AOECS calls for a more inclusive EU Youth Strategy

AOECS calls for a more inclusive EU Youth Strategy

As the EU prepares to revise its Youth Strategy, the Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) has published a new position paper calling on policymakers to ensure that health, well-being and equal opportunities are at the heart of the revised Strategy.

The paper outlines practical recommendations for ensuring that the revised Strategy better supports young people living with chronic health conditions, including coeliac disease.

Young people living with chronic conditions such as coeliac disease continue to face barriers to education, employment, mobility and social participation.

AOECS believes that health is a prerequisite for participation and therefore calls on the EU to adopt a holistic approach that ensures no young person is left behind.

Health must be recognised as a prerequisite for participation

AOECS stresses that youth health and well-being should be a cornerstone of the next EU Youth Strategy. For young people with coeliac disease, daily access to safe food, timely diagnosis, appropriate healthcare and mental health support are essential for independence and quality of life. In this context, AOECS calls for:

• Greater recognition of invisible disabilities and chronic health conditions.
• Improved access to mental health and well-being support.
• Integration of health considerations into education, employment and mobility policies.
• Targeted action to reduce inequalities affecting young people with chronic conditions.

Removing barriers to youth participation

AOECS highlights that many young people with coeliac disease encounter obstacles when participating in key EU initiatives, including education exchanges, volunteering and employment opportunities. To address this, AOECS calls on the EU to:

• Promote equal opportunities for young people with chronic conditions.
• Ensure that EU mobility programmes such as Erasmus+ are designed with inclusion in mind.
• Foster inclusive environments in schools, universities, workplaces and youth activities.
• Strengthen awareness and understanding of coeliac disease and other invisible conditions.

Youth perspectives across policies

Finally, AOECS urges EU institutions to better integrate youth perspectives into policies that have a direct impact on their lives, including health, education, employment and research.

Ensuring that young people with chronic conditions are systematically considered in policymaking will help create more responsive and effective European policies.

A commitment to an inclusive youth agenda

Through its youth network, Coeliac Youth of Europe, AOECS works to empower young people as active contributors to policymaking and advocates for their meaningful participation in shaping Europe’s future.

AOECS stands ready to support the EU institutions in developing and implementing a revised Youth Strategy that promotes health, inclusion and equal opportunities for all young people.