Public hearing on youth participation 16/17.February 2009

Brussels – getting young people involved and interested in European affaires is one aim of the ‘Committee on Culture and Education’. This morning, Members of the Parliament and the Commission discussed with several experts of possible ways to reach the wide audience of young voters and also of young people in general. If young people grow up in a political active environment and if they start to conceive an opinion in an early stage of life, they’ll be also more interested in participating in political issues if they get entitled to vote, stated Mrs Jillian Van Turnhout of the European Economic and Social Committee. Young people would have a sense of responsibility if they’d be awarded of rights and obligations. So this is why children should have a vote and a possibility to participate from the beginning.
The ‘Eurobarometer’ launched by the Flemish Youth Council came to the result that 66 % of young people are interested in Europe. Mr. Pieter Lietaer of the Flemish Youth Council said that there has to be a structured dialogue. It’d be of great importance that young people know what happened with their discussion results and how they were used for further decisions on European level regarding the idea that participation starts there where there is a perception of influence. 
Knowing this would also make a noticeable difference for future discussions and debates to get people involved.
Another problem is the lack of knowledge about European topics. Only 1 of 10 teenagers knows that the EU elections are taking place this year.
But although there is a will of participation, the basic concerns and requirements of young people have to be fulfilled i.e. among others, education, social security and work, says Pierre Mairesse of the Commission. Otherwise, it would not be possible to increase participation among young people.