Commission renews youth board advising on global issues

The European Commission has renewed the EU Global Youth Sounding Board (YSB), strengthening its commitment to engaging young people in shaping EU external action. The new cohort will serve from April 2026 to April 2028.

The new cohort brings together 25 young leaders aged 18–30 from 25 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe. With strong representation of women and a diversity of backgrounds, including fragile contexts, the YSB reflects the priorities and realities of EU partner countries.

First launched in 2021, the YSB provides the Commission with structured advice from young people worldwide. Members contribute with concrete recommendations to inform the design, implementation and monitoring of EU policies and programmes. By doing so, the Commission's policies on global issues can reflect better young people's needs and realities.

The YSB advises across key priorities, including Global Gateway, migration and mobility, and global challenges such as climate and digitalisation. It also connects with local Youth Sounding Boards established by EU Delegations in over 50 partner countries, ensuring that local perspectives feed into global EU decision-making.

On this occasion, International Partnerships Commissioner Jozef Síkela (pictured) said: “Our investments in global development are meant to build a better future for today's youth. They must have a real voice in shaping our efforts, and the Youth Sounding Board gives us a direct way to hear their ideas and reflect them in our priorities. Together, we can strengthen Europe's partnerships with the world and make them even more impactful.”

The YSB is a key commitment under the Youth Action Plan in EU external action, which aims to build a genuine partnership between the EU and young people worldwide and support progress towards the United Nations' 2030 Agenda.

More information is available online.

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