On 29th October 2015, Borboly Csaba, the rapporteur of the Committee of the Region of the opinion on the EU cooperation framework in youth, presented his document in Brussels at the EU presidency, at the headquarters of the permanent representation of Luxembourg. This forum was important because the European Council will adopt its own report on this subject soon, and the Committee's draft opinion’s aspects should be included in the document of EU leaders: the Shadow Report on Youth Policy – A Youth Perspective http://www.borbolycsaba.ro/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/YFJ_ShadowReport_print-LAST.pdf).
As it is highlighted in the shadow report, one of the most frequently cited measures that youth organisations demand from their governments is to increase the civic and political participation of the youth and to involve them in the decision making process. The fact that the direct political participation of youth is continiuosly decreasing, the fact that many young people are sceptical or dismissive about the participatory opportunities, represents a great concern in this matter. A possible solution to this problem could be the introduction of voting at 16 in every member state. We will ask the European Commission to investigate the good practices in Europe regarding the vote at 16 – was it succesfull to implement this type of measures regarding the participation of the youth in the political life.
Also highlighted in the shadow report, the migration process is increasing among youth and it also represents a milestone in their future. Our suggestion is the elaboration of partnerships between countries of origin and those of destination in order to facilitate the integration. Or in other cases to facilitate the return to their homeland of those young people whose main reason of migration was based on economic issues. On the other hand, we recommended the elaboration of a „basic package” that all member states could provide for young people, including - broadband internet access, the second foreign language, career counseling, appropriate participation in volunteering, fostering the right to the first job, flexible and accessible forms of funding studies;
Some recommendations of the shadow report, which we also find relevant at local and regional level: in our interpretation, there are significant insufficiencies
at an EU level coordinated youth strategy with involvement and everyday monitoring from member states and local and regional authorities. That is why we should work on a higher commitment from the member states to adapt national youth policies to EU recommendations. Monitoring mechanisms should be elaborated at member state level meaning how to secure equal chance to employment, education and social services to all young people, we should support social economy, whereas the legislative background has not even been set in Romania yet and reinforcement of the role of youth organizations by establishing national funding instruments is also a must, since their efforts are vital in youth policy implementation. Concerning participation of young people, we should involve them in more direct political actions, such as online and offline social causes they can stand for.
The European Youth Forum (YFJ) is the platform of youth organisations in Europe. Representing 99 youth organisations, both National Youth Councils and International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations, we believe youth organisations are the tool through which we empower, encourage, involve, represent, reach out and support young people. The Youth Forum brings together tens of millions of young people from all over Europe, organised in order to represent their common interests.
The draft opinion will be presented during the SEDEC commission meeting on 19th November 2015, and at plenary session at the beginning of 2016. For more information, please visit: http://www.borbolycsaba.ro/en/european-cooperation-in-the-youth-field-2010-2018/.
30th October 2015
Leave a Reply