BETA


2022/2004(INI) The impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead CULT HEIDE Hannes (icon: S&D S&D) ZAGORAKIS Theodoros (icon: EPP EPP), JOVEVA Irena (icon: Renew Renew), RIBA I GINER Diana (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), DA RE Gianantonio (icon: ID ID), KRUK Elżbieta (icon: ECR ECR), GEORGOULIS Alexis (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2022/12/16
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2022/09/13
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2022/09/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 522 votes to 12, with 79 abstentions, a resolution on the impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU.

In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe's youth face a mental health crisis. The closure of early childhood education and care provision facilities, schools, universities, spaces for youth welfare and youth work, as well as of extracurricular activities, cultural spaces and sports facilities, has denied children and young people the opportunity to participate in activities which are essential for their overall development, their learning progression, their intellectual, physical, emotional and mental health and well-being, and their social and professional inclusion.

This report emphasises the need for multi-faced and holistic European action , to promote mental health in children and young people. Educational, culture, youth, and sports facilities should be involved in ensuring the positive development of mental health in children and young people.

Increased funding

The resolution called on the Member States and regions to provide sufficient financial support to mainstream education institutions , in particular through significant investment in public education, and to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and education personnel, in order to ensure that the pedagogical, psychological, physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social development of young people is increasingly promoted in a satisfactory way.

Member States are urged to substantially increase public spending in education and training to above the EU average (5 % of GDP in 2020).

Funding should also be increased for Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps to enhance mobility experiences which contribute to the development of useful and necessary social skills for the future personal and professional growth of the younger generations. Funding for these programmes should be increased in the next revision of the multiannual financial framework.

The Commission and the Member States are called on to support and adequately fund small local cultural initiatives, sports clubs , leisure facilities, youth organisations and youth welfare institutions to carry out the leisure, non-formal and informal learning activities that play an essential role in the development and well-being of young people and their families, by providing material and psychological support resources, including for young people with fewer opportunities or facing discrimination.

Holistic understanding of health

Parliament called for a holistic understanding of health that includes overall physical, mental and social well-being and requires comprehensive prevention and healing strategies, including cultural and sporting activities, and promoting the development of creative and social skills. Highlighting the key role that a healthy and balanced diet plays in the mental health of children and young people, Member States should implement Child Guarantee Recommendation 4 asking, among other things, for free access to at least one healthy meal each school day .

Research and innovation

Parliament reiterated the importance of investing in innovation and research in education, enabling the state education system to have access to a ‘culture of innovation’ across the EU and to ensure that high-quality learning materials, pedagogical approaches and tools are accessible and available free of charge to all.

Member States are urged to promote science and research on young people’s mental health and to assess the long-term impact of closures , particularly of prolonged remote learning, isolation and uncertainty, on knowledge acquisition, neurological development and socio-emotional skills, and to develop targeted measures to support those most affected in order to combat and prevent long-term mental health problems.

Digital technology

According to Parliament, efforts should be undertaken to generalise digital literacy at all levels of society, enabling the proper use of digital tools and infrastructures. On the other hand, the Commission is urged to raise awareness should be raised among young people regarding the benefits and risks associated with digital technology, ensuring not only their access to technological tools, but also their ability to use them safely and properly. The resolution stressed that prolonged periods spent in the digital environment can have far-reaching mental health and safety impacts on children and young people, such as screen fatigue or internet addiction , and also exposure to online violence and harassment , as well as to fake news, which can lead not only to depression, anxiety and social exclusion, but also to suicides among young people.

European year of mental health

Lastly, the report called on the Commission to:

- designate a European Year of Mental Health and to develop a European plan for the protection of mental health in education, vocational training, and informal and non-formal learning;

- propose examples of good practice and create incentives for Member States to put in place dedicated actions and training modules, thereby equipping teachers, trainers, educators, youth workers and employers with the necessary skill set to recognise early signs of burnout, stress and psychological stress in learners, young people and young interns, or young people on vocational training, with a view to activating targeted prevention measures;

- continue developing mitigating measures with regard to the negative consequences of COVID-19 closures on children and young people throughout 2023, and to make use of this year to propose a robust legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 for the future.

Documents
2022/09/12
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2022/07/22
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Culture and Education adopted the own-initiative report by Hannes HEIDE (S&D, AT) on the impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU.

In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe's youth face a mental health crisis. The closure of early childhood education and care provision facilities, schools, universities, spaces for youth welfare and youth work, as well as of extracurricular activities, cultural spaces and sports facilities, has denied children and young people the opportunity to participate in activities which are essential for their overall development, their learning progression, their intellectual, physical, emotional and mental health and well-being, and their social and professional inclusion.

