The new strategy is cross-sectoral, with both short and long-term actions, which involve key policy areas that affect Europe's young people, particularly youth education, employment, creativity and entrepreneurship, social inclusion, health and sport, civic participation, and volunteering. The new strategy also emphasises the importance of youth work and defines reinforced measures for a better implementation of youth policies at the EU level.

The strategy "Youth – Investing and Empowering", which is a follow-up to the renewed social agenda announced by the European Commission in 2008, has the following goals:

• to create more opportunities for youth in education and employment,
• to improve access and full participation of all young people in society, and
• to foster solidarity between youth and society.

The Commission's adoption of the new strategy on youth follows an extensive consultation exercise undertaken in 2008, involving national authorities, the European Youth Forum, youth organizations and other stakeholders. Young people themselves were consulted on-line and will now be invited to react to the Commission's proposals in a new phase of the permanent dialogue between the EU and its youth.

Yesterday also saw the publication of the Commission's first "EU Youth Report", which includes detailed data and analysis compiled by EUROSTAT. These reports will now be published every three years and will contribute to providing a better knowledge base in the field of youth.