The Directorate General for Education and Culture, Youth policies Unit, organised - in co-operation with the European Youth Forum - a large scale consultation of young people in preparation for the 'Youth takes the floor' event and in the framework of the European Youth Week 2005.

The purpose of consulting young people is to develop further perspectives in youth policy with regard to active citizenship of young people, their social and professional inclusion through the European Youth Pact but also to develop ways to bring Europe closer to young people by giving them the opportunity to voice their concerns and expectations on the development of the European Union and to encourage them to find out more about Europe and what it has to offer.

The first step in this exercise was to launch an online consultation, which took place from 31 August to 15 October 2005 . Conducted through the European Commission Your Voice website and launched via the European Youth Portal the e-consultation was opened to all interested young people and organisations, it introduced the main issues foreseen for discussing the future developments in youth policy, and invited respondents, through a series of open and closed questions, to express their opinions and comments playing an active part in the development of the European project.

 

	The on-line questionnaire was available in 19 languages and this aspect represented a real 'added value' as it gave the opportunity to young people all over Europe to make their voice heard using their mother tongue

 

In total, 3874 replies were received from 32 countries. The statistical results of this consultation presenting and analysing the results are available and have also been published in 19 languages on the European Youth Portal.

A comprehensive report of this consultation is available presenting and analysing the results which will also be communicated to European and national authorities responsible for Youth in December 2005 during the European Youth Week in Brussels .