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YouthWiki

EACEA National Policies Platform
Italy

Italy

1. Youth Policy Governance

1.8 Cross-border cooperation

Last update: 28 March 2024

Cooperation with European countries

France: The Quirinal Treaty was signed on 26 November 2021 and entered into force on 1 February 2023.  It strengthens the bilateral cooperation between Italy and France providing for the creation of an Italian-French Youth Council and for the organization of a youth voluntary programme (the Italo-French Civic Service).

Germany: The German-Italian Action Plan was signed on 22 November 2023 and it promises greater collaboration in the youth field through the encouragement of dialogue, participation and youth exchanges (Via Vai).

Slovenia: “Collaboration Agreement in the field of Culture and Education” signed in Rome on 8 March 2000 and entered into force on 29 April 2018.

International cooperation

There are some multilateral cooperation frameworks in which Italy takes part.

Council of Europe: The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service represents Italy in the EuropeanSteering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) of the Council of Europe, which coordinates and promotes youth policies among the 49 member States, with focus on young people's access to human and social rights. The Department also represents Italy in the Partnership between European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth.

Adriatic Ionian Initiative: Italy is part of the Adriatic Ionian Initiative established in May 2000 through the "Ancona Declaration". It aims to facilitate the enlargement of the EU in the Western Balkans and, among other things, to connect young people and youth organizations through initiatives such as the “Adriatic-Ionian Region is You(th)!” Conference which took place in November 2023. Today, the AII initiative includes eight members: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.

EUSAIR: The EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region. The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service is participating in the discussion on the introduction of a fifth Social Pillar. Following the conclusions of the 17th EUSAIR Governing Board meeting (03/2022) and adoption of the Tirana Declaration, which addressed the need for stronger involvement of Youth in EUSAIR, the process to establish the EUSAIR Youth Council started in 2022.

Union for the Mediterranean (UfM): Italy is part the inter-governmental organization “Union for the Mediterranean”. The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service participates in the Network of Focal Points set up further to the approval of the UfM Youth Strategy in December 2021.

United Nations: Agreements are concluded for the participation of young people under 30 years of age in the Junior Professional Officers programme of various United Nations Agencies such as FAO, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, UNEP, WHO, etc.

There are some bilateral cooperation frameworks of Italy with countries around the world.

Albania: Renewal of the Executive Programme of Cultural Collaboration between Italy and Albania for the period 2022-2025, was signed in Tirana on 6 June 2022. It provides for the promotion of youth exchanges.

Canada: The Agreement between Italy and Canada on Youth Mobility was signed in Rome on 11 December 2020 and entered into force on 1 November 2022. The Agreement expands the scope of the Work-Holidays Memorandum by introducing the possibility of participating in exchange programmes for students of a post-secondary study course (International Co-op) and for those who, already in possession of a post-secondary qualification, intend to acquire professional experience in the host country (Young professionals). The Agreement provides young people from the two countries between the ages of 18 and 35 with new opportunities to enrich their curriculum and to identify further employment opportunities.

India: Cultural Agreement was signed in July 2004The agreement, which expired in 2020, is being renewed for the period 2023-27. It provides the promotion of youth exchanges.

Israel: Cooperation program in the fields of education, science, culture, youth and sport between the Government of the Republic of Italy and the Government of the State of Israel covers the years 2020-2023.

RussiaAgreement between the Government of the Italian Republic and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the youth field was made in Rome on 15 January  2001 and entered into force on 2 July 2003 [Asuman4] with ratification law 153/2003.

Quatar: “Memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the fields of Youth and Sports” was signed in Rome on 20 November 2018.