EU to designate 2022 as the European Year of Youth

The Council and the European Parliament wish to honour young people by making 2022 the European Year of Youth. Today, both institutions provisionally agreed on a decision to follow through on this proposal.

Young people have endured much hardship during the pandemic. A European Year of Youth would honour their efforts to overcome the set-backs they have experienced and which the COVID-19 crisis has caused.

The pandemic period has been particularly hard for young people. They have faced school closures, have been unable, in many cases, to pursue their hobbies and have faced difficulties seeing their friends. They deserve a European Year that will put them in the spotlight. And they deserve to be listened to when EU decision makers set about the task of shaping EU policies.

Simona KustecMinister of Education, Science and Sport

Simona KustecMinister of Education, Science and Sport

The European Year will include conferences, events, as well as information and promotional campaigns. A national coordinator will coordinate the activities at national level.

The Council has ensured that the draft proposal was adapted so that the European Year would also help to mainstream youth policy i.e. to ensure that all EU policies - be it environment, education or culture - take youth issues into account. The Council has also succeeded in securing a commitment from the Commission to involve young people in the implementation of the European Year, together with national coordinators.

Background

On 15 September, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the European Commission would propose designating 2022 as the European Year of Youth. The Commission subsequently submitted a proposal for a decision to this effect to the Council and the European Parliament. Today's provisional agreement between the Council and the European Parliament on this proposal still has to be approved by both institutions before it can be formally adopted.