Mario Nava's Foreword — Better Together for Youth
Mario Nava (Director General, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission) contributed the Foreword to Better Together for Youth, the new white paper from the Youth Alliance. The Youth Alliance is the Community of Practice for youth empowerment established in 2022 at the initiative of Impact Europe and Schneider Electric Foundation to foster collaboration and advocacy for empowering youth in Europe.
As a young Bocconi student, I dreamt of working in Europe and having a tangible impact on people’s lives. After more than three decades in Brussels, this vision has become my daily reality. Serving at the heart of the European Union, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to the integration of our 27 member states and advancing policies that make a difference, particularly for those who need it most—our youth.
The European Union has always been committed to its founding principles as a social market economy. This means not only fostering economic growth but ensuring that this growth benefits all citizens, especially young people. The challenges they face today, from unemployment to social exclusion, require urgent, coordinated action. As Director General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, my focus is on shaping policies that empower youth and offer them the opportunities to find their place and feel useful, just like I had the chance to feel.
This commitment is deeply embedded in the European Youth Strategy, a dynamic blueprint designed to empower young people across Europe, ensuring they have the tools to thrive and actively engage in society with the goal of placing youth at the centre of EU policies. EU initiatives such as the Youth Employment Support package and the reinforced Youth Guarantee reflect our commitment to supporting young people through education, training, and employment. But these efforts are just the beginning.
Addressing youth challenges requires collective action, bringing together governments, businesses, civil society, and youth themselves. This is the kind of synergies we endeavour to establish as regards youth entrepreneurship with the learning network Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Academy.
The Youth Alliance’s work, as presented in this white paper, is an important contribution to the EU’s broader mission. It emphasizes collaboration, co-investment, and the need for inclusive policies that ensure no young person is left behind. Initiatives like NextGenerationEU and the European Pillar of Social Rights, supported by EU funds, in particular the ESF+, are already laying the groundwork for a more just and inclusive future for Europe’s youth, but we must continue to strive for more.
Now more than ever, we need to foster partnerships that create real, sustainable impact. I encourage all stakeholders to join us in this mission to empower the next generation, ensuring that Europe’s youth are not just beneficiaries of our policies but active contributors to shaping the future of the Union.