Credit: European Union
The European Commission recently published its Flash Eurobarometer on Youth and Democracy, conducted between 22 February and 4 March 2022; in Luxembourg, 57% of young people believed that preserving peace, reinforcing international security and promoting international cooperation was the very first objective of the European Union (EU).
With the European Year of Youth in full swing, and at the end of the Conference on the future of Europe (where youth played a crucial part), the Eurobarometer allows to take stock of the sentiment among the young generation.
The new Eurobarometer survey showed growing youth engagement: today, a majority (58%) of young people are active in the societies in which they live and have participated in one or more youth organisations over the last twelve months. This is an increase of 17 percentage points since last Eurobarometer in 2019. In addition, young people's most common expectation for the 2022 European Year of Youth was for decision-makers to listen more to their demands and act on them and to support their personal, social and professional development (72%).
Last week, the Commission also launched a new online tool, the "Voice your Vision" platform, which will be a central element of the European Year of Youth. On this platform, Europeans can record their opinions and ideas for the future of the European project. They can touch upon any issue of importance to them, from employment, inclusion, peace and security, to climate change, education, mental health and more.
Furthermore, policy dialogues between Members of the College and young people are organised in the framework of the Year of Youth. They give a unique opportunity to young people to get direct access to decision-makers and express face to face their vision and ideas on all policy areas.
Anne Calteux, Representative of the European Commission in Luxembourg, said: "Proactively reaching out to young people is at the core of the work of the Representation of the European Commission in Luxembourg. It is very important that the younger people identify with the European Union and have a good understanding of its functioning and of the matters at stake. Equally important is to address their concerns and to provide answers to their questions. The Representation's team will be present throughout the year at various music and sports festivals, such as this weekend's LOA in Esch Belval and the ING Night Marathon on 28 May, as well as at the Siren's Call and Pond Eclectic music festivals later this year".
Youth Flash Eurobarometer results in Luxembourg
Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has reinforced young people's conviction that preserving peace, reinforcing international security and promoting international cooperation is the very first objective of the EU (37%). In Luxembourg, this conviction was even stronger with 57%. The next highest expectations for youth in Luxembourg were for the EU to fight poverty and economic and social inequalities (42%) as well as to promote environmentally friendly policies and fight climate change (41%).
Young people in Luxembourg saw mental and physical health and wellbeing (48%), protecting the environment and fighting climate change (45%) and fighting poverty and economic and social inequalities (45%) as the focus areas for the European Year of Youth. The young respondents from Luxembourg notably expected from the European Year of Youth more efforts to better integrate young people in the job market (45%, against 30% on EU average) and society and decision-makers to listen more to youth's opinion and needs (41%, against 33% on EU average).
Finally, the Eurobarometer results confirmed that the Erasmus+ programme, which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2022, was known by more than half of young respondents although some differences remained between Member States with the share of young people knowing Erasmus+ for students being largest in Greece (72%) and Cyprus (70%) and smallest in Sweden (26%). In Luxembourg, 60% of respondents have heard of Erasmus+ for students.
