The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

The European Parliament adopted by 477 votes to 124, with 66 abstentions, a resolution on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027.

Implementation and policy coherence of the EU Youth Strategies

Parliament welcomed the achievements of the 2019-2027 EUYS in providing a coherent framework for youth policy cooperation and ensuring the visibility of youth priorities across political cycles. It stressed the need to maintain a high-level, adaptable framework built around the core EUYS areas (Engage, Connect, Empower) post-2027, that enhances the capacity of young people to navigate the digital environment safely, critically and responsibly, and gives a more prominent role to inclusion, volunteering and youth work.

The development of the 11 European Youth Goals through the EU Youth Dialogue has been an important milestone in youth policy. However, Members believe that these goals must be reevaluated and updated regularly, through an open, transparent and inclusive process, ensuring the broadest possible participation of young people. This process should embed new societal realities and cross-cutting issues affecting young people in order to reflect economic, technological and security challenges, including disinformation, mental health and media literacy, as well as climate change, social inequalities and civic participation.

Youth mainstreaming across the Union and policy areas

Parliament welcomed recent Commission efforts to develop youth mainstreaming, in particular the introduction of the EU Youth Coordinator, whose role should be strengthened and expanded to ensure influence across directorates-general and meaningful regulatory scrutiny of youth-relevant initiatives.

The Commission is invited to:

- ensure the meaningful consultation of young people throughout the entire policy cycle and to report on how their contributions are taken into account when consulted on concrete legislative, policy or programme actions;

- implement the ‘youth check’ systematically in every directorate-general, with designated minimum standards and transparency throughout the policy cycle, designating concrete legislative files as youth-relevant in its annual work programme;

- integrate the ‘youth check’ as a specific instrument in the better regulation toolbox;

- ensure accessibility, transparency and inclusiveness of the Youth Policy Dialogues with Commissioners and their systematic integration into policy actions.

Youth participation and inclusion

Parliament emphasised that young people should be recognised as important stakeholders in policymaking and ensure that the principle of inclusion and equality is embedded within their national and regional youth strategies. It advocated combatting inequality, marginalisation, and radicalisation, particularly in rural areas, and for improving access to education, employment, housing, culture, and services.

Members called on the Commission and Member States to:

- intensify targeted support, policy coordination and enhanced monitoring in Member States facing structural youth unemployment;

- support the integration of young people into the labour market by promoting access to stable and quality jobs;

- strengthen vocational education and training (VET), including dual learning systems and work-based training;

- promote quality and fairly remunerated traineeships that are accessible to all young people;

- support affordable and sustainable housing solutions for young people, including students;

- encourage the promotion of youth entrepreneurship.

Members stressed the need to better understand the impact of technological developments, including AI, on youth employment and to support the development of required skills, notably by integrating AI into education and training programs, in order to prepare young people for the job market in the digital age.

Health and well-being

Parliament is concerned about the increasing difficulties faced by young people due to the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, excessive use of social media, socio-economic insecurity, war and conflict, social isolation and environmental factors.

Members stressed the need for a cross-sectoral approach and for the inclusion in the next EU youth strategy of sustainable public health interventions, educational support, and local initiatives to address these challenges, while also tackling unhealthy lifestyles that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups. They called for enhanced online protection for young people, emphasised the importance of accessible and affordable mental health services, and reiterated the importance of sport and physical activity in promoting physical and mental well-being and combating rising rates of obesity, addiction, and violence.

Youth participation and inclusion in EU programmes

Parliament called on the Commission to align the post-2027 EUYS with new programmes under the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), such as Erasmus+, AgoraEU, Horizon Europe, the European Social Fund+, etc, in cooperation with young people, in order to ensure coherence, promote synergies and broaden opportunities for youth participation across the EU.

Lastly, Parliament called on the Commission and Member States to strengthen digital skills and media education across all forms of formal, non-formal and informal learning, with a view to fostering critical thinking, combating disinformation, promoting safe, responsible and inclusive online behaviour and preventing cyberbullying.