Securing the future of youth in the EU has emerged as one of the big topics in the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE). The European Youth Forum presents how the Conference organisers can act on citizens’ recommendations and deliver on their commitments to lift up all young people, writes Frédéric Piccavet.
Frédéric Piccavet is the vice president of the European Youth Forum, a platform that brings together over 100 youth organisations from across Europe and represents millions of young people.
For many, the CoFoE has often seemed like a long and overly complex process. After nearly a full year of panels, working groups, plenary sessions, and a new digital platform to navigate, keeping track of the many debates and outcomes has not been straightforward.
However, if the Conference has fallen a little off the radar, now is the time to pay attention. The European citizens that participated directly in the Conference had adopted 178 recommendations, which are now in the hands of the Conference organisers. In the coming weeks, they must agree on the final outcome.
The issues addressed in the citizen’s recommendations are likely to resonate with most Europeans. Social inequalities, unemployment and respect for democracy all grabbed the panels’ attention in the discussions; topics that also featured prominently in the recent Special Eurobarometer on the Future of Europe.
Young people in particular, have a lot at stake when it comes to how Europe choses to respond to these recommendations. From tackling youth unemployment to improving youth participation in society, here are some of the crucial discussions to keep an eye on.
Addressing youth unemployment
The transition from education to the labour market is a challenge millions of young people in Europe are facing every day. For an early school leaver, a high school graduate or even for those finishing university or college, taking that first step into working life is far from straightforward.
Youth unemployment skyrocketed during the pandemic and, despite being down to 14% this year, it is still more than double the unemployment rate of the general EU population. Combining these circumstances with the rise in platform work, temporary contracts and precarious working conditions means that there is a lot to be overcome.
This was identified as a challenge by the European citizens, who recommended that the EU prepare plans to minimise the impact of crises on young people’s studies, vocational training, mental wellbeing, and transition to the labour market.
This recommendation resonates with the call of youth organisations for governments to implement the reinforced Youth Guarantee, improve outreach, and ensure that every young person is offered a good quality offer of employment or education within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education.
Increasing Participation in European Democracy
The citizens that participated in the Conference did not mince their words when discussing the state of European democracy. They highlighted the extent to which young people in particular are alienated from politics and concluded that they are often not taken seriously when they are included in policy-making.
Indeed, encouraging young people’s active participation in democratic processes is often seen as a key challenge. The Conference’s participants correctly identified an urgent need to strengthen the connection between European institutions and the people they represent and increase their accountability.
This has long been an issue of concern for Europe’s youth organisations, who have been recommending new participatory approaches to decision-making. The European Youth Forum has been promoting a Youth Test – a consultative approach to assessing the impact that new European legislation could have on young people.
Many campaigners have also been calling on member states to allow 16-year-old Europeans to vote in elections – an increasing trend among EU countries.
Paving the path to a just society
Another set of recommendations focused on ending discrimination and enabling every young person to reach their potential, regardless of where they are coming from. The citizens suggested promoting mutual recognition of professional degrees and training between EU countries.
By additionally recognising non-formal education and informal learning, and the youth organisations that provide it, the EU could make mobility a true opportunity for all young people and provide important support for youth organisations across Europe.
Another recommendation was providing incentives for companies that meet the set criteria on the inclusion of different age groups, women, and minorities, and qualification programmes for young people and social groups that suffer from discrimination.
All of these proposals reinforce the message that investing in the future of young people is beneficial for society at large, not just the individual young people who may gain from any concrete initiative.
A Test of Political Commitment
The citizens’ panels were selected to reflect the EU’s diversity, across geographic origins, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds. One-third of each panel was comprised of young people, aged 16-25.
In comparison, when the European Parliament was elected in 2019, only three MEPs were under 25, and the average age in the European Parliament was 50.
This gap in age and representation is not invisible to young people. Europe’s younger generation often wonders if its political representatives share the same daily experiences: struggling to save for a future home, working in the gig economy with no security or social rights, marching for climate justice and for gender equality.
While the Conference’s efforts to include young people in European politics have been a great step forward in rectifying the usual lack of representation, stopping here will not suffice.
What’s next?
The Conference is now reaching the crucial point, where decision makers’ credibility will be tested according to their willingness to deliver real change that citizens want to see.
Building on the citizens’ recommendations, it is now time for the Conference’s organisers to assess, review, and internalise the recommendations, based on open discussions with all the participants.
What comes next could affect all of us. The Conference’s legacy could be a testament to Europe’s commitment to its next generation, and proof that the institutions are carving out space for young people.
But if the organisers are not able to show real change, this will be a clear sign for Europe’s youngest that they are not being heard.
Source: euractiv.com
