Why is your position as European Youth Coordinator necessary today?

The pandemic has particularly affected young people and has had many negative effects: interruption of education, loss of employment, income and career development, social isolation, and even a negative impact on mental health. What is worse is that we do not even understand yet the full magnitude of these issues for the years to come.

There is therefore a priority in helping our youth recover. This must be a shared effort between all institutions, at local, regional, national, and European levels. The involvement of citizens, especially the youth themselves and their representatives, is also necessary. This will require a lot of coordination and communication, which is why the role of Youth Coordinator may be particularly relevant today.

In concrete terms, how does the Commission intend to provide solutions to the concerns and difficulties of young Europeans?

Youth and education policies are the responsibility of the Member States. However, the EU can support and complement the different actions by coordinating all its member States and by very concrete programs, such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (see box).

In other areas not related to education, the Commission proposed last year the Reinforced Youth Guarantee. All EU countries have committed to this guarantee. It is a promise to all young people under 30 that they receive a good quality job offer, the opportunity to continue their education and a traineeship or apprenticeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education.

What are the main challenges that the Commission has identified for young Europeans?

Youth is a transition to adulthood. Like any transition, it is a period of uncertainty and ambiguity with peculiar challenges. Young people are more at risk of poverty. Some inequalities are also related to where they live: young people who live in remote or rural areas have fewer opportunities to study and work. In recent years, the number of homeless youths has increased. Difficulties in accessing housing, unemployment, and the very high percentage of youth who are not employed and not in education or training are major concerns. This can lead to real social exclusion. And if a young person has a different sexual orientation, or is from a minority, or is not white, or has some disability, in short, if they are different from the majority, these difficulties are exacerbated.

What is your priority for the next few months? 

It will be to build relationships while growing what already exists. I have already started to meet a lot of stakeholders: representatives of youth organizations, but also colleagues from the EU who are experts and involved in initiatives. This is very useful to get an overview of the problems young people are facing. I also look at a lot of data to identify certain trends and potentially anticipate issues. That helps me better understand how and where we can include the youth perspective in our policies.

What challenges do French youth face, and how can European funding help?

In the case of France, youth unemployment is a critical issue as well as the precarious conditions of certain groups of young people. The transition to finding a quality job is decisive, as is the development of skills, especially digital skills. But I think that young French people have concrete reasons to trust the European Union. Last week [June 23, 2021], the Commission approved the French recovery and resilience plan, a €39.4 billion plan. This plan is truly forward-looking. It specifically targets the creation of jobs for young people and the reduction of regional inequalities.

What is your perception of the relationship between young people and French institutions?

My general impression is that French institutions and French society show solidarity towards their youth, I think that most citizens support measures that help young people to get back on their feet and to better rebuild themselves. Finally, in the EU institutions as well, young French people should know that many people are working with their interests in mind. I am, of course, one of them, and I look forward to making a difference for them.

The European budget 2021-2027 has been strengthened for young people. Are their needs and role better considered?

This budget embodies the ambition to make Europe more resilient, more digital, more inclusive. The objective is to make Europe better for the next generation, hence the name "NextGenerationEU". The European Commission has asked the Member States to make youth a priority in this program. I think it is very reassuring that this NextGenerationEU budget is quite significant. It is 750 billion euros out of the 1.8 trillion long-term budget, so it is not half, but almost. 

In addition, some programs such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps have been considerably strengthened. Erasmus+, for example, has almost doubled its budget and will therefore reach many more people.

You mentioned that you want to help European youth address the climate issue; what actions do you plan to take?

We know that young people around the world are some of the biggest activists on issues such as climate change, sustainable development, diversity, and biodiversity. And rightly so because they want a healthy planet and a healthy place to live. So, we want to use the youth perspective, their ideas and involve them as well. We have many initiatives that support the European Green Deal (see box). I am very happy that my colleagues are enthusiastic and open to the idea of including young people in the design of new projects.

How will your past work experience inform your mission?

All my experience has been geared towards building relationships and contacts. During my years at the Commission, I worked as a trainer and counselor, especially with youth. In my new role as Youth Coordinator, it will be very important to build relationships with different stakeholder groups, both internal and external and to learn from the experience of others and give visibility to initiatives...and of course to young people too!