Giving youth a say in decision-making
Youth Policy Dialogues are designed to inspire young people to help shape the future of the European Union by sharing their ideas. These dialogues provide opportunities for direct and meaningful interactions with European Commissioners on the policy initiatives the Commission is preparing.
The dialogues take place across the EU. After the initial round held during the first 100 days of the new mandate, the dialogues will be organised every year, strengthening the voice of Europe's youth in shaping the policies that affect their lives.
Building on the outcomes of the first round of the Youth Policy Dialogues, the Commission has launched an online debate on the Citizens’ Engagement Platform. This brings the most prominent themes raised by young people into an open, EU-wide discussion. The discussion will go on until June 2025, when a conclusion of the dialogues and debates will be published. This will feed into the development of policies that impact young people in the EU.
Ensuring decisions are taken with future generations in mind
Supporting young people is at the centre of the Commission’s action. It wants to empower them with greater freedom, more opportunities and responsibilities within our societies.
The Commission is dedicated to ensuring that decisions taken today are not only responding to current needs but are also adapted to future generations. As part of this, It plans to prepare a strategy on intergenerational fairness to strengthen communication between generations.
Building on the results of the European Year of Youth, the Commission will introduce a "youth check" mechanism to assess the impact of EU policies on young people during the design phase, ensuring that youth needs and perspectives are integrated from the beginning.
In addition to strengthening the exchanges with youth through Policy Dialogues, President von der Leyen will set up a Youth Advisory Board. This board will advise on issues that matter to young people and provide feedback on ideas and initiatives developed by the Commission.
The Commission also intends to address the challenge posed by social media and excessive screen time on young people by preparing an action plan against cyberbullying, reinforcing its commitment to well-being and security of young people.
