On the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

(2025/2115(INI))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Articles 9, 165(4), 166(4) and 214(5) thereof,

–having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter), in particular Articles 14, 15, 21, 24 and 32 thereof,

–having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

–having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by the EU in 2010,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/888 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing the European Solidarity Corps Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) 2018/1475 and (EU) No 375/2014,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing Erasmus+: the Union Programme for education and training, youth and sport and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 (Erasmus+),

–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act),

–having regard to the Commission proposal of 16 July 2025 for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034, and repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/817 and (EU) 2021/888 (COM(2025)0549),

–having regard to the Council recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning,

–having regard to the Council recommendation of 30 October 2020 on A Bridge to Jobs – Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee and replacing the Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee,

–having regard to Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on a European Year of Youth (2022),

–having regard to Decision (EU) 2023/936 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on a European Year of Skills,

–having regard to its resolution of 21 November 2023 on the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps programme 2021-2027,

–having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2024 on the implementation of the Erasmus+ programme 2021-2027,

–having regard to its resolution of 13 September 2022 on the impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU,

–having regard to its resolution of 24 November 2022 on the European Year of Youth 2022 legacy,

–having regard to the Council Conclusions of 20 May 2014 on promoting youth entrepreneurship to foster inclusion of young people,

–having regard to the resolution of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on a framework for European cooperation in the youth field: The European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027,

–having regard to the resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council establishing guidelines on the governance of the EU Youth Dialogue – European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027,

–having regard to the Council conclusions of 23 November 2023 on the contribution of education and training to strengthening common European values and democratic citizenship,

–having regard to the Commission communication of 11 April 2024 on the Interim evaluation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (COM(2024)0162),

–having regard to the report of September 2024 by Mario Draghi entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’, which sets out strategic recommendations for strengthening productivity, innovation, skills and long-term economic resilience in the EU,

–having regard to the report of April 2024 by Enrico Letta entitled ‘Much more than a market’, commissioned by the European Council, which highlights the need for renewed competitiveness, economic resilience, quality employment and social inclusion across the EU,

–having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 entitled ‘The Union of Skills’ (COM(2025)0090), which seeks to boost skills development, improve skills intelligence and support better skills matching to enhance competitiveness and youth employability,

–having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2026 entitled ‘Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness’ (COM(2026)0110),

–having regard to the Commission communication of 30 September 2020 entitled ‘Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 – Resetting education and training for the digital age’ (COM(2020)0624),

–having regard to the conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 30 November 2023 on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European Union,

–having regard to its resolution of 12 December 2023 on mental health,

–having regard to the diversity and inclusion strategy 2030,

–having regard to the Commission implementation guidelines entitled ‘Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Inclusion and Diversity Strategy’, published on 29 April 2021,

–having regard to the Commission report of 24 March 2025 on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy (2022-2024) (COM(2025)0117),

–having regard to the European implementation assessment entitled ‘The implementation of the reinforced Youth Guarantee – Trends in EU Member States, impact, EU funding and governance’, published by its Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services in December 2025,

–having regard to the European implementation assessment entitled ‘EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027: Taking stock and the way forward’, published by its Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services in January 2026,

–having regard to the Commission communication of 4 March 2021 entitled ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’ (COM(2021)0102),

–having regard to the Commission communication of 24 March 2021 entitled ‘EU strategy on the rights of the child’ (COM(2021)0142),

–having regard to the Commission communication of 20 January 2026 entitled ‘Union of Equality: Anti-Racism Strategy 2026-2030’ (COM(2026)0012),

–having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 18 September 2024 entitled ‘Promoting European intergenerational solidarity – towards an EU horizontal approach’,

–having regard to its Committee on Culture and Education’s #Engaged4YOUth strategy,

–having regard to the study entitled ‘Mapping the housing needs in the EU, assessing the impacts of scarcity and providing an overview of relevant EU legislation’, published by its Policy Department for Transport, Employment and Social Affairs in December 2025,

–having regard to the Commission report entitled ‘Youth mainstreaming, youth impact assessment and youth checks – A comparative overview’, published in July 2024,

–– having regard to the Council of Europe report entitled ‘Countering Violent Extremism and Youth Radicalisation – Using the European Youth Card to Promote Peaceful Communities’,

–– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure, as well as Article 1(1)(e) of, and Annex 3 to, the decision of the Conference of Presidents of 12 December 2002 on the procedure for granting authorisation to draw up own-initiative reports,

–having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Public Health (in the form of a letter),

–having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education (A10-0219/2026),

A.whereas the EU Youth Strategy (EUYS) 2019-2027 has provided a common framework for cooperation on youth policy across the EU and has contributed to increasing the visibility of youth issues at EU level; whereas its implementation has taken place in the context of pre-existing challenges and multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, security and geopolitical instability, digital risks, rising living costs and rural-urban disparities;

B.whereas the EUYS has provided a valuable framework for youth policy, but its effectiveness varies and depends heavily on Member State implementation, adequate funding, coordination at all governance levels and its capacity to reach young people, with a view to remaining tailored to local realities and enabling young people to participate actively in its creation and implementation;

C.whereas the digital information environment plays a central role in shaping young people’s participation in democratic life; whereas exposure to disinformation and manipulative content online may undermine trust in institutions and democratic processes; whereas strengthening media literacy and critical thinking is essential, and parents and educators play a key role in guiding young people towards responsible online behaviour;

D.whereas the specific needs of young people – especially of vulnerable young people – are not always sufficiently reflected in policy responses;

E.whereas the European Year of Youth 2022 (EYY2022) and its legacy showed appreciation for young people and highlighted their importance as drivers of a shared European future;

F.whereas the EUYS emphasises the need for young people to be at the centre of policymaking and to be actively involved in the planning, development, implementation, monitoring and assessment of all policies affecting them (‘youth mainstreaming’);

G.whereas youth mainstreaming is applied unevenly across Member States, which contributes to differing levels of youth engagement, trust and willingness to cooperate with public institutions; whereas some Member States have already implemented ‘youth tests’, proving that young people can be effectively involved at all stages of policymaking;

H.whereas young people must be actively and meaningfully involved in the co-creation of policies that affect them, as their perspectives can contribute to more effective, inclusive and forward-looking policies; whereas the Council has recognised that European youth is not a homogeneous group;

I.whereas the Commission has committed to introducing and consistently implementing the ‘youth check’ as a key action of the legacy of the EYY2022 and a major step towards ensuring accountability and that a youth perspective and the impact of policies and initiatives on young people are factored into youth-relevant policies and initiatives at EU, national, regional and local levels, and increasing young people’s trust that participation leads to concrete policy change; whereas all multiannual financial framework (MFF) proposals were designated by the Commission as youth-relevant, but a number of them did not consider the impact on young people in their impact assessments; whereas it is essential to appoint a youth correspondent in every directorate-general of the Commission; whereas the methodology used to identify youth-relevant files by the Commission should be published and integrated into the better regulation toolbox as a distinct instrument;

