On this page

1. Existence of a National Youth Strategy

2. Scope and contents

3. Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy

4. Revisions/updates

Existence of a National Youth Strategy

A National Youth Strategy 2024-2027 was adopted by the Romanian Government, by Government Decision no. 556, in May 2024.

Scope and contents

Summary

The National Youth Strategy 2024-2027 aims to improve the quality of life for young people in Romania by promoting inclusive access to education, employment, health, housing, and cultural engagement, while strengthening youth participation in democratic and community life. It addresses key areas including social inclusion, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, environmental responsibility, and rural youth development. The strategy fosters interinstitutional cooperation and aims to build an integrated framework for youth policies through coordinated action and improved infrastructure and services.

Key objectives

The general objectives of the strategy are:

• Strengthening the legislative and institutional framework, and enhancing collaboration with the non-governmental youth sector;

• Facilitating young people's access to quality education and culture, and integrating and improving various forms of learning;

• Increasing youth employability and supporting entrepreneurship;

• Fostering social and individual responsibility among young people (health, safety, sustainable development);

• Strengthening active citizenship, digital transformation, and supporting the involvement of youth organisations through national and European programmes;

• Creating and supporting opportunities for young people in rural areas, with the aim of reducing the gap between urban and rural regions. 

Target groups

The target group of the strategy are young people in general, defined accordingly to the Youth Law in Romania, between 14 and 35 years old. 

Based on the planned specific objectives and measures included in the strategy and its action plan, specific groups of young people are also targeted, including:

• Young people in NEET situation (Not in Employment, Education or Training), particularly vulnerable to exclusion.

• Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those affected by poverty or social exclusion.

• Young people with disabilities, facing accessibility and participation challenges.

• Youth from rural areas, often with limited access to opportunities compared to urban peers.

• Roma youth, who continue to face significant social and economic disparities.

• Institutionalised youth and care leavers, particularly at risk during the transition to independent life.

• Young migrants and refugees, in need of support for integration and inclusion.

• LGBTQ+ youth and other marginalised groups, who may face discrimination or reduced access to services.

• Youth involved in or at risk of delinquency, requiring tailored support and prevention measures.

• Young entrepreneurs and creatives, with potential for innovation and economic contribution.

• Youth workers, educators, and youth organisations, as key actors in delivering youth-related services and support.

Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy

The Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity is the main authority responsible for the implementation of the Strategy. On the other hand, other authorities are mentioned by the strategy, including:

• The Ministry of Education
• The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization
• The Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration
• The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism
• The Ministry of Health
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs
• The Ministry of Culture
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
• The Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests
• The National Anti-Drug Agency
• The National Agency for Sport
• The National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Training
• The National Employment Agency
• The National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men
• The National Agency for Roma
• The National Housing Agency
• The Authority for the Digitization of Romania
• Local public administration authorities
• The Career Counseling and Guidance Centre
• The Department for Interethnic Relations
• The Department for Romanians Abroad
• The Department for Sustainable Development
• The Romanian Cultural Institute
• The territorial and local structures of the public administration, the associative structures of the local public administration, various organizations
• Social partenrs

The Action Plan, adopted in May 2024 as an annex to the strategy, sets out clear responsibilities for the relevant authorities and entities. However, following the reorganisation of the Romanian Government in December 2025, some of these bodies were also restructured.

Revisions/updates

The National Youth Policy Strategy 2024-2027 have not been revised since its adoption, in May 2024. The strategic planning started in 2020, when the Ministry of Youth and Sports published a needs assessment was provided by the Life Quality Institute to support the elaboration of the strategy in 2021. Additionally, the Youth Barometer 2020 was released with the same aim. Other than that, consultations with the Counties’ Directorates on Youth and Sport and with other governmental institutions with responsibilities in the field of youth were organized. Based on the outcomes of the research and the consultation processes and after consultation with the National Council for Youth, a preliminary proposal for the new Youth Strategy, in line with the European Youth Strategy, was published in 2021. A cooperation protocol with the Government’s General Secretariat was signed by the Ministry of Youth and Sport in order to be provided with additional support for the coordination of the development and adoption process of the new Youth Strategy. In 2022-2023, the consultation processes with the governmental and non-governmental organisations continued, leading to the adoption of the strategy in May 2024.

The previous strategy in the field was the National Youth Policy Strategy 2015-2020. It aimed at supporting youth to participate to the economic, social, cultural and political life, ensuring equal opportunities to education, employment and decent life conditions to all youth, including vulnerable youth groups. The Strategy integrated several policy domains in five main pillars/key areas of intervention:

1. culture and non-formal education;
2. health, sports and leisure;
3. participation and volunteering;
4. employment and entrepreneurship;
5. the social inclusion of young people.

The National Youth Policy Strategy 2015-2020 have been preceded by the National Action Plan for Youth (PNA-T) 2001 and its revised version for 2005-2008. Their evaluation has been done by the Institute for Educational Sciences in 2011. The PNA-T 2001 was designed in order to stimulate youth participation to the economic and social life as well as to come up with a set of measures aiming to reduce marginalization and social exclusion. The plan starts with a socio-economic analysis of the situation and concludes that the main risk factors when it comes to the youth group are the following: the regional disparities, the quality of life, poverty, youth unemployment, lack of access to education, delinquency and corruption. The main groups affected by these factors are: rural youth, unemployed youth, young girls, early school drop outs. It is highlighted the need to stimulate youth participation to the economic, civil, political and cultural life and, in order to follow up the implementation process, the creation of a monitoring and coordination unit for the Plan - through the Inter-Ministries Committee on Youth Matters and a Management Unit to follow up the Plan as well as an info unit is put in place. More than this it is also mentioned a financial allocation of 900 000 Euro to implement the action plan.