The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) released, on Thursday 17 July 2025, the 2024–2025 contribution of the COMECE Youth Net, which focuses on the integration of migrants in Europe. Finalised during the spring meeting of the Youth Net in Budapest, the document explores key dimensions of integration, including vocational fulfilment and respect for human dignity, the demographic crisis and the role of community-based approaches, as well as the relationship between migration and security. Download the Contribution | Photo Gallery
The annual contribution of the COMECE Youth Net was drafted during the Spring meeting held in Budapest from 20 to 22 June. The gathering brought together young delegates from the EU Bishops’ Conferences and focused on the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing the European Union, particularly in the areas of migration, youth engagement and culture.
The drafting of the document incorporates the results of a survey disseminated throughout the year among the Youth Net’s peers. Based on the responses, young people put forward recommendations to the EU institutions and Member States to improve the integration of migrants across the continent.
Among the policy suggestions included in the contribution were:
- empowering public discourse through education and data transparency on migration;
- strengthening EU-wide cooperation and policy coherence, particularly in implementing the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration;
- fostering inclusive societies by supporting local communities;
- promoting comprehensive integration programmes.
During the event, participants engaged with experts on the situation of migrants in the societies of EU Member States, discussing the characteristics of successful integration, national strategies for screening and securitisation, the need for robust integration policies to prevent parallel societies, and the importance of addressing the root causes of migration.
Spring meeting of the COMECE Youth Net convened in Budapest in June 2025. (Photo: COMECE)
Young people also reflected on the role of the European Union in their respective countries, particularly in relation to youth and the EU’s areas of competence. They highlighted the importance of Christian values for the European project, as well as the opportunities offered by EU initiatives, such as freedom of movement and study, professional mobility through Erasmus+ and other programmes, and the benefits of the single market and cooperation during times of crisis.
In their initial discussions with researchers and EU representatives, young participants shared their concerns about the EU decision-making and current priorities, asking how to reconcile competitiveness and sustainability in the Member States and create a shift in mindset to strengthen the EU’s role on the global stage. Guest speakers stressed the importance of returning to the founding principles of the European project, and called for more innovation at the local level, rediscovering the Christian virtue of hope in today’s world.
In the final two sessions of the meeting, youth delegates engaged with institutional guests on topics related to youth participation, including funding for youth programmes and the role of the Catholic Church in renewing political discourse and bridging the local and EU levels with creativity and innovation. They also addressed the contribution of cultural diversity to the EU and the positive influence of Christian culture in today’s multicultural society.
As the first mandate of the Youth Net comes to an end in summer 2025, the new delegates of the 2025–2028 cohort also took part in the meeting in Budapest, learning from the first cohort about the network’s role and the importance of their engagement in supporting COMECE’s advocacy work by conveying young people’s ideas, perspectives and concerns to the European institutions.
The Youth Net is a consultative body within the COMECE Secretariat. Launched in 2022, in the context of the European Year of Youth, the network is composed of young delegates aged 18 to 35, nominated by the EU Bishops’ Conferences. The Youth Net supports the work of the COMECE Secretariat by bringing a youth perspective to all dimensions of EU policymaking, reflecting young people’s diverse sensitivities to current political and social challenges.
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Download the 2024–2025 contribution of the COMECE Youth Net [EN]
Photo Gallery of the Spring meeting in Budapest
More info about the Youth Net
