Speeches

Mr President, Commissioner, dear MariyaGabriel, ladies and gentlemen! The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit young people disproportionately. At such an important stage in the development of her life, her youth, social life came to a complete standstill at first and continues to experience persistent restrictions to this day. At the same time, they face the challenge of continuing their education, entering the labour market and maintaining their social and economic life. It is precisely the social coexistence that decisively shapes the youth. Corona makes it impossible for young people to meet their friends, make new acquaintances and discover other countries. The young people accepted these restrictions out of solidarity and supported them decisively. Now it's time for us to focus on them. For this reason, I am delighted that 2022 is now being dedicated to them as the European Year of Youth. With this we show: Youth is a priority in Europe. This year will lay the foundations for giving them a platform to make themselves heard. Because it is the young generation that will experience today's decisions in the long term, and that is why they should also shape them. We need the commitment and involvement of the entire young generation to create and build a better, greener, more digital and inclusive future in Europe. The aim of the European Year of Youth initiative is to give young people the opportunity to help shape the future of Europe, thereby helping them to have better opportunities for the future. Through various activities and events, we will bring politics and political issues closer to all young people, especially those with fewer opportunities to engage in civic and political activities. EUR 8 million of fresh money was raised through the reinforcement of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Specially made available for this year. In addition, the activities can be supported and financed from other funds corresponding to the respective topics. This year's focus will be on issues that particularly concern young people, such as equality, inclusion, ecology, climate change, sustainability, mental health, jobs, traineeships and the framework conditions for fair pay. I am all the more pleased that we have been able to make sure that the young people will be the protagonists of this year. It was also ensured that they are structurally involved in the planning and implementation. The European Year of Youth is a project not only of classical youth policy, but of all political themes. And so many levels have already signaled their willingness to become part of this year. And so I also call on all the committees in this House to give the young generation a platform to discuss the upcoming and current issues in an appropriate format, to take them seriously and to actively involve them in the discussion. If we tackle this year correctly, we will make a major contribution to emerge stronger from the pandemic. To do this, we need cooperation and support at all levels: local, regional, national and European. Much remains to be done and done to ensure that the European Year of Youth truly reaches out to young people on the ground across Europe, has an impact and can be experienced. Many do not yet know that this European Year of Youth exists. It is also our task to ensure that this year is truly carried into every city, village, place, everywhere, in order to draw attention to the needs and necessities for the young generation. Together, let's make 2022 a real European Year of Youth!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Michaela Šojdrová's own-initiative report on the Common European Education Area is a very good and above all balanced report. As an EU, we can only benefit from this if we promote the mutual recognition of educational qualifications, not only for professional or university degrees, but also in the school sector. We want degrees to be more equal in the EU. Pupils who have completed schooling and education in the EU should be able to continue their education in all EU countries without further burdensome examinations. To achieve this, we do not need equalisation, but equal educational standards within the European Union. We do not want to undermine subsidiarity. Education is and will remain a matter for the Member States. But where it makes sense, we need to coordinate at European level. And for true free movement of persons, we must finally start recognizing each other's equivalent degrees. Already in 2017, at the Gothenburg Summit, Member States and the Commission set themselves the ambitious goal of creating a common European Education Area by 2025. It is now important that adequate resources are also made available for development and creation, but above all for the implementation of a holistic European Education Area.