Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Youth participation and inclusion in society

Meaningful youth participation and social inclusion are fundamental pillars of democratic societies and prerequisites for inclusive, resilient and future-oriented policymaking. According to the EPRS evaluation, rural youth and young people with fewer opportunities still face barriers to participation. Member States should help overcome the barriers marginalised groups face in accessing formal education and provide support to rural youth to help them overcome the physical barriers of living in isolated rural areas.

Surveys by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) show that persistent discrimination, online hate and unequal access to education affecting Roma, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQI+ youth undermine social inclusion and trust in institutions, as well as these groups’ increased vulnerability to radicalisation and extremism. Furthermore, their findings show that intersex and LGBTQI+ youth face increasing bullying and discrimination in schools, highlighting the need for stronger protection measures. At the same time, youth organisations remain key actors in democratic engagement and radicalisation prevention but are often under-resourced, increasing the risk of youth disengagement.

The EC Anti-Racism Strategy of 2026-2030 stresses the importance to align the EU Youth strategy with the European Education Area strategic framework and the upcoming Commission Joint Project with UNESCO on strengthening anti-racism education. The Commission Coordinator on combating racism cooperates with the EU Youth Coordinator, the Coordinator on anti-Muslim hatred, the Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life and the Coordinator for victims’ rights.

Mental health and well-being

According to the EPRS evaluation, despite initiatives such as the EC comprehensive approach to mental health, and being covered under an EYG, this topic could be further mainstreamed within a wider EU policy framework. Resources remain insufficient, especially to scale up mental health support and inclusive education pathways. Regrettably, DG Sante (for Health and Food Safety) in the EC currently has no youth correspondent, despite the relevance of (mental) health and well-being for youth.

Sport and physical activity

Sport plays an essential role for young people as it contributes to social inclusion and cohesion. Moreover, increased sedentary behaviour and excessive screen time are having demonstrable negative effects on their well-being. Regular activity and sport can help counter these trends and support healthy physical and psychological development.

Inter-generational budgeting

In order to promote intergenerational equity, the concept of ‘intergenerational budgeting’ (see EESC opinion SOC/827) should be introduced, to raise awareness of how resources are allocated to the different generations, and in particular to young people, as the current ratio between spending for young people and old age is around 1:10.

EU instruments for youth participation

The EYY2022 demonstrated the political commitment to youth participation, but follow-up actions were uneven. The key EU instruments for youth participation (the EU Youth Dialogue, Policy Dialogues with Commissioners, EU-Youth Stakeholders’ Group, Youth Advisory Board, Youth Check) have been effective in raising visibility, but inclusiveness remains a concern.

Youth participation and inclusion in the EU Youth Dialogue (EUYD)

According to discussions held during the CULT shadows’ meeting with stakeholders on 11 November 2025, youth participation through the EUYD is widely recognised as a cornerstone of an inclusive and democratic Europe. The EUYD reaches tens of thousands of young people from diverse backgrounds and has strong potential to bridge the gap between EU institutions and young people’s daily realities. However, stakeholders underlined that young people must not only be consulted but meaningfully involved as co-creators of policies from the earliest stages of decision-making. For participation to be credible, it must carry real political weight, be connected to decision-making processes, and lead to visible outcomes that demonstrate how young people’s contributions shape policies.

Making the feedback loop stronger is essential to ensure that young people understand how their engagement impacts policymaking. A recurring concern raised by stakeholders was the lack of systematic follow-up and feedback within the EUYD. Participants stressed the need for stronger information flows, clear feedback loops so that young people understand how their engagement impacts policymaking, and a permanent structure in the form of a secretariat, to ensure continuity across dialogue cycles. This could also help create an overview and consistency across the variety of consultation formats.

While youth participation is growing, representation is uneven across Member States and groups. In particular, rural youth, those with migrant backgrounds, those not in employment, education or training (NEETs), and non-organised youth, remain underrepresented. Some national youth councils lack formal recognition, while independent youth organisations (especially local, rural, and grassroots actors) often struggle with insufficient or unstable funding.

Considerable progress has been achieved on the diversity and inclusion of the EU Youth Dialogue: according to the EUYD11 Results of the Consultation Phase, 92.1% of participants reported that this was the first time they had engaged in EUYD. However, some challenges still persist at the national level: the inclusion of young people who are NEETs and maintaining proportional representation of young people from rural areas, which has declined in the 11th cycle. Finally, young people are calling for the equal inclusion of participants from candidate countries in the EUYD.

Youth participation and inclusion in EU programmes

According to the EPRS evaluation, the EUYS has strengthened youth inclusion and participation, with increased representation of youth with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC). Inclusion and diversity are horizontal priorities of Erasmus+ and ESC; however, further efforts are required to ensure representation of diverse social backgrounds.

Moreover, EU programmes and activities remain challenging due to complex applications, reporting demands, and financial constraints. Some stakeholders face burdens linked to national conditions, such as unstable, insufficient and inconsistent funding for youth organisations, which adds pressure to the implementation of EUYS at both national and local levels. Alignment has strengthened under the 2019–2027 EUYS and Erasmus+ and the ESC are viewed as key drivers of national EUYS implementation. The EC and Member States, including Erasmus+ National Agencies, should also aim to enhance accessibility and administrative simplicity, and to support first-time youth applicants and small organisations. It is important to ensure that information about the EUYS and relevant EU programmes is accessible in all official EU languages and to reinforce communication in rural and isolated areas.

Research indicates that post-2027, the EUYS should reference other youth-relevant MFF programmes, such as AgoraEU, Horizon Europe, ESF, etc.

6. Quality education and training for young people, including volunteering and youth work

According to the EPRS evaluation, the EUYS and its instruments have supported access to quality education and training at the EU level and in certain Member States, though the impact remains uneven where structural barriers in formal education persist.

The EUYS contributes to access to formal, non-formal, and informal education and training; yet it remains unequal, particularly for rural youth, migrants, and those at risk of radicalisation. For the post-2027 EUYS, the EC should consider measures to ensure the link between education and the labour market, and between informal, non-formal, and formal education and training.

Formal education and training

According to the EPRS evaluation, the EC should continue strengthening the links between the EUYS and vocational education and training, where stakeholders provided limited relevant insights.

Digital education and media literacy

Media literacy, essential for the protection of democratic values, freedom of expression and informed civic participation, is a core competence for young people. It enables them to critically assess information, identify disinformation and manipulation and engage responsibly and safely in the digital public sphere. Digital learning for young people is key, as it enables young people to develop critical and analytical skills, which enable them to safely navigate in digital environments, understand the influence of algorithms, recognise bias and distinguish credible information from false or misleading content. Therefore, the empowerment of citizens through education must complement effective regulation of the digital space. Furthermore, it is essential to continue strengthening the protection of minors in EU legislation regulating the digital environment.

Volunteering and youth work

Youth work and volunteering are among the most empowering tools for youth to acquire new skills, gain confidence, feel part of their communities and have a substantial impact on their future. Volunteering strengthens the sense of active citizenship by fostering youth empowerment, solidarity and European values through collaborative activities. Youth work is also an important entry point into education, training and employment, as well as a safeguard against exclusion.

According to the EPRS evaluation, weak institutional recognition, unstable funding and unequal access hinder the potential of youth work and volunteering. The link between informal, non-formal, and formal education should be strengthened, together with further recognition and professionalisation of youth work by the Member States; this would ensure a minimum degree of harmonisation and function as a channel towards education, training and employment.