COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 5.9.2007
COM(2007) 498 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Promoting young people's full participation in education, employment and society

{SEC(2007) 1084}
{SEC(2007) 1093}

EN EN
 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Promoting young people's full participation in education, employment and society

1. INTRODUCTION

Empowering young people and creating favourable conditions for them to develop their skills,
to work and to participate actively in society is essential for the sound economic and social
development of the European Union, particularly in the context of globalisation, knowledge-
based economies and ageing societies where it is crucial that every young person is given the
possibility to fulfil his or her potential.

While overall conditions for young people in Europe today are positive – freedom and
security, prosperity, longer life expectancy –, there is increasing concern that many of them
cannot prosper. High rates of child poverty, poor health, school drop-out and unemployment
among a too large number of young people, indicate a need to review the investments Europe
is making in its youth1 starting earlier, also taking into account the essential role of families2.
Social exclusion of young people carries high social and economic costs and needs to be
prevented.

The challenges young people are facing today are complex and diverse. There are more
opportunities to learn and participate but less established pathways. Maintaining growth and
prosperity in Europe, whilst promoting social cohesion and sustainable development, depends
on a full contribution and participation by all young people, all the more so since their number
relative to the population as a whole is shrinking. Young people will have to bear the growing
cost of an ageing population, which calls for an intergenerational response3.

There is therefore a need for a transversal youth strategy, building on cooperation between
policy makers and stakeholders at European, national, regional and local levels. Member
States play the main role in implementing youth policy. In this perspective they already
committed themselves in the European Youth Pact to give special attention to young people
within the Lisbon Strategy4. The EU can play a complementary role by offering financial
support and policy coordination. A youth policy framework has been progressively setup with
the support of the European Parliament and other institutions since the White Paper on
Youth5. Closer coordination between this framework and other policies impacting on youth,
together with a stronger focus on youth in such policies, would be helpful to address the
challenges faced by young people more efficiently, and this is the purpose of this
Communication.

1
BEPA April 2007.
2
European Alliance of Families launched at Spring European Council in 2007.
3
COM(2006) 571, COM(2007) 244.
4
COM(2005) 206.
5
COM(2001) 681, Council Resolution C 168/2 (2002).

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 Furthermore, promoting young people's full participation in society would benefit from a
strong partnership between the EU and young people. It is proposed here that this could take
the form of a commitment by the EU and Member States to develop better opportunities for
young people and a commitment by young people themselves to play an active part.

2. BETTER AND MORE EDUCATION FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE

Education is crucial for young people's transitions into the labour market and successful
integration and participation in society. However, a significant number of young people leave
education systems without having acquired the skills needed for a smooth transition into
employment.

Nearly one in six young people in the EU are early school leavers. Member States aim to
reduce this figure to an average of 10% by 2010, but it is uncertain whether this can be
achieved. One in four young adults (ages 25-29) has not completed upper secondary
education level. Surveys point to considerable deficiencies in pupils' mastery of basic literacy
and numeracy skills, which constitute a serious obstacle to progression into vocational
training or higher education, leaving them to face a precarious future in society and the
modern labour market6.

Europe's current patchy provision of early childhood education7 – the great benefits of which
are well established8 – could be improved. Efforts must be centred on developing key
competences9 from a very early age, starting with children in disadvantaged areas and
creating accompanying mechanism to prevent early school leaving.

Education systems should deliver efficient and relevant education in a lifecycle perspective,
stimulating the individual's potential for creativity and autonomy, while avoiding mismatches
with the labour market. Young people need to be prepared for entry into the labour market but
also to be able to carry on their education throughout their lives, for their personal
development and to help them adapt to changing professional circumstances. Developing
communication skills in foreign languages should be promoted in this context.

These are the major challenges - all the more pressing in a globalised and knowledge-based
economy - which education systems must address if they are to meet the needs of today's
young people. The Education and Training 2010 work programme10 provides an EU-level
framework supporting the modernisation of Member States' education and training systems. A
stronger political focus on implementing good policies and practices that have emerged from
this process would be beneficial. By directing investment to develop early childhood
education for all and raising the quality of its provision, Member States can more effectively
address the problem of early school leaving and educational disadvantage.

