The leading co-managed youth policy making body at European level, the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ), heldits 51st meeting in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg on 21-23 October 2024.  The CMJ brings together representatives from the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) and the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) and establishes the youth sector's priorities, objectives and budgets.

At this meeting, among other very important decisions for the youth sector, the Joint Council on Youth took very significant decisions concerning the role of the European Youth Foundation, as follows:

1. approval of the main orientations of the EYF reform

The aim of the EYF reform is to ensure that the Foundation remains a unique, agile, and relevant donor to youth organisations across Europe. Within the statute of the EYF, the reform will lead to new operation regulations for the Foundation, that govern the manner and conditions of the use of the Foundation’s resources.  Based on the Statutes of the European Youth Foundation, the updated regulations should support the realisation of principles, in line with the Reykjavik Declaration and Principles for Democracy, aimed at revitalising democracy in Europe, based on Council of Europe youth policy standards and good practices:

· Nurturing trust-based relations with international and national non-governmental youth organisations and networks as well as with other non-governmental structures involved in areas of youth work, relevant to the Council of Europe’s youth policy.

· Supporting the independence of organisation, autonomy of action, and voluntary nature of youth activities at European level.

· Ensuring adaptability to economic and social progress and changes and responsiveness to organisational development and needs of international youth organisations and networks.

Specific orientations concern the types of grants that the EYF will provide in the future, the requirements of each grant, the conditions for co-funding, but also new aspects that the Foundation will reinforce in its work with youth organisations, such as accessibility and environmentally responsible practices.

2. approval of focus themes for pilot activity grants in 2025

The Joint Council on Youth discussed and agreed on two main focus themes within the youth sector priorities for pilot activity grants in 2025, namely human rights education with young people and peacebuilding, conflict transformation and intercultural dialogue. 

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3. decision to maintain the special call in support of young people from Ukraine and to remove the obligation of co-funding for the international activity grants within the call. 

The Joint Council on Youth agreed to reinforce the grants for international youth co-operation within the EYF Special call in support of young people from Ukraine by waiving the obligation of co-funding for these grants. From now on, youth organisations applying for an EYF international activity grant within the special call no longer need to have co-funding for their initiative. 

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