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Youth Wiki

Spain

1. Youth Policy Governance

1.3 National youth strategy

Last update: 15 December 2025
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 and updates
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

Spain´s Youth Strategy 2022-2030 (Estrategia Juventud 2030, EJ2030) was approved by the Council of Ministers on 17 May 2022. It is the current overarching framework for youth policy at state level. The strategy was developed in a participatory process with the General State Administration, the Spanish Youth Council (Consejo de la Juventud de España, CJE), civil society organisations, and the Autonomous Communities. It is also aligned with the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia, PRTR), ensuring youth priorities are integrated into Spain’s EU recovery commitments.

Scope and contents

 

EJ2030 is framed as a “new social contract with youth”, aiming to guarantee rights, strengthen social inclusion, and promote a fair and sustainable socio-economic model. Its political objectives emphasise:

  • Social justice: recovery of civil, economic and social rights for adolescents, youth, women, and other discriminated groups.
  • Democratic renewal: deeper youth participation in decision-making.
  • Ecological transition: embedding sustainability and intergenerational justice across youth policies.
  • Feminist perspective: gender equality mainstreamed across all policy areas.

The general target population is 15–29 years, though age limits vary in certain areas (education from 12+, housing up to 35, rural/youth farmer policies up to 40 in line with EU standards). The strategy pays special attention to young people with fewer opportunities, including women, LGBTIQ youth, migrants, Roma, youth with disabilities, and those at risk of multiple discrimination.

EJ2030 was prepared through a broad consultation process: all ministries via the Interministerial Commission for Youth (la Comisión Interministerial para la Juventud), Autonomous Communities through the Interterritorial Youth Council (Consejo de la Juventud de España, CJE), and more than 40 youth organisations and civil society stakeholders. This participatory approach continues during implementation through permanent working groups. 

The strategy is structured into 10 thematic axes and 2 cross-cutting axes:

Axis Scope
1.  Education & learning Inclusive, equitable education from adolescence (12+), access to higher education, VET, and lifelong learning.
2. Employment & entrepreneurship Quality jobs for youth, Youth Guarantee+ 2021–2027, entrepreneurship and career support.
3. Emancipation & housing Affordable housing, work–life balance, support for emancipation, fertility and family projects.
4. Health & quality of life Mental health, addiction prevention, healthy lifestyles, sexual health, digital competences.
5. Social inclusion Support for youth facing multiple discrimination (women, migrants, LGBTIQ, Roma, disability, etc.).
6. Participation & volunteering Youth associations, volunteering, democratic renewal, EU & international engagement.
7. Mobility Support for young people emigrating abroad and for return/reintegration of emigrant youth.
8. Rural youth Equal opportunities in rural areas, professional development, women in rural settings.
9. Knowledge & youth services Observatory, indicators, data systems, transfer between research, policy, practice.
10. Governance & cooperation Interministerial coordination, youth mainstreaming, international cooperation.
11. Young women & equality (cross-cutting) Gender equality across education, employment, health, emancipation, and participation.
12. Environment & sustainability (cross-cutting) Youth leadership in climate action, sustainability in housing, production, and mobility.
Action Plans

Implementation is structured through three consecutive action plans:

  1. Action Plan 2022-2024 (Estrategia de Juventud Plan de Acción 2022-2024): approved by the Council of Ministers on 31 January 2023, with 200 measures selected for high impact.
  2. Action Plan 2025-2027: under preparation
  3. Action Plan 2028-2030: foreseen for the final phase of EJ2030.

In parallel, the Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE) adopts Annual Operating Plans, and the Ministry of Youth and Children (Ministerio de Juventud e Infancia, MJUI) has published 2025–2027 strategic and operational frameworks (Plan Operativo para 2025 del Marco Estratégico de Actuación de la Subsecretaría de Juventud e Infancia 2025-2027), which guide ongoing implementation until the second Action Plan is formally adopted

Responsible authority for the implementation of the Youth Strategy

The Youth Strategy 2022–2030 (EJ2030) is coordinated at national level by the MJU, , created in November 2023 (structure established by Real Decreto 211/2024).  

Execution is overseen by INJUVE, whose statute was updated in July 2025 (Real Decreto 608/2025). This reform strengthened the Spanish Youth Observatory (Observatorio de la Juventud) and the Interterritorial Youth Council (Consejo Interterritorial de Juventud). 

At the regional level, implementation of youth policies and adaptation of EJ2030 measures are carried out by the Autonomous Communities, each through its own youth institute or directorate. They coordinate their actions with INJUVE within the Interterritorial Youth Council, ensuring alignment between state and regional programmes.

At the local level, municipalities and provincial councils develop and deliver youth programmes and services, often through local youth departments or youth information offices. Their participation is channelled through the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), which represents local authorities in the national youth governance system.

At the end of each year, INJUVE prepares a follow-up report on EJ2030 implementation, drawing on information provided by ministries, Autonomous Communities, and local entities, which serves as the basis for evaluating progress and planning future measures.

Revisions and updates

EJ2030 replaced and expanded the Youth Strategy 2020 (Estrategia Juventud 2020), with several innovations:

  • Addition of two cross-cutting axes: gender equality and environment & sustainability.
  • Stronger focus on mental health, emancipation and housing, and climate action.
  • A feminist perspective and intergenerational justice lens embedded throughout.