EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 15.9.2015 SWD(2015) 168 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Results of the open method of coordination in the youth field with a special focus on the second cycle (2013-2015) Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Draft 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018) {COM(2015) 429 final} {SWD(2015) 169 final} EN EN Table of contents 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 3 2. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF YOUTH POLICY ....................................................... 5 2.1. Evidence-based youth policy ............................................................................. 5 2.2. Legal framework and national youth policy environment ................................ 6 2.3. Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy ...................................................... 22 2.4. Other relevant initiatives ................................................................................. 25 3. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ...................................... 31 3.1. EU initiatives and action ................................................................................. 31 3.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ........................................ 38 3.3. Youth-led initiatives and actions at EU level .................................................. 57 4. SOCIAL INCLUSION .............................................................................................. 60 4.1. EU initiatives and action ................................................................................. 60 4.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ........................................ 63 4.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................... 76 5. YOUTH PARTICIPATION ...................................................................................... 77 5.1. EU initiatives and action ................................................................................. 77 5.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ........................................ 81 5.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................... 92 6. EDUCATION AND TRAINING .............................................................................. 93 6.1. EU initiatives and action ................................................................................. 93 6.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ........................................ 97 6.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 106 7. HEALTH AND WELL-BEING .............................................................................. 107 7.1. EU initiatives and action ............................................................................... 107 7.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ...................................... 112 7.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 119 1 8. VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES ................................................................................. 120 8.1. EU initiatives and action ............................................................................... 120 8.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ...................................... 122 8.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 126 9. YOUTH AND THE WORLD ................................................................................. 127 9.1. EU initiatives and action ............................................................................... 127 9.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ...................................... 130 9.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 135 10. CREATIVITY AND CULTURE ............................................................................ 137 10.1. EU initiatives and action ............................................................................... 137 10.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ...................................... 140 10.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 148 11. STRUCTURED DIALOGUE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUTH ORGANISATIONS ................................................................................................. 149 11.1. EU initiatives and action ............................................................................... 149 11.2. Summary of initiatives and action at national level ...................................... 150 11.3. Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level .................................................. 156 12. EU PROGRAMME: FROM YOUTH IN ACTION TO ERASMUS+ ................... 157 12.1. Erasmus+ opportunities in the field of youth ................................................ 157 12.2. Mobility for young people and youth workers .............................................. 158 12.3. Cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices ........................ 159 12.4. Support for policy reform .............................................................................. 160 12.5. Partnership with countries neighbouring the EU ........................................... 160 ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................... 164 Annex 1: Abbreviations ........................................................................................... 164 Annex 2: Council resolutions and conclusions on youth (2010-2015) ................... 166 2 1. INTRODUCTION In 2009, the Council endorsed a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), also known as the EU Youth Strategy.1 The period covered by the framework is divided into three-year work cycles. At the end of each cycle, a European Union (EU) Youth Report should be drawn up by the Commission. The Council specified that the report ‘shall consist of two parts: A joint Council-Commission report (political part), and supporting documents (statistical and analytical part). The EU Youth Report will evaluate progress made towards the overall objectives of the framework, as well as progress regarding the priorities defined for the most recent work cycle and identify good practices’. At the same time, the report should serve as a basis for establishing priorities for the following work cycle. The analytical part of the report assesses the state of play at EU and national level, focusing in this instance on the second three-year work cycle of the EU Youth Strategy; relevant information about the previous cycle is also provided. Separate chapters cover all eight ‘fields of action’ of the strategy, looking first at the priorities of the most recent cycle – youth employment, social inclusion and youth participation. One chapter is given over to the ‘Structured Dialogue’ process, which is seen as crucial to youth participation. Another chapter provides details on the EU Youth Strategy’s financial instrument, the Erasmus+ programme and its predecessor Youth in Action. Each chapter consists of three sections. The first provides an overview of initiatives taken at EU level since 2010, with a focus on the period from 2013 to 2015. The second summarises and assesses the initiatives and action taken at national level; a distinction is made between action deriving from the 2009 Council resolution on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field and initiatives implementing subsequent Council agreements (resolutions and conclusions). The information presented in this section is based on National Youth Reports submitted by all 28 Member States 2 plus Iceland, Serbia and Turkey. These reports were drawn up in response to a comprehensive questionnaire covering all aspects of the EU Youth Strategy and can be downloaded from the Commission website.3 Finally, considering the framework’s invitation to encourage and support the involvement and participation of young people and youth organisations in policy-making, implementation and follow-up, the third section reports on youth-led initiatives and action by the European Youth Forum4 (YFJ). The YFJ, which – together with the Commission – is the only EU-level stakeholder in the 1 Council resolution of 27 November 2009 on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), OJ C 311, 19.12.2009, p. 1-11. 2 Separate contributions were submitted by the three Communities of Belgium. All EU candidate countries and EEA EFTA States were also invited to submit National Youth Reports. 3 https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/publication/EUyouthreport2015part1, https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/publication/EUyouthreport2015part2. The National Youth Reports cover mainly the period from 2010 until the end of 2014 and include a preview of planned activities for 2015, as the questionnaire had to be returned by early 2015. 4 http://www.youthforum.org/ 3 European Steering Committee of the Structured Dialogue, brings together 99 national youth councils