6
Progress Report 2007.
7
Pre-primary education.
8
COM(2006) 481.
9
Recommendation 2006/962/EC: these are communication in the mother tongue, communication in
foreign languages, mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology, digital
competence, learning to learn, social and civic competences, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship,
and cultural awareness and expression.
10
C 142/1 (2002).

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 The Commission
– invites Member States in their national lifelong learning strategies to prioritise the quality
and the quantity of investment to early childhood education
– invites Member States to modernise higher education through changes to governance,
funding and curricula
– invites Member States to build a stronger focus on education and training in the National
Reform Programmes in order to avoid mismatches between education outcomes and labour
market requirements e.g. by developing more and better counselling opportunities for
young people and building closer links between education institutions and the world of
work
– invites Member States to improve the labour market relevance, attractiveness and openness
of the vocational education and training in order to better prepare young people for the
labour market, e.g. through partnerships between stakeholders - including social partners
and sectoral organisations
– invites Member States to implement the European Qualifications Framework which will
support the mobility of young students and workers and the validation of what they have
learned through formal and informal paths
– together with Member States, will develop the youth-specific elements within Europass11,
based on the Youthpass delivered within the framework of the Youth in Action
Programme, to facilitate the access of young people to mobility and lifelong learning

3. YOUTH AND EMPLOYMENT: A CHALLENGE FOR EUROPE

Using the full potential of youth is a requisite for future economic growth and social cohesion
in the EU. Labour markets need to urgently respond to these challenges in order to fulfil the
potential of the youth population.

3.1. Youth unemployment: a wasted resource12

Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) is a key concern for Europe: it stands at 17.4%13. This
constitutes a waste of human capital. Over the last 25 years, no real breakthrough has been
achieved in reducing it despite a general rise in educational attainment. In the current
economic upswing with an estimated 7 million more persons moving into employment during
the 2005-2008 Lisbon cycle, labour market performance continues to develop less favourably
for young people. They are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than prime-age adults.
Young adults' unemployment often turns into long-term unemployment (over 50% of the
unemployed aged 25-29) or inactivity. Young women are overrepresented among the inactive
and unemployed, and the gap to men increases with age.

11
Decision No 2241/2004/EC: Europass provides a community framework for transparency of
qualifications and competences improving the opportunities for young people to make their learning
outcomes more visible.
12
See detailed analysis in SEC(2007) 1093 presented with this Communication, and Employment
Observatory 2005 Review.
13
EU-27 youth unemployment rate in 2006. For more details on figures see SEC(2007) 1093.

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 Youth unemployment has long been regarded as a temporary phenomenon in the transition
from education to the labour market. However, the causes of youth employment problems and
the risks they entail have to be reconsidered in the changing demographic and economic
context. Skills and education (or their lack) is one key explanation, but difficult transitions
and labour market segmentation are also parts of the problem. Regional disparities in some
Member States reinforce such problems.

As a consequence of educational shortcomings a quarter of all youngsters arrive at the

threshold of the labour market without sufficient qualifications (see Chapter 2). Half of all
new jobs created in the EU today require high level qualifications, and most of the rest at least
medium level. Unsurprisingly the unemployment rate of low qualified youth is significantly
higher than for more educated peers. Changes in labour demand have increased the
disadvantage of low qualified young people. Knowledge and service-based economies still
create jobs not requiring a high formal qualification, but they demand more varied skills and
competences than needed in the past. In some countries even highly educated young people
have difficulties finding a job due to macro-economic or labour market institutions
unfavourable to the entry of newcomers, and to a mismatch between qualifications and labour
market demands.

High rates of youth inactivity (other than participation in education and training) are another
phenomenon of failed labour market integration and typically coincide with overall high
unemployment rates. Inactivity has negative repercussions on the readiness and economic
capacity of young adults to raise families. Unemployment and inactivity of parents are strong
risk factors for child poverty (see Chapter 4).

