7 VOLUNTARY ACTIVITIES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
AND GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUTH
(a)
(25644)
9182/04
COM(04) 337
(b)
(25645)
9183/04
COM(04) 336
(c)
(26017)
12563/04
—
(d)
(26018)
12564/04
—
| Council Communication: Follow-up to the White Paper on a New Impetus
for European Youth. Proposed common objectives for voluntary
activities among young people in response to the Council Resolution of
27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European cooperation in the
youth field
Commission Communication: Follow-up to the White Paper on a New
Impetus for European Youth. Proposed common objectives for a greater
understanding and knowledge of youth, in response to the Council
Resolution of 27 June 2002 regarding the framework of European
cooperation in the youth field
Draft Resolution on common objectives for voluntary activities of young
people
Draft Resolution on common objectives for a greater understanding and
knowledge of youth
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Deposited in Parliament |
(c) and (d) 15 October 2004 |
| Department | Education and Skills
|
| Basis of consideration |
(a) and (b)Minister's letter of 12 October 2004
(c) and (d) EM of 28 October 2004
|
| Previous Committee Report |
(a) and (b) HC 42-xxii (2003-04), para 7 (9 June 2004)
|
| To be discussed in Council
| (c) and (d) 15 November 2004 |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | (All) Cleared, but further information requested
|
Background
7.1 In November 2001, the Commission published a White Paper on
A New Impetus for European Youth. It proposed a framework
for cooperation in the youth field. On 27 June 2002, the Council
adopted a Resolution approving the framework and calling for the
"open method of coordination"[14]
to be applied to four priorities:
- participation;
- information;
- voluntary activities; and
- greater understanding and knowledge of youth.
(Council Resolutions are not binding on Member States
and the procedure for their adoption is not prescribed.)
7.2 In November 2003, the Council approved the Commission's
proposals for common objectives for the first two of the priorities:
participation and information.[15]
7.3 In June, we considered two Communications from
the Commission (documents (a) and (b)). One proposed common objectives
for voluntary activities by young people. The other proposed common
objectives for a greater understanding and knowledge of young
people. Both proposed the application of the open method of coordination
to the implementation of the proposals.
7.4 The then Minister of State for Lifelong Learning,
Further and Higher Education (Mr Alan Johnson) told us that the
Government supports the development of youth policy in the way
suggested in the White Paper. The proposals in documents (a)
and (b) fitted well with the UK's policies. Member States were
to give their initial reactions to the documents at the Youth
Council on 28 May. Formal proposals for common objectives on
voluntary activities for, and greater understanding of, young
people were likely to be put to the Council for agreement in November.
7.5 We noted that the primary responsibility for
youth policy rests with Member States. We recognised, however,
the value of cooperation and learning from others. We also recognised
that it was the Council which had approved the application of
the open method of coordination to the development of youth policy.
But in the absence of any estimate of the cost of implementing
the proposals in the UK, it was difficult to form a view of their
value for money. Moreover, it was not apparent to us that the
proposed common objectives on understanding young people were
consistent with the principle of subsidiarity.
7.6 Accordingly, we asked the Minister to tell us
about the initial discussion of the documents at the Council on
28 May and to keep us informed of the negotiations leading up
to the presentation of the Commission's formal proposals in the
autumn. We also asked him for an estimate of the likely cost
to the UK of implementing the proposals. Meanwhile, we kept documents
(a) and (b) under scrutiny.
The Minister's letter
7.7 In his letter of 12 October, the current Minister
for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education at the Department
for Education and Skills (Dr Kim Howells) told us about the discussion
of the proposals in the Council on 28 May and the subsequent negotiations.
At the Council, Member States had welcomed both sets of proposals.
Several Member States had supported the Government's view that
it was important to provide young volunteers with a record of
their participation to help their employability. Member States
had also agreed on the need for better research, and better use
of research, to make evidence-based policy decisions.
7.8 Since the meeting of the Council, there had been
discussions in the Working Group, leading to the preparation of
drafts of the Resolutions setting out common objectives for voluntary
activities and a better understanding of young people. The drafts
were likely to be put to the Council for adoption on 15/16 November.
The Commission was expected to produce for that meeting a paper
on the working methods used in the open method of coordination
of youth policy and perhaps proposals for further work.
Document (c) — voluntary activities by young
people
7.9 This draft Resolution proposes four common objectives:
i) encourage the development of voluntary
activities by young people with the aim of increasing awareness
of existing opportunities for voluntary activities, improving
the quality of the opportunities and offering wider opportunities
(for example, foster training for volunteers and encourage cross-border
exchanges);
ii) make it easier for young people to take part
in voluntary activities by removing obstacles (for example, reinforce
cooperation between immigration authorities so that young volunteers
can get the necessary visas and permits);
iii) promote voluntary activities so as to reinforce
the solidarity of young people and their engagement as responsible
citizens (for example, find out more about why some young people
feel excluded from society and how to encourage them to get involved
in voluntary activities); and
iv) recognise the value of voluntary activity
by young people.
7.10 The draft Resolution says that the implementation
of these objectives must be flexible, incremental and appropriate
and "must respect the competencies of the Member States and
the principle of subsidiarity".
