"Today’s youth will be tomorrow’s European citizens; the sooner they take part in the debate about their future, the better they can stand up to the future challenges". Ján Figel’, commissioner for education and youth, presented today, along with his colleague Margot Wallstrom, the first EU youth summit, due in Rome on 24th and 25th March on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the EEC and Euratom Treaties. Two hundred young people, six per country, along with other young people on behalf of youth associations and NGOs, will discuss at the Capitol (where the Treaties were signed) the general issue: "Your Europe, your future". "This meeting will let the young from all over the continent express their ideas about today’s Europe and voice their ambitions". The conclusions of the summit "will be relayed to the heads of state and government, gathered in Berlin on the same week-end" to celebrate the anniversary of the EU and announce a "Declaration on the future of Europe". The agenda of the under-30s includes six workgroups (the Constitutional Treaty; the economic and social model of the EU; lasting development; the EU in a global world; democracy and society; youth and education) and one final plenary session to adopt the Conclusions.
