The result of a consultation that for the first time enabled the opinions of those directly concerned to be sounded, the White Paper on Youth has now been adopted by the EU Executive. Addressed to the 75 million young people of Europe and to the competent Community authorities on matters of youth policies, the White Paper poses as its primary objective the task of reconciling youth with participation in public life through the heightening of their awareness of the importance of the construction of the United Europe. Vivian Reading, Commissioner for education and culture, on presenting the document, affirmed that “the Commission intends to propose concrete instruments to respond effectively at all decision-making levels to the needs expressed and the other questions posed by European youth”. The strategy on which the White Paper is based is twofold: on the one hand, that of intensifying cooperation between member States, on the other, that of increasing the involvement of youth movements in the Union’s sectorial policies. The Commission intends to fully involve youth in the formulation and implementation of the policies aimed at them through a careful evaluation of the various experiences of associations, numerous throughout Europe, and at the same time increasing the quantity and quality of the information aimed at the younger public on European themes. No less significant is the Executive’s decision to develop the promotion of voluntary service, by eliminating the national obstacles to the mobility of young volunteers and by inviting the Council to recognize voluntary service as an educational experience. Moreover, the Commissioner pledged to take greater account of the specific needs of young people in social, educational and environmental policies. The 520 million euros of the Youth programme (2000 2006) will fund the new projects of cooperation planned at the Community level by the White Paper.
