Partial agreement on Youth mobility through the Youth Card
The Committee of Ministers' Resolution ResAP(1991) revised in 2003 (Resolution ResAP(2003)1) institutes a Partial Agreement on the Youth Card for the purpose of promoting and facilitating youth mobility in Europe. The Partial Agreement is part of the Youth Department of the Council of Europe and thus follows the priorities and objectives of both the youth sector and the Council of Europe as a whole.
Developments regarding the European Youth Card scheme and/or youth mobility policy
Self-assessment tool on youth mobility Self-assessment tool on youth mobility - April 2024
Presentation leaflet in 38 languages & promotional brochure in 7 languages
Aims of the partial agreement
The overall objective of the Partial Agreement is for member governments and EYCA member organisations to work together to create better mobility solutions for young people. This general objective implies two main aims:
1. Development of the Youth Card scheme
The Statute of the Partial Agreement states:
“The Partial Agreement shall be aimed at developing the Youth Card scheme, particularly at European level in the best interests of young people […] with a view to facilitating their mobility as well as their access to the various goods and services necessary for their personal and cultural development.”
This is the first goal of the Partial Agreement.
Youth cards provide young people – residents or travellers – with access to advice, discounts and benefits in the fields of mobility, accommodation, culture, language courses and services and products both on-line (by category, city or country) and off-line. Youth cards are issued by national youth card organisations.
2. Development of better youth policies with and for member governments
The second goal is to cater to the interests and needs of the member governments on youth mobility and youth card issues. The work programme is devised in such a way as to generate and mobilise knowledge on these issues, share best practices and thus offer better policy solutions (seminars, workshops, symposia, etc). These activities are followed by Best Practice Publications and recommendations for specific actions to member States and EYCA national member organisations.
What is a partial agreement?
A Partial Agreement is a particular form of co-operation within the Council of Europe. It allows member States to join or abstain from a certain activity advocated by other member States. From a statutory point of view, a Partial Agreement remains an activity of the Organisation in the same way as other programme activities. The exception lies in the fact that a Partial Agreement has its own budget and its own working methods which are determined only by the members of the Partial Agreement.
How does it work?
The programme of activities is overseen by a Board of Co-ordination made up of 17 members:
- eight representatives of the Partial Agreement member States appointed by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe;
- eight members of the European Youth Card Association appointed by the latter;
- one representative appointed by the Advisory Council on Youth without the right to vote.
What is the procedure for joining the Partial Agreement?
For member States of the Council of Europe and States parties to the European Cultural Convention:
- These member States may join the Partial Agreement at any moment by simply making a declaration to this effect to the Secretary General. This consists in sending an official letter or a verbal note from the Minister of Foreign Affairs or from the Permanent Representative of the country to the Council of Europe addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
For States outside the Council of Europe and not party to the European Cultural Convention:
- On a proposal by the European Youth Card Association and the Board of Co-ordination of the Partial Agreement, the Committee of Ministers may invite any non-member State of the Council of Europe to join the Partial Agreement, following consultation with any other non-member States already participating.
Partial agreement member States
25 members: Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland.
