“Youth Voices, Cooperative Choices: Advancing a Democratic Economy in Enlarged Europe” is a youth-focused cooperative conference taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from 29 June to 1 July 2026.23 Organised by Cooperatives Europe together with its Hungarian member DiákÉSZ, the event is part of the #Coops4dev ICA–EU Partnership, which promotes cooperative development in collaboration with the European Union.12
The event targets young cooperative leaders, entrepreneurs, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe, with a particular emphasis on the next generation of cooperative actors in both EU member states and EU candidate or neighbouring countries.23 With more than 100 participants expected, it is designed as a youth-led gathering, giving young people a central role in shaping content, discussions, and outcomes.2
The core purpose is to explore how cooperatives can support a democratic, inclusive, and sustainable economy in an enlarged Europe, where integration, accession processes, and cross-border cooperation are increasingly important.23 Key topics likely include:
- Youth engagement and leadership in the cooperative movement
- Democratic governance and participation within cooperatives
- Social and solidarity economy tools for addressing youth employment and local development
- Cooperative entrepreneurship and support ecosystems for young founders
- The role of cooperatives in EU enlargement, neighbourhood policies, and regional cooperation
Within the broader work of Cooperatives Europe—representing 84 member organisations from 33 European countries—the event contributes to building a pan-European youth cooperative network and advancing policy dialogues that strengthen the position of young people in the cooperative economy.12