The leading co-managed youth policy making body at European level, the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ), is holding its 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.
The meeting will review, as one of its priority issues, a draft Council of Europe Reference Framework for a Youth Perspective as a follow-up to the Declaration of the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe (16-17 May 2023, Reykjavik), which puts special emphasis on the continued work on integrating a youth perspective in the Organisation’s intergovernmental and other deliberations, including the Parliamentary Assembly.
For its 51st meeting, a broad range of issues concerning young people at pan-European level will be discussed: the review of the Revised European Charter on the participation of young people in local and regional life; results and follow-up to the Consultative meeting on accessibility and inclusiveness of the youth programme; and the ongoing mid-term review of the Council of Europe Youth Sector Strategy 2030.
The Joint Council on Youth will also examine, with a view to its approval and further transmission to the Committee of Ministers for adoption, a CM Recommendation to member States on the social, economic, and political participation of rural youth. This Recommendation focuses on the unique challenges and vulnerabilities experienced by young people in rural areas and aims to fill the gaps in standards and policies in question by suggesting to member States steps and measures they could take to address them.
The Joint Council on Youth will also discuss the reform of the European Youth Foundation, in order to make grants more accessible for international youth co-operation for youth organisations. It will additionally define specific focus themes for 2025 for the pilot activity grants of the Foundation, and will consider specific provisions for to boost the international activity grants within the EYF Special call in support of young people from Ukraine.
Another important item on the CMJ agenda is the preparations for a European Conference of Ministers for Youth and the 4th European Youth Work Convention under the Presidency of Malta 2025.
Furthermore, efforts undertaken to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian youth sector, as well as the strengthening of Council of Europe activities in Ukraine under the Framework agreement with Ukraine and the “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine” project, will be discussed.
Additionally, a draft CM Recommendation to member States on young people and climate action, which addresses a priority issue for young Europeans and encourages member States to respect and fulfil their fundamental rights when they are advocating for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, is expected to be adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 23 October 2024.
