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1. Formal Mechanisms of Consultation

2. Actors

3. Information on the extent of youth participation

4. Outcomes

5. Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

Formal Mechanisms of Consultation

The involvement of young people in policy-making across different topics in Greece depends largely on the nature of the issue. Typically, youth organisations and non-governmental organisations are invited to comment on draft laws or policies by the Hellenic Parliament or relevant government ministries. According to available sources, there is no legally binding framework that obliges the Parliament or any governmental body to consult youth organisations; invitations to participate are therefore entirely at the discretion of the public body or the specific parliamentary or ministerial committee responsible for the policy. In practice, if the committee considers that input from a youth organisation could improve the design or effectiveness of a policy, representatives of the organisation may be invited to provide feedback. Consultations are arranged on a case-by-case basis, and the methods used are usually either online or face-to-face meetings between the public body and the youth organisations.

Actors

As previously mentioned, there is no official mechanism for the participation of a specific youth union in the policymaking process. However, most of the time, the Youth Parliament is divided into thematic groups and meets. The work of the Youth Parliament is completed with the presence and greeting of the President of the Greek Parliament, who provides extensive commentary on the young people's proposals to the Greek Parliament on various issues beyond those that concern exclusively young people.

Information on the extent of youth participation

A secretary records the proceedings of the Youth Parliament and other youth organisations participating in public discussions, including advice from the youth groups on the formation of public policies, and stores them in the public organisation’s archive.

Outcomes

Usually, the type of input requested from the youth groups is their opinion about the effectiveness of the suggested policy and the potential consequences of the policy for the young groups. Their opinion is integrated into the new policies by adopting the youth’s suggestions and including them in the final text of the policies. Although there is no obligation from the public organisations' side to mention the young group’s participation in the final form of the policy, usually the policymakers mention and thank them in public speeches.

Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

The most top-level and widespread programme available to encourage youth participation in discussions or debates with public officials who make policy is the National Youth Council. The National Youth Council acts, in accordance with the law and the statute, in any way deemed appropriate by the administration of the institutions. Indicatively, and not restrictively, it:

• intervenes and publicly expresses views on youth policy issues;
• cooperates with other social bodies (university institutions, trade unions, other non-governmental organisations, etc.) and with bodies of the Greek State and the European Union,
• participates in national and international networks of organisations
• organises public events (conferences, workshops, debates, lectures, etc.),
• conducts applied research on topics relevant to its objectives and undertakes relevant research projects.
• sets up committees and working groups.