This report emphasises the need for multi-faced and holistic European action , to promote mental health in children and young people. Educational, culture, youth, and sports facilities should be involved in ensuring the positive development of mental health in children and young people.

Increased funding

The committee called on the Member States and regions to provide sufficient financial support to mainstream education institutions , in particular through significant investment in public education, and to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and education personnel, in order to ensure that the pedagogical, psychological, physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social development of young people is increasingly promoted in a satisfactory way.

Member States are urged to substantially increase public spending in education and training to above the EU average (5 % of GDP in 2020). Along with the Commission, they should also launch an EU-wide campaign to raise awareness of mental health in educational and vocational institutions in order to combat the existing stigma, to provide young people with access to mental health information and to create a clear and broader social understanding of mental health issues.

Highlighting the key role that a healthy and balanced diet plays in the mental health of children and young people, Member States should implement Child Guarantee Recommendation 4 asking, among other things, for free access to at least one healthy

meal each school day .

Funding should also be increased for Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps to enhance mobility experiences which contribute to the development of useful and necessary social skills for the future personal and professional growth of the younger generations.

The Commission and the Member States are called on to support and adequately fund small local cultural initiatives, sports clubs, leisure facilities, youth organisations and youth welfare institutions to carry out the leisure, non-formal and informal learning activities that play an essential role in the development and well-being of young people and their families, by providing material and psychological support resources, including for young people with fewer opportunities or facing discrimination.

Member States are urged to invest in specific policies, also in the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, that respond to local needs in order (i) to close all existing gaps , including gender, economic, technological and social regional inequalities; (ii) to ensure that educational and vocational training institutions, youth organisations and structures, as well as learners and young people more generally, obtain sufficient financial support, with a special emphasis on the most vulnerable learners who are falling behind and need additional support in order to achieve the expected learning goals, and the schools serving high-poverty and high-minority populations; (iii) to make sure the necessary technologies , innovations, learning support facilities and tools, including digital tools, are in place to consolidate, further develop and deliver quality education and training, as well as informal and non-formal learning opportunities to all; and (iv) to support cultural initiatives bringing children and young people together in the framework of the cultural recovery of local communities.

Digital technology

Awareness should be raised among young people regarding the benefits and risks associated with digital technology, ensuring not only their access to technological tools, but also their ability to use them safely and properly.

European year of mental health

Lastly, the report called on the Commission to:

- designate a European Year of Mental Health and to develop a European plan for the protection of mental health in education, vocational training, and informal and non-formal learning;

- continue developing mitigating measures with regard to the negative consequences of COVID-19 closures on children and young people throughout 2023, and to make use of this year to propose a robust legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 for the future.

Documents
2022/07/13
   EP - Vote in committee
2022/06/01
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2022/04/25
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2022/01/20
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2021/12/09
   EP - HEIDE Hannes (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in CULT

Documents

Activities

Votes

Les conséquences de la fermeture des activités éducatives, culturelles, sportives et de jeunesse en raison de la COVID-19 pour les enfants et les jeunes dans l'UE - The impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU - Die Auswirkungen COVID-19-bedingter Schließungen von Bildungs-, Kultur-, Jugend- und Sporteinrichtungen auf Kinder und Jugendliche in der EU - A9-0216/2022 - Hannes Heide - Proposition de résolution #

2022/09/13 Outcome: +: 522, 0: 79, -: 12
DE FR IT ES RO PL PT NL AT EL BE SE CZ FI BG IE DK HR LT HU LV SK SI CY EE MT LU
Total
86
75
54
54
28
43
20
27
18
19
20
17
21
13
10
10
12
11
9
18
8
10
7
6
7
5
5
icon: PPE PPE
155

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Slovakia PPE

2
2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
129

Greece S&D

2

Belgium S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Bulgaria S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
88

Italy Renew

2

Poland Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Greece Renew

1

Sweden Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

3

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
65

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ID ID
57

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
34

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Ireland The Left

3

Cyprus The Left

2
icon: NI NI
34

Germany NI

Abstain (1)

3

France NI

For (1)

1

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Lithuania NI

1

Latvia NI

2

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2
icon: ECR ECR
51

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Greece ECR

1

Sweden ECR

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Croatia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
227 2022/2004(INI)
2022/06/01 CULT 227 amendments...
source: 732.738

