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What does the EU4Youth programme do for young people in the Eastern Partnership?

15/11/2024

For the first time, the comprehensive yearly analysis of EU support to youth across the Eastern Partnership region has transitioned to a fully digital format, now accessible as an interactive web-based report.

Since its inception in 2018, the EU4Youth programme has been publishing annual reports offering insights into its progress in the areas of youth education, employment, and participation in the Eastern Partnership. EU4Youth is the European Union’s flagship initiative supporting young people in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. It emphasises Education and Employability, Employment and Entrepreneurship, and Engagement and Empowerment of young people, particularly the disadvantaged groups.

Over six years of implementation, the EU’s investment of over €50 million in the programme has significantly impacted youth in the region. The year 2023 marked a period of transition for EU4Youth, which showcased its robust ability to adapt to local conditions and political shifts, while dynamically addressing youth issues. Despite the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the conclusion of several major contracts under the EU4Youth programme, while new grant projects were getting underway, significant results were achieved. Among others, the EU4Youth programme:

  • United 140 stakeholders from governments, civil society organisations, and the private sector across the Eastern Partnership region. Through National Steering Groups in Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, EU4Youth is actively shaping youth employment initiatives on the matter.
  • Supported fifteen talented scholars who graduated from the College of Europe programme, while the new Entrepreneurial Competence Framework and EntreGram4Youth self-assessment tool in Ukraine are equipping young entrepreneurs with essential skills. These achievements highlight EU4Youth’s commitment to educational excellence and professional development.
  • Enabled 80 dedicated Alumni to implement 45 community initiatives, reaching around 800 young peers. The Youth Policy Labs further engaged over 200 participants in shaping youth policy, while welcoming the new ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project led by GIZ, which aims at further strengthening youth participation in decision-making through targeted support and grants.
  • Launched eight new grant projects under the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship’ project, alongside €2 million in direct support for Ukrainian youth initiatives.
  • Created and promoted an innovative Telegram game and podcast episodes about fair working standards, which are making crucial information accessible to young people across the region.
  • Published new Youth Wiki chapters on youth employment across the region and practical roadmaps for Youth Guarantee initiatives in Georgia and Moldova. Through knowledge sharing and study visits, EU4Youth is creating sustainable solutions for youth employment across the Eastern Partnership region.

Click here to learn more about the impact of the EU4Youth programme in 2023 and stay informed by subscribing to the EU4Youth Stakeholder Hub. The next EU4Youth report, covering the year 2024, will be published in the spring of 2025.