Engaging Young Voters: While civic participation among young people remains high, young voters consistently remain absent in the democratic process versus their older counterparts. What can be done to make the political world more engaging for young Europeans, while ensuring that political systems at a regional, national, and European level are representative of young people from different socio-economic groups?
The Education Gap - With 50% of people aged 30-34 having a tertiary education in urban areas compared with only 28% in rural areas, how can the EU work to tackle the Education Gap between urban and rural areas?
In 2020, an estimated 24.2 % of children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Still today, the financial background has a significant impact on the education of children. What can Member States do to support children who lack the financial resources to receive an equal education?
A Sundial In The Shade: Through the economic turmoil of the last years, youth unemployment in the EU has risen to drastic levels. Particularly noticeable in southern Europe, this trend threatens both economic development of these areas and the stability of the Union. How can the EU decrease unemployment while making sure that economic recovery is not inhibited?
Ageing Populations: Since 2004, the number of elderly people in the EU has exceeded the number of children. Considering the EU's ageing population and the potential strains of this on healthcare, welfare systems and the economy, how should the EU work to mitigate the impacts of an ever ageing population?
No more time to lose: Despite strict nature protection laws, the EU is struggling to maintain its biodiversity, with unsustainable farming, fragmentation, habitat loss, and climate change being the biggest threats to biodiversity. What can the EU do in order to protect all species and habitats in Europe?
Oliver Twist: Despite President Ursula von der Leyen pledge to have “zero tolerance” for child labour in EU trade, imported goods made with child labour in the EU totalled over 50 billion euros. With this in mind, how should the EU and its Member States work towards making global supply chains of EU companies free of child labour?
Energy Dependency and Geopolitics - As the recent debate on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline shows, the politics of energy are not solely of commercial nature. Besides considering energy security, lawmakers do always need to keep geostrategic side effects in mind. How can the EU balance a secure energy supply with a dependency on non-EU states?
Rural Mobility - Mobility is the basic freedom to access every-day aspects such as work, education, services or society. Rural areas have historically lacked affordable access to other rural and urban destinations. What can the EU do to increase the mobility of citizens in rural areas?