For their first ever plenary meetings to be held fully online, the co-managed statutory bodies of the Council of Europe youth sector will deal with a number of crucial issues.

The Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) will notably assess how the Council of Europe youth sector has been responding to the Covid-19 pandemic so far. It will examine the numerous initiatives being implemented to support member states and youth organisations alike in their efforts to mitigate the negative effects of the Covid-19 crisis on young people.

The CMJ will exchange views with Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director General of Democracy, on the latest developments in the Organisation, as well as on a possible future flagship campaign, which could be launched on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the youth sector in 2022.

The CMJ will also assess implementation of the three priorities of the “Youth for Democracy” programme for 2020-21 (access to rights; youth participation and youth work; peaceful and inclusive societies) thus far this year, while paving the way for the future by examining the Council of Europe youth sector’s draft priorities for the 2022-23 biennium.

Finally, the CMJ will discuss the follow-up to be given to its recent thematic debate on the “climate crisis and global governance”, as well as the youth sector’s important work on artificial intelligence and its impact on young people.

These statutory meetings should therefore demonstrate the renewed capacity of the Council of Europe youth sector to respond to new challenges, notably thanks to the recently adopted Council of Europe youth sector strategy 2030, and to continue empowering young people despite the Covid-19 pandemic.