GWU Youth, and therefore Malta, has been chosen as the secretariat from where the network will be run. After all, it is a project of the GWU Youths and is co-funded by the Youth Programme within the Education and Culture Directorate of the European Commission. The maximum possible funding from the EU – E20,000 – was granted to the GWU Youth to continue with its project.
GWU Youths secretary-general Cory Greenland explained that the Euro-Med Youth Trade Union Network (EMYTUN) is officially supported by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions as well as by other institutions such as the European Trade Union Confederation.
The EMYTUN is an initiative which aims to bring together young workers and youth involved in industrial relations from European and Mediterranean countries within the framework
of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership Agreement, also known as the Barcelona Process.
Mr Greenland said the objectives of the network are to create an innovative dialogue between youth trade union structures in Europe and the Mediterranean, and assist in the creation of such structures where they do not exist. Moreover, the network aims to encourage an open debate on issues such as youth employment, child labour, gender equality as well as legal and illegal immigration.
It also aims to promote the use and facilitate access to European Union Youth programmes.
Other founding partners of the network are youth organisations from Algeria, Israel, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb praised the initiative of the GWU Youths for this first step which put the union at the foremost of advantages to involve young people as much as possible.
He said the Euro-Med concept was an important one adding that it had to be developed in every way. Mr Zarb said the GWU will continue its work within the European Trade Union Council to bring together European trade unions and those from North Africa. He urged more youths
to join the GWU Youths in this
initiative.