More information on membership
Activities
2024
- Partial Agreement work programme 2024
- Partial Agreement Seminar "Youth ecosystems essentials: the role of European Youth Card in advancing ecosystems for youth empowerment", 29-31 May 2024, Podgorica, Montenegro – Report of the seminar - Concept note and programme - Presentations during the seminar - Youth ecosystem presentation
2023
- Annual report of activities 2023
- Partial Agreement work programme 2023
- Promotional Seminar, 30 November-1st December 2023, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain: "Youth as promoters of sustainability: the European Youth Card as a tool to reinforce sustainable mobility" - Video of the seminar
- Seminar Walk the talk, 4-7 July 2023, Luxembourg, in cooperation with the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes (EPA), Podcast of the initiative
- Study visit for civil servants and EYCA organisation on youth policy "Strengthening capacities for governmental youth agendas using EYC as a tool: the case of Portugal", 3-5 April 2023, Evora and Lisbon, Portugal. Presentation of the IPDJ (Portuguese Institute of Youth and Sports); Presentation of Movijovem
- Table of Self-assessment tool for youth policy - Mobility indicators
Board of co-ordination
2022
- Partial Agreement work programme 2022
- Annual report of activities 2022
- 50/50 Seminar for Partial Agreement Member Governments and European Youth Card Organisations ‘Synergies to implement the Youth Work Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4-Can the European Youth Card be used as a policy tool?’ - Santa Venera, Malta, 25-27 April 2022
- Seminar ¨Democracy done right: young people as key actors in pluralistic democracy and the role of the European Youth Card as a civic engagement tool´ - Santa Severa, Lazio Region, Italy, 17-18 November 2022
- Promotional Seminar of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card, 1st December 2022, Brussels, Belgium and online - Presentations
Board of co-ordination
2021
- Partial agreement work programme 2021
- Annual report of activities 2021
- Seminar "Reimagine our future: youth policies meeting new realities" - The role of the European Youth Card in connecting topics with youth policy development, 18-19 November 2021, Valletta, Malta
- Seminar "European Youth Card as a tool to build resilient communities" organised in the framework of the Conference ''ReStart ReNew ReIntegrate-Opportunities for young people after coronavirus'', 29 October 2021 (Budapest and online)
- Seminar "Mental health in digital environments" The role of European Youth Card in supporting a resilient generation, 18 Octobre 2021, (Ljubljana and online)
- Promotional Seminar of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card, 16 March 2021, online
Board of co-ordination
2020
- Partial Agreement work programme 2020
- Annual report of activities 2020
- Ministerial Feedback on the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the European Youth Card - Report by Dan Moxon, People Dialogue and Change (18/02/2020)
- Webinar “New challenges and opportunities for innovative youth services. The role of the European Youth Card in promoting the rights of young people in post COVID era”, 5-6 November 2020, Athens and online
Webinar report
- Conference "Role of European Youth Card in promoting young people’s rights post-COVID" 5-6 November 2020, Athens and online
Board of co-ordination
2011-2019
2019
- Partial Agreement work programme 2019
- Annual report of activities 2019
- Promotional Seminar of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card, 12-13 November 2019, Brussels, Belgium
- Seminar "Exploring different models of democratic participation: fostering youth participation through the European Youth Card" 17-18 October 2019, Strasbourg, France
- Seminar "Youth work and sustainable communities: the role of the European youth card in delivering youth services" 5-7 May 2019, Helsinki, Finland
Board of co-ordination
2018
- Partial Agreement work programme 2018
- Annual report of activities 2018
- Seminar "From youth policies to good practices: the European Youth Card as a tool to promote access to social rights for all young people" Budva, Montenegro, 22-24 April 2018
- Seminar "Brain drain or brain gain? The role of the European Youth Card in providing opportunities for young people at home and abroad" Zagreb, Croatia, 28-30 October 2018
Board of co-ordination
2017
- Partial Agreement work programme 2017
- Annual report of activities 2017
- Contribution to the 2017 European University on Youth Policies (CDEJ Summer University) 29-31 August 2017, European Youth Centre Budapest, Hungary; Presentation; Practice descriptions
- Promotional Seminar of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card 14-16 December 2017, Varna, Bulgaria
- Seminar "Countering Violent Extremism and Youth Radicalisation: Using the European Youth Card to Promote Peaceful Communities" 29-31 January 2017 | Nicosia, Cyprus
Board of co-ordination
2016
- Partial Agreement work programme 2016
- Annual report of activities 2016
- Seminar "Partial Agreement & The European Youth Card: 30 Years Implementing Youth Policies" 28 September 2016, Sitges, Spain
- Conference "Online, mobile and active: engaging communications with new generations" 2-5 June 2016, Gdansk, Poland
- Seminar "Mobility towards Inclusion: European Youth Card supporting young migrants & refugees" 10-11 May 2016, Samobor City, Croatia
Board of co-ordination
2015
- Annual report of activities 2015
- Symposium ‘Mobility in the Mind: Creating New Routes to Employment’ 17-20 March, Lisbon, Portugal. Background and practical document.
