For a cross-cutting and inclusive youth policy

The Greens in the CoR led the way in calling for all EU policies to include a youth perspective. As the European Year of Youth 2022 draws to its end, the Greens in the CoR maintain youth and youth participation as one of its core priorities also going ahead.

As theEuropean Year of Youth 2022 draws to its end, the Greens in the CoR maintain youth and youth participation as one of its core priorities also going ahead.
The Greens in the CoR led the way in calling for all EU policies to include a youth perspective. During the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Plenary session on 1 December, local and regional leaders adopted Green member Tine Radinja’s opinion on the Future of EU Youth Policy. Theopinion calls for new and holistic reflection on youth policy, mainstreaming of the youth perspective across policy fields and an active participation of youth in building the future of Europe. Radinja emphasised: ‘The opinion on the Future of EU Youth Policy is the CoR’s contribution to the policy legacy of the European Year of Youth. With the opinion we advocate for a cross-cutting and comprehensive approach to the youth field and address the numerous policy fields important to young people, from education and employment to housing and social security as well as the green and digital transitions. We call for including youth perspectives across all policy fields, as a strong legacy for the Year.’
The opinion was adopted during a wider debate marking the ending of the European Year of Youth, which included an exchange with Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting our European Way of Life, representatives of youth sections of the European political parties and members of the CoRYoung Elected Politicians programme. The CoR also co-signed theEuropean Charter for Youth and Democracy, which was co-created in a bottom-up process with representatives from youth organisations and young elected local and regional representatives across the EU. It puts forward 49 recommendations aimed at facilitating and enhancing the democratic participation of young people at local, regional, national and European levels, and aims to build and consolidate a youth friendly democratic space and to ensure that the voices of young people are formally, continuously and permanently represented in the EU.
TheYoung European Greens were represented by their co-spokesperson Benedetta Scuderi, who highlighted: ‘When discussing youth, we must adopt an intersectional perspective. A 20-year-old from rural southern Spain does not have the same opportunities as a 20-year-old in Amsterdam. Similarly, a young woman, trans or non-binary person faces higher difficulties than a young cis man. The EU must aim at eradicating these differences to guarantee equal rights and opportunities to all young people. Being a young European citizen must have a common meaning for the whole European youth.’
Member of the CoR YEP programme Finn Grimsehl-Schmitz welcomed the European Charter for Youth and Democracy: ‘The Charter shows how politics is positively influenced by young people. As a young person, I also recognise and support the recommendations put forward. However, we are still a long way from being able to involve all young people equally in political decision-making processes. For example, local youth councils need to be given strong rights, as they promote the participation of young people with different backgrounds and reduce disenchantment with politics.’
Greens’ member Ufuk Kâhya reminded: ‘Talents are spread equally through Europe, the opportunity to develop them are not. Research shows that self-efficacy is the most important factor to enable youngster to utilise their full potential. European Youth policy should enable youth, to broaden their horizon and strengthen their confidence, as they are our future.’