Posted on 05 November 2013
The Youth Forum of the European Communities (YFEC) archives have been digitised and can now be accessed on the web site of the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence.
The digitisation project has been launched in cooperation with the European Youth Forum, the platform of youth organisations in Europe:
“The vision of the European Youth Forum (EYF) is to be the voice of young people in Europe, where young people are equal citizens and are encouraged and supported to achieve their fullest potential as global citizens.” (EYF website)
The project has been launched in view of the elections to the European Parliament in 2014. It highlights the pro-European involvement and campaigning of youth since the post-War period for democratisation and representation of citizens in the institutions of the European Communities, in particular the European Parliament.
The Fonds arrived at the Historical Archives following a contract of deposit signed with the European Youth Forum in February 2001. The YFEC fonds contains files relating to the organisation and activities of the Youth Forum of the European Communities, covering the years prior to its creation until its dissolution in 1996.
After several years of negotiations with the European Commission and between youth organisations about the involvement of youth in the European integration process, the Youth Forum was officially constituted in 1978. The vocation of the Youth Forum of the European Communities was to act as the political platform of national youth councils and international youth organisations towards the institutions of the European Union. In 1995 the Forum changed its name to Youth Forum of the European Union. In April 1996 the Executive Committees of Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC), the European Coordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations (ECB) and YFEC agreed to merge in a single entity called the European Youth Forum which held its first Extraordinary General Assembly in July 1996.
Access to the Fonds of Youth Forum of the European Communities
Website of the European Youth Forum