- Apostolos Tzitzikostas met with young Europeans in Brussels to discuss sustainability and career opportunities.
- Key topics included transport, tourism, youth mobility, and job prospects.
- Dialogue extends to the role of young people in shaping EU policies.
- Annual discussions aim to amplify youth voices in decision-making processes.
- Plans announced for a major transport employment conference in October.
A Shared Vision for Sustainable Mobility
During an event hosted in Brussels, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, engaged directly with 20 young individuals aged between 20 and 30.
While their age range spanned the tail-end of adolescence to the brink of proper adulthood (someone call them youthfully optimistic or just broke millennials), one thing was clear: These participants came equipped with expertise. Whether studying, working, or associated with the transport sector through various organisations, they each brought their insights to a dialogue shaped by urgency and ambition.
Topics ranged from mobility and traffic to the universal desire to travel without breaking the planet—or their wallets, for that matter. Unsurprisingly, the conversation deviated briefly into the glittery realm of tourism hotspots before circling back to grittier realities: job stability and wages. Oh, and the eternal conundrum of work-life balance—because even a dream job loses its shine when your daily commute feels like a plot device from a dystopian film.
Youth in the Driver’s Seat of Policy
This was no fleeting PR stunt, insist organisers. Labelled “the start of an annual tradition,” the initiative allows underrepresented voices to engage in frank discussions on EU policies. And yes, the commissioner himself seemed to be wearing his progressive hat—figuratively speaking—when he declared the impact of EU decisions on “jobs, connections, and quality of life.” Though to be fair, such admissions don’t so much require hats as the courage to acknowledge things most people mutter about over coffee.
Still, the session wasn’t all talk. In between the nods and note scribbles, real commitments emerged. Initiatives include further dialogues to amplify the youth perspective on policymaking. Additionally—and because no meeting is complete without an air of anticipated outcomes—a jobs conference looms on the horizon. Slated for the 15th of October back in Brussels, it aims to bring young job seekers face-to-face with transport sector employees and employers. If nothing else, it’s a clever method to blend speed networking with, hopefully, a tinge of recruiter empathy.
Concrete Suggestions, Abstract Optimism
When it came time for the attendees to share their input and critiques, they didn’t hold back. Ideas for improving tourism intersected with broader views on workplace standards and mobility projects. On paper, it sounds noble. In practice, it’s a reminder that everyone loves efficient public transport until it’s time to pay for it. And tourism? Let’s not forget the accessibility issue—because surely, visiting Europe’s hidden gems needn’t mean sacrificing next month’s rent.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas closed the meeting with a renewed pledge for collaboration. “Every action we take, every decision we make, impacts the future—and the future of Europe belongs to its youth. That’s why their voices must and will be heard.” If his tone veered towards earnest at times, the purpose of the event ensured even cynics couldn’t roll their eyes entirely.
Perhaps the most unexpected element of his closing statement was the gentle nudge towards collective accountability. Sure, building policies for youth sounds progressive on paper, but achieving that requires consistent engagement—not a one-off game of policymaker-meets-focus-group. And, in a rare move that acknowledges Europe’s conference addiction, Tzitzikostas stressed follow-through, reiterating plans for further annual exchanges.
For those still rubbing their sceptical temples, here’s a parting thought: If every annual dialogue captures even a sliver of actionable insight, maybe, just maybe, the road ahead will become less potholed—for both tourists and restless twenty-somethings alike.