J.whereas the Committee on Culture and Education has already adopted its #Engaged4YOUth strategy demonstrating its commitment to youth engagement; whereas the systematic youth mainstreaming process should be further developed in order to give young people a voice in policymaking;

K.whereas it is important to maintain and strengthen cooperation between Parliament and European youth capitals, recognising their role as key local and regional actors in the implementation of youth policies, youth participation and civic engagement initiatives;

L.whereas the persistent disparities between and within Member States, particularly between urban centres and rural areas, as well as between continental European Member States and their outermost territories, limit young people’s access to quality education, employment, youth work, cultural engagement and basic infrastructure; whereas these imbalances can contribute to youth outmigration and brain drain from less developed regions;

M.whereas youth organisations play an essential role in supporting youth civic and political participation and providing non-formal education opportunities across Member States, despite facing persistent challenges such as a lack of stable and predictable funding;

N.whereas social isolation, discrimination, online extremist content, exposure to misinformation and disinformation, and declining trust in democratic institutions can increase young people’s vulnerability to radicalisation; whereas these challenges can be addressed through formal and non-formal education, media literacy, volunteering, intercultural dialogue and youth participation;

O.whereas digital media and online platforms have become a central space for young people to access and share information and engage in public debate; whereas the spread and amplification of harmful and polarising content in the digital information space contribute to societal polarisation, weaken democratic resilience and may adversely affect young people’s mental health, particularly by exposing them to cyberbullying, online hate speech, disinformation and harmful content; whereas strengthening media literacy, critical thinking and responsible online engagement, as well as responsible business practices of online platforms, is essential to safeguard informed participation and reinforce trust in democratic processes;

P.whereas young people with fewer opportunities are those who, for economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons, due to their migrant background, or for reasons such as disability or educational difficulties, or for any other reason, including reasons that could give rise to discrimination under Article 21 of the Charter, face obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under European programmes;

Q.whereas young people with fewer opportunities remain under-represented in European programmes and continue to face fewer job opportunities, weaker infrastructure and poorer access to quality education, social services, healthcare, sport, cultural and leisure activities; whereas progress in participation and inclusion targets should be complemented by a stronger focus on the quality of inclusion, so that some of the most vulnerable young people, including those from Roma communities, can be reached through tailored outreach, trusted intermediaries and accessible, community-based entry points;

R.whereas decision-making on youth policies should include a gender perspective that takes into account the specific challenges and circumstances faced by young women and girls;

S.whereas the Youth Employment Initiative and the reinforced Youth Guarantee play an important role in addressing the complex barriers faced by young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) particularly those facing coverage gaps; whereas the implementation of the Youth Guarantee has been met with persistent challenges in Member States, such as outreach to young people, in particular those who are hard to reach, face social exclusion or are long-term unemployed;

T.whereas sustained efforts and stronger synergies between the EUYS, Erasmus+, ESF+ and the reinforced Youth Guarantee are needed to increase the active participation of young people in society, particularly NEETs and those at risk of social exclusion;

U.whereas youth policy should be recognised not only as a social priority but as a strategic investment in the EU’s human capital, competitiveness and long-term economic resilience, leading to enhanced social cohesion, improved living conditions and intergenerational solidarity in the EU; whereas Europe’s long-term competitiveness also depends on equipping young people with entrepreneurial skills, in line with the priorities identified in the Draghi report;

V.whereas an intergenerational approach to youth participation and inclusion is essential for fostering cooperation, solidarity and dialogue between older and younger people and promoting intergenerational fairness in policymaking;

W.whereas the absence of a clear definition of ‘traineeship’ in certain Member States may lead to legal uncertainty and uneven standards across the EU; whereas greater clarity and convergence are needed to ensure quality traineeships that provide meaningful learning experiences, adequate compensation and fair conditions for young people;

X.whereas vocational education and training (VET) provided through diverse education models and institutions is essential for preparing young people for labour market opportunities; whereas dual education systems combining classroom learning with practical workplace experience are particularly effective in facilitating smooth transitions into stable quality employment;

Y.whereas children, adolescents and young adults are increasingly being exposed to pressure and high expectations from society and are impacted by anxiety stemming from global threats, such as pandemics, the climate crisis, conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, uncertainty over the cost of living and the lack of affordable housing, and other factors that contribute to nearly half of young people in the EU reporting emotional or psychosocial problems, further exacerbated by growing socio-economic inequalities and disparities between countries, urban and rural areas and socio-economic groups, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, including low-income youth, migrants and rural populations; whereas many young people continue to experience medium- and long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic;

Z.whereas mental health and well-being ranked among young people’s key priorities under the European Youth Goals (EYGs), but have not been directly addressed as a dedicated priority in any Council Trio Presidency cycle, revealing a need for stronger cross-sectoral mainstreaming at EU level to address current institutional gaps, including through the nomination of a dedicated youth correspondent within the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety;

AA.whereas families, schools, youth organisations, sports clubs, cultural organisations and public institutions play an important role in supporting young people’s mental health, their social inclusion and the development of children and young people;

AB.whereas bullying and cyberbullying can have severe long-term consequences for the mental health and well-being of young people, underscoring the need for preventive measures and accessible psychosocial support in line with EYG 5;

AC.whereas excessive use of social media, as well as certain online design features, such as addictive design, dark patterns, harmful online content and emerging AI-related risks, can negatively affect young people’s mental health and development, underlining the need for age-appropriate safeguards, digital health literacy and awareness-raising;

AD.whereas low levels of physical activity, along with tobacco use, vaping, alcohol, drugs and the recreational use of nitrous oxide, can have long-term consequences for young people’s physical and mental health and require targeted preventive measures;

AE.whereas discrimination, racism, gender-based violence and socio-economic inequalities can negatively affect the mental health and well-being of young people;

AF.whereas access to health education, including age-appropriate sexual education, can contribute to the well-being and autonomy of young people, while fully respecting national competences;

AG.whereas participation in the EU Youth Dialogue (EUYD) has grown substantially, from 10 733 participants in the 8th cycle to 38 042 in the 11th cycle; whereas the structured implementation of the EYGs and consistent support from the Council Trio Presidencies have contributed to the success of the EUYD in promoting meaningful youth participation and inclusion;

AH whereas education is a fundamental right enshrined in the Charter; whereas education plays an important role in equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to become committed citizens;

