OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Deutscher Bundesjugendring

DBJR

Der Deutsche Bundesjugendring (DBJR) ist die Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Jugendverbände und Landesjugendringe in Deutschland.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Youth Forum and

14 Jan 2026 · Stakeholder dialogue on establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034

Meeting with Sabrina Repp (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Youth Forum and European Union of Jewish Students

11 Nov 2025 · EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027

Response to EU Civil Society Strategy

4 Sept 2025

Civil society organisations (CSOs) are essential pillars of democracy, the implementation of human rights and monitoring of violations, and social cohesion across the EU. They represent diverse communities, especially marginalised and underrepresented groups, amplifying their voices in democratic processes and holding institutions accountable. Many CSOs provide crucial services that directly benefit people and vulnerable groups, stepping in during crises and filling gaps public systems may not fully address. The German Federal Youth Council (DBJR) is the umbrella organisation of youth associations and regional youth councils in Germany. Around six million young people are organised within these structures. Youth organisations are spaces of lived democracy: young people experience participation, represent their interests, and shape society. Yet, shrinking civic space is visible at all levels. Shrinking spaces refers to state measures silencing critical voices, weakening independent youth representation, and obstructing participation or other developments with the same effect. Beyond active repression and defamation, this includes structural deficits such as lack of funding or bureaucratic obstacles, which threaten particularly smaller organisations. Budget cut debates unsettle and destabilise youth association structures, especially in rural areas. At the same time, far-right and increasingly also conservative forces target CSOs through delegitimisation and strategies of insecurity. Youth associations today not only advocate for political participation, but increasingly address issues such as defending a non-profit status, developing resilience strategies, and strengthening networks to withstand attacks. These pressures undermine CSOs independency, and weaken the EUs democratic values. A robust, coherent, and well-resourced Civil Society Strategy is crucial to safeguard and empower CSOs. The DBJR therefore welcomes the EU Civil Society Strategy proposal as a step to acknowledge civil society as an active partner. Key initiatives expected in the Civil Society Strategy: Ensure strong, structural support for (young) civil society in the new MFF through dedicated funding strands. The draft MFF foresees a budget increase from 26bn to 40.8bn. Yet a 50% increase in EU youth programmes for 20282034 risks being a de facto cut. Inflation would consume most of the increase over seven years. In addition, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), currently a standalone programme, is to be merged into Erasmus+, requiring 1bn from Erasmus+ Youth funds. Accounting for both ESC integration and inflation, the 50% increase is already exhausted and falls far short of reaching more young people. The European Youth Forum (YFJ) therefore calls for a fivefold budget increase to 130bn to ensure continued high-quality youth work reaching young people regardless of background. Support and enhance international mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, to ensure youth organisations can operate independently and safely. Erasmus+ Youth, alongside education and sport, currently has its own chapter in the 20212027 regulation The new program should contain a dedicated budget for youth that secures 15% of the budget for youth organisations and non-formal education initiatives. This underpins youth sector support from local to European levels. The new Commission proposal would remove the youth chapter and the binding youth allocation, putting the independence of Erasmus+ Youth activities at risk. Counter developments such as the Scrutiny Working Group on NGO Funding initiated in the Budgetary Control Committee, which undermine trust in civil society by placing CSOs under general suspicion. The EU must ensure youth organisations and other CSOs are protected, not undermined, and encourage Member States to establish formal, transparent, and inclusive engagement frameworks strengthening civil dialogue and participation at national level.
Read full response

Meeting with Lena Düpont (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Jun 2025 · Austausch zu Shrinking Spaces

Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2025 · Youth Policies

Meeting with Sabrina Repp (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2025 · EU youth policy

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament)

24 May 2023 · Parlamentarischer Abend

Response to A comprehensive approach to mental health

8 Feb 2023

Im writing to share with you the results of our EU Youth Dialogue Event on mental health. In the EU Youth Dialogue, young people can engage in dialogues with political decision makers and talk about their concerns and demands. The digital dialogue event "No taboo Lets talk about mental health" took place on 19.10.2022 with 42 people from all over Germany. The aim of the event was to create more awareness for the topic of mental health and to offer young people a platform to exchange ideas, experiences and political demands on the topic and to develop implementation ideas and solutions, which were then discussed with political decision-makers. The main questions were what kind of support young people would like to have on the topic of mental health, what conditions need to be met to ensure young people's mental health and how stigmatization and discrimination can be prevented. Furthermore young people from self-organisations (LGBTI* / deaf / migrant youth) facilitated discussions about the influence of discrimination on the mental health of young people. Here is a line-up of all the political demands that were named and discussed on the event: - more education on ableism and how it can be prevented - Awareness-trainings on racism and discrimination for therapists and staff of advisory services - provision of interpreters in therapy and counselling facilities - create a legal basis for the free choice of social gender (Self-Determination Act). - more educational work on sexual and gender diversity in schools but also for older generations, especially in rural areas. - provision of low-threshold counselling and online-offers for people who might face problems with their mental health but do not (yet) need therapy - removal of bureaucratic hurdles for counselling centres to be able to help quickly and without complications. - raising awareness for the topic of mental health in educational institutions. - financial support for youth organizations as solidarity and friendship are some of the best things to strengthen and support young people in their development - provide more educational and informational opportunities in schools to raise awareness of the issue and reduce the still existing stigma associated with mental health problems - Create low-threshold contact points for psychological counselling at school or in youth centres - Training of teaching staff and social worker on the topic of mental health More information about the event: https://jugenddialog.de/kein-tabuthema-lasst-uns-ueber-mentale-gesundheit-reden-junge-menschen-im-dialog-mit-politisch-verantwortlichen/
Read full response

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

1 Jun 2022 · European Year of Youth, participation of young people with less privileged background (ALMA), Skills, lifelong-learning, Platform work, Youth poverty, access to housing, youth guarantee, unpaid internships, Conference on the Future of Europe.

Meeting with Markus Schulte (Cabinet of Vice-President Günther Oettinger)

21 May 2019 · MFF

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

26 May 2015 · DSM