Europe's youth are worryingly uninterested in politics, according to a Eurobarometer poll and a European Commission White Paper that suggests action to include young people in policy-making.
The proposals include getting a remodelled EU-wide "Youth Forum" to advance good practice on youth in public life, improving information to young people with a new internet portal on European issues and improving young people's ability to do voluntary service across Europe.
The White Paper, A New Impetus for European Youth, was published last week. It follows a 10-month consultation process which included 17 conferences in EU member states, wide-ranging meetings in France and Sweden and input from organisations and academics with an interest in youth issues.
"The European Commission is demonstrating that it wants to work together with young people, as an ally," Viviane Reding, EU commissioner for education and culture, said. "We don't want to propose vague promises or miracle solutions, but concrete ways of responding more effectively to young people's needs at all levels of decision-making."
Following the proposed enlargement of the EU to 27 countries, there would be 75 million people aged 15 to 25 in the union (young people make up a falling percentage of the EU population). A survey shows half of the EU's young people do not belong to any association or organisation, suggesting, says the paper, that they are particularly affected by a "citizenship deficit".
"Some young people have taken refuge in indifference or individualism, while others have tried forms of expression which may have been excessive or even on the margins of democratic means," the paper says.
The White Paper acknowledges that in the past "resolutions or declarations on specifically youth-related issues have often gone no further than good intentions". Some readers may conclude that the latest text is also long on sociology, aspirational statements and bureaucratic tinkering and short on specific commitments for states and the EU itself to meet. The text of the White Paper on Youth and background information are available on the web at http://europa.eu.int/ comm/education/youth/ywp/index.html