- Seminar ‘The Role of European Youth Cards in Youth Work’ In the framework of the 2nd European Youth Work Convention, Belgian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, 27 April, Brussels, Belgium.
- Seminar ‘The Role of European Youth Cards in Implementing Youth Policies’ 30 April, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Participants
- Conference World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue - Shared Culture for Shared Security, 18-19 May, Baku, Azerbaijan.
Board of co-ordination
2014
- Seminar ‘Inclusive Mobility for Young People in Europe: Better Mobility Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities or from Disadvantaged Backgrounds’ 6-7 May, Vienna, Austria.
- Seminar "Is youth mobiliy good? What is the truth about youth mobility in Europe?" for Permanent Representatives to the Council in Europe, Strasbourg, June 2014
- Seminar ‘Inclusive Online Engagement for Young People in Europe: to Support Youth Mobility and Active Citizenship’ 11 November 2014, Strasbourg, France. List of participants.
- EYCA Presentation to the CDEJ 24 March 2014, Budapest
Board of co-ordination
2013
- Seminar ''Developing better youth mobility for young people and for Europe", Andorra 27 February-1 March 2013
- Presentation to the statutory bodies Budapest, April 2013
- Workshop: ''What governments can get from EYCA organisations'' Belgrade, Serbia, 9-12 May 2013
- Seminar “Employability and mobility for young people – youth cards’ contribution” 12 July 2013, Strasbourg, France. Background paper.
- For more information on good practice examples shared during Partial Agreement seminars, please see the EYCA Good Practice Series Publications.
Board of co-ordination
2012
- European Youth Cards as a tool for youth mobility and active citizenship in Sweden (Gothenburg, 4 October 2012). Programme
- Discussion on developing the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card (October)
Board of co-ordination
2011
Partners:
European Platform on Learning Mobility (EPLM)
New! (July 2024) Handbook on learning mobility - 2nd edition
The European Platform on Learning Mobility is one of the activities of the Partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy, youth research and youth work.
Its mission is to engage in the improvement, knowledge, visibility and recognition of learning mobility in the youth field, particularly in various forms of youth work.
A Steering Group guides the EPLM; the members of the Steering Group represent a wide variety of stakeholders, programmes and formats in the field of learning mobility, a balanced mixture of the respective fields of work and a regional diversity within Europe. The Steering Group consists of researchers, policy makers and practitioners. The Partial Agreement is part of this Steering Group.
Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes
The Cultural Routes programme was launched by the Council of Europe in 1987. Its objective was to demonstrate, by means of a journey through space and time, how the heritage of the different countries and cultures of Europe contributes to a shared cultural heritage. The Cultural Routes put into practice the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe: human rights, cultural democracy, cultural diversity and identity, dialogue, mutual exchange and enrichment across boundaries and centuries.
European Youth Cards are made available on a number of cultural routes offering discounts along the way.
Activities per topic
Inclusive youth mobility
2018
- Seminar report: From youth policies to good practices: the European Youth Card as a tool to promote access to social rights for all young people Budva, Montenegro, 22-24 April 2018
- Good practice for involving young people in structured dialogue
- Good practice on the youth cards partners for cities
2016
- "Mobility towards Inclusion: European Youth Card supporting young migrants & refugees" 10-11 May 2016, Samobor City, Croatia.
2014
- European seminar – ‘Inclusive Mobility for Young People in Europe: Better Mobility Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities or from Disadvantaged Backgrounds’ 6-7 May, Vienna, Austria.
- European seminar ‘Inclusive Online Engagement for Young People in Europe: to Support Youth Mobility and Active Citizenship’ 11 November 2014, Strasbourg, France.
