The initiative to develop the Recommendation dates back to 2020, when the Advisory Council on Youth formed an informal working group to consult stakeholders and gather data. After a broad consultation, a report was presented in October 2021, and a Joint Council on Youth drafting group was formed in 2022. An Explanatory Memorandum will guide the Recommendation’s implementation, highlighting various practices from member States. The Committee of Ministers will review the implementation of this Recommendation in five-year time.

On 6-7 May, the 2025 European Platform Meeting for Youth Centres of the Quality Label took place in Marienthal, Luxembourg, under the auspices of Luxembourg’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

This year’s event focused on the theme ‘Spaces for young people’ and explored the need to create and support quality spaces designed with and for young people.

Following engaging workshops and best practice sessions on the diversity of youth centres across Europe, a statement was adopted to commemorate the enlarged platform meeting and as a symbol of shared values, collaborative learning and continuous improvement in youth work.

A study session “Our Voices: Misinformation and Debate in a Pluralistic World”, organised in co-operation with the International Falcon Movement – Socialist Education International (IFM-SEI), brought together 30 young participants from 17 countries across the globe. It took place from 5 and 10 May at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg.

This study session explored the impact of misinformation and pluralism on young people; built young people’s capacity to critically assess different information points and sources, both online and offline and develop young people’s skills to engage in constructive, positive, and respectful debates while being informed about the different institutions and organisations addressing political, social, and civic issues.

The Programming Committee on Youth recently awarded three new international activity grants under the EYF Special Call for Ukraine.

- "A Future and a Hope: Bridging Youth Resilience Across Borders" (World Student Christian Federation in Europe) – A 5 day programme for 23 young people, including a large Ukrainian delegation, to build resilience and encourage social action.
- "Rebuild Ukraine Lab 2025 + Study Visit to Ukraine" (Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe) – A three-day workshop for 15 participants, split between Ukrainians and Europeans, to create policy proposals for Ukraine’s reconstruction, followed by a study visit to engage with local stakeholders in Lviv.
- "LEADERKA" (European Network on Independent Living Youth Network) – A summer school empowering 15 young disabled women with leadership skills to support their participation in European political processes and disability-inclusive EU accession.

So far, the Special Call Ukraine has funded 53 projects, including 8 international youth cooperation initiatives, awarding over €822,842, and engaging nearly 4,000 participants. Many projects stem from last year's Lublin seminar, which focused on strengthening collaboration between young Ukrainians and their European peers.

On 19 May 2025 the first Steering Committee meeting of the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase IV” was held in Kyiv. Representatives of national partners of the Council of Europe – the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the All-Ukrainian Youth Centre, the Ukrainian Youth Foundation, as well as the Council of Europe Youth Department and the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine underlined positive effects of the third phase of the project, discussed recent developments and the state of youth policy and youth work in Ukraine.

The committee approved the work plan for 2025-2026 and scheduled the next meeting in November 2025.

On 6-7 May 2025, a Ukrainian delegation of representatives of youth centres joined the Quality label annual platform meeting in Marienthal; this was the occasion to present youth work realities in time of war to H.R.H. the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

Yana Romaniuk, municipal institution ‘Volyn Regional Youth Centre’  presented the trauma-informed youth work experience and the Council of Europe tool "Зірки. Stars. Les Étoiles." for the education and training of young people and professional communities.

Kateryna Bezhynar, the youth centre “Space of Ideas”, CSO Kremenchuk informative-elucidative centre ‘European Club’ presented youth work with internally displaced young people and host community.

On June 28, International LGBT+ Pride Day is celebrated. The European Youth Foundation supports young LGBTI people in advocating for their rights, equality, and participation in democracy.

EYF-funded initiatives have helped advance these goals. Right Side NGO used artistic storytelling to challenge negative stereotypes among youth, educators, and journalists. IGLYO provided leadership training to empower young LGBTQI activists. IFM-SEI supported Ukrainian LGBTQI+ refugees, offering opportunities to ensure their voices are heard across multiple countries.

This year, LGL’s Pride House pilot project at Baltic Pride 2025 will create a welcoming, inclusive space where individuals can connect and grow in a safe environment. This initiative fosters learning and positive interactions within the community.