• encouraging the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe;
• promoting equal participation of young women and men;
• including diverse voices and ensuring that all young people are able to contribute to policy-shaping.

The goal

The main goal of the guidelines is to provide an orientation for such dialogue. The European Youth Strategy stated a certain flexibility for the member States in order to implement the key elements of the EUYD, in the framework of the following measures (see pt. 3 of the official document):

• Building on experiences from the past;
• Aiming at a clearer and leaner process
• Preferably follow 18-months work-cycles;
• One thematic priority per cycle;
• Its Work Plan;
• Flexibility with regard to the actors taking part in the governance and implementation of the EUYD;
• Continuous follow-up to monitor quality outcomes and the impact of the whole process;
• Recognition of the role of National Working Groups. They are the entities at Member State level, that are tasked with contributing to the organisation of consultations, promotion and impact of the dialogue with youth.

The roles

What is clear here is the main role of the member states, that are strongly driven to enable the participation of the young people to the dialogue. For this purpose, National Working groups are being created (see pt. 13 of the document), that are meant to collaborate closely with the Young Working Party at European level. The works would ideally last for cycles of 18 months each.

Great flexibility is given to the member states for this, keeping in mind the guidelines provided by the European Youth Strategy and the suggestions of the Trio Presidency (this resolution is going to take effect from July 2019, so the one starting from the next semester). The Trio plays a leading role for the implementation of the EUYD. It shall work in cooperation with the European Commission and European Youth Forum as for the European level, and with the National Agencies and civil society representatives, as for the national one.

A coordinating group will fill the gap between the two levels: the so-called European Steering group (ESG, see pt. 9 of the document). It will have the task of connecting the institutions and their bodies to the needs and demands of the people they represent, through the filter of the member states. It will be an additional guarantee of equality and representativeness, since it’s meant to have a special attention for the people with fewer opportunities and the ones that needs such dialogues most. The ESG will smooth the relation between the two realities, taking into account also contributions coming from relevant stakeholders, such as youth organisations and associations.

L'articolo Youth Dialogue: European Guidelines on the governance proviene da Youth Networks.

Exactly one week ago, the plenary of the Parliament voted a report made by the Employment Committee with which the European Social Fund was incremented for €106,8 billion – around 19% more than the amount proposed by the Commission.

The multiannual financial framework

Looking closer to the tabs, more interesting details show up. According to the European Parliament proposal, “the level of the 2021-2027 MFF should be set at EUR 1 324.1 billion in 2018 prices, representing 1,3 % of the EU-27 GNI” (see p. 6 pt. 5 of the document). Of these, the amount aimed at improving the Erasmus+ programme is over 46 billion (see p. 53 of the document), that is the Parliament position – whereas the Commission had suggested 30 000 billion. The amount set out for the previous seven-year preriod (2014 – 2020) was 13 536 million: so, the budget almost triplicate from the last programme. It complies with the initial resolutions, according to which the Parliament (see p. 7 pt. XII) “Triple the current budget for the Erasmus+ programme”.

The trialogue

That should mean that way more funding for the Erasmus+ Programme and for youth policies in general are to come. But that is just an interim report made by the Parliament: the way towards the adoption of the act has still to overcome the next steps of the trialogue between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The report was in fact released in the framework of the interinstitutional negotiations usually carried out when adopting EU legislation.

It is now up to the negotiators designated by the EU Council and Commission to have their say, until they reach a common agreement.

L'articolo Multiannual financial framework 2021-27: more funding for E+ programme to come proviene da Youth Networks.