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/2
date
2022-12-16T00:00:00
docs
url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=58671&j=0&l=en title: SP(2022)624
type
Commission response to text adopted in plenary
body
EC
docs/2
date
2022-07-13T00:00:00
docs
title: PE735.443
type
Amendments tabled in committee
body
EP
docs/3
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0314_EN.html title: T9-0314/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/4
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0314_EN.html title: T9-0314/2022
events/4
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=58671&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/5
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0314_EN.html title: T9-0314/2022
events/5/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 522 votes to 12, with 79 abstentions, a resolution on the impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU.
  • In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe's youth face a mental health crisis. The closure of early childhood education and care provision facilities, schools, universities, spaces for youth welfare and youth work, as well as of extracurricular activities, cultural spaces and sports facilities, has denied children and young people the opportunity to participate in activities which are essential for their overall development, their learning progression, their intellectual, physical, emotional and mental health and well-being, and their social and professional inclusion.
  • This report emphasises the need for multi-faced and holistic European action , to promote mental health in children and young people. Educational, culture, youth, and sports facilities should be involved in ensuring the positive development of mental health in children and young people.
  • Increased funding
  • The resolution called on the Member States and regions to provide sufficient financial support to mainstream education institutions , in particular through significant investment in public education, and to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and education personnel, in order to ensure that the pedagogical, psychological, physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social development of young people is increasingly promoted in a satisfactory way.
  • Member States are urged to substantially increase public spending in education and training to above the EU average (5 % of GDP in 2020).
  • Funding should also be increased for Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps to enhance mobility experiences which contribute to the development of useful and necessary social skills for the future personal and professional growth of the younger generations. Funding for these programmes should be increased in the next revision of the multiannual financial framework.
  • The Commission and the Member States are called on to support and adequately fund small local cultural initiatives, sports clubs , leisure facilities, youth organisations and youth welfare institutions to carry out the leisure, non-formal and informal learning activities that play an essential role in the development and well-being of young people and their families, by providing material and psychological support resources, including for young people with fewer opportunities or facing discrimination.
  • Holistic understanding of health
  • Parliament called for a holistic understanding of health that includes overall physical, mental and social well-being and requires comprehensive prevention and healing strategies, including cultural and sporting activities, and promoting the development of creative and social skills. Highlighting the key role that a healthy and balanced diet plays in the mental health of children and young people, Member States should implement Child Guarantee Recommendation 4 asking, among other things, for free access to at least one healthy meal each school day .
  • Research and innovation
  • Parliament reiterated the importance of investing in innovation and research in education, enabling the state education system to have access to a ‘culture of innovation’ across the EU and to ensure that high-quality learning materials, pedagogical approaches and tools are accessible and available free of charge to all.
  • Member States are urged to promote science and research on young people’s mental health and to assess the long-term impact of closures , particularly of prolonged remote learning, isolation and uncertainty, on knowledge acquisition, neurological development and socio-emotional skills, and to develop targeted measures to support those most affected in order to combat and prevent long-term mental health problems.
  • Digital technology
  • According to Parliament, efforts should be undertaken to generalise digital literacy at all levels of society, enabling the proper use of digital tools and infrastructures. On the other hand, the Commission is urged to raise awareness should be raised among young people regarding the benefits and risks associated with digital technology, ensuring not only their access to technological tools, but also their ability to use them safely and properly. The resolution stressed that prolonged periods spent in the digital environment can have far-reaching mental health and safety impacts on children and young people, such as screen fatigue or internet addiction , and also exposure to online violence and harassment , as well as to fake news, which can lead not only to depression, anxiety and social exclusion, but also to suicides among young people.
  • European year of mental health
  • Lastly, the report called on the Commission to:
  • - designate a European Year of Mental Health and to develop a European plan for the protection of mental health in education, vocational training, and informal and non-formal learning;
  • - propose examples of good practice and create incentives for Member States to put in place dedicated actions and training modules, thereby equipping teachers, trainers, educators, youth workers and employers with the necessary skill set to recognise early signs of burnout, stress and psychological stress in learners, young people and young interns, or young people on vocational training, with a view to activating targeted prevention measures;
  • - continue developing mitigating measures with regard to the negative consequences of COVID-19 closures on children and young people throughout 2023, and to make use of this year to propose a robust legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 for the future.
procedure/Legislative priorities
  • title: The EU’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/thematicnote.do?id=2065000&l=en
docs/3
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0314_EN.html title: T9-0314/2022
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/3/docs
  • url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2022-09-12-TOC_EN.html title: Debate in Parliament
events/4
date
2022-09-13T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022-0314_EN.html title: T9-0314/2022
forecasts
