EU Youth Coordinator

EU Youth Coordinator role 

The European Commission proposed the establishment of the EU Youth Coordinator role with the objective of enhancing cross-sectoral cooperation, as well as knowledge development and exchange on youth issues in the European Commission.

The Council welcomed this intention in the Council Resolution on the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, noting that the EU Youth Coordinator should work hand in hand with various stakeholders to ensure a coherent communication towards young people.

In its Conclusions from 29.11.2023 the Council promoted youth mainstreaming in policy decision-making processes in the European Union. It invited the European Commission to “mainstream a youth perspective in policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, applying that view to all areas affecting young people’s lives, involving, as appropriate at EU level, the EU Youth Coordinator.”

What does the EU Youth Coordinator do?

The EU Youth Coordinator facilitates the Commission Youth Network of youth correspondents from across the Commission and chairs the EU Youth Stakeholders Group. 

The Coordinator:

• encourages the integration of youth perspectives (including input received through the EU Youth Dialogue) in all relevant policies, 
• strengthens the cooperation and coordination between Commission services working on youth issues and 
• raises awareness of EU opportunities for young people.  

Examples of activities of the EU Youth Coordinator

Biliana Sirakova was appointed as the first EU Youth Coordinator in June 2021. 

© European Union, 2021. Source: EC - Audiovisual Service

Below you will find a non-exhaustive list with the activities of Ms Sirakova.  

September – December 2021

• Led the setup and co-creation of the 2022 European Year of Youth (EYY) national coordinators and stakeholders group 
• Helped establish the Commission Youth Network with representatives from 15 Directorate-Generals 
• Had 39 meetings with youth stakeholders, 34 speaking engagements, and 4 interviews. Examples: online talk on youth participation for Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa, presentation at the ALL DIGITAL SUMMIT Social Hackademy, interview at Bundesregierung.de, interview at fse.gouv.fr.   
• Was a guest in the Under 30' podcast of the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership 
• Recorded a video for the European Solidarity Corps general online training 

2022 

• Undertook more than 150 outreach activities (speaking engagement at conferences, meetings with young people and stakeholders, podcasts, interviews, videos). Examples: podcast with Eurodesk, online session with the Institute for a Greater Europe, video for Housing Europe's Annual Conference in Helsinki, joint webinar of the European Commission, Eurofound and ILO, Youth in the Northen Periphery and Arctic conference, European Citizens’ Initiative Day   
• Led the preparation and chaired 5 Commission Youth Network meetings and 11 meetings of European Year of Youth national coordinators and stakeholders group
• Moderated 9 youth policy dialogues with Commissioners

2023

• Carried out more than 100 outreach activities. Examples: 2023 Your Europe, Your Say, interview with Radio Romania International, annual EU-US Young Leaders Seminar, digital fishbowl discussion Policy making for all, UNDP conference on the Youth Guarantee)  
• Organised and chaired 2 meetings of the Commission Youth Network and 2 meetings of the European Year of Youth national coordinators and stakeholders group
• Moderated 5 youth policy dialogues with Commissioners 
• Spoke at the legacy event on youth mainstreaming of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU
• Recorded a video for the MOOC on Youth policy essentials
• Was speaker and participant in the speaker and participant in the EU Youth Conference in Alicante, organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU 
• Led the preparation of the Commission Communication on the European Year of Youth 
• Provided expertise and oversight in the evaluation of results of the European Year of Youth

January – July 2024 

• Was a panellist at the Expert Seminar on European and international policy agendas on Children, Youth and Children’s Rights and speaker and participant in the EU Youth Conference in Ghent, organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU
• Moderated the youth policy dialogue with Commissioner Ivanova “European Degree and Learning mobility” (recording)
• Contributed to the 2024 European Youth Week and was a panelist at the Committee of the Regions session on “Youth and democracy”
• Spoke at the May EESC plenary session in a debate on “Youth voices for EU choices”
• Led the setup of the new youth check process in the European Commission
• Led the preparation and setup of the new EU Youth Stakeholders Group

© European Union, 2024. Source: EC - Audiovisual Service