White paper on youth policy back on track
White paper on youth policy back on trackKeywords: Young people, Europe
European Commission president Romano Prodi has publicly announced his support for the White Paper on youth policy which is being prepared by the European Commissioner for Education and Youth, Viviane Reding. He said the White Paper would be published before the end of the year. It would outline how the Commission plans to answer the concerns of young people in Europe and improve their lives. He encouraged young people to criticise the document and promised to discuss it with them.
Ministers meeting in the European Youth Council backed Mrs Reding's initiative to draw up the White Paper on youth, despite her warning that such a document might make it necessary to "exceed the limits of the treaties in youth policy and come off the beaten track". She explained: "As all the contributions delivered by young people deal mainly with local and national issues, I needed the green light from education ministers to continue. The ministers gave me that green light, saying they want a White Paper with content that takes account of young people." Nevertheless, the conclusions of the Youth Council say the White Paper process "should reflect the subsidiarity principle". Kim Svenosen, European Youth Forum secretary general, said:"We are hoping for a very, very ambitious White Paper."
