Declaration by young people on the future of territorial cooperation

Over 100 young Europeans gathered in Brussels in November to draft a set of recommendations for the future of interregional cooperation, which they gathered in a document called the "Declaration by young people on the future of territorial cooperation".

The declaration puts forth seven recommendations and several actions aimed at shaping the future of territorial cooperation after the current programming period ends in 2027. It will be a key reference for the European Commission in drafting Interreg Regulations for the post-2027 Cohesion Policy.

The group was made up of IVY volunteers, Cross-Border Ambassadors and Youth Councils. They are all representatives of the “Youth for future cooperation” network.

Youth recommendations

The youth representatives state that:

Border regions should maintain their unique identities while fostering greater integration through place-based policies.
Efforts must extend beyond traditional cooperation networks to involve a wider range of stakeholders, including young people who may have limited knowledge of the EU.
Interreg programs should become more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable, ensuring they address the specific needs of local communities.
Additionally, increasing awareness of youth opportunities is essential, particularly for marginalized communities that face geographical or social barriers.
Capacity building through Interreg and Macro-regional Strategies should also be reinforced, with youth playing a central role across all policy objectives.
Finally, education and communication should be integrated as cross-cutting priorities to strengthen the impact of these initiatives.