Juventude

33 schools from across Europe to come to Brussels to discuss the future of the EU. Today the EESC selected the schools which will be participating in this year's edition of Your Europe Your Say!, its flagship event for youth. In 2017, the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome will be the theme of the Committee’s annual "Your Europe, Your Say!" youth event, offering young people from around Europe the opportunity to share their ideas about the EU of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Each of the schools - which were selected from over 680 applications at a draw, will send a delegation of 3 students and a teacher to Brussels to participate in a youth plenary session on 30-31 March 2017, back to back with the ...

EESC President Georges Dassis participated in the presentation of the pilot project "European Framework for mobility of apprentices", in Toledo, Spain, on 30 September. After the enormous success of the Erasmus programme (for higher education students), the European Union is launching a new project, this time focused on vocational education for trainees and apprentices (who do not go to university or college). As Europe is facing a difficult time when it comes to creating jobs ...

Statement by Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, Vice-President of the EESC, on International Youth Day

Today we celebrate International Youth Day, which recognises the power of youth in transforming the world. First launched in Lisbon in 1998, this year's International Youth Day is dedicated to promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their aim to fight global poverty and promote a sustainable world for all. Our ability to implement the SDGs effectively will determine the future of today's youth.

Ahead of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, Gabriele Bischoff, President of the EESC Workers' Group, has called for the EU to take strong action against human trafficking, in particular to protect children, young people, women and vulnerable people.

"Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery which we cannot tolerate or ignore. It's time for action to deliver on our promises and for action to implement the strategy for the eradication of trafficking in human beings. This strategy cannot be applied without active support from civil society, which often has direct contact with the victims. Victim support associations need financial resources, as do the public services which have to deal with this unacceptable reality".

According to Eurostat figures, in May 2016 there were 4,197 million unemployed young people (18.6%) in the EU-28. Although an improvement on the previous year (20.3%), the figure remains appalling and shows that the threat of a "lost generation", which has loomed large since the beginning of the economic and financial crisis, is still hanging dangerously over Europe. Despite this, businesses across the EU are struggling to find young people with the skills they need. 

33 schools from across Europe selected to come to Brussels to discuss migration

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has selected 33 secondary schools from across Europe to participate in this year's edition of Your Europe Your Say! which will take place in Brussels on 17-19 March 2016. One school from each of the 28 EU Member States and the 5 candidate countries, for the first time from Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey, were chosen from over 400 applications.

The results are in. After an impressive 428 applications to take part in Your Europe, Your Say! (YEYS) 2016, 33 schools from 28 EU Member States and five candidate countries have been selected to take part. We are thrilled that so many young people have expressed interest in this exciting event, and we can’t wait to meet the winning schools and students in March.

Les présidents du CESE, de la Commission européenne et du Parlement européen clôturent le forum des parties prenantes. Georges Dassis, président du Comité économique et social européen (CESE), a participé le 12 avril à la séance de clôture du forum des parties prenantes sur le corps européen de solidarité aux côtés de Jean-Claude Juncker, président de la Commission européenne, et Antonio Tajani, président du Parlement européen ...