Youth for Exchange and Understanding International

EU Legislative Interests

EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 European Youth Goals (as part of the EU Youth Strategy implementation) Council Resolution on the European Youth Dialogue (2020–2027) Erasmus+ Programme Regulation (EU) 2021/817 European Solidarity Corps Regulation (EU) 2021/888 Council Recommendation on youth work (2019/C 189/03) Decision (EU) 2021/2316 on a European Year of Youth (2022) and its follow-up initiatives Council Conclusions on strengthening youth participation in democratic life in Europe Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027 EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child (2021–2024) (youth participation and inclusion aspects)

Communication Activities

YEU carries out regular communication and outreach activities to support and disseminate EU youth policies, with a strong focus on dialogue, participation and awareness-raising. These include the organisation of policy-focused events such as public debates, workshops and “Coffee with…” online dialogues, which bring together young people, civil society actors, experts and representatives of EU institutions to discuss EU youth priorities, democratic participation, inclusion and digital rights. YEU actively participates in EU-level events organised by the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU stakeholder platforms, including policy consultations, youth dialogue events and information sessions related to the EU Youth Strategy, Erasmus+ and youth participation in democratic life. Through campaigns, newsletters, podcasts, social media and website publications, YEU disseminates EU policy developments, legislative initiatives and funding opportunities to its network of youth organisations and young people across Europe, ensuring accessible and youth-friendly communication. YEU also contributes to structured consultations, policy input processes and working groups coordinated by EU institutions and EU-wide platforms, relaying grassroots perspectives from young people and youth organisations to inform EU policymaking.

Interests Represented

Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members

Member Of

Youth for Exchange and Understanding International (YEU) is a European youth non-governmental organisation and an international network bringing together national youth organisations active at local, national and European level. YEU’s membership is composed of full and observer member organisations from across Europe and neighbouring regions, all of which are youth-led, non-profit organisations working directly with young people, including young people with fewer opportunities. YEU’s member organisations operate primarily at grassroots level and are active in areas such as youth work, non-formal education, social inclusion, democratic participation, gender equality, environmental sustainability, digital literacy and intercultural dialogue. Through their local outreach, YEU members ensure strong territorial coverage and direct contact with young people in diverse social, economic and geographical contexts. Membership implies a long-term commitment to YEU’s mission, values and statutory objectives, as well as active participation in the network’s democratic governance, strategic planning and implementation of activities. As a network, YEU facilitates cooperation, exchange of practices and joint initiatives among its members, enabling them to contribute collectively to European youth policies and programmes. Member organisations act as multipliers for the dissemination of EU policies, funding opportunities and youth initiatives at local and national level, while also channeling grassroots perspectives and policy input back to the European level. In addition to its own membership, YEU is a member of the European Youth Forum, the largest platform of youth organisations in Europe, through which it contributes to policy discussions, consultations and advocacy processes related to the EU Youth Strategy, youth participation in democratic life and the European Youth Dialogue. YEU is also a member of the Lifelong Learning Platform, a European civil society network working on education, training and lifelong learning policies, with a strong focus on non-formal education, youth work and inclusive learning pathways. YEU collaborates closely with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, including European institutions, national authorities, civil society organisations, educational institutions and international networks, mainly through EU-funded projects and structured cooperation frameworks. These collaborations support joint policy dialogue, capacity building, research, awareness-raising and dissemination activities aligned with EU priorities. Furthermore, YEU works with an extended pool of youth workers, trainers and facilitators through its People for Education and Training (PET) platform. PET members contribute to educational activities, capacity building initiatives, youth participation processes and dissemination actions, reinforcing YEU’s outreach and expertise in non-formal education and youth work. Through its membership structure and collaborations, YEU acts as a bridge between grassroots youth realities and European policymaking, ensuring that young people’s voices, experiences and needs are reflected in EU policies and initiatives.

Organisation Members

Youth for Exchange and Understanding International (YEU) is a European network of national youth organisations. Its membership is composed of full and observer member organisations from Europe and neighbouring regions, all of which are youth-led, non-profit organisations working directly with young people at local and national level. YEU’s members are active in areas including youth work, non-formal education, democratic participation, social inclusion, gender equality, environmental sustainability, digital literacy and intercultural dialogue. Member organisations participate in YEU’s democratic governance structures, contribute to its strategic priorities and act as multipliers for EU youth policies and initiatives at grassroots level. In addition to its member organisations, YEU works with affiliated entities and platforms that support its statutory objectives and activities. These include YEU’s People for Education and Training (PET), a platform of youth workers, trainers and facilitators contributing to educational activities, capacity building, dissemination and policy-related initiatives, as well as project-based partners cooperating with YEU through EU-funded programmes. A comprehensive and regularly updated list of YEU’s member organisations and affiliated entities, including their countries and profiles, is publicly available on YEU’s website: https://yeu-international.org/members/

Additional Information

The estimated annual costs related to activities, include staff costs, office expenditure and operational expenses linked to policy dialogue, participation in EU-supported platforms, communication, dissemination and advocacy-related activities. These activities are supported not only through EU operating grants, but also through project-based funding under EU programmes, notably Erasmus+, which partially covers staff time, coordination, communication, policy-related outputs and participation in EU-level events and consultations. While action grants are primarily project-focused, a proportion of the related human resources and operational costs contributes to activities covered by the Register, such as dissemination of EU policies, structured dialogue, awareness-raising and interaction with EU institutions and stakeholders. The estimate therefore reflects a proportional share of the organisation’s overall annual expenditure, corresponding to the involvement of staff, volunteers, governing board members and affiliated experts in interest representation and related activities.