7.11 The draft resolution invites Member States to
make reports by the end of 2006 on their implementation of the
objectives in the light of their national circumstances and priorities.
The Commission is to use the national reports to prepare a progress
report for the Council, together with any appropriate proposals
to amend the objectives.
The Government's view on document (c)
7.12 In his comments on the draft Resolution on voluntary
activities for young people, the Minister tells us that:
"The Government's view continues to be that
the proposed common objectives support our domestic policy initiatives
in this area. The Russell Commission on voluntary activities for
the whole of the UK population has now entered its consultation
period. The consultation document does not refer to additional
spending. It recommends a menu of opportunities offering a choice
of activities. This EU proposal highlights the value of voluntary
activities but does not suggest a need to increase spending in
the provision of opportunities.
"First discussions of an early text of the
draft Resolution led us to believe that there might be an attempt
to define what constitutes voluntary activities. This has proved
not to be the case. The definition in use in the UK will be unaffected
by this proposal.
"The Government was also initially concerned
that suggestions for relaxing or removing barriers to mobility
might impact on the UK's position on its Title IV [of the EC Treaty]
opt in to immigration policy measures. The text now specifies
the need to respect Member State[s] immigration, visa and entry
requirements.
"We had thought [that] the proposal might
also lead to an expectation that we would relax our policies on
access to health care. The health care issue has now also been
addressed. The text now encourages the development of the European
Voluntary Service which allows health care insurance to be provided
through a Commission appointed insurer. A volunteer from an EU
Member State, provided they meet certain conditions about non-remuneration
and duration of stay, will remain entitled to health care (except
for pre-existing conditions) in the UK or [any other] Member State
with form E111. We therefore do not anticipate that health care
arrangements will be a barrier to mobility."
Document (d) — greater understanding and
knowledge of young people
7.13 The second draft Resolution notes that a "greater
understanding and knowledge of youth" is of paramount importance
for making youth policies. This needs to include a better understanding
of the differences in the quality of life of young men and young
women and differences arising from ethnic origin. The draft Resolution
proposes four common objectives:
"(1) Identify — including at local
and regional level — existing knowledge in priority areas
of the youth field namely, participation, information and voluntary
activities and implement measures to supplement, update and facilitate
access to it;
"(2) In a second stage, identify —
including at local and regional level —existing knowledge
in further priority areas of interest to the youth field such
as autonomy, non-formal learning, the fight against discrimination,
education and training, employment, entrepreneurship, creativity,
transition from education to employment, social inclusion and
health, and implement measures to supplement, update and facilitate
access to it;
"(3) Ensure quality, comparability and relevance
of knowledge in the youth field by using appropriate methods and
tools;
"(4) Facilitate and promote exchange, dialogue
and networks to ensure visibility of knowledge in the youth field
and anticipate future needs."
7.14 Again, the draft Resolution says that implementation
of the objectives should be flexible, incremental and appropriate
and must respect the principle of subsidiarity.
7.15 The draft Resolution invites Member States to
inform the Commission of what they have done to implement the
common objectives in the light of their circumstances and national
priorities. The Commission will then present a progress report
to the Council, along with proposals for amendments to the objectives,
if appropriate.
The Government's view on document (d)
7.16 The Minister tells us that, when considering
document (d):
"we took the view that the policy direction
for this Resolution would not present the UK with difficulties
as the Government conducts research and surveys, including the
views of young people themselves, into what young people need
and want from services. This remains our view. The Resolution
[document (d)] encourages Member States to use good quality research
when devising policies for young people; to make better use of
existing information; and to ask young people what they want from
services and opportunities provided by those working in the field.
There is no requirement on Member States to spend more money.
"The UK Government is committed to provide
a new integrated offer of services for young people and preparatory
work on this is underway, informed by and drawing on the existing
[evidential] base. A Green Paper on Youth will be published this
Autumn to develop thinking and direction with all those involved,
especially with young people and their parents."
Conclusion
7.17 We are grateful to the Minister for his letter
and Explanatory Memorandum. Together, they answer the questions
we put to his predecessor when we scrutinised documents (a) and
(b) in June. We are, in particular, reassured to learn that the
draft Resolutions would require no increase in expenditure in
the United Kingdom and that the proposals do not intrude into
domestic policy, which in our view would have been a breach of
the principle of subsidiarity.
7.18 We have no further questions to put to the
Minister and we are now content to clear documents (c) and (d)
from scrutiny. Documents (a) and (b) have been effectively superseded
by the draft Resolutions and so we also clear them.
7.19 We note, however, that the Commission is
expected to present to the Council on 15 November a paper on the
application of the open method of coordination to the field of
youth policy. We ask the Minister to send us the paper and to
tell us his views on it and about the Council's response to it.
14 Conclusion 37 of the Lisbon European Council of
23/24 March 2000 described the open method of coordination as
a means to help Member States progressively develop their own
policies by fixing guidelines for the Union with specific timetables
for achieving goals; establishing quantitative indicators and
benchmarks as a means of comparing best practice; translating
the European guidelines into national and regional policies by
setting specific targets; periodic monitoring, evaluation and
peer review. Back
15
(24446) 8489/03 and (24448) 8490/03: see HC 63-xxix (2002-03),
para 13 (10 July 2003). Back
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