AI.whereas equal access to quality education and training is essential for equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to shape their future, such as critical thinking and digital literacy; whereas financial and geographical barriers continue to exclude many young people from education and training across the EU; whereas bullying and cyberbullying also constitute significant barriers to learning, well-being and educational attainment;

AJ.whereas the growing shortage of qualified teachers and educational staff in many Member States undermines the quality, accessibility and inclusiveness of education systems; whereas stronger support for teachers, trainers and youth workers is essential for the early identification of learners at risk of disengagement or early school leaving, and for expanding access to mobility and non-formal learning opportunities; whereas strengthening the teaching profession requires adequate recognition, decent pay and better working conditions, while fully respecting national competences;

AK.whereas the EU has consistently recognised the interlinkages between digital competence and media literacy, as reflected in the digital education action plan, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the Digital Services Act; whereas adequate investment in education infrastructure, staffing, professional development, and innovative teaching and learning methods is essential for ensuring high-quality, inclusive and resilient education systems; whereas the use of AI tools has reshaped education, work and social interactions among young people;

AL.whereas the designation of a year of digital citizenship education by the Council of Europe highlights its crucial role in fostering democratic participation, media literacy, online safety and respect for human rights in the digital environment, particularly among children and young people;

AM.whereas citizenship education contributes to young people’s understanding of democratic institutions, fundamental rights and responsibilities, and fosters critical thinking, civic engagement and media literacy; whereas it should also strengthen knowledge of the history, language and cultural heritage of the Member States, as elements of social cohesion and the responsible participation of young people in democratic life;

AN.whereas non-formal and informal education, including volunteering, youth work, civic engagement and grassroots initiatives, are a key instrument for young people; whereas volunteering, youth work and other forms of non-formal education are valuable components of lifelong learning, contributing to employability, civic engagement and personal development;

AO.whereas strengthening participation in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education is essential for addressing skills shortages and fostering innovation; whereas encouraging greater participation of young women in this context is crucial for fully harnessing Europe’s talent potential and improving gender equality;

AP.whereas youth work and the education of youth workers are not formally recognised in all Member States, which results in discrepancies in EU youth programmes; whereas recognising youth work and the education of youth workers, including those with disabilities, would ensure comparable levels of experience and opportunities across the EU, strengthen the quality, inclusiveness and sustainability of projects carried out under Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programmes, promote professionalisation and capacity-building among youth workers, and enhance cross-border cooperation, mutual learning and the recognition of competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning;

Implementation and policy coherence of the EUYS

1.Welcomes the achievements of the 2019-2027 EUYS in providing a coherent framework for youth policy cooperation and ensuring the visibility of youth priorities across political cycles; stresses the need to maintain a high-level, adaptable framework built around the core EUYS areas (Engage, Connect, Empower) post-2027, that enhances the capacity of young people to navigate the digital environment safely, critically and responsibly, and gives a more prominent role to inclusion, volunteering and youth work;

2.Encourages the creation of a unified architecture in which the EYGs define the cross-sectoral priorities for the EUYS, the EUYD brings in young people’s experiences, Erasmus+ and other EU-funded programmes provide resources to act, and youth work translates European priorities into local realities, while ensuring concrete links between the EUYS/EYGs and national youth strategies and implementation plans;

3.Highlights that the development of the 11 EYGs through the EUYD has been an important milestone in youth policy; believes, however, that the EYGs must be re-evaluated and updated regularly, through an open, transparent and inclusive process, ensuring the broadest possible participation of young people and regular updates aligned with the cycle of the EUYS;

4.Calls for this process to embed new societal realities and cross-cutting issues affecting young people in order to reflect economic, technological and security challenges, including disinformation, mental health and media literacy, as well as climate change, social inequalities and civic participation;

5.Invites the Commission to organise this review in co-creation with youth and civil society organisations, young people with fewer opportunities, non-organised youth, children and adolescents, as well as researchers and academics, to ensure that long-term trends and foresight findings are considered;

6.Calls on the Commission and upcoming Council presidencies to ensure that the final EUYD cycles address the most pressing challenges currently affecting young people, including socio-economic conditions, digital transformation, mental health and participation in democratic life, and to methodically integrate the reviewed and updated EYGs, so as to ensure coherence and preparedness in view of the post-2027 EUYS;

7.Calls on the Commission, other EU bodies and the Member States to improve communication, visibility and stakeholder awareness of the EUYS to promote equal access and participation; encourages the Member States to increase awareness among regional and local authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), non-organised youth and small local organisations, including through coordinated outreach and multilevel engagement, by reinforcing Eurodesk and other youth information services, in particular in rural and remote areas;

8.Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system for the post-2027 EUYS, including disaggregated data and regular reporting, with indicators assessing the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities, such as rural youth, NEETs and young people with disabilities, and to strengthen the use of the Youth Progress Index to assess inequalities and inform policy interventions;

9.Calls on the Commission to update the EUYS work plans to improve accessibility and targeted outreach through clearer language, and results-oriented, user-friendly formats;

10.Calls on the Member States to ensure that national youth councils are equipped with adequate resources;

11.Calls on the Commission, other EU bodies and the Member States to strengthen the sharing of best practices in youth participation, inclusion and empowerment;

Youth mainstreaming across the Union and policy areas

12.Welcomes recent Commission efforts to develop youth mainstreaming, in particular the introduction of the EU Youth Coordinator, the ‘youth check’, policy dialogues with Commissioners, and internal and external Commission youth networks; calls on the Commission to systematically evaluate and improve their implementation and reporting, and to include a chapter on the ‘youth check’ in the post-2027 EUYS;

13.Urges the Commission to strengthen and expand the mandate of the EU Youth Coordinator to ensure influence across directorates-general and meaningful regulatory scrutiny of youth-relevant initiatives; calls on the Youth Coordinator to work closely with Commission services and other coordinators in the future EUYS;

14.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the meaningful consultation of young people throughout the entire policy cycle and to report on how their contributions are taken into account when consulted on concrete legislative, policy or programme actions;

15.Urges the Commission to implement the ‘youth check’ systematically in every directorate-general, with designated minimum standards and transparency throughout the policy cycle, designating concrete legislative files as youth-relevant in its annual work programme, conducting impact assessments with specific youth chapters on those files, and assessing the impacts on young people in its evaluations;

16.Calls on the Commission to publish its current methodology for identifying youth-relevant files, including the specific criteria and assessment results, to include a chapter on the ‘youth check’ in the forthcoming communication on better regulation, and to integrate the ‘youth check’ as a specific instrument in the better regulation toolbox;