3.2. Improving young people's transitions: flexicurity

Settling into the labour market is often a gradual process, but becomes a problem if non-
employment spells are not filled with meaningful activity; this detracts from the individuals'
employability. In many Member States, one in three young people remain jobless one year
after leaving education.

Despite Member States' reiterated commitment the vast majority of the 4.6 million young
unemployed in the EU do not get the opportunity to make a new start within 6 months.
Education and labour market institutions should step up efforts in providing all young people
with tailored guidance and counselling for choosing a suitable education pathway leading to
labour market qualification14 hence reducing the mismatch between education outcomes and
labour market requirements. Young people should receive more support through tailored job
search including seizing job opportunities abroad. The EU will step up its support to Member
States cooperation for promoting mobility (e.g. EURES "Your First Job Abroad" initiative).

Establishing early links between education and the labour market is essential to familiarise
young people with the world of work. Internships, when linked to the training or study
curriculum, are an important instrument in this respect, However, internships with little or no
pay and limited educational added-value should be avoided. Member States should ensure that
internships are properly defined.

14
Council Resolution Guidance, May 2004; Career Guidance Handbook.

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 Young people need appropriate employment opportunities, but having had little or no way to
show their capabilities, they suffer heavily from not being taken into jobs. They are
particularly affected by the dualism of the labour market. They can be trapped in jobs with
poor conditions or prospects: for instance 4 in 10 are currently in temporary employment;
around a quarter works part time and even more have low paid jobs. Such employment can
serve as a stepping stone, helping young people to establish a track record of employment, but
for some it can lead to a cycle of permanent low quality jobs15.

Despite the fact that Member States make great efforts in tackling youth unemployment,
evaluations of active labour market policies for youth have shown that results could still be
improved16. Member States should address more systematically and more broadly causes of
youth unemployment within the Lisbon Strategy, including the European Youth Pact. The
2006/2007 Lisbon exercise made a number of recommendations relevant to youth
employment problems.

The common principles for flexicurity provide a part of the framework to address the main
causes of youth employment problems and feeling of insecurity17. They address at the same
time the issues of security and flexibility. In the next Lisbon cycle, starting in 2008, Member
States are invited to establish, based on their respective specific challenges and with active
involvement of social partners, flexicurity strategies integrating the four policy components
(flexible and reliable contractual arrangements, effective lifelong learning systems, active
labour market policies, modern social security systems). Policy interventions and employment
measures should be reviewed and tailored to the national circumstances and preferences.
Member States should use the European Social Fund to provide young people with transition
pathways from education to work, in particular where vocational training systems are less
developed, and put a stronger focus on youth in structural policies aiming at the reduction of
regional disparities.

3.3. Promoting entrepreneurship

Europe needs more entrepreneurs. Only 15% of workers are employers or self-employed in
the EU and figures dwindle to 4.2% for young people18. However, over half of young people
indicate that they would be interested in following an entrepreneurial route19. Fostering the
acquisition of entrepreneurial mindsets through education and training is crucial and has been
recognised as a key competence. The European Youth Pact and recent Commission
initiatives20 also highlight the need for learning processes to support, as early as possible, the
development of young people's participatory skills and entrepreneurial self-confidence and
know-how.

There is a need to create favourable conditions for young entrepreneurs, by providing

information, financial incentives and lifting unnecessary legal and administrative burdens.
There is also a need to address specific obstacles still met by young women to create and run
a business. The Commission is preparing a pilot project to promote the mobility of young
entrepreneurs.

15
Employment in Europe 2004, p. 178.
16
Employment in Europe 2006, p. 139.
17
COM(2007) 359.
18
2006 Labour Force Survey.
19
Flash EB 192, April 2007.
20
COM(2006) 33. See also Oslo agenda.

