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COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS – DIRECTORATE FOR CONSULTATIVE WORK

EDUC Commission and "Networks & Subsidiarity" Unit

QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE EU STRATEGY FOR YOUTH

Refers to the communication on An EU Strategy for Youth – Investing and Empowering

COM(2009) 200 final

Submitted to the EDUC Commission and the Subsidiarity Monitoring Network for consultation purposes

by MrAntonRombouts (NL/EPP)

Please complete and submit by Friday 23October 2009. You can upload the completed questionnaires directly onto the Subsidiarity Monitoring Network webpage ( – remember to log on). Alternatively, you can send them by email to .

Name of the authority: / Local GovernmentDenmark
Contact person: / Annemette Frost
Contact details (phone, email) /
Tel: + 45 33 70 34 77

The questionnaire is divided into two sections referring to: (1) the fields of action for youth in Europe proposed by the EC; and (2) the role of local and regional authorities within the Open Method of Coordination.

SECTION I: Fields of action

In the communication "An EU Strategy for Youth", the European Commission proposes a framework for the future of youth policies in Europe. In the interests of creating opportunities for youth, improving their access and participation in society as well as fostering solidarity, the communication clearly identifies eight main fields of action and puts forward different measures that can be taken at EU or MS level. These fields of action are: Education – Employment – Creativity and Entrepreneurship – Health and Sport – Participation – Social Inclusion – Volunteering – Youth and the World

This section of the questionnaire addresses the aforementionedeight fields of action as well as the overarching issue of youth work.You are kindly invited to answer only questions referring to the fields that are of relevance for your institution.

CdR 235/2009 EN/o-DA/GH/hn.../...

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A. Education

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the education of young people?
At present there are three major challenges:
  1. Private companies are not providingan adequate number of traineeships for young people due to the crisis. This has forced agrowing number of young people to abandon their vocational training. In the longer term,there is the risk that this will lead to a shortage of skilled labour.
  2. There is a large drop-out rate from vocational training which is due also to the pedagogical and economic conditions in vocational schools. Almost half of all young people who start vocational training do not complete it.
  3. Barriers across theadministrative areas prevent a coherent youth education policy. These barriers are caused by legislation that is adopted centrally, local differences in culture regarding the various subject areas, as well asthe local organisationof policies. Another obstacle to a coherent youth education policy is the fact that state vocational schools are managed on the basisof the economy's needs rather than young people's wishes and needs.

  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for youth education lie in your country?
Youth educational institutions are non-profit state institutions, which means that responsibility for ordinaryyouth education lies with the state. Danish municipalities nevertheless are responsible for two youth education programmes which cover the needs of young people who are not able to pursue ordinary education. These two programmes are entitled Basic vocational education and training (EGU) and Education and training for young people with special needs. (USB). EGU is a two to three year long vocational training with a major hands-on element. USB is a three-year, individually tailored vocational training for young people who are unable to pursue EGU or ordinary youth education because of a physical or mental disability.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the youth education field of action(see section 4.2.1. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
Should guarantee the quality of procedures, for instance by coordinating the proceduresestablishedin the education field with procedures in the employment field. Can take the lead locally on cooperation between municipalities and youth education institutions. Should take steps to have informal learning recognised.
(b) National authorities:
Provide sufficiently flexible conditions locally to facilitate coordination of youth-related procedures and cooperation. Finance informal learning efforts. National standards for the recognition of informal learning.
(c) The EU:
European standards for informal learning. Activities to promote mobility. Experimental funding.
  1. Existing measurestaken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of youth education?
Most Danish municipalities, even if not all, nowadays pay special attention to young people.This is because they are facing growing youth unemployment, butalso because there is broad recognition of the fact that education is the most direct and secure route into employment for young people.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to youth education,that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
Improve the incentives and possibilities for companies to provide traineeships.

B. Employment

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the employment of young people?
Growing inequalities caused by the economic crisis. As a result, a significant proportion of young people have refused, for subject-related, personal or social reasons, to take an average job or pursue ordinary youth education.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for youth employment lie in your country?
Employment related action takes place in municipal job centres, within the nationally set legal parameters.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the youth employment field of action (see section 4.2.1. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
Provide a cross-cutting and coherent policy which combines education and employment policy. Procure full-time and part-time jobs for young people combined with educational advice so that part-time jobs might lead young people intoeducation. Involve young people.
(b) National authorities:
Provide a flexible legal frameworkwhich makes it possible to launch initiativeslocally that meet young people's needs. Encourage private companies to provide traineeships, for instance through incentives.
(c) The EU:
Facilitate cross-border exchanges of experience, including research-related experience and the gathering of statistics. Provide experimental funding both at national and trans-national level.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of youth employment?
The current economic crisis has put young people centre stage on the employment policy agenda in all Danish municipalities. All municipalities are now paying special attention to youth unemployment.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to youth employment,that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
Focus more on reducing the current bureaucracy associated with national youth employment policy rules. Young people desperately need a coherent and cross-cutting policy that combines education and employment initiatives.