17.Encourages the Commission to consult young people in order to identify youth-relevant files, to ensure regular reports and follow-up on these files, to integrate the youth dimension into decision-making processes and to communicate results publicly;

18.Calls for a coherent youth mainstreaming approach across all of Parliament’s committees, by closely following youth-relevant files designated by the Commission, designating additional youth-relevant files at the initiative of Parliament, providing concrete opportunities for young people to engage with Parliament’s work through public hearings, stakeholder consultations and committee missions, promoting active Members’ participation in the EUYD and European Youth Events, and ensuring that these practices are applied consistently and include young people with fewer opportunities;

19.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that close ties with European youth capitals are preserved and further developed within the framework of the new EUYS, facilitating the exchange of good practices, innovation in youth policy and meaningful youth participation across the EU;

20.Calls on the Commission to ensure accessibility, transparency and inclusiveness of the Youth Policy Dialogues with Commissioners and their systematic integration into policy actions, rather than being a one-off activity providing only temporary support for youth mainstreaming, and to prioritise key structural challenges affecting young people in these dialogues, including housing affordability, access to education, training and labour market opportunities, and disaster risk preparedness, with the aim of enforcing the concept of ‘freedom to stay’ and fostering European values, as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union;

21.Welcomes the progress in traditionally youth-focused areas, but stresses the need to better integrate youth perspectives into other key sectors, based on current and emerging youth priorities, especially in digital and media policies, democratic engagement and civic empowerment, well-being and mental health, housing, arts and culture;

22.Invites the Commission, the Member States, national, regional and local authorities to focus on youth mainstreaming efforts on key priority policy areas, and to strengthen synergies between the EUYS and related EU instruments, including the Youth Guarantee, the basic skills action plan and the intergenerational fairness strategy;

Youth participation and inclusion

Youth participation and inclusion in society

23.Emphasises that young people should be recognised as important stakeholders in policymaking and that their perspectives can contribute to more effective, inclusive and forward-looking policies, and calls for their meaningful involvement across all policy areas, rather than treating them merely as beneficiaries or consultees;

24.Calls on the Member States to ensure that the principle of inclusion and equality is embedded within their national and regional youth strategies and underlying actions, while preparing for the EUYS post-2027;

25.Emphasises the importance of preventing youth radicalisation by addressing social exclusion and a lack of opportunities; calls for targeted support, such as accessible counselling services, strengthened community-based youth work and targeted inclusive measures for marginalised and under-represented young people;

26.Emphasises that reducing structural inequalities affecting the conditions under which young people live, learn and participate across the EU should be a core priority of the future EUYS, in order to strengthen social cohesion, foster resilience and allow young people to fully achieve their potential, while improving access to quality education, employment, healthcare and housing and preventing youth homelessness;

27.Calls, in particular, for targeted measures to support young people from rural and remote areas in overcoming physical, social, digital and economic barriers, including reduced access to education, cultural, sporting and mobility opportunities, as well as barriers related to transport, affordability, youth information and services, with particular attention to NEETs;

28.Calls on the Member States to consider introducing targeted cultural vouchers for young people in order to reduce financial barriers, especially in rural and less accessible areas;

Quality youth employment and social inclusion

29.Calls on the Commission to intensify targeted support, policy coordination and enhanced monitoring in Member States facing structural youth unemployment, and to increase resources for programmes and projects, with the aim of ensuring that EU instruments effectively address long-standing labour market failures;

30.Stresses the importance of a strong and independent ESF+ in supporting youth employment, skills development and active labour market policies, particularly for young people with disabilities;

31.Stresses the need to promote participation in STEAM disciplines, including among young women and under-represented groups, through investment in digital, green and critical-thinking skills in order to strengthen innovation, competitiveness and social cohesion;

32.Calls on the Member States to strengthen VET, including dual learning systems and work-based learning, in order to support skills development and access to quality employment opportunities in the green transition, particularly for young people with fewer opportunities;

33.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the integration of young people into the labour market by promoting access to stable and quality employment, fair working conditions and equal opportunities; highlights the need to tackle age-based discrimination with regard to wages and working conditions;

34.Underlines the need to better understand the impact of technological developments, including AI, on youth employment and to support the development of relevant skills through education and training systems, including AI in education and training curricula, in order to equip young people for the labour market in the digital age;

35.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote quality and fairly remunerated traineeships that are accessible to all young people and to strengthen the legal framework on traineeships to effectively identify and combat practices that circumvent their purpose and the use of standard employment relationships disguised as traineeships;

36.Highlights that young people are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis, which limits their access to affordable and quality housing; underlines that this negatively impacts their employment opportunities, mobility and social inclusion; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support affordable and sustainable housing solutions for young people, including students, and stresses that housing should be one of the key pillars of the post-2027 EUYS;

37.Emphasises that the post 2027 EUYS should encourage the promotion of youth entrepreneurship and start-ups through simplified administrative procedures, improved access to finance and targeted skills support, including in emerging sectors such as the circular economy and sustainable innovation;

38.Calls on the Commission, in the context of the European strategy on intergenerational fairness, to ensure that long-term perspectives are effectively integrated into the EU’s employment, education and social policies, so that the interests of present and future generations are taken into account in policy design and implementation;

Health and well-being

39.Observes with concern the growing challenges faced by young people due to the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the excessive use of social media, socio-economic insecurity, war and conflict, social isolation and environmental factors; highlights the need for a cross-sectoral approach and for the next EU youth strategy to include sustainable public health interventions, school-based support and community based initiatives to address these cross-cutting challenges, while also tackling unhealthy lifestyles that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups;

40.Calls for stronger protection of young people online by addressing addictive design, cyber risks, cyberbullying and harmful online content, in alignment with the Commission’s forthcoming action plan against cyberbullying and the planned EU-wide inquiry on the impact of social media on the mental well-being of young people;

41.Stresses the importance of accessible and affordable mental health services, including early detection and intervention for children and young people; stresses the importance of integrating mental health awareness and education into school, youth work, sport and community settings; calls on the Member States and the EU to strengthen access to mental health support and counselling services in schools and universities, including for students participating in mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, and to invest in training teachers and caregivers to better identify mental health conditions;

42.Expresses concern about the growing use of tobacco, vaping and other nicotine products, as well as drug use among young people, and calls for stronger prevention, awareness-raising and health literacy measures that target addictive behaviours and lifestyle-related health risks;

43.Stresses that youth health measures must pay particular attention to young people in vulnerable situations and those with fewer opportunities, as they often face greater barriers to healthcare and psychosocial support;

