A new Eurobarometer survey shows young people's growing engagement and their views on participatory democracy, youth issues and the EU's added value in their lives

The European Commission today published a Eurobarometer survey showing young Europeans' growing engagement with democracy, as well as their views on it. The survey also shows their perceptions of the main concerns facing young people, such as employment and the cost of living, and of the EU's impact on their everyday lives, youth policies and fairness between generations. The findings come at a time when preparations for the post-2027 EU Youth Strategy are under way. The survey, which covered people aged 15 to 30, showed growing engagement among young people: 75% took part in the activities of one or more organisations in the past 12 months, up from 64% in 2024. These activities are most often organised by a sports club (26%) or a youth club or youth organisation (20%). A majority of the young people interviewed (55%) say they took part in at least one initiative aimed at generating societal change in the past year, up from 48% in 2024. A large number of young Europeans -- 60%, 17 percentage points more than in a similar 2024 survey -- say they have taken part in activities in another EU country, such as studies, cultural and sports exchanges and volunteering. The survey is published as part of the Commission's "Protecting what matters -- our democracy" campaign, which encourages citizens to play an active role in shaping EU democracy. A dedicated European Citizens' Panel, in which one third of the members are aged 16 to 29, is currently preparing recommendations on promoting democratic resilience in Europe.