2022 was the European Year of Youth. The EU Commission wanted to put young people at the centre of attention as they had suffered immensely from the COVID pandemic. In addition, young people and organisations such as the European Youth Forum, the largest umbrella organisation of youth organisations across Europe, had been calling for a 'Year of Youth' to put Europe's youth in the spotlight - not just in speeches, but in political processes.  After all, young people make up 25 per cent of the European population, while they are underrepresented in all decision-making bodies and a large proportion are not yet entitled to vote. For example, the average age in the EU Parliament is 49.  This means that today's decision-makers will often not be the ones who have to live with the long-term consequences of these decisions. Even the current and most burning concerns of young people are usually only heard to a limited extent. Especially with the state of permacrisis the EU has been in the past few years, it is even more important to give young people a say. Overall, the European Year of Youth may not have been as successful as wished for, but it set the course into the right direction.  

The commission’s plan
In its recent communication, the Commission introduced several actions that are supposed to give young people a greater say in the decisions that affect them and deepen the youth dimension in a range of EU policies. The Commission will apply a ‘youth check' which will ensure that their impact on young people is systematically factored in in any policy decisions. This will be implemented under the current EU Youth Strategy for 2019-2027. Further, also existing tools should be strengthened, like the EU-Youth Dialogue. This is a structured dialogue, where young people first hand get to work on policy recommendations together with policy makers. The Commission wants to align its work programme to the outcomes of the dialogue. Some additional points are the further implementation of the ALMA initiative (aim, learn, master, achieve), which should help to integrate disadvantaged youth into the labour market. The campaign to ban unpaid internships has resulted into the European Parliament voting to ban unpaid internships across the EU.

Legacy or Youthwashing?
The commission praises itself and says these are the direct outcomes of the European Year of Youth. These are definitely some steps into the right direction, but it is crucial to really implement it rightly . A term that was coined in the past few years is youthwashing. It is similar to Greenwashing, but related to young people. For example, a group of young people may be invited to a conference so politicians can take pictures with them, but they are not allowed to join any of the important discussions nor be one of the decision makers.

Why should we care?
Young people are not only the future, but also the present. And they are holders of rights to which they are entitled here and now. In addition to the right to participation, as described in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, this also includes the right to education or special protection rights for young workers. It is important that young people are not simply left to deal with the problems that we can already solve today, such as child poverty, child labour or the climate crisis. That is why the AK actively addresses young people and tries to strengthen their rights through initiatives such as the AKYoung platform. After all, the AK also represents the interests of young people.

The EESC as a role model
One EU-Institution that has been on the forefront of positioning itself on important topics repeatedly is the European Economic and Social Committee. In other editions of the AK EUROPA Newsletter, we have talked about their ambitious proposal for a Blue-Deal or in the latest edition about the political priorities of the Group 2. The current President of the EESC Oliver Röpke has put a focus on empowering the youth in his mandate., EESC youth activities are being reinforced and the EESC is the first EU-Institution to start implementing the EU Youth Test.  – youth organisations are directly involved in the drafting of EESC opinions. Further on the EESC will be part of the EU-Youth Dialogue for the first time in the upcoming EU Youth Conference. The EESC is also organising its first Civil Society Week with the aim of drawing up joint recommendations for the next European Commission and European Parliament. One day will be dedicated to young people's priorities as part of the "Your Europe, Your Say!” Event. Oliver Röpke, EESC President: "The young generation must be involved in today's decision-making process, especially in the context of the European elections. I have made it my priority to provide a platform within the EESC for young people to speak up. The EESC leads by example in applying the EU Youth Test, ensuring that young people's voices are better reflected in our work."

2024 – The year of elections
Even in the course of the upcoming elections, it is of utmost importance to keep our demands for the future in mind. The AK has been a vocal advocate for a just transition that leaves no one behind, whether young or old. It is now also important to make intergenerational solidarity part of EU legislation so that the consequences for future generations are also considered. The concerns of young people today must be heard and taken seriously politically.

Further Information:
AK EUROPA Position: EU Blue Deal – a plan for the future of our water
Department of Culture, Youth & Media (vlaanderen.be): The European Youth Conference
European Union: What was the European Year of Youth?
European Youth Forum: Representing Europe's Youth
European Youth Forum: No more unpaid internships!
EESC: Stand up for Democracy / Speak up for Europe
EPC: Europe in the age of permacrisis
EU-Commission: Commission gives young people a stronger voice in EU policymaking as a legacy of the European Year of Youth
EU-Commission: ALMA - An active inclusion initiative for young people
EUR-Lex: The European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027
The 25 Percent Project: We are the 25 percent
The Climate Reality Project: You've heard of greenwashing but what is youthwashing?