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 The Commission
– will increase monitoring of youth employment in Member States and promote best practice
exchange
– will improve geographic mobility support through the EURES tool and launch in autumn
2007 the pilot "Your First Job Abroad" initiative for young workers to make their first
mobility experience
– will propose in 2008 an initiative for a European quality charter on internships
– invites Member States to give more attention to youth in the National Reform Programmes
and in multilateral surveillance
– invites Member States to establish flexicurity strategies including a specific focus on youth
employment objectives, in particular in the light of the approach set out in the June
Communication on flexicurity and the further work on flexicurity in the European Council
– invites Member States to promote internships with a strong link to training or study
curriculum and to define adequate frames for doing so
– invites Member States to promote entrepreneurship education as a key competence and to
improve conditions for young entrepreneurs e.g. by promoting the Entrepreneurship and
Innovation Programme amongst businesses and financial institutions to facilitate access to
finance for the start-up of SME's by young entrepreneurs
– encourages Member States to use national policies and EU funds, in particular the
European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fundthe Cohesion Fund and
the Rural Development Fund or any other relevant EU funds and programmes, for
supporting young people's transition from education to employment and reducing regional
disparities in this respect

4. USING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF ALL

Young people's participation in education, employment and society is affected by poverty,

social marginalisation, discrimination and poor health. Europe has a genuine interest for both
economic and social reasons to ensure that no child and young person is excluded.

4.1. Social inclusion

Child poverty which affects 19% of all children and youngsters below 18 is a major pre-
occupation21. Child well-being has been seen to have important effects on subsequent
education and employment. Countries with high poverty risks for children and young people
typically have high levels of unemployment. Breaking the inter-generational transmission of
poverty is a key challenge, and policies should address the needs of both children and their
parents in a comprehensive manner. More emphasis should be placed on pre-primary
education and on the education of pupils living in disadvantaged areas.

In a number of countries, social inclusion of youth with a migrant background or from

disadvantaged minorities (in particular Roma) has so far not been successful. Often combined
with a weak socioeconomic status of their parents, they account for a large portion of
disadvantaged youth, have higher rates of early school leaving and often lower reading skills.

21
SEC(2007) 329.

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 The risk of economic inactivity for young people from ethnic minorities in some countries is
one third higher than for the mainstream youth population.

Achieving social inclusion and equal opportunities is also a key issue for disabled young
people. Eliminating barriers to their participation in education and training, as well as to their
engagement in civic, political and community life is crucial. For all youth with fewer
capabilities, active labour market policies and measures to increase their participation in
vocational training are instrumental for improving opportunities to fully participate in society.

4.2. Gender imbalances

Young women experience higher unemployment rates than men and are more often in low
quality, part-time and fixed-term jobs. Although they have made substantial progress in the
last decades in education, their potential is still only partially reflected in labour market
performance, including persisting pay gaps which increase with age. Gender stereotypes play
a major role in this situation since women and men follow traditional education and training
paths, which often place women in occupations that are less valued and remunerated. Women
work much less in technical fields, despite the existence of labour market shortages. Young
men are overrepresented among early school leavers.

4.3. Better health

Good health is a requisite for building human capital and full participation. Much ill-health
later in life can be prevented early on. But a relatively high and increasing number of young
people suffer already from health problems: e.g. one child in five is overweight or obese,
around 10% of deaths in young females and 25% in young males are related to alcohol.
Young people's health is strongly influenced by family, school and social circumstances.
Lower socio-economic status and levels of education are associated with a higher incidence of
mental and physical health problems, drug misuse and teenage pregnancy.

Young people are a major target group of EU health and prevention policies (in the fields of
alcohol, drug abuse, tobacco, consumer health, nutrition and obesity and HIV/AIDS, and soon
mental health). Greater inter-sectoral collaboration is needed to address the social dimension
of health and create tailored actions to promote young people's health. The Commission has
also highlighted the importance of promoting better nutrition and physical activity among
young people to improve their health22.

The Commission
– invites Member States to step up the fight against child poverty notably by promoting
equal opportunities for children and young people with respect to education, including pre-
primary education, as well as parents' labour market participation
– invites Member States to equip youth organisations and youth workers to deal with health
issues
– will prepare a new health strategy in 2007 which will support tailored actions for young
people

22
COM(2007) 391 and COM(2007) 279.

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 – strongly supports actions to eliminate gender stereotypes in education, culture and on the
labour market by promoting gender mainstreaming and specific actions in EU education
and culture programmes

5. ACTIVE YOUNG CITIZENS

Since the publication of the White Paper on Youth, the Commission and Member States have
been working on policies for fostering young people's participative skills and active
engagement in society23. Shaping youth policies in constant dialogue with young people is
instrumental to their success.

