The EU Youth Dialogue (EUYD) is an ongoing platform for young Europeans to engage in discussions about European youth priorities and cooperation. It’s a key mechanism for youth participation in EU policy-making, involving policy makers, experts, and civil society actors. Organized in 18-month cycles, it includes national consultations and an EU youth conference led by a trio presidency. The 10th cycle (2023-2024) under Spain, Belgium, and Hungary aims to enhance youth engagement, foster inclusivity, and celebrate the dialogue’s achievements. It aligns with the EU Youth Strategy’s goal for diverse and inclusive dialogue between policy makers and young people.
Thematic Priority
The 10th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue, themed “WE NEED YOUTH,” centers on European Youth Goal #3, addressing Inclusive Societies. Initiated during the 6th cycle, this dialogue involves over 50,000 young Europeans who identified eleven priority European Youth Goals. Current global crises, including the pandemic, climate crisis, and geopolitical events, have transformed the landscape, necessitating a renewed understanding of these goals.
The cycle tackles challenges like persistent poverty, minority exclusion, health crises, employment, climate change and migration. These challenges strain social cohesion, especially among young people. Strengthening inclusion aids societal resilience and empowers young individuals, particularly those with limited opportunities. Sub-goals for this cycle focus on access to learning, educator capacities, and social support.
Principles of the EU Youth Dialogue
The principles guiding this cycle include accessibility, inclusiveness, impact, informed participation, meaningful involvement, and youth leadership. Diversity and equity in participation are sought, with anti-harassment policies ensuring a safe environment. Visibility and recognition of the EU Youth Dialogue beyond its participants are emphasized. The cycle strives for tangible impact by translating outcomes into actions and integrating feedback from past cycles.
Informed participation demands transparent information dissemination to all stakeholders, fostering constructive exchanges. Meaningful dialogue, both in-person and through technology, seeks to genuinely involve youth and policymakers. Continuous cooperation between trios, National Youth Councils, the European Youth Forum, and the European Commission ensures ongoing dialogue continuity. Ultimately, youth-led efforts drive the EU Youth Dialogue, with youth organizations and National Youth Councils playing pivotal roles in preparation, execution, and evaluation.
Methodology
The 10th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue spans 18 months and involves three presidencies working on European Youth Goal #3 on Inclusive Societies in two phases: consultation/dialogue and implementation. Each presidency organizes an EU youth conference aligned with these phases. These conferences are crucial for collecting youth ideas, sharing good practices, and forming policy recommendations. The conferences progress sequentially, enhancing youth participation.
The consultation phase starts with guiding questions from the European Steering Group (ESG) to National Working Groups (NWGs) and International Non-Governmental Youth Organizations (INGYOs). Consultations happen at national and European levels, aiming for inclusivity and meaningful interactions using various tools. An inclusion toolkit aids this. The 1st EU Youth Conference in Spain focuses on European-level dialogue, setting the stage for implementation.
The implementation phase follows, where NWGs and INGYOs translate consultation outcomes into concrete plans and actions. The 2nd EU Youth Conference in Belgium discusses consultation results and surveys, followed by NWGs and INGYOs adapting these to local realities. The Hungarian EU youth conference concludes the cycle by translating outcomes into policy recommendations for the Council of the EU.
Throughout, attention is on inclusivity, meaningful dialogue, and youth-led engagement. Transparency, preparation, and training are emphasized for participants. The goal is to foster impactful change, ensure diverse participation, and celebrate the cycle’s achievements, while continually refining the EU Youth Dialogue process.
How can you participate
Aġenzija Żgħażagħ coordinated the Maltese National Working Groups that manages the EU Youth Dialogue. If you would like to take part or know more on the process contact us on agenzija.zghazagh@gov.mt