Sittings · Document

REPORT (2025/2115(INI)) 2026-08-11

On the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

Committee on Culture and Education · Rapporteur: Sabrina Repp

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Parliament's resolution takes stock of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and sets out what should follow it after 2027. It asks for a continued strategy built on Engage, Connect, Empower, with updated European Youth Goals, stronger youth mainstreaming and a systematic 'youth check'. It calls for better youth participation and inclusion, especially for rural youth, NEETs and young people with fewer opportunities, and for a permanent EU Youth Dialogue secretariat with clearer feedback. It demands action on youth employment, housing, mental health and education, including quality traineeships, affordable housing, mental health services in schools and stronger media literacy. It asks for recognition of non-formal learning, volunteering and youth work, and for intergenerational budgeting in the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework.

Committee position. The Committee on Culture and Education proposes that Parliament adopt the resolution, welcoming the strategy's achievements while calling for a stronger post-2027 framework, systematic youth mainstreaming, better inclusion and participation, and action on employment, housing, health and education.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the 2019-2027 EU Youth Strategy and calls for a high-level, adaptable framework after 2027 built on Engage, Connect and Empower, with more weight on inclusion, volunteering and youth work.
  2. Wants the European Youth Goals re-evaluated and updated regularly through an open, inclusive process involving young people, civil society, researchers and academics.
  3. Calls on the Commission and Council presidencies to make the final EU Youth Dialogue cycles address socio-economic conditions, digital transformation, mental health and democratic participation.
  4. Asks for better communication of the strategy, stronger Eurodesk and youth information services, and a monitoring system with disaggregated data and indicators for young people with fewer opportunities.
  5. Urges the Commission to apply the 'youth check' in every directorate-general, publish its methodology, add a youth check chapter to the better regulation communication and toolbox, and consult young people on which files are youth-relevant.
  6. Calls for youth mainstreaming across all Parliament committees and for Youth Policy Dialogues with Commissioners to be accessible, inclusive and systematically followed up.
  7. Calls on Member States to embed inclusion and equality in national youth strategies, prevent radicalisation, reduce structural inequalities and support rural and remote youth, including through cultural vouchers.
  8. Asks the Commission and Member States to tackle youth unemployment, support ESF+, STEAM, vocational education and dual learning, promote quality traineeships and make housing a key pillar of the post-2027 strategy.
  9. Calls for cross-sectoral action on young people's health, stronger online protection, accessible mental health services in schools and universities, and prevention of tobacco, vaping and drug use.
  10. Welcomes progress in the EU Youth Dialogue but regrets that rural youth and NEETs are under-represented; wants a permanent secretariat, a database of outcomes and a stronger feedback loop.
  11. Calls for simpler access to Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, support for first-time applicants and small organisations, and alignment of the post-2027 strategy with MFF programmes.
  12. Demands inclusive quality education, a European degree, investment in teachers, digital and media literacy, an EU citizenship education strategy, and recognition of volunteering and youth work.

Who is affected

  • Young people in the EU, especially rural youth, NEETs and those with fewer opportunities, who should gain better access to participation, education, housing and health support.
  • Member States, which are asked to strengthen national youth strategies, education systems, teacher support and recognition of non-formal learning.
  • The Commission, which is asked to run the youth check across directorates-general, publish its methodology and align post-2027 programmes with the strategy.
  • Youth organisations and national youth councils, which should receive adequate resources and be involved in policy co-creation.
  • Employers and education institutions, which are asked to recognise volunteering, Youthpass and Europass and award credits for volunteering.

Figures and deadlines

  • 73 million young EU citizens are affected by the challenges shaping the strategy.
  • 11 European Youth Goals guide the strategy.
  • The youth check was launched in January 2025 and applied to 12 initiatives from the 2025 annual work programme.
  • 28 Youth Policy Dialogues took place between 6 December 2024 and 10 March 2025.
  • Cost of living (40%) and housing (23%) are top concerns among EU youth.
  • 92.1% of EU Youth Dialogue participants reported it was their first time engaging.
  • EU Youth Dialogue participation grew from 10 733 participants in the 8th cycle to 38 042 in the 11th cycle.
  • The ratio between spending for young people and old age is around 1:10.

Legal basis: Articles 9, 165(4), 166(4) and 214(5) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

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