate active participation of the youth sector in the EU Youth Dialogue at local, regional and national level;










e)


ensure that under-represented groups of young people, including those with fewer opportunities, are involved in the EU Youth Dialogue at local, regional and national level;










f)


contribute to the implementation of the outcomes of the EU Youth Dialogue, including communicating the recommendations from the EU Youth Dialogue consultation to relevant actors at local, regional and national level;










g)


prepare the youth delegates for the EU Youth Conference, including by providing them with tailored training on the values and functioning of the EU as well as the specificity of the EU Youth Dialogue and the EU Youth Conference in order to give them a good understanding of their role and prepare them for the topics under discussion so that they can contribute to these discussions in an informed manner;










h)


engage, in line with the EU rules and national circumstances, in the process of application for, management of and reporting on the EU grant for implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue at local, regional and national level.
















20.


National Working Groups should:






a)


provide a key role to young people, typically represented through the National Youth Council, to ensure that the EU Youth Dialogue is youth-led;










b)


decide on the configuration and operational procedures that best suit their needs in accordance with their Member States’ specificities and the relevant EU Youth Strategy provisions;










c)


contribute to the fulfilment of each EU Youth Dialogue cycle’s objectives;










d)


ensure an adequate representation of young people in all their diversity in all phases of the EU Youth Dialogue (14);










e)


be nominated in line with national rules and circumstances by the Member States ahead of each grant period at the request of the European Commission;










f)


be supported, where appropriate, by the National Agencies who can, inter alia, provide information about, and promote participation in, the objectives of the EU Youth Dialogue, including to under-represented groups, and foster synergies with the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes;










g)


cooperate with the Commission in developing and making use of the guidelines on a systemic approach to monitoring and disseminating the EU Youth Dialogue outcomes at local, regional and national level.
















21.


The role of the youth delegates is to:






a)


participate actively in the European Youth Conferences in order to speak on behalf of young people in their country, building on the findings of the national consultations and their preparation by the National Youth Council;










b)


participate, when necessary and possible, in the National Working Groups and in national events related to the EU Youth Dialogue;










c)


contribute at national, regional and local level to the promotion of the EU Youth Dialogue and to knowledge about this process among their peers, including by sharing what was discussed at the European Youth Conferences;










d)


contribute, when representing international non-governmental youth organisations, to the EU Youth Dialogue by actively bringing perspectives from young people, their organisations and their specific fields of action into the discussions.
















22.


The role of the European Commission is to:






a)


ensure the preservation of the institutional memory of the EU Youth Dialogue, including its archives, in close cooperation with the European Youth Forum and based on input provided by the European Steering Group;










b)


ensure a smooth onboarding process for the incoming Trio Presidency, and the transfer of knowledge between cycles, in cooperation with the European Youth Forum;










c)


provide support and guidance to National Working Groups on the communication of the EU Youth Dialogue, such as its visual identity, communication products and plans, so as to ensure that both the process and the outcomes are widely recognised and disseminated;










d)


contribute to an evidence-based implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue by strengthening and streamlining the role of the researchers, including exploring how they can contribute to the evaluation, follow-up and monitoring of the EU Youth Dialogue;










e)


seek synergies between the EU Youth Dialogue and other EU initiatives and participatory mechanisms in order to increase their effectiveness and strengthen youth participation;










f)


communicate and raise awareness of the EU Youth Dialogue and in particular its outcomes, at EU level, including through the European Youth Portal and the Commission Youth Network of youth correspondents;










g)


support, through EU grants, the National Working Groups and the Trio Presidency in their activities related to the EU Youth Dialogue;










h)


increase the alignment between the EU Youth Dialogue and the European Commission work programme and policy agenda with a view to strengthening the impact of the EU Youth Dialogue, while respecting the principle of the EU Youth Dialogue as a youth-led process;










i)


develop, with the involvement of National Working Groups, guidelines on a unified and systemic approach to monitoring and disseminating the EU Youth Dialogue outcomes at all levels.
















23.


The role of the European Youth Forum is to:






a)


contribute to ensuring the preservation of the institutional memory of the EU Youth Dialogue, including its archives, in close cooperation with the European Commission and based on input provided by the European Steering Group;










b)


support the European Commission in ensuring a smooth onboarding for the incoming Trio Presidency, and the transfer of knowledge between cycles;










c)


offer support and advice to National Working Groups and the National Youth Councils;










d)


effectively communicate the objectives and priorities of the EU Youth Dialogue to young people and decision-makers and actively promote them at EU level;










e)


communicate the outcomes of the EU Youth Dialogue consultation through its networks and appropriate channels.
















24.


In order to ensure predictability in the way the EU Youth Dialogue unfolds in each 18-month work cycle, the Presidency should inform the Youth Working Party and the National Working Groups, in a timely manner, about the organisation and functioning of the European Steering Group, progress on the EU Youth Dialogue’s implementation and anything else that may be pertinent to the aspects mentioned in the above 23 paragraphs.





COMMIT TO:









25.


Establish in close cooperation with the European Commission a secretariat of the EU Youth Dialogue within the European Youth Forum in order to enhance the effectiveness and governance of the EU Youth Dialogue and to ensure that it is a meaningful, youth-led process. The tasks of the secretariat could include supporting the institutional memory, capacity-building, ensuring coherence and knowledge transfer across cycles, facilitating communication, and improving the systematic follow-up of outcomes. In order to maximise its effectiveness, the secretariat should work in close synergy with the European Commission, the Trio Presidencies, the European Steering Group, Member States and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring a structured, transparent and coordinated approach to the implementation of the EU Youth Dialogue.












26.


Revise this Resolution in line with the future EU Youth Strategy after 2027 in order to adjust it to possible new developments and needs, with a focus on ensuring that youth participation remains a cornerstone of European youth policy development.






(1)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, COM(2024) 162 final.

(2)  Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council establishing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue - European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027, OJ C 189, 5.6.2019, p. 1–3.

(3)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the European Year of Youth 2022, COM(2024) 1 final.

(4)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, COM(2024) 162 final.

(5)  Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on the legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022, OJ C, C/2024/3543, 31.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/3543/oj.

(6)  Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union.

(7)  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, OJ C 456, 18.12.2018, p. 1–22.

(8)  European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (point 3, third paragraph), OJ C 456, 18.12.2018, p. 2.

(9)  See the annual work programme for the implementation of Erasmus+, the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, Commission reference C(2024) 7026, 11 October 2024.

(10)  EU Youth Strategy, p. 9 (Annex I, point 4, third paragraph).

(11)  9264/18 + ADD 1-8, COM(2018) 269 final + SWD(2018) 168 and 169 final.

(12)  The ‘EU youth sector’ generally refers to all organisations, youth workers, members of academia, youth civil society and other experts involved in youth policy development that carry out youth-relevant activities and projects in the EU.

(13)  
            ‘National Agency’ means one or more bodies in charge of managing the implementation of the Erasmus+ Programme and the European Solidarity Corps programme at national level in a Member State or in a third country associated with the Programme.

(14)  Ibid. footnote 9.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3130/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)