FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, 22 May 2003
Contact: Jorge Cámara, tel: 32 2 286 94 17 mobile: 32 4 73 773 442

YOUTH CONVENTION URGES GREATER PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPE

On 20-21 May, the Youth Convention Presidium along with the European Youth Forum organised a follow-up meeting in the European Parliament in Brussels. The objective was to assess the draft Constitutional Treaty in the light of the proposals and demands made by young people in the European Youth Convention of July 2002. The final results of the Youth Convention follow-up meeting will be presented to the European Convention Presidium and Members.

The forty participants of the Youth Convention had the opportunity to hear the different points of view from EU officials and statesmen on the future of Europe. They then broke up into three separate discussion groups to examine the draft Constitutional Treaty in the light of young people’s demands, as expressed at the July 2002 European Youth Convention and at the various National Youth Conventions held in different European countries.

On fundamental rights and citizenship of the Union, “we regret the fact that the Presidium does not see equality and social justice as a fundamental value that makes Europe’s people feel part of the same ‘union’,” said Giacomo Filibeck, Chair of the Youth Convention. The Youth Convention also calls on the Presidium of the Convention to incorporate a Youth Article into part II of the draft, “acknowledging an unambiguous policy of youth and giving full consideration to the role of young people in the shaping of Europe. Under this line, the principle of participatory democracy (art 34) should be enriched,” continued the Chair of the Youth Convention.

Regarding the Convention’s proposal on the reform of EU institutions, the Youth Convention believes that to guarantee an understandable, single institutional framework no exception should be made to the rule of co-decision. It also does not see the need for yet another institution like the Congress of the People , which has no specific purpose and would only complicate the structure of the Union. “Also, the Youth Convention believes that the President of the Commission must be the head of the European executive and must be nominated and elected by the EP,” stressed Giacomo Filibeck.

The Youth Convention calls on the Union to strengthen the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), as expressed in July 2002 “and asks that qualified majority voting be applied to all CFSP decisions matters,” said Mr. Filibeck. It welcomes the proposal of an EU Minister for Foreign Affairs and reiterates young people’s desire to see a European Union with a single voice in international organisations like the United Nations.

It also welcomes the proposal of article 30 part II, which establishes a framework for joint contribution from young Europeans to humanitarian action. “In this sense, the current European Voluntary Service should be turned into a European Civilian Service, where young people would spend a period of time in another EU or non-EU country participating in a project in harmony with the founding values of the European identity,” continued Mr. Filibeck.

“We highly value the work of the Presidium of the Convention and the role that it has performed so far,” concludes the Chair of the Youth Convention. “But it is now time to listen to the proposals young people have in order to involve them in the shaping of the European project.”

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Article 10 of the draft of the EU Constitution.
2. The Youth Convention was organised by the European Youth Forum with the collaboration of the European Convention, the Commission and the European Parliament.
3. Pictures of the event can be ordered from jorge.camara@youthforum.org

Read here the report from the European Youth Forum about the YC follow up