5.1. Youth participation

Youth participation in democratic institutions and in a continuous dialogue with policy

makers is essential to the sound functioning of our democracies and the sustainability of
policies which impact on young people’s lives.

The Commission recently24 called on Member States to continue their efforts to increase
youth participation and formulate coherent information strategies for young people. The
Commission also launched a genuine dialogue with young people, structured from the local
through to the European level which needs to be fully implemented. The European Youth
Summit "Your Europe" held in Rome in March 2007, the European Youth Week and regular
Presidency Youth events are positive steps towards such a structured dialogue with young
people.

Involvement in cultural activities can also enable young people to express their creative
energy and contribute to fostering active citizenship. Furthermore, cultural activities can
promote inclusion and facilitate intergenerational and intercultural dialogue by forging links
between individuals and helping to transcend national identity. This lies at the heart of the
European Year on Intercultural Dialogue in 2008, which will have a major focus on young
people. They are also key messages in the Commission's Communication on culture25.

5.2. Voluntary activities

Voluntary activities provide a valuable non-formal learning experience, which enables young
people to acquire skills and facilitate their transition from education to employment. Through
volunteering, young people develop values such as mutual understanding, dialogue and
solidarity. However, it must be pointed out that voluntary activities are not a substitute for
paid employment.

Young Europeans have a positive view of programmes encouraging voluntary activities, with
74% believing that such programmes are a good way of increasing their participation in
society. The EU Youth in Action Programme26 provides a framework for the European
Voluntary Service.

23
Council Resolution C 168/2 (2002).
24
COM(2006) 417.
25
COM(2007) 242.
26
From 1996 to 2006, 30 000 young European have benefited from this scheme.

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 Member States' reports on the implementation of the common objectives adopted for
voluntary activities within the Open Method of Coordination (OMC)27 show that exchanges
of good practice, peer learning activities and evaluation tools would bring an added value in
developing voluntary activities28.

Obstacles such as visa difficulties and lack of insurance should be eliminated, and the linkage
to entitlements to social security provisions, including unemployment benefits, needs to be
improved. Cross-sectoral cooperation between different authorities and appropriate legal
frameworks are necessary29. Recognition of skills gained by young people in volunteering
contributes to facilitating their transition from education to employment. Good practices exist
but a more coherent approach is needed, building on the ongoing reflection launched at EU
level30.

5.3. Young people and the EU: A strengthened partnership

Institutions and policies have a key role to play in broadening opportunities for the young
generation to participate in society but young people themselves must also develop a sense of
responsibility for their education, health, integration in professional life and engagement in
society.

Youth organisations are a key resource in this respect. The role of the European Youth Forum
is important in engaging such organisations, in particular national and local youth Councils, as
well as young people with fewer opportunities in the structured dialogue with policy makers.

The development of the European Union calls for a strong commitment. In a recent
Eurobarometer young people have expressed their support for the EU and it is important to
build on this31.

The Commission proposes to reinforce the existing partnership between EU Institutions and
youth representatives in a declaration highlighting the relevance of a structured dialogue with
young people at all levels and in the fields covered by this Communication. The agenda is to
be defined together with young people. The dialogue should associate relevant stakeholders
and youth organisations. It should also include young people with fewer opportunities and
those who are not members of an organisation.

Other areas of interest to young people, such as sustainable development, the future of the EU
or aid to developing countries, could also be addressed in the framework of this partnership.

An EU report on youth should be drafted every three years in association with young people,
drawing on existing information and reporting on developments in the areas addressed in this
communication. Ministers have welcomed such a report32.

27
Council Resolution 13996/04 (2004).
28
See detailed analysis in SEC(2007) 1084 presented with this Communication.
29
See section 3 of the staff working document on voluntary activities of young people for more
substantiated information about obstacles.
30
Decision No 2241/2004/EC.
31
Youth EB 2007.
32
Council Conclusions 8771 (25 May 2007).