Youth participation
2023
- Promotional Seminar: "Youth as promoters of sustainability: the European Youth Card as a tool to reinforce sustainable mobility" - Video of the seminar, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, 30 November-1st December 2023
2022
- Seminar ¨Democracy done right: young people as key actors in pluralistic democracy and the role of the European Youth Card as a civic engagement tool´ - Santa Severa, Lazio Region, Italy, 17-18 November 2022
2019
- Seminar "Exploring different models of democratic participation: fostering youth participation through the European Youth Card" 17-18 October 2019, Strasbourg, France
Good practices
Employability and mobility
2015
- European Symposium: ‘Mobility in the Mind: Creating New Routes to Employment’ 17-20 March, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Good practice on financial inclusion for young people
2013
- Seminar: “Mobility in the mind: Employability and mobility for young people – youth cards’ contribution” (Background paper).
Youth mobility and active citizenship
2022
- Seminar ¨Democracy done right: young people as key actors in pluralistic democracy and the role of the European Youth Card as a civic engagement tool´ - 17-18 November 2022, Santa Severa, Lazio Region, Italy,
2014
- European seminar ‘Inclusive Online Engagement for Young People in Europe: to Support Youth Mobility and Active Citizenship’ 11 November 2014, Strasbourg, France.
- Good practice on Active citizenship
European Youth Card and youth work
2019
- Seminar on: Youth work and sustainable communities: the role of the European youth card in delivering youth services 5-7 May 2019, Helsinki, Finland
2015
- European Seminar – ‘The Role of European Youth Cards in Youth Work’ In the framework of the 2nd European Youth Work Convention, Belgian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, 27 April, Brussels, Belgium.
EYC and youth policies
2023
- Seminar Walk the talk, 4-7 July 2023, Luxembourg, in cooperation with the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes (EPA),
- Study visit for civil servants and EYCA organisation on youth policy "Strengthening capacities for governmental youth agendas using EYC as a tool: the case of Portugal", 3-5 April 2023, Evora and Lisbon, Portugal.
2022
- 50/50 Seminar ‘Synergies to implement the Youth Work Recommendation CM/Rec(2017)4-Can the European Youth Card be used as a policy tool?’ - 25-27 April 2022, Santa Venera, Malta
2021
- Seminar "Reimagine our future: youth policies meeting new realities" - The role of the European Youth Card in connecting topics with youth policy development, 18-19 November 2021, Valletta, Malta
2016
- Partial Agreement & The European Youth Card: 30 Years Implementing Youth Policies 28 September 2016, Sitges, Spain - Seminar Report
2015
- European Seminar - ‘The Role of European Youth Cards in Implementing Youth Policies’ 30 April, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
EYC and intercultural dialogue
2015
- World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue - WFID Conference, Shared Culture for Shared Security, 18-19 May, Baku, Azerbaijan.
Prevention of radicalisation
EYC and access to rights
2020
- Webinar “New challenges and opportunities for innovative youth services. The role of the European Youth Card in promoting the rights of young people in post COVID era”, 5-6 November 2020, Athens and online.
- Conference "Role of European Youth Card in promoting young people’s rights post-COVID" 5-6 November 2020, Athens and online
2014
- European seminar – ‘Inclusive Mobility for Young People in Europe: Better Mobility Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities or from Disadvantaged Backgrounds’ 6-7 May, Vienna, Austria.
Work programme & Activity report
- REPORT of activities 2023
- Work programme 2023
- REPORT of activities 2022
- Work programme 2022
- REPORT of activities 2021
- Work programme 2021
- REPORT of activities 2020
- Work programme 2020
- REPORT of activities 2019
- Work programme 2019
- REPORT of activities 2018
- Work programme 2018
- REPORT of activities 2017
- Work programme 2017
- REPORT of activities 2016
- Work programme 2016
- REPORT of activities 2015
![](rc="/documents/10917149/24893191/partial+agreement.png/dbfcad8f-f8eb-41a6-ad05-80382d424cb0?t=1462359355000")
![](/documents/10917149/91076299/PA_Youth_mobility_leaflet.png/6ce7b0fc-4175-6f94-ce3f-933536e8338c?t=1631195848000)
Council of Europe Directorate of Democratic Participation
Youth Department
Youth Policy Division
Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card
F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel.: + 33 (0)3 88 41 29 98
Contact form