Political commitment to evidence-based youth policy

In Italy, there is a commitment on the part of the top-level authorities to support youth policies with knowledge and evidence.

For example, on 29 November 2025, Law 167/2025 entered into force, introducing the obligation to carry out a Generational Impact Assessment (GIA), aimed at the ex-ante analysis of Government regulatory acts – excluding law-decrees – in order to assess the environmental and/or social effects and repercussions on young people and future generations arising from such measures.

Moreover, the Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service has used the results of a survey on psychological distress among young people, carried out through the National Youth Card in 2024, to develop of a new project, showing a willingness to shape policies and projects based on the knowledge of young people’s needs and perspectives.

Cooperation between policy-making and research

In Italy, a number of public and private bodies deal with research on young people.

The National Observatory on Childhood and Adolescence (Osservatorio Nazionale per l'Infanzia e l'Adolescenza), established with Law 451/1997 and governed by Presidential Decree No. 103 of 14 May 2007, is responsible for ensuring a competent, structured, and participatory contribution to the definition of government action in the field of childhood policies and for preparing official documents relating to childhood and adolescence. It consists of about 50 members, representing the various central Administrations responsible for policies on childhood, the Regions and Local Autonomies, the National Institute for Statistics (Istituto nazionale di statistica – ISTAT), and the most relevant institutions and organizations in the sector, as well as of eight associations and eight experts. In carrying out its activities, the Observatory is supported by the National Centre for the Documentation and Analysis for childhood and adolescence (Centro Nazionale di Documentazione e Analisi per l'infanzia e l'adolescenza), which conducts studies and publications, organizes seminars and training courses on issues concerning minors, monitors national and international sector-specific legislation, and carries out research activities, as well as the collection, processing, and analysis of data, publications, and documents.

The National Institute for Public Policies Analysis (Istituto Nazionale per l’Analisi delle Politiche Pubbliche - INAPP) is a public research body supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. It carries out study, research, monitoring, and evaluation activities in the fields of labour, education, training, social protection, labour market policies, the third sector, social inclusion, and policies that have an impact on the labour market. The Institute’s research activities are aimed at building a knowledge base which can be used by policymakers, practitioners, and scholars.

The National Council for Economics and Labour (Consiglio Nazionale dell’Economia e del lavoro - CNEL) is a constitutionally established body, provided for under Art. 99 of the Italian Constitution. It serves as a consultative body for the Parliament, the Government and the Regiones. It can initiate legislation and may contribute to drafting economic and social legislation. It is composed of experts and representatives of the economic categories. The main topics of its research and studies on young people include welfare, employment, education, training, immigration.

The National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - CNR) is a national public research body with multidisciplinary expertise, supervised by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR). It conducts scientific research projects in the main fields of knowledge, applying their results to the country’s development, promoting innovation, the internationalization of the research system, and enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial sector. Within the CNR, the Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies (Istituto di ricerche sulla popolazione e le politiche sociali - IRPPS) is an interdisciplinary research institute that conducts studies on social, demographic, and migration issues, welfare systems and social policies, science, technology, and higher education policy, the relationship between science and society, and the creation, access, and dissemination of knowledge and information technologies. The Institute identifies and studies the underlying mechanisms that shape population trends and behaviours, as well as the characteristics and implementation of welfare policies. Its research activities focus on three main lines: the study of the relations between demographic trends and social and economic development; the study of the social dynamics and welfare policies; and the study of societal change related to the dissemination of knowledge and information technologies. 

The National Youth Council collaborates with public administrations and the Government by conducting studies and preparing reports on the condition of young people, which are useful for shaping youth policies.

Moreover, some Regions and Local Authorities have set up Observatories on Youth with a view to develop, monitor and evaluate their policies. Some examples can be found in the Region Campania, in the Region Emilia-Romagna and in the Metropolitan City of Milan.

On 29 November 2025, Law 167/2025 entered into force, introducing the obligation to carry out a Generational Impact Assessment (GIA). Article 4, in establishing that the laws of the Republic are oriented towards the promotion of intergenerational equity, including for the protection of future generations, introduces the GIA as an informational tool aimed at the ex-ante analysis of Government regulatory acts – excluding law-decrees – in order to assess the environmental and/or social effects and repercussions on young people and future generations arising from such measures, with particular attention to intergenerational equity. The GIA must be carried out as part of the regulatory impact analysis. In order to monitor the promotion of intergenerational equity among future generations in legislative activity, Article 5 establishes, within the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the National Observatory for the Generational Impact of Laws.

National statistics and available data sources

The Italian National Institute for Statistics (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica – Istat), is a public research organisation and the main producer of official statistics in the service of citizens and policy-makers. It operates in complete independence and continuous interaction with the academic and scientific communities. It covers statistics in fields such as population, institutions and society, education and labour, economy, environment and territory, censuses. The various statistical themes addressed by Istat often also include youth.

Istat also plays a guiding, coordinating, promotional, and technical support role in the statistical activities of the bodies and offices that are part of the National Statistical System (Sistema statistico nazionale – Sistan), the network of public and private entities that provides the country and international organizations with official statistical information. The Sistan also includes the National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (Inapp); the statistical offices of central government administrations and other public bodies, of the Territorial Offices of the Government, of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, of the Provinces, of the Chambers of Commerce, of municipalities, and the statistical offices of other public and private institutions that perform functions of public interest. 

Istat and other 57 public and private Sistan institutions participate in the National Statistical Programme, contributing to the implementation of more than 800 statistical projects, including surveys, data processing, methodological studies, and statistical information systems, also addressing youth.

Budgetary allocations supporting research in the youth field

The central and regional Governments finance some public research institutions that carry out research also in the youth policy sector.