A. The European Union has to show that it can provide answers to citizens’ concerns and ambitions. European policy must provide answers to YOUR generation’s challenges.   It will enable citizens and in particular young people – for the first time at the EU level – to put forward their ideas, comment on other people’s proposals, create and participate in events.  The Hub of the Conference is the online citizen’s platform, a place for citizens to send online submissions and proposals. They will be collected analysed, monitored and published throughout the Conference. 

A. Young people have a vital role in the Conference: the future of the EU is your future! 

 

You will be invited to open debates with politicians on policy aspects regarding the future of Europe such as: fundamental rights and freedoms, values, institutional aspects of the EU, social justice and equality, employment and economic opportunities, the environment and the climate crisis. As well as on the role young people should play moving forward.

 

Moreover, you will be at the core of broad discussions on how to tackle internal and external challenges. People of all backgrounds, at national, regional and local levels will have a say when setting EU priorities. 

 

There are various ways to get involved: you can discuss ideas on the online citizens’ platform, participate in events in your community, or organise events and consultations.

Your are invited to participate in the European Parliament’s youth consultations and leave your ideas on this  platform – youthideas.eu.

 

Don’t miss out! #TheFutureIsYours

A. The Conference’s inaugural event is planned on Europe Day (9 May, 2021) and runs until the summer of 2022, despite the delays the coronavirus pandemic caused in its launch (originally planned for spring 2020). Its main objective is to trigger a European reform in a bottom-up, transparent, and inclusive way.

 

It brings together citizens, including young people, who will be given a significant role, together with European institutions, Member States, civil society and national parliaments. 

 

It’s jointly organised by the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission.

A. The European Youth Event (EYE2021) took place on 8-9 October, 2021. It was the culmination of the European Parliament’s youth consultation process for the Conference on the Future of Europe. 

 

From May until September 2021, young people’s ideas on the future of Europe were collected on the YouthIdeas.eu platform. If you had proposals, concerns, comments, requests… it was your time to shine!

 

During the EYE2021 participants explored these ideas in ideation workshops during the event.

 

And there’s more! After a public voting process during EYE2021, the ideas were consolidated into a report, presented to the Members of the Conference and fed into the political debate of the Conference.

Read the Youth Ideas Report. 

More information about the European Youth Event (EYE2021) 

A. A discussion of this magnitude will only be fruitful if, and when, real action follows. President von der Leyen has indeed pledged to follow up on the results of the Conference.

 

It will be the joint task of the EU institutions, and participants from national regional and local levels, to ensure that the Conference is a meaningful path to making sure that people feel that their voice counts. 

 

The ultimate success of the Conference will be determined by its participants; and on how the European Union follows up on citizens’ contributions – turning ideas on what was debated and agreed upon during the Conference into action.