Outcomes of the EU Youth Conference under the Hungarian Presidency

Utolsó frissítés csütörtök, 10/10/2024

From 7 to 10 September 2024, young people, youth leaders, researchers, youth organisations and policymakers from across Europe gathered in Budapest, Hungary, for the EU Youth Conference hosted by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference focused on ‘Finding solutions at national and European levels that facilitate access to information and possibilities for young people living in rural and remote areas, especially those with fewer opportunities, to make use of their untapped potential to prosper locally’.

The conference was an integral part of the 10th cycle of the European Youth Dialogue (EUYD - formerly known as the Structured Dialogue), which gives young people in Europe the opportunity to have face-to-face exchanges with decision-makers on the issues and challenges that concern them and come with solutions shaping the future of Europe.

Participants proposed to make rural and remote areas more vibrant and attractive for young people by:

• Promoting meaningful rural youth participation
• Fostering supportive rural communities
• Increasing access to infrastructure
• Raising awareness of alternative employment pathways  

The young delegates stressed that EU, national and local instruments should fit the needs, realities, capacities and resources of young people from rural and remote areas and:

Provide support for youth participation in rural development and decision-making

• Support rural entrepreneurship
• Promote youth-friendly platforms for accessing information on youth programmes
• Encourage quality learning opportunities and youth initiatives
• Improving access to services and information related to mental health.

Young people also gave feedback on the EU Youth Dialogue, which over the last 10th cycles provided a space for young people to share their concerns and promote inclusion. While it has effectively reached many, the EUYD should aim to include more young people, especially those not in education, employment, or training, as well as those from rural and remote areas.

In addition, proposals were made to make the Dialogue stronger by better tracking, follow-up, and integration of its outcomes into other policies. The EUYD should also focus on topics that matter most to young people and share its results more widely. This will help build trust and make sure decisions are fair and transparent.

The Conclusions of the EU Youth Conference are planned to be adopted by the Council of the European Union on 25 of November and will then be published in the Official Journal of the EU.  

Outcomes of the Hungarian EU Youth Conference.