Development of youth policy cooperation in the EU

The cooperation in the youth area started with the White Paper in 2001, which enabled the member countries to identify common objectives for youth policy. With the Youth Pact in 2005 the importance of integrating the youth perspective in all policy areas was enhanced.

The open coordination method is applied to cooperation in the youth area. This means that member countries voluntarily develop and follow up common objectives for youth policy. The debate on youth issues was deepened at the European and national level through this cooperation. Using the White Paper as a starting point, the member states agreed on the cooperation areas and the objectives for them. The prioritised areas were:

• young people’s participation


• information to young people


• voluntary activities for young people


• better knowledge of young people’s situation.

Apart from identifying common objectives for youth policy work at the European level the White Paper entailed an agreement to also take account of youth issues in other policy areas in the EU.

In 2005 The European Council decided on a European Youth Pact which was an initiative of the governments of Sweden, Germany, France and Spain. The Youth Pact was adopted as a part of the revised Lisbon Strategy focusing on growth and job opportunities.Against this background and in accordance with the Commission’s strategic objectives the European Council adopted a youth pact consisting of three parts:

• employment, integration and promotion possibilities.


• education and mobility


• the possibility of combining professional life with personal life and family life.

Up until 2009 the European youth policy cooperation rested on three legs: Young people's active citizenship, the Youth Pact and the integration of the youth perspective in other policy areas.

In November 2009 the EU Youth Ministers adopted a new framework of cooperation in the Youth Field. This new resolution aims at ensuring a youth perspective in the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy. It supports the continuation of earlier initiatives such as the White Paper on Youth and the European Youth Pact and ensures the implementation of the new framework for European cooperation in the youth field for the years 2010-2018.