44.Reiterates that sport and physical activity promote physical and mental well-being, social inclusion and cohesion, youth development and active citizenship by tackling rising rates of obesity, addiction and violence; emphasises the importance of grassroots sport organisations, local clubs and volunteering structures in providing accessible opportunities for young people across the EU;

Youth participation and inclusion in the EUYD

45.Welcomes the fact that considerable progress has been achieved on diversity and inclusion in the EUYD, the EU’s central instrument for structured youth participation; regrets, however, that rural youth and NEETs are under-represented in the 11th cycle; stresses the need to improve the quality of inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities; calls for the meaningful inclusion of young people from candidate countries in the EUYD;

46.Encourages national working groups to implement the toolkit for communicating about the EUYD and to strengthen its diversity and inclusion, in cooperation with national youth councils and local grassroots organisations as essential partners in reaching out to non-organised youth, including through targeted outreach strategies, in order to ensure a territorially balanced impact across all regions and among all relevant stakeholders;

47.Welcomes the creation of a permanent secretariat for the EUYD to serve a key role in the coordination of national working groups and ensure coherence and consistency between cycles; encourages the collection and sharing of best practices and the creation of a database of recommendations and outcomes of the dialogue; calls for a stronger feedback loop to ensure that young people understand how their engagement impacts policymaking and for clearer monitoring and dissemination of EUYD outcomes, including transparent follow-up at EU and national levels through measures such as formal written feedback from the Commission;

48.Stresses that EUYD priorities should be linked more clearly to the Commission work programme; calls on the Commission to reinforce the governance of the EUYS by combining a clear strategic direction with stronger accountability across relevant policy areas; stresses that youth priorities should be translated into concrete actions through sectoral initiatives of the competent directorates-general, supported by appropriate resources and developed in close consultation with EU and national youth organisations;

Youth participation and inclusion in EU programmes

49.Welcomes the adoption of the Erasmus+ and ESC inclusion and diversity strategy and the introduction of implementation guidelines; regrets that barriers persist in application and reporting; stresses the need to improve pre-financing, predictability of EU funding and support for first-time applicants and small organisations, including through technical assistance and simplified procedures, in order to improve access to EU programmes, reduce administrative barriers and facilitate long-term planning at local and regional level;

50.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote more continuous and sustainable outreach for young people with fewer opportunities, as well as to conduct qualitative studies and further establish clear inclusion targets and monitor their participation;

51.Stresses that the Commission and Member State authorities, such as Erasmus+ national agencies, should further strengthen inclusion, diversity and visibility within the EUYD and Erasmus+;

52.Calls on the Commission to align the post-2027 EUYS with new programmes under the MFF, such as Erasmus+, AgoraEU, Horizon Europe, the ESF+, etc, in cooperation with young people, in order to ensure coherence, promote synergies and broaden opportunities for youth participation across the EU; calls on the Commission to ensure that the youth actions within these programmes are coherent with the objectives of the post-2027 EUYS; stresses the need to ensure adequate funding in the next MFF, including through earmarked EU funding for inclusive mobility formats; calls, in particular, for stronger synergies and operational links with the reinforced Youth Guarantee;

53.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to apply intergenerational budgeting principles to the 2028-2034 MFF, ensuring that spending decisions are assessed for their long-term impact on younger and future generations and that policy choices affecting young people are clearly communicated and justified;

54.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support young people through strong public investment to address their concerns, in particular affordable housing and the cost of living, education and training, skills development, mental health and well-being, healthcare and youth employment;

Quality education and training for young people, including volunteering and youth work

55.Reiterates that everyone has the right to education and access to vocational and continuing training, as well as lifelong learning opportunities; stresses that access to education should be guaranteed for all young Europeans, in accordance with Article 21 of the Charter and in line with the EU’s commitments to equal opportunities, inclusion and non-discrimination;

Formal education and training

56.Calls for the EU and its Member States to strengthen inclusive and high-quality education for all young people, from early childhood education through higher education, VET and lifelong learning, to prioritise support for learners at risk of early school leaving and disengagement and to reduce financial and practical barriers to access, in line with Article 14 of the Charter, including the possibility of receiving free compulsory education;

57.Welcomes ongoing work on a European degree label as part of the European Education Area, including through the European universities initiative; calls for further progress towards the development of a genuine European degree, ensuring quality, academic integrity and recognition across the EU, in order to strengthen the European Education Area and enhance the international attractiveness of European higher education;

58.Stresses that youth policies should also support traditional sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, craftsmanship and processing;

59.Calls on the Member States to support marginalised young people in accessing formal education and accessible learning environments; encourages the Member States to strengthen cross-sectoral coordination among youth-related services, in order to prevent early leaving from education and training and to support transitions into further learning, training, community participation or employment;

60.Calls on the Member States to increase public investment in education, strengthen school systems and address persistent shortages of qualified teachers and educational staff by improving professional development opportunities, working conditions and career attractiveness, including through improved pay and targeted recruitment strategies, and by supporting teacher training and retention, particularly in rural and remote areas; calls on the Commission to address these issues in the upcoming EU teachers and trainers agenda, and strengthen the take-up and dissemination of Erasmus+ teacher academies;

61.Calls on the Member States to put in place effective, affordable and accessible mechanisms for young people to acquire relevant skills, taking into account the recommendations on the establishment of individual learning accounts;

Digital education and media literacy

62.Urges the Commission and the Member States to strengthen digital skills and media literacy education across all forms of formal, non-formal and informal learning, with a view to fostering critical thinking, combating disinformation, promoting safe, responsible and inclusive online behaviour and preventing cyberbullying, in alignment with the basic skills action plan and the EU’s efforts to strengthen democratic resilience, with particular attention to vulnerable and marginalised groups;

63.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure consistent enforcement of the Digital Services Act and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive to protect minors online and to integrate structured media literacy, critical thinking and algorithmic awareness education into the post-2027 EUYS;

European Citizenship education

64.Welcomes the addition of citizenship education as a basic skill in the basic skills action plan, but recognises the need to develop a more coherent policy on citizenship education; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to present an EU strategy on citizenship education; emphasises that citizenship education, including digital citizenship education, should be built into formal, non-formal and informal education, in order to foster active citizenship, critical thinking, intercultural skills, participation in democratic life and engagement with EU values;

65.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to disseminate and exchange good practices on citizenship education by gathering and exchanging guidelines, materials and resources through an EU toolbox, including teaching materials, and to ensure that these are accessible and adaptable to diverse educational contexts and learners, while supporting teacher and youth work training to ensure their effective use in different educational and community settings;

66.Calls on the Commission to develop specific training modules on democratic citizenship education for teachers, trainers, leaders, policymakers and everyone who takes part in Erasmus+ or the ESC;