  • date: 2022-09-13T00:00:00 title: Vote in plenary scheduled
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament's vote
New
Procedure completed
events/3
date
2022-09-12T00:00:00
type
Debate in Parliament
body
EP
forecasts/0
date
2022-09-12T00:00:00
title
Debate in plenary scheduled
docs/3
date
2022-07-22T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2022-0216_EN.html title: A9-0216/2022
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
body
EP
events/2/summary
  • The Committee on Culture and Education adopted the own-initiative report by Hannes HEIDE (S&D, AT) on the impact of COVID-19 closures of educational, cultural, youth and sports activities on children and young people in the EU.
  • In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Europe's youth face a mental health crisis. The closure of early childhood education and care provision facilities, schools, universities, spaces for youth welfare and youth work, as well as of extracurricular activities, cultural spaces and sports facilities, has denied children and young people the opportunity to participate in activities which are essential for their overall development, their learning progression, their intellectual, physical, emotional and mental health and well-being, and their social and professional inclusion.
  • This report emphasises the need for multi-faced and holistic European action , to promote mental health in children and young people. Educational, culture, youth, and sports facilities should be involved in ensuring the positive development of mental health in children and young people.
  • Increased funding
  • The committee called on the Member States and regions to provide sufficient financial support to mainstream education institutions , in particular through significant investment in public education, and to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and education personnel, in order to ensure that the pedagogical, psychological, physical, emotional, cognitive and/or social development of young people is increasingly promoted in a satisfactory way.
  • Member States are urged to substantially increase public spending in education and training to above the EU average (5 % of GDP in 2020). Along with the Commission, they should also launch an EU-wide campaign to raise awareness of mental health in educational and vocational institutions in order to combat the existing stigma, to provide young people with access to mental health information and to create a clear and broader social understanding of mental health issues.
  • Highlighting the key role that a healthy and balanced diet plays in the mental health of children and young people, Member States should implement Child Guarantee Recommendation 4 asking, among other things, for free access to at least one healthy
  • meal each school day .
  • Funding should also be increased for Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the European Solidarity Corps to enhance mobility experiences which contribute to the development of useful and necessary social skills for the future personal and professional growth of the younger generations.
  • The Commission and the Member States are called on to support and adequately fund small local cultural initiatives, sports clubs, leisure facilities, youth organisations and youth welfare institutions to carry out the leisure, non-formal and informal learning activities that play an essential role in the development and well-being of young people and their families, by providing material and psychological support resources, including for young people with fewer opportunities or facing discrimination.
  • Member States are urged to invest in specific policies, also in the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, that respond to local needs in order (i) to close all existing gaps , including gender, economic, technological and social regional inequalities; (ii) to ensure that educational and vocational training institutions, youth organisations and structures, as well as learners and young people more generally, obtain sufficient financial support, with a special emphasis on the most vulnerable learners who are falling behind and need additional support in order to achieve the expected learning goals, and the schools serving high-poverty and high-minority populations; (iii) to make sure the necessary technologies , innovations, learning support facilities and tools, including digital tools, are in place to consolidate, further develop and deliver quality education and training, as well as informal and non-formal learning opportunities to all; and (iv) to support cultural initiatives bringing children and young people together in the framework of the cultural recovery of local communities.
  • Digital technology
  • Awareness should be raised among young people regarding the benefits and risks associated with digital technology, ensuring not only their access to technological tools, but also their ability to use them safely and properly.
  • European year of mental health
  • Lastly, the report called on the Commission to:
  • - designate a European Year of Mental Health and to develop a European plan for the protection of mental health in education, vocational training, and informal and non-formal learning;
  • - continue developing mitigating measures with regard to the negative consequences of COVID-19 closures on children and young people throughout 2023, and to make use of this year to propose a robust legacy of the European Year of Youth 2022 for the future.
docs/3/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2022-0216_EN.html
events/2/docs/0/url
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Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
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events/2
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procedure/stage_reached
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Amendments tabled in committee
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type
Vote in committee
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title
Vote scheduled in committee
procedure/Other legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
forecasts/0/date
Old
2022-07-12T00:00:00
New
2022-07-13T00:00:00
docs/1/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CULT-AM-732738_EN.html
docs/0/date
Old
2022-04-05T00:00:00
New
2022-04-25T00:00:00
docs/1
date
2022-06-01T00:00:00
docs
title: PE732.738
type
Amendments tabled in committee
body
EP
forecasts/1
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2022-09-12T00:00:00
title
Indicative plenary sitting date
docs/0/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CULT-PR-731485_EN.html
committees/0/shadows/5
name
GEORGOULIS Alexis
group
The Left group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL
abbr
GUE/NGL
docs
  • date: 2022-04-05T00:00:00 docs: title: PE731.485 type: Committee draft report body: EP
forecasts
  • date: 2022-07-12T00:00:00 title: Vote scheduled in committee
committees/0/shadows/3
name
DA RE Gianantonio
group
Identity and Democracy
abbr
ID
commission
  • body: EC dg: Education, Youth, Sport and Culture commissioner: GABRIEL Mariya