Published in the European Voice on 09.05.2002

Dear Editor

Until now, the European integration process has been lamentably bad at engaging the interest of the young citizens of Europe. The Youth Convention proposed by President Giscard d’Estaing for 11-12 July 2002 offers a real opportunity to open up the debate, and to bring young people into the discussion on the future of Europe. It can only do that if it is allowed to be more than a mere public relations exercise for Convention members, and instead is part of a broader process which will involve young people in a continuous way.

We have noted with some concern the attempts to side-line in the selection process existing youth organisations and networks, which represent many tens of millions of young people. If the Youth Convention is to fulfil the goal of stimulating public debate across Europe, it should make use of these existing channels to maximise its impact.

The European Youth Forum, with the support of the Youth Contact Group on the Convention, has written to the European Parliament to suggest a more open and transparent selection procedure. This would allow the selection of participants who will be able to contribute in an active and continuing way to the construction of Eurand and facilitate a wider debate on the Convention’s work. We fully support the proposals made by the European Youth Forum, which is a body representing 91 member organisations, the National Youth Councils and International Youth NGOs.

The Youth Convention offers an opportunity to raise the public profile of the Convention, and to encourage young people to be interested in its work. This opportunity should not be squandered through repeating the traditional mistakes of the European integration process, by continuing to make decisions with minimum consultation and behind closed doors.

Yours faithfully,

Alison Weston, President, JEF
Ellen Trane Norby, President LYMEC
Yonnec Polet, Secretary General ECOSY
Markus Pösentrup, Secretary General YEPP
Roberta Tedesco triccas, Vice-President, EDS
Stefan Pauwels, EU coordinator, FYEG