C. Creativity and Entrepreneurship

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the creativity and entrepreneurship of youth?
No comments to make.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for creativity and entrepreneurship of youth lie in your country?
No comments to make.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the "creativity and entrepreneurship" field of action (see section 4.2.1. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
No comments to make.
(b) National authorities:
No comments to make.
(c) The EU:
No comments to make.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of creativity and entrepreneurship of youth?
No comments to make.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard creativity and entrepreneurship of youth, that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
No comments to make.

D. Health and Sport

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to health and sport?
In the context of the structural reforms municipalities have been given full responsibility for public disease prevention and health promotion.Municipalities essentiallyhave a wide range of options at their disposal to influence public health based on the physical conditions they provide,for example health care workers in their employment who are in daily contact with children and young people in schools and daytime care institutions. Municipalities and regions are also partly responsible for disease prevention targeted at patients. Both areas are still being developed in municipalities across the country, and as yet there is not enough informationabout the policies and methods that work best. More funding is also needed.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for health and sport lie in your country?
Health care is the responsibility of the Ministry for Health and Disease Prevention. Sport meanwhilecomes under the Ministry for Culture.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the health and sport field of action (see section 4.2.2. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
Municipalities play an essential role in creating conditions which help limit health related problems experienced by young people. They can make sure that adequate sports facilities are available, which encourages people to live active lives. Municipalities can also work together with voluntary sports organisations, and in that way make sure that the public have the possibility to pursue physical activities or sports in their leisure time. Regions meanwhile play a key role in early the discovery and diagnosis of possible illnesses which helps prevent diseases from developing.
(b) National authorities:
National authorities play an important role in preventing diseases. Improving public health is a task which municipalities are unable to carry out on their own. The state needs to provide the fundamental conditions for this. It can do so through legislation and tax policiesthat encourage young people to make positive health-related choices for instance. Research in the field of prevention is also important here. Finally,a large-scale national information campaignneeds to be launched.
(c) The EU:
No comments to make.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of health and sport?
A large number of municipalities in Denmark have already drawn up health policies involving concrete targets that will help them meet many of the challenges in the health field which are also listed in the EU's health strategy.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to health and sport,that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
No comments to make.

E. Participation

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the participation of young people in civic and political life?
No comments to make.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for the participation of young people in civic and political life lie in your country?
No comments to make.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the "participation" field of action (see section 4.2.2. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
No comments to make.
(b) National authorities:
No comments to make.
(c) The EU:
No comments to make.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of the participation of young people in civic and political life?
No comments to make.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to the participation of young people in civic and political life, that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
No comments to make.

F. Social Inclusion

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the social inclusion of young people?
Drawing together the various policies at local level which are aimed at vulnerable young people is problematic. Young people need to be seen as complete individuals rather than as a problem within certain areas.
The education system is unable to boost the proportion of young people that take up and complete education.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for social inclusion lie in your country?
Legally speaking, responsibility for social inclusion has been devolved. However, national parties influence and set the tone for national debates that can be relevant to certain groups of young people.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the "social inclusion" field of action (see section 4.2.3. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
The local level is responsible for the actions listed.
(b) National authorities:
See answer to question F. 2
(c) The EU:
The EU system should contribute to research and its dissemination. In this sense, the EU can have an impact on national cultures and thus also on the quest for solutions.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currentlybegun contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of the social inclusion of young people?
Yes
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to social inclusion of young people, that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
Yes

G. Volunteering

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to volunteering?
No comments to make.
  1. Competence in this field:

Within which level of governance/ government does responsibility for volunteering lie in your country?
No comments to make.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please have a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the "volunteering" field of action (see section 4.2.3. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
No comments to make.
(b) National authorities:
No comments to make.
(c) The EU:
No comments to make.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or begun contemplating) any specific measures to address challenges in the field of volunteering?
No comments to make.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to volunteering, that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
No comments to make.

H. Youth and the World

  1. Challenges faced by local and regional authorities:

What challenges do local and regional authorities in your country face with regard to the international dimension of youth?
No comments to make.
  1. Responsibility regarding the actions contemplated:

Please take a look at the specific actions contemplated by the European Commission within the "Youth and the World" field of action (see section 4.2.3. of the communication). Taking into account the subsidiarity principle, what should be the role of the following tiers of authority in pursuing these actions?
(a) Local and regional authorities:
No comments to make.
(b) National authorities:
No comments to make.
(c) The EU:
No comments to make.
  1. Existing measures taken at your level:

Has your local authority/ city/ region already taken (or is currently contemplating) any specific action to promote the international dimension of youth?
No comments to make.
  1. Additional measures needed:

Do you consider that there are other or additional lines of action that need to be taken with regard to the international dimension of youth, that have not been proposed by the Commission communication under consideration?
No comments to make.

I. Youth work