The European Youth Forum DOES NOT have the mandate to select any delegates to the Youth Convention. The selection of delegates to the Youth Convention rests on the European Parliament (32), the European Commission (4), the Chairmen of the Convention (6) and the full and alternate members of the Convention representing national parliaments or governments (168), bringing the number of delegates to a total of 210.

The European Youth Forum issued an open call to European non-governmental organisations, both members and non-members of the European Youth Forum on 1 May 2002. The call invited organisations to send a list of their candidates to the European Youth Forum by 12 May 2002. This deadline was later extended to 16 May 2002

The European Youth Forum forwarded the full list of proposed candidates received from European non-governmental organisations to the European Parliament on 20 May 2002. The European Youth Forum will also forward a list of proposed candidates to the European Commission and to the Chairmen of the Convention.

Henrik Söderman, President of the European Youth Forum, states: "The European Youth Forum is greatly concerned about the confusion over the selection process for delegates to the Youth Convention. We have always called for a fair and representative procedure for the selection of the delegates to the Youth Convention."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday 23 May 2002
For the attention of Newsdesks
Contact: Laura Bacci, tel: 32 2 286 94 12 mobile: 32 476 40 24 79