60 Years after the signing of the Rome Treaty, Europe is not a pretty sight. The UK is leaving after a guest performance of 44 years; populism and Euroscepticism prevail in many Member States; the days of an ‘ever closer union’ seem to be numbered. The EU has stumbled from crisis to crisis without finding sustainable solutions for urgent problems. Commission President Juncker’s recent White Paper has laid out various scenarios for the EU to proceed after Brexit. But what does the young generation make of all this, in what kind of Europe do they want to live and how do they want to achieve it? How to establish social justice in a Union where the gap between rich and poor member countries seems to be growing? How to create a democratic structure in which people feel heard and represented? And, how do young people want the Union to represent Europeans in the rest of the world? What are Europe’s obligations regarding poverty, terror and war?

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union (hbs EU) invites young Europeans from all Member States and the UK to Brussels in order to discuss with each other, with actors of the European institutions, NGOs and think tanks as well as with journalists and local politicians, initiatives, students and academics in Belgium how they see their future in and for Europe. The capacity building will take place from 9 October till 13 October 2017 (arrival 8 October – departure 14 October). The hbs EU will reimburse the travel costs; participation, accommodation and catering are free. Candidates should have an EU nationality; at the time of application reside in their home countries and be aged between 19 and 30; they should be active in a professional, social and/or political context where the gained experience and knowledge will be useful. They should be knowledgeable about the policy and history of the European Union, interested in European cooperation and solutions and have an affinity with green political ideas. Fluency in written and oral English is required. Creativity, team spirit and perseverance are called for. Candidates should send a CV and a letter of motivation in which they explain why they want to participate, what they expect from the programme and what they think they can contribute, before 1 July. Applicants will be informed about their (non)selection before 8 July. In total, 15 participants will be selected from the list of candidates. The selection will be based on the criteria mentioned above and will try to reflect the geographical diversity of the European Union. Participants have to commit themselves to prepare a presentation of ten minutes on a topic of their choice within the programmatic frame offered. The presentation has to be available before 2 October. After 8 July the web site of hbs EU will feature a drop box where the participants will be able to find material for the programme, upload their own contributions and material and communicate with other participants.

Capacity Building

Dates: Monday, 9 October till Friday, 13 October 2017

Venue: Brussels

Deadline for applications: Friday, 30 June 2017

Applications should be send to: Marianne Ebertowski (marianne.ebertowski@eu.boell.org); in CC: miranda.manyo@eu.boell.org

For further information: Marianne Ebertowski, Director European Policy Programme