The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the new text of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life calling upon member States of the Council of Europe to create and support youth participation structures and policies that enable young people to take part in decision-making. The Committee of Ministers joins Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in responding to the concerns and hopes of young people today, contributing to the sustainability and resilience of democratic societies, creating a framework for youth participation that takes into account multiple levels of governance.
The Charter starts from the basis that young people are rights-holders and authorities are duty bearers, defining youth participation means as having the right, the means, the space, the structures, the opportunities, the tools and the necessary support to participate in and influence decision making at local and regional levels. The Charter further defines youth participation principles and the need of respect of human rights as an essential element in making the participation of all young people possible in democratic life.
The newly adopted text provides guidance on how to set-up permanent participation structures, such as local and regional youth councils, drawing on the unique experience of the co-management system of the youth sector of the Council of Europe. The Charter also draws attention to the importance of a healthy and well-supported eco-system for youth participation, including youth civil society, youth centres and youth work.
The Charter was first adopted in 1992, and an initial revision was done in 2003. The current revision was initiated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in March 2024 and done in partnership with the Joint Council on Youth. The drafting process covered two years, setting a high standard for consultation and participation in the elaboration of a text.
The process culminated in the European Conference “Democracy in Action!” held in Braga in February 2025. The conference gathered 150 representatives of youth civil society, local youth councils, and local and regional authorities, that gave feedback to the draft text and made proposals for action for implementation.
The Congress adopted the European Charter on the Participation of Young people in Local and Regional Life at its October 2025 plenary session in Strasbourg, calling upon local and regional authorities as duty-bearers of youth participation to translate the Charter’s provisions into concrete action on the ground.
The Charter implementation starts today with its translation and dissemination, along with common action to be set in motion at local and national level, as well as at the Council of Europe. The implementation of the text will be reviewed every five years together with young people and their civil society.
To start the process of implementation, the Youth Department of the Council of Europe will host a stakeholders’ meeting at the end of April 2026 to define the key support measures for the implementation of the Charter.
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