EU Youth Conference, Warsaw (5-7 September)
Against a backdrop of rising youth unemployment, economic uncertainty and civil unrest in some European cities, the EU Youth Conference in Warsaw looks at what policy-makers are doing to re-engage with young people in order to encourage them to get more involved in civic and political life. Androulla Vassiliou takes part in the event which brings together 100 youth representatives and policy chiefs from European and national level.
'It's only by working together and listening to each other that we will find solutions to the challenges faced by young people today,' said the Commissioner. Part of the so-called 'structural dialogue' with youth leaders, the meeting is also the Commission's first opportunity to discuss its new budget proposals for education, training, youth and sport. The Commission is calling for a 73% increase in funding to €15.2 billion for these areas in 2014-2020. This will enable it to substantially increase support for study and work placements abroad, as well as ensure stronger backing for youth exchanges, volunteering, cooperation and policy reform (see IP/11/857).
The conference highlights the EU's existing support through the Youth in Action programme for non-formal education and volunteering involving countries in and beyond the Union's borders. Last year, for instance, the EU provided €12.3 million in funding for nearly 900 projects with 5600 young participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.