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 The Commission

For participation
– invites Member States within the youth OMC to implement the reinforced common
objectives for participation by and information for young people and to implement the
structured dialogue
– invites Member States to give young people a role within the activities planned for the
European Year on intercultural dialogue
– in cooperation with Member States and with due respect to their competences, will study
existing national practices regarding access for young people to culture, with a view to
facilitating such access
– will use relevant EU programmes33, in cooperation with Member States, to promote young
people's participation, in a coordinated approach
For voluntary activities
– invites Member States to develop programmes, strategies, explore improvements to legal
frameworks, eliminate obstacles and encourage volunteering of young people with fewer
opportunities
– invites Member States to promote and recognise volunteering, building on Europass
– invites Member States to reinforce the OMC on voluntary activities, undertake peer
learning activities and develop monitoring tools at European level
– will launch a consultation and impact assessment on a new initiative at EU level to
promote and recognise voluntary activities of young people
For a strengthened partnership
– invites the European Institutions and young people to reinforce their partnership in a joint
declaration foreseen later this year
– invites the European Youth Forum, within the structured dialogue, to voice the concerns of
young people with fewer opportunities and of those who are not members of any
organisation
– will draw up an EU report on youth to be prepared by the Commission every three years

6. CONCLUSIONS

The present Communication is a major step in a policy process on youth issues which started
in 2001 with the White Paper on Youth. It conveys, in a context of aging societies, a strong
message for better, earlier and more investment in young people to promote their education,
employment, social inclusion, health and active citizenship in a lifecycle approach.
Investment should not merely be financial. Personal involvement is needed by relevant
stakeholders, such as policy makers, labour and education institutions, enterprises, youth
workers, researchers, families and organisations working for and with young people.

33
For instance Youth in Action, Lifelong Learning, Competitiveness and Innovation framework
programme and its more specific entrepreneurship and innovation programme and the proposed
Community Action programme in the field of Health 2007–2013.

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 The Communication highlights the need to substantially reduce youth unemployment and
improve the quality of jobs. All young people, and Europe as a whole, need to have the skills
and opportunities to work productively for economic and social well-being. Key to young
people's full participation is access to a good job which also requires qualitative and relevant
education. Promoting full participation of young managers, entrepreneurs and workers is also
a key component in building innovative, knowledge based and internationally competitive EU
economies.

Working towards young people's full participation in society can be done more successfully
through a transversal youth strategy. This requires stronger cross-sectoral cooperation
between policy fields impacting on youth and a greater focus on youth in such policies.
Member States are to this end invited to take a number of measures aiming at forging closer
links between existing processes, such as the Lisbon Strategy, health strategies and various
open methods of coordination34, in order for them to deliver further and better opportunities
for young people, and concentrate on actions that will be more beneficial to young people's
professional integration, social inclusion and active citizenship.

The Commission proposes a number of new initiatives building bridges between education
and employment and fostering young people's active citizenship. These include an initiative
on a European quality charter on internships, a pilot initiative "Your First Job Abroad", an
upcoming new health strategy, an impact assessment on voluntary activities for young people
and a study pertaining to young people's access to culture. In addition the Commission
proposes to promote transversal coordination through an EU report on youth every three
years.

Full participation of young people in society can however only be successful if young people
are committed to work as partners towards this objective, hence the Commission's proposal to
empower young people and strengthen the existing partnership between the European
Institutions and the young generation.

34
In the fields of education, inclusion and youth.

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 Technical Annex: List of reference documents (in chronological order)

(1) COM(2001) 681: White Paper on a new impetus for European Youth (21.11.2001)

(2) Education and Training 2010 C 142/1: Detailed Work Programme on the follow-up of
the objectives of Education and training systems in Europe (14.6.2002)

(3) Council Resolution C 168/2 (2002): Resolution of the Council and the representatives
of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council regarding the
framework of European Cooperation in the youth field (27.6.2002)

(4) Council Resolution Guidance: Council Resolution on Strengthening Policies, Systems

and Practices in the field of Guidance. (May 2004)
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/resolution2004_en.pdf

