Youth in the Seat of Power

The Youth Environment Council of Ministers project (YECM) was an initiative of the European Commission designed to heighten awareness of environmental issues and to familiarise young people with the decision-making processes of the European Union. The programme ran from early-2000 to the end of 2001 and brought together students from the 15 Member States at the time.


The YECM was organised bi-annually in the EU's Charlemagne conference centre. Europublic collaborated on the development of the concept and was entirely responsible for the implementation of this event for two years, including staffing and running the secretariat.

 

For more information on this initiative, click here
The first-ever YECM Council, organised in Brussels on Saturday 28 April 2001, was judged by all to be such a success that the Commission agreed to make this forum a regular half-yearly event. Held in a conference hall at the European Commission's Charlemagne building, the Council proceedings were supported by a team of interpreters covering the 11 EU languages, with closed-circuit TV for viewers outside.

The comment of one of the delegations' co-ordinators reflects the general reaction of the participants: "Educationally I thought the event was as near perfection as could be. My students and I had a fantastic time; we would not have changed one second of the experience."
YECM Rehearsal

YECM Rehearsal 		YECM students

YECM students 		YECM Belgian Presidency

YECM Belgian Presidency 		Commissioner Wallström

Commissioner Wallström