Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy ⁄ Visionary Analytics

Why this study? The policy context

Young people are central to Europe’s social, economic and democratic future. The EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 (EUYS) provides the main framework for cooperation on youth policy across the European Union, aiming to empower young people, strengthen their participation in democratic life and improve access to education, employment and opportunities.

Recent developments have reinforced the importance of this framework. The European Year of Youth 2022 renewed attention to youth issues across EU institutions and policies, while the European Commission’s 2024 interim evaluation concluded that the EU Youth Strategy has been an effective catalyst for youth participation, civic engagement and coordination of youth-related policies across Member States.

Building on this momentum, the Commission has committed to further mainstreaming youth perspectives across EU policymaking, including through new instruments such as the Youth Check, Youth Policy Dialogues with Commissioners and strengthened mechanisms for youth participation.

At the same time, surveys and consultations highlight persistent challenges. While young people remain committed to democratic participation, many question whether their voices have a real impact on decision-making. Newly emerging concerns related to living standards, employment, climate change, security and public health also remain high on the youth agenda.

Against this backdrop, this study takes stock of the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 and explores how it can evolve beyond 2027. The study is a European Implementation Assessment produced by the Ex-Post Evaluation Unit of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), providing supporting evidence to inform the ongoing work of the European Parliament’s CULT Committee on its implementation report on the EU Youth Strategy.

What we did

The study is structured in two complementary parts.

Part I, prepared internally by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), provides an overview of recent developments related to the EU Youth Strategy. It reviews the latest European Commission evaluations and Eurobarometer surveys, analyses the outcomes of the Youth Policy Dialogues organised during the first 100 days of the second von der Leyen Commission, and examines European Parliament resolutions addressing youth-related issues. It also summarises key recommendations emerging from consultations with youth organisations.

Part II, prepared by Visionary Analytics and external experts, provides a more detailed assessment of how the EU Youth Strategy is implemented in practice at the EU level and in six Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Lithuania and Portugal. It also develops actionable recommendations for strengthening the strategy.

This part of the study focused on four key areas:

the implementation and relevance of the 11 European Youth Goals;
the extent of youth mainstreaming across EU and national policies;
youth participation, with particular attention to inclusion and equality; and
the role of the EU Youth Strategy in improving access to quality education and training.

The analysis combines primary data collected through interviews with youth representatives, national authorities, EU institutions, researchers and youth experts, as well as a survey of stakeholders, together with the analysis of existing policy documents and literature.

What we found: key insights

Implementation of the European Youth Goals remains uneven
Across the six Member States studied, European Youth Goals’ implementation varies considerably. The non-binding nature of the EU Youth Strategy, differing national priorities and the lack of comprehensive monitoring mechanisms contribute to uneven implementation. Some goals – such as inclusive societies or participation – receive stronger attention than others, including those addressing the needs of rural youth.

Youth mainstreaming is progressing but remains fragmented
Since the European Year of Youth 2022, youth mainstreaming has advanced through new instruments such as the EU Youth Coordinator, Youth Checks and Youth Policy Dialogues with Commissioners. While progress is visible in areas such as education and employment, integration across other policy areas – for example, health and environmental policies – remains limited.

Youth participation has improved, but inclusion gaps persist
Initiatives such as the EU Youth Dialogue, and Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes have strengthened opportunities for youth engagement. Participation of young people with fewer opportunities has increased, yet rural youth, young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and non-organised youth remain underrepresented.

Access to quality education and training still faces barriers
The EU Youth Strategy contributes to improving education and training opportunities, with some Member States reporting progress in reducing early school leaving and improving completion rates. However, structural barriers remain, and the potential of youth work and non-formal learning to support education pathways is not fully utilised.

A dedicated EU youth policy framework remains essential
The study confirms the continued relevance of the EU Youth Strategy. Its core pillars – Engage, Connect and Empower – provide an important shared vision for youth policies in Europe. However, new and emerging challenges such as mental health, disinformation, security, climate change and affordable housing, among others, require stronger integration into future youth policies.

Looking ahead: strengthening the EU Youth Strategy after 2027

As the EU Youth Strategy approaches its next review cycle, the study highlights the importance of strengthening both its strategic direction and implementation mechanisms.

Key recommendations include updating the European Youth Goals to reflect emerging challenges, strengthening youth mainstreaming across EU policies, and reinforcing youth participation mechanisms to ensure that young people’s input leads to tangible policy outcomes.

The study also emphasises the need to improve monitoring and evaluation frameworks, enhance the visibility of the EU Youth Strategy, and ensure that programmes such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps remain accessible and inclusive, particularly for smaller organisations and underrepresented groups.

We would like to thank Dr Isabelle Ioannides and Marie-Astrid Huemer from the Ex-Post Evaluation Unit (EPRS). We also thank the external experts Sladjana Petkovic (Senior Expert and National Expert for Croatia) and Pavel Trantina (Quality Assurance), as well as the national experts Tatiana Ferreira (Portugal), Dr Vesela Mareva (Bulgaria), Dr Frederike Hofmann-van de Poll (Germany), and Dr Anna Lavizzari (Italy) for their valuable contributions. Finally, we thank our Visionary Analytics colleagues involved in the project and all stakeholders who contributed to the development of this study.