(5) Employment in Europe (EiE) 2004: Employment in Europe 2004

(6) Council Resolution 13996/04 (2004): Council Resolution on Common objectives for
voluntary activities (15.11.2004)

(7) Decision No 2241/2004/EC: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 15.12.2004 on a Single Community framework for the transparency of
qualifications and competences (Europass)

(8) European Youth Pact: Annex 1 to the Presidency Conclusions of the European
Council of 22 and 23 March 2005

(9) COM(2005) 206: Commission Communication on European policies concerning

youth - Addressing the concerns of young people in Europe – implementing the
European Youth Pact and promoting active citizenship (30.5.2005)

(10) COM(2006) 33: Commission Communication on Implementing the Community

Lisbon Programme: Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning
(13.2.2006)

(11) COM(2006) 208: Commission Communication "Delivering on the modernisation

agenda for universities: education, research and innovation" (10.5.2006)

(12) COM(2006) 417: Commission Communication on the follow-up of the White Paper
on a new impetus for European Youth: Implementing the common objectives for
participation by and information for young people in view of promoting their active
citizenship (20.7.2006)

(13) COM(2006) 481: Commission Communication on Efficiency and Equity in European

education and training systems (8.9.2006)

(14) COM(2006) 571: Commission Communication "The demographic future of Europe –

from challenge to opportunity" (12.10.2006)

(15) Employment in Europe (EiE) 2006: Employment in Europe 2006

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 (16) European Employment Observatory Review: Autumn 2005 (Youth employment).
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2006.
ISSN 1725-5376

(17) Recommendation 2006/962/EC: Recommendation of the European Parliament and of

the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (18.12.2006)

(18) COM(2006) 857: Commission Communication "Employment in rural areas: closing

the jobs gap" (21.12.2006)

(19) SEC(2006) 1772: Commission Staff Working Document: Report on employment in

rural areas (21.12.2006)

(20) SEC(2007) 329: Commission Staff Working Document: Joint Report on Social
Protection and Social Inclusion. Supporting document (6.3.2007)

(21) BEPA April 2007: Bureau of European Policy Advisers "Investing in youth: an
empowerment strategy"
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/policy_advisers/publications/index_en.htm

(22) COM(2007) 244: Commission Communication "Promoting solidarity between the

generations" (10.5.2007)

(23) Council Conclusions 8771 (2007): on future perspectives for European cooperation in
the field of youth policy (25.5.2007)

(24) COM(2007) 279: White Paper on a Strategy for Europe for Nutrition, Overweight and
Obesity related health issues (30.5.2007)

(25) COM(2007) 359: Commission Communication "Towards common principles of

flexicurity: More and better jobs through flexibility and security" (27.6.2007)

(26) Youth EB 2007: "Looking behind the figures – the main results of the Eurobarometer
2007 survey on youth" of February 2007, on http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.html

(27) Flash EB 192, Entrepreneurship Survey of the EU (25 Member States), United States,
Iceland and Norway: Analytical Report, April 2007

(28) Progress Report 2007: Progress towards Lisbon objectives in Education and Training:
DG EAC 2007 Report based on indicators and benchmarks (forthcoming)

(29) COM(2007) 242: Commission Communication on a European agenda for culture in a

globalizing world (10.5.2007)

(30) COM(2007) 391: White Paper on sport: the EU and sport: matching expectations, and
annexed Action Plan (11.7.2007)

(31) Oslo agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in Europe

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/support_measures/training_education/d
oc/oslo_agenda_final.pdf

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 (32) Career Guidance Handbook: Career Guidance – A handbook for policy-makers.
Commission staff working paper and joint publication with OECD.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/53/53/34060761.pdf

(33) LFS: "Labour Force Survey - User Guide" Eurostat 2007

(34) European Alliance of Families: launched by Member States at the Spring European
Council 2007. For more details see
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/families/european-alliance-for-
families_en.html

(35) European Youth Portal: overall source of information for young people.
http://europa.eu/youth

(36) Youth in Action Programme 2007-2013: the new EU programme in the field of youth.
http://ec.europa.eu/youth

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