67.Calls on the Member States and civil society to actively promote comprehensive civic education for young people, meaningful youth participation in democratic processes at local, national and EU level, including through youth exchanges, volunteering projects and collective mobility activities;

68.Encourages the Member States to exchange good practices on initiatives that facilitate youth participation in elections, democratic processes and civic initiatives;

Non-formal and informal education, volunteering and youth work

69.Urges the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the European youth work agenda is translated into action and funding plans;

70.Calls on the Member States to strengthen the formal recognition of competences acquired via non-formal and informal learning, including volunteering and youth work, through qualification frameworks, Youthpass and Europass, training standards and accreditation systems, thereby enabling mutual recognition and mobility; underlines the key role of volunteering in equipping young people with skills and competences that enhance their employability, and calls for volunteering to be duly recognised and promoted;

71.Regrets that validation frameworks remain uneven, complex and insufficiently accessible in practice, and calls for clearer procedures, guidance and support so that young people and employers can use them effectively;

72.Calls on the Member States to provide guidance for employers on Youthpass and Europass; reiterates that volunteering is not a substitute for traineeships or jobs and must not be equated with employment;

73.Believes that the Member States should strengthen the recognition of volunteering as professional experience and professionalisation of youth work and non-formal and informal learning, to ensure that such experience is meaningfully recognised;

74.Calls on the Member States to encourage higher and vocational education institutions to award credits for volunteering activities and increased cooperation with education institutions in creating these synergies, including under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS credits) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET credits) and, where possible, by recording volunteering experiences as digital credentials or micro-credentials;

°

° °

75.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, national agencies, and youth and volunteering organisations.

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she included in her report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

3.6.2026

for the Committee on Culture and Education

on the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

(2025/2115(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Maravillas Abadía Jover

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Culture and Education, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 5 a (new)

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 5 b (new)

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 14 a (new)

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 14 b (new)

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 14 c (new)

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 14 e (new)

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 14 f (new)

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Citation 18 a (new)

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Citation 33 a (new)

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Citation 33 b (new)

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Citation 68 a (new)

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Citation 68 b (new)

Amendment 13

Motion for a resolution

Citation 68 c (new)

Amendment 14

Motion for a resolution

Citation 70 a (new)

Amendment 15

Motion for a resolution

Citation 70 b (new)

Amendment 16

Motion for a resolution

Citation 70 c (new)

Amendment 17

Motion for a resolution

Citation 70 d (new)

Amendment 18

Motion for a resolution

Citation 70 e (new)

Amendment 19

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Amendment 20

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Amendment 21

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Amendment 22

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Amendment 23

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Amendment 24

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Amendment 25

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Amendment 26

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Amendment 27

Motion for a resolution

Recital F a (new)

Amendment 28

Motion for a resolution

Recital F b (new)

Amendment 29

Motion for a resolution

Recital G

Amendment 30

Motion for a resolution

Recital H

Amendment 31

Motion for a resolution

Recital H

Amendment 32

Motion for a resolution

Recital I

Amendment 33

Motion for a resolution

Recital I a (new)

Amendment 34

Motion for a resolution

Recital J

Amendment 35

Motion for a resolution

Recital J a (new)

Amendment 36

Motion for a resolution

Recital J b (new)

Amendment 37

Motion for a resolution

Recital L

Amendment 38

Motion for a resolution

Recital L a (new)

Amendment 39

Motion for a resolution

Recital L b (new)

Amendment 40

Motion for a resolution

Recital M

Amendment 41

Motion for a resolution

Recital N

Amendment 42

Motion for a resolution

Recital N a (new)

Amendment 43

Motion for a resolution

Recital N b (new)

Amendment 44

Motion for a resolution

Recital N c (new)

Amendment 45

Motion for a resolution

Recital N d (new)

Amendment 46

Motion for a resolution

Recital N e (new)

Amendment 47

Motion for a resolution

Recital O

Amendment 48

Motion for a resolution

Recital O a (new)

Amendment 49

Motion for a resolution

Recital P (new)

Amendment 50

Motion for a resolution

Recital Pa (new)

Amendment 51

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Amendment 52

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Amendment 53

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 b (new)

Amendment 54

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Amendment 55

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Amendment 56

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Amendment 57

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Amendment 58

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Amendment 59

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Amendment 60

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Amendment 61

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Amendment 62

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Amendment 63

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Amendment 64

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Amendment 65

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Amendment 66

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Amendment 67

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Amendment 68

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Amendment 69

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Amendment 70

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Amendment 71

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Amendment 72

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Amendment 73

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 c (new)

Amendment 74

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Amendment 75

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Amendment 76

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading 9

Amendment 77

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Amendment 78

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Amendment 79

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Amendment 80

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 c (new)

Amendment 81

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 d (new)

Amendment 82

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 e (new)

Amendment 83

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 f (new)

Amendment 84

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 g (new)

Amendment 85

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 h (new)

Amendment 86

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 i (new)

Amendment 87

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 j (new)

Amendment 88

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading 9 a (new) (after paragraph 20j)

Amendment 89

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 k (new)

Amendment 90

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 l (new)

Amendment 91

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 m (new)

Amendment 92

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 n (new)

Amendment 93

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 o (new)

Amendment 94

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 p (new)

Amendment 95

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading 9 b (new) (after paragraph 20p)

Amendment 96

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 q (new)

Amendment 97

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 r (new)

Amendment 98

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 s (new)

Amendment 99

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 t (new)

Amendment 100

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading 9 c (new) (after paragraph 20t)

Amendment 101

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Amendment 102

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Amendment 103

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Amendment 104

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Amendment 105

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Amendment 106

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Amendment 107

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Amendment 108

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Amendment 109

Motion for a resolution

Sub-subheading 13 a (new) (after paragraph 28)

Amendment 110

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29

Amendment 111

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 a (new)

Amendment 112

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 b (new)

Amendment 113

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 29 c (new)

Amendment 114

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Amendment 115

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31 a (new)

Amendment 116

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Amendment 117

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Amendment 118

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 34

Amendment 119

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Amendment 120

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 37

Amendment 121

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her draft opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the draft opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

6.5.2026

Ms Nela Riehl

Chair

Committee on Culture and Education

BRUSSELS

Subject: Opinion on the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 (2025/2115(INI))

Dear Madam Chair,

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Public Health has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee. At its meeting of 25 June 2025, the SANT Coordinators decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter. Therefore, as SANT Chair, allow me to provide you with SANT’s contribution, which was adopted by SANT at its meeting of 6 May 2026 and which I kindly request will be taken into account by your committee:

Citations

- Having regard to its resolution of 12 December 2023 on mental health (2023/2074(INI),

- Having regard to the Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers of 5 June 2024.

