EU4Youth Days: EU reinforces support for young people in the Eastern Partnership

The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting young people in the Eastern Partnership by bringing together key policymakers, youth workers, and civil society representatives at the EU4Youth Days, launched today in Brussels. The two-day event, the first since 2022, takes stock of the programme’s impact and looks ahead to the next steps as the EU’s largest regional youth initiative in the Eastern Partnership enters its final year.

In his opening video address, EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef of the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture highlighted the crucial role of young people in shaping Europe’s future: “Young people are showing determination to drive positive change even in the face of uncertainty, and the European Union is proud to support you on this journey — with EU4Youth, Erasmus+, and many other instruments. Because a democratic, fair, and resilient Europe can only be built with young people in the lead.”

“Despite the devastation of war, young Ukrainians continue to show extraordinary resilience and leadership,” said Diana Jablonska, Head of Unit at DG ENEST, Regional Strategy and Investments. “Through EU4Youth, we are supporting them with targeted grants — helping displaced youth, young veterans, and others to access skills, employment, and inclusion. Their role in rebuilding a free, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine is indispensable.”

She also outlined future EU support for youth in the region: “We very much look forward to continuing our work with you and to strengthening youth support in the region. Soon, we will launch a new programme, Youth in Business, to improve access to finance for young entrepreneurs and SMEs.”

Behrooz Motamed-Afshari, Team Leader for EU4Youth Coordination and Policy Support, highlighted the progress made since the programme’s launch in 2018: “Since 2018, EU4Youth has helped thousands of young people access decent jobs, and has trained and mentored them to start social enterprises and initiatives. We’ve seen small projects grow into national programmes and helped to set up national policies. We should be proud — we have achieved a lot.”

The event provides a platform for dialogue, with key stakeholders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine sharing successful projects and their impact in helping young people access decent jobs, launch social enterprises, and play an active role in building stronger, more democratic societies. Discussions focus on civic participation, employment and skills, and social entrepreneurship, with gender equality and mental health as cross-cutting themes.

The EU4Youth Days underscore the EU’s ongoing partnership with the region to strengthen democratic participation, improve employment opportunities, and foster resilience. The event coincides with the release of the latest EU4Youth report on advancing employment, participation and education opportunities in the region. 

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