Council of Europe

1.

Name of Committee:

European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ)

2.

Type of Committee:

Steering Committee

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Source of terms of reference:

Committee of Ministers

4.

Terms of reference:

Having regard to:

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Resolution Res(2005)47 on committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods (adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 14 December 2005 at the 951st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies);

the Declaration and the Action Plan adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe at their Third Summit (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005), and, in particular Chapters III.4 “Developing youth co-operation” and III.6 “Fostering intercultural dialogue”;

the Declaration adopted by the 8th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Youth “The future of the Council of Europe youth policy: Agenda 2020” as well as Resolution CM/Res(2008)23 on the youth policy of the Council of Europe, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 25 November 2008 at the 1042nd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies;

the European Cultural Convention (ETS No. 18);

the Statutes of the European Youth Centre and European Youth Foundation.

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Within the framework of the Programme of Activities, under Programme V.2.1 “Youth policies, non-formal education and training” and Programme V.4.1 “Intercultural Dialogue – Follow up to the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue”, the Committee is instructed to:

act as the governmental partner in the co-management bodies of the youth sector;

promote intergovernmental co-operation in the youth field;

carry out reviews of national youth policies in Europe, in particular on matters related to the situation of young people in society, which could be the object of joint action by governments;

stimulate co-operation and exchange of information and experiences among member states, with the aim of providing competent national authorities with means of following developments in youth affairs in the States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, taking account of the work of other intergovernmental organisations and institutions;

prepare the Council of Europe Conferences of Ministers responsible for Youth and to ensure the follow-up thereto, having regard to the relevant decisions of the Committee of Ministers;

contribute to the intersectoral activities of the Council of Europe which involve the youth sector;

participate in the meetings of the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ);

designate, from among the states represented on it, those who shall be invited to be represented in the Programming Committee on Youth (CPJ);

draw up proposals for its programme of activities, within the framework of the common position developed by the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) and to submit them to the Committee of Ministers for adoption.

Furthermore, the European Steering Committee for Youth may address to the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General opinions and proposals on youth policy matters and on the objectives, priorities, and budget allocations for the whole youth sector.

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Composition of the Committee:

5.A.

Members

Governments of all States Party to the European Cultural Convention are entitled to appoint representatives of the highest possible rank in the youth domain, with the following desirable qualifications: senior officials or other experts in charge of youth policies.

The Council of Europe budget will bear expenses of one representative from each state (two in the case of the state whose representative has been elected Chair).

5.B.

Participants

i.

The following committees may each send a representative to the meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of the corresponding budgetary articles of the Council of Europe:

- the Steering Committee for Education (CDED);
- the European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS);
- the Steering Committee for Culture (CDCULT);
- the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG).

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The Parliamentary Assembly may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

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The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote and at the charge of its administrative budget.

5.C.

Other participants

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The European Commission may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

The states having observer status with the Council of Europe (Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America) may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

The Ibero-American Youth Organisation may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

The Secretariat of the Youth Programme of the Commonwealth may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses.

5.D.

Observers

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The following non-governmental organisations may send a representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote or defrayal of expenses:

- the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA);
- the European Youth Card Association (EYCA);
- the European Youth Forum (YFJ).

The National youth research correspondents may send one representative to meetings of the Committee, without the right to vote. The Council of Europe bears travelling and subsistence expenses for this representative.

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Working methods and structures:

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Under its terms of reference, the Committee shall elect an eight-member Bureau composed of a Chair, a Vice-Chair and six members.

In order to expedite the progress of their work, the Committee may entrust a limited number of its members with a specific task to be fulfilled by their next meeting.

The Committee may be represented in other projects and cross-sectoral activities carried out by other Council of Europe committees and bodies.

The Committee shall meet twice a year at one of the two European Youth Centres of the Council of Europe but the Committee of Ministers may authorise the holding of meetings elsewhere.

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Duration:

These terms of reference will expire on 31 December 2011.