On Monday 24 March, the European Commission published its second report on the implementation of the EU’s youth strategy (2019-2027). Issued every three years, this document provides both an overview of the living conditions of young people in the European Union and an assessment of the progress made in the areas of education, employment, civic participation and well-being.
According to this latest report, which covers the period 2022-2024, the European Year of Youth (see EUROPE 13165/9) - the aim of which in 2022 was to highlight the role of young people in “building a better future: greener, more inclusive and more digital” - has led to progress in mobilising and involving young people in democratic life.
The Commission’s policy guidelines for 2024-2029 follow the same approach, with the aim of encouraging young people to participate in European decision-making processes on a long-term basis.
In this respect, the creation of an advisory committee of young people within the Commission Presidency and the launch of annual dialogues between Commissioners and young people appear to be two major tools for taking greater account of their concerns, according to the Commission.
In addition, four priority areas for action were identified following consultations with young people and stakeholders: mental health, education and skills, employment and social protection, and access to housing.
As regards mental health, with an approach linked to digital issues (the effects of social media, excessive screen time and cyberbullying), the Commission is proposing specific measures to promote the psychological well-being of young people through a cross-cutting approach.
In addition, a strengthening of the Erasmus+ programme, a strategic plan for education in science and technology disciplines (STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and an action plan on basic skills will address issues relating to education and skills.
The Commission will also be working to improve the integration of young people into the labour market on the basis of a new action plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Finally, to remedy the housing crisis, the Commission wants to tackle the structural factors, calling for a global response to enable fair access to affordable housing.
In parallel with the publication of the report, the Commission launched an online debate on the Citizens’ Engagement Platform (https://aeur.eu/f/g3u ) and shared data from the latest Eurobarometer survey on youth (https://aeur.eu/f/g3r ).
According to the survey, 61% of young Europeans say they are optimistic about the future of the EU, 65% say they are satisfied with the way European democracy works, while the cost of living, world peace and security are among their main concerns.
For the first hundred days of its mandate, the Commission also organised ‘youth policy dialogues’, meetings between its commissioners and small groups of young people.
These results will guide future youth policies and feed into the reflections for the next post-2027 strategy.
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/g3x (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)