Youth policy: Youth in action programme for 2007-2013

On 14 July 2004, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council creating the “YOUTH IN ACTION” programme for the period 2007-2013 (please refer to the Commission’s initial proposal). To recall, the new "Youth in Action" Programme - successor to the current YOUTH Programme - consists of five separate and mutually complementary strands and is aimed at providing young people in the participating countries with opportunities for group exchanges and voluntary work, as well as at reinforcing cooperation and supporting a range of activities in the youth field. By these means, the Programme is intended to foster a greater sense of active citizenship and responsibility among young people, to encourage young people's initiative, enterprise and creativity, to promote mutual understanding between young people in different countries and, at the same time, to stimulate recognition of the value of informal education acquired within a European context.

The amended proposal integrates all the modifications adopted by the Council on its political agreement of 15 November 2005 (refer to Council activities 15/11/2005).

Furthermore, the Commission’s proposal integrates a new financial allocation in line with the financial perspectives (EUR 885 million) and as a result of this has integrated a new age bracket in the programme.

On 25 October 2005, the European Parliament adopted 68 amendments. The Commission considers that a large number of the European Parliament's amendments are acceptable in full, in principle or in part, as they improve its proposal and maintain the aims and political viability of the proposal. The Commission can accept, in full or in part, the following amendments:

§         Inclusion of the reference of equality and antidiscrimination;

§         Details the different forms of discrimination;

§         Inclusion of the principle of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

§         Inclusion of a reference to tolerance and diversity);

§         Inclusion of a reference to linguistic diversity);

§         Inclusion of an additional paragraph concerning the participation of young people in democratic life; Stresses the importance of taking into account young people with disabilities;

§         Inclusion of an additional paragraph concerning the informal learning and active citizenship;

§         Improvement of the concept of youth workers);

§         Inclusion of the local and regional dimension;

§         Describe in a more detailed way the objectives of Action 5 (Support for European cooperation in the youth field;

§         Stresses that the main target 15 to 28 years old;

§         Inclusion of consultation of stakeholders in the evaluation of the programme;

§         Inclusion of a reference to local actions and the principle of proportionality;

§         Inclusion of minimum financial thresholds for each action of the programme;

§         Covers the preparatory activities designed prepare young people to participate in projects;

§         Indicates that EVS project can take place from local to international levels;

§         Stresses that the measure 3.1 is open to all countries which are included in the neighbourhood policy + Russian Federation and Western Balkans countries;

§         Inclusion of deadline for the contracts procedures;

§         Inclusion of the European Youth Week in action 5.