EU boosts cooperation with Eastern Partnership countries
The European Commission will strengthen cooperation with Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) in youth in 2012 and 2013 by supporting capacity development of officials and civil society involved in youth policy and by substantially increasing funding of youth projects in the region.
The measures will be financed through the Eastern Partnership Youth Programme (budget: € 3 million) which will set up an Eastern Partnership Youth Regional Unit in the 2nd half of 2012 and through the EU's Youth in Action Programme.
The funds to be allocated to the Youth in Action Programme are expected to finance around 1 400 additional projects involving about 21 000 young people and youth workers taking part in youth exchanges, voluntary service, training and networking activities. The increased funding is subject to the formal adoption of a European Commission decision. The decision making process has started and should be finalised in the following months.
The funding is meant to support primarily young people with fewer opportunities, living in rural or deprived urban areas. Other goals include raising awareness about the nature of youth work in the region and sharing good practice. This approach is based on an assessment carried out by the Commission in the region.
Young people, youth workers and policy makers will have the opportunity to get information about the new funding and how to apply for it during the first 'Eastern Partnership Platform 4 Youth Event', to be held in Yerevan on 26-28 March. The event is organised by the European Commission, in cooperation with organisations from the region, and will bring together about 100 participants.
"Dialogue and exchanges between young people, youth workers and youth organisations from the EU and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus are an important way to strengthen democracy, stability and prosperity. Events like this one contribute by allowing young people to meet, get informed and build partnerships. My aim is to increase the number of young people from the region participating in youth exchanges, voluntary service projects and training, in particular those young people from a disadvantaged background", said Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.
Participants in the event will also get an overview of recent developments in the youth policy area in the Eastern Partnership region. The importance of building project partnerships and successful cooperation between Eastern Partnership countries and the Youth in Action programme countries (EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Croatia and Turkey) will also be highlighted. Since 2007, more than 11 000 young people and youth workers from Eastern Partnership countries have participated in activities supported by the EU's Youth in Action programme.