- Having regard to the conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 30 November 2023 on a comprehensive approach to the mental health of young people in the European Union,

- Having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 7 June 2023 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a comprehensive approach to mental health,

- Having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 3 February 2021 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

Recitals

K. whereas mental health and wellbeing is ranked by young people as the most important priority among the European Youth Goals and that some Presidencies called for action, it has not been per se directly addressed in any cycle of the Council Trio Presidency, representing a critical gap in health policy mainstreaming, given the alarming reality that nearly half of young people in the EU report emotional or psychosocial problems requiring sustainable public health interventions, including those addressing social and environmental determinants of health, unhealthy lifestyles and inequalities in access to care;

K a (new) whereas the health of children and youth starts in the prenatal period; whereas being well supported is vital to ensure young people’s mental and financial well-being; whereas such support depends on many influences, such as access to healthcare, employment opportunities, education, family and social environment;

K b (new) whereas children, adolescents and young adults are increasingly exposed to pressure and high expectations from society and are impacted by anxiety stemming from global threats, such as the pandemics, the climate crisis, conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, uncertainty over the cost of living and the lack of affordable housing, and other factors that contribute to nearly half of young people in the EU reporting emotional or psychosocial problems, further exacerbated by growing socio-economic inequalities and disparities between countries, urban vs rural areas, and socio-economic groups, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, including low-income youth, migrants, and rural population;

K c (new) whereas there is a strong link between poor mental health and bullying, including cyberbullying, with harmful additional consequences, resulting in higher stress, anxiety and other negative mental health symptoms in children, adolescents and young people, with damaging consequences in adulthood, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive, cross-sectoral preventative measures and accessible psychosocial support in line with European Youth Goal 5;

K d (new) whereas environmental and pollution-related risks, including poor air quality, climate change, noise, and limited access to green spaces, have a measurable negative impact on children’s, adolescents’ and young adults’ physical and mental health, highlighting the importance of cross-sectoral EU action to reduce exposure to environmental hazards and promote healthy living environments;

K e (new) whereas cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among children and adolescents in the Union; whereas paediatric cancers differ significantly from adult cancers in their biology, prevalence and treatment, requiring specific research and tailored therapeutic approaches;

K f (new) whereas rare diseases affect millions of people across the Union, and a significant proportion of them are children, given that many rare diseases are of genetic origin and manifest in early life; whereas disparities in diagnosis, treatment and access to innovative therapies persist across Member States;

K g (new) whereas the use of digital technology such as mobile applications and social media networks, especially in excess, often driven by their special vulnerability to addictive designs and dark patterns, negatively impacts the mental health of children and adolescents; whereas social media use is reshaping young people’s brains; whereas compulsive and extensive use of social media mimics addiction, triggering dopamine responses and weakening self-control; whereas in younger children, excessive screen time delays emotional and language development; whereas the use of social media and digital networks and exposure to cyberbullying, pornography, sexualised and violent imagery and gaming, anonymous trolling, content featuring diet restrictions and unattainable/unhealthy beauty standards can have negative mental health consequences, especially in children, adolescents and young people, underscoring the need for age-appropriate awareness campaigns on online addiction and robust protections like the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy; whereas cyberbullying victims are at higher risk of depression and suicidal ideation, requiring comprehensive EU-wide action plans against cyberbullying and sustainable psychosocial support; whereas new technological developments such as AI have an impact on mental health of children; whereas young people are vulnerable to creating relationships with AI companions that negatively affect their wellbeing;

K h (new) whereas in 2024, 16.3% of people aged 16-29 years reported that they suffered from a long-standing health problem due to chronic illness;

K i (new) whereas there is a growing epidemic of young people initiating nicotine use through novel tobacco and nicotine products, which often leads to subsequent use of traditional tobacco products; whereas poor diet, low levels of physical activity, excessive screen time, and early initiation of use of alcohol, tobacco, vaping constitute major health risks for children and adolescents, with long-term consequences for both mental and physical health, highlighting the need for targeted preventive measures, including healthy school meals, mandatory physical activity in schools, health literacy campaigns, regulation of junk food marketing targeting youth, and access to affordable, youth-friendly services;

K j (new) whereas families, education systems, peer networks and public institutions play a decisive role in providing emotional stability, socialisation, solidarity between generations and an environment of care and protection for children and adolescents; whereas strong and stable domestic environments are important factors for the mental well-being of young people and can contribute significantly to reducing loneliness, anxiety and other mental health difficulties; whereas Member States should therefore be able to develop and strengthen policies that broadly support young people;

K k (new) whereas youth loneliness has been an overlooked crisis with long term consequences for mental health and health in general but also with a big impact on education, employment and their future;

K l (new) whereas mental health is also a reflection of the external environment and systematic inequalities create psychological burdens that need specific approaches and tools to dismantle the root of those inequalities, namely racism, gender bias, classism, taking into account that a true well-being can only be achieved within a framework of protection and respect of the right to choose, right to identity and to live free from any form of violence or discrimination;

K m (new) whereas body autonomy, access to contraception and to sexual education and fundamental rights are essential and the denial of these as well as the denial of scientifically accurate and non-judgemental information about contraception and consent are also a source of trauma and anxiety;

Paragraphs

22. Observes with concern the growing difficulties and challenging environment that children, adolescents and young adults face because of the COVID-19 pandemic, excessive use of social media, the energy crisis, war and conflict, economic instability and competitiveness on the labour market, environmental hazards including air pollution and climate change, difficulty accessing affordable housing, which 38% of surveyed youth identify as the top sector requiring EU investment; stresses, in this regard, the importance of taking account of the exposome and of the cumulative impact of social various determinants of health, on young people’s health and mental wellbeing; is alarmed by the high number of young Europeans aged 10-19 diagnosed with a mental health condition and by the fact that suicide rates in this group are particularly high, especially among male adolescents; acknowledges the growing risk to leave a lasting impact on the younger generation’s mental health and their societal expectations, highlighting the need for future EU youth strategies and sustainable public health interventions to directly address these emerging cross-cutting issues; highlights the impact of unhealthy lifestyles, including poor diet, low physical activity, substance use and excessive screen time, which disproportionately affect vulnerable groups;

22 a (new) Recognises particularly the deep and lasting impact that the COVID-19 pandemic as well as of broader societal changes, including increased exposure to digital and social media environments, excessive screen time and related online pressures has had on mental health, worsening existing conditions and increasing their prevalence, with a disproportionate impact on children, adolescents and young adults, whose mental well-being significantly declined as the number of young people reporting bad or very bad health more than doubled between 2020 and 2022, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable public health interventions, preventive health measures, mandatory school-based physical activity, healthy school meals, cross-sectoral youth mental health mainstreaming, and targeted support for vulnerable groups;

