The Head of the Youth Department stated that having a space dedicated to youth civil society where trainings, study sessions, consultative meetings, and conferences take place close to the European institutions is a pre-condition for effective political participation. The European Youth Forum board member also picked up on the notion of space when he criticised that recently, some European governments had narrowed the civic space for youth associations. This observation was echoed in the overview of recent studies on youth political participation the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership manager presented.

The EU Ambassador explained that the political participation of young people is crucial in shaping more inclusive democracies and determining sustainable and forward-looking solutions for today's challenges. Through flagship projects and programmes such as  the European Youth Strategy, Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, and the EU Youth Dialogue, the EU motivates young people to get involved, embrace democratic values, and share their views with decision-makers. She emphasised the need for young people’s strong participation in the upcoming European Parliament elections in 2024. She, moreover, underlined the EU and the Council of Europe’s widened perception of political engagement beyond conventional participation methods.

The participants attended presentations by researchers and representatives of European institutions and associations and brainstormed in small groups and plenary sessions. The seminar's objective was to use the Youth Partnership's knowledge as the starting point for critical and constructive discussions on recent research findings on youth political participation and to share experiences and updates regarding policies and youth work initiatives.

The EU shares the Council of Europe’s objectives of empowering people working for change for youth in Europe. Since 1998, both organisations collaborate closely in the youth field. Celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year, the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership acts as both a collaborative platform and as a knowledge hub for youth policy and practice. To find out more about the Partnership and its current activities, please visit: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership