On Monday 17 May, the European Ministers for Education and Youth adopted conclusions intended to strengthen the role that young people play in decision-making processes.
Portuguese Education Minister Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, who chaired the meeting, told the press that the aim of these conclusions is to ensure that all young people, irrespective of their social background, have the same powers and opportunities to participate and be involved in these processes:
“this participation is not only significant for the quality of youth policies, but also for all other cross-cutting policies that impact young people”, he insisted.
In its conclusions, the EU Council believes it is important to support the development of youth representation at all levels and to “recognise the right of young people to self-organise”. It is therefore calling on Member States to develop sustainable structures in this regard.
The European Commissioner for Youth, Mariya Gabriel, also gave assurances that the Commission was “fully committed – with [its] expertise and with [its] resources – to helping all policy makers involve young people in the decisions that impact them at all levels of public policy”. She also invited the youth of Europe to take part in the upcoming debates to be held at the Conference on the Future of Europe (see EUROPE 12716/1).
Gabriel announced that a European youth coordinator, who would be a “visible contact point for young people” at EU level, would take up their post next month. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)