22 b (new) Urges the Commission to shift the focus from before COVID-19 back to protecting (mental) health of youth online by addressing their special vulnerability to addictive designs and dark patterns in virtual environments, hate speech, fake news and fake information, namely related to practices that are harmful to their health and well-being, and reducing online addiction, cyber sickness, compulsive spending and screen-time related health risks and disturbances in sleep patterns; highlights the need to implement age-appropriate awareness campaigns on the effects of excessive social media use and digital health literacy initiatives across the EU that also target parents, caregivers and teachers;

22 c (new) Stresses the need for youth mental health support, including prevention mechanisms and early intervention for youth exposed to cyberbullying and harmful content online, such as school support systems alongside EU-funded awareness initiatives for parents, caregivers, and teachers and integration of social media literacy together with health, digital, media and AI literacy into school education systems, to reduce the risks of self-harm, counteract promotion of harmful substances and potential suicide attempts, efforts that should be closely aligned with the Commission's forthcoming action plan against cyberbullying and the planned EU-wide inquiry on social media's impact on youth mental wellbeing;

22 d (new) Stresses the importance of protecting children, adolescents and young adults’ mental health and the significance of early detection and intervention, as well the accessibility and affordability of children’ and young people’s mental health services, with particular attention to socio-economic and geographic inequalities, particularly in the school and family environment, as this largely determines personal development in adulthood, an objective that can be advanced by actively leveraging the Technical Support Instrument’s 2024 flagship initiative to improve psychosocial support and implementing the Commission's four dedicated flagship initiatives addressing children's and young people's mental health; calls on Member States and the EU to invest in training teachers and care givers in better detecting mental health condition among children and adolescents;

22 e (new) Highlights the importance of childhood support systems in schools and outside schools, including via cultural organisations, youth organisations and sports clubs, which create inclusive spaces for youth expression, provide access to trusted adults outside the family unit, and offer non-formal learning opportunities that equip young people with valuable soft skills and civic competencies often missing from formal education; reiterates the need to implement EU-wide psychosocial approach to mental health based on human rights and recovery, with a strong focus on young people;

22 f (new) Underlines in this regard the beneficial role of physical activity, movement, play, as well as artistic, performative and cultural activities in driving and raising awareness for positive mental and physical health, especially in children, adolescents and young adults, while also serving as a vital vehicle for inclusion, solidarity, and social cohesion, which requires Member States to adequately fund local sports and leisure activities as well as cultural and artistic activities, to ensure these developmental benefits reach young people with fewer opportunities;

22 g (new) Calls on the Commission and the Member States to prioritise mental health and well-being among children and young people by recognising mental health, physical health, lifestyle-related risks, substance use, environmental exposure, and health inequalities as major concerns, and to adopt preventive, cross-sectoral measures integrating education, health, digital and environmental policies in order to promote sustainable youth health; recognises mental health conditions as one of the most significant health concerns for this demographic group, an urgency underscored by the 11th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue where 73% of young participants ranked it as their most important issue, which necessitates stronger cross-sectoral mainstreaming to overcome current institutional gaps, such as the absence of a dedicated youth correspondent within the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety; calls also for targeted public health action to reduce inequalities and ensure that no young person is left behind;

22 h (new) Invites the Member States to facilitate young people’s access to mental health support such as psychosocial counselling and therapy without administrative burdens, ensuring that increased post-pandemic awareness translates into permanent structural reforms rather than temporary, ad hoc community projects; recommends that the Member States ensure that students have direct access to psychological help when they seek it, including through free or affordable psychotherapy and counselling services where needed, drawing on successful regional models such as the introduction of dedicated School Psychology Services alongside integrated health-prevention packages; acknowledges the potential additional mental health challenges that can occur for students while taking part in exchange programmes and calls on the EU and the Member States to provide adequate support, including in the Erasmus+ Programme;

22 i (new) Notes that public health has surged to become the joint-second highest priority for young Europeans in 2025, with 27% calling for targeted EU investment in health and healthcare access; urges the Commission and Member States, therefore, to adopt a comprehensive public health approach that complements psychosocial support with robust preventative measures addressing unhealthy diets, low physical activity, substance use, screen-time overuse, and environmental health risks;

22 j (new) Expresses concern about the increasing uptake of tobacco and novel nicotine products among young people, which risks reversing progress in tobacco control and creating new patterns of addiction; highlights the urgent need to prevent a new generation of nicotine-dependent children and adolescents, including through strengthened controls on youth-appealing product features and digital marketing practices, specifically by advancing youth-driven demands for stricter rules on tobacco while putting in place awareness campaigns on the health impacts of tobacco and novel tobacco and nicotine products, action to prevent alcohol consumption and other addictive behaviours among minors and youth, and measures focused on prevention, health literacy and awareness-raising, as well as diabetes and obesity prevention and targeted support for young patients under Europe's Beating Cancer Plan; stresses the need for future EU youth strategies and sustainable public health interventions addressing both mental and physical health , as well as preventive measures integrated across sectors - “Health in All Policies”;

22 k (new) Underlines that, despite the objective of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to vaccinate at least 90% of the EU target population of girls (by the age of 15) and to significantly increase HPV vaccination among boys by 2030, disparities in vaccination coverage between Member States persist, with some areas reporting full vaccination rates below 50%;

22 l (new) Highlights in particular the need to strengthen action on paediatric cancers, by improving early diagnosis, access to specialised cross-border care, and long-term follow-up for childhood cancer survivors; calls for increased research funding and enhanced, coordinated EU-wide data sharing on paediatric cancers, including on contributing factors such as environmental exposures; further urges the Commission and the Member States to step up efforts on rare diseases predominantly affecting children, by supporting early screening, accelerating access to innovative therapies, and reinforcing European Reference Networks to ensure equitable care across all Member States;

22 m (new) Stresses that youth health measures must pay particular attention to young people in vulnerable situations, including LGBTQI+ youth, young people with disabilities, young migrants and refugees, and those affected by poverty or discrimination, as they often face greater barriers to healthcare, prevention and psychosocial support; calls, therefore, for inclusive and targeted public health action to reduce inequalities and ensure that no young person is left behind including by ensuring universal access to high-quality healthcare for all young people;

22 n (new) Stresses the need to include on all the mental health policies the psychological impacts of gender based discrimination, systematic racism and social economic inequality;

23. deleted

Thank you very much for taking the SANT opinion into account.

Yours sincerely,

Adam Jarubas

The Chair declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.