Integration into the European Union has been in the centre of the political and economic development in the Western Balkan countries for over a decade now. In the recent years however, the economic crisis in Europe has led to decreased support for European enlargement in EU member states, while in the countries of the Western Balkan region scepticism of Europe has been growing. As a response, the "Berlin Process", which started with the Berlin conference of 2014, has set out to foster stability and security through stronger links with and support for the Western Balkan region. In the youth field, the process is framed by the "Positive Agenda for the Youth of the Western Balkans", initiated by Slovenia at the Brdo Summit of 2015 and reconfirmed by the Vienna Summit in 2015.

MOVIT, Slovenian National Agency for Erasmus+, youth field, and SALTO South East Europe Resource Centre, in partnership with the Austrian, German and Turkish National Agencies for Erasmus+, youth field, in close communication with the European Commission and with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia organised an activity Europe-Western Balkans Youth Meeting: “Connecting Youth Work and Youth Policy” in 25th – 29th of September 2016 in Ljubljana. The meeting followed up the Western Balkans Youth Conference "Connecting Youth" in Paris on 4th July 2016, which preceded the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Western Balkans and some EU Member states on the same day, concluded with recommendations for youth field.

55 youth workers, youth leaders, policy makers and other stakeholders from other relevant organisations and institutions, coming from 15 Erasmus+ Programme countries and Partner countries in the Western Balkan region met in Ljubljana to further discuss the topics addressed in Paris and to propose a concrete Action Plan for youth work and youth policy.

The full report and Action Plan are available at:

https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/see/connectingpolicy/europewbyouthmeeting/