No L 158/42 - Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 6. 88 COUNCIL DECISION of 16 June 1988 adopting an action programme for the promotion of youth exchanges in the Community — ‘Youth for Europe’ programme (88/348/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the Member States, when they became parties to the Treaty establishing the European Economic ‘Community, declared themselves ‘determined to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe’; Whereas, in order to achieve this objective, the Treaty has provided for powers to take action to ensure freedom of movement for employed and self-employed persons and those receiving services ; Whereas the Council, by Decision 84/636/EEC(), established the third joint programme to encourage the exchange of young workers within the Community, in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty; Whereas youth exchanges will provide valuable preparation for, and usefully promote achievement of, the objective of the removal of obstacles to the free movment of persons in full accordance with the Treaty, and in particular the implementation of exchanges of young workers ; Whereas specific measures should be taken to assist young people to develop their sense of initiative and to foster an awareness in them of their abilities and responsi- bilities ; Whereas the Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, at their meetings on 13 December 1976 () and 12 July 1982 (), were resolved on the need adequately to prepare young people for adult and working life, and adopted action programmes relating thereto ; Whereas the European Council, meeting on 28 and 29 . June 1985, adopted the conclusions of the ad hoc () OJ No C 322, 15. 12. 1986, p. 183. () OJ No C 328, 22. 12. 1986, p. 4. () OJ No L 331, 19. 12. 1984, p. 36. () OJ No C 308, 30. 12. 1976, p. 1. () OJ No C 193, 28. 7. 1982, p. 1. Committee on a People’s Europe, which called for the promotion of youth exchanges within the Community and for an effective network of exchanges within and ~ between Member States ; Whereas the European Parliament, in its resolution of 12 March 1981 on youth activities (), of 7 June 1983 on youth exchanges(’) and of 16 December 1983 on a European Voluntary Service Scheme for Young People (), advocated strengthening Community activities in this field ; Whereas youth exchanges are an appropriate method of . teaching young people more about the European Community and its Member States ; whereas they thus contribute to the training and preparation of young people for adult and working life ; Whereas a-substantial improvement in the quality and quantity of youth exchanges in the Community can be achieved by a series of support measures at Community level, complementing the measures taken by the Member States and those taken under the third joint programme for the exchange of young workers, and taking into account the experience and the current contribution of organisms already working in this field; Whereas, furthermore, exchanges carried out in the context of educational programmes and dealt with in the conclusions of the Council- and . the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 27 Septémber 1985 on the enhanced treatment of the European dimension in education are a matter of importance, and whereas other categories of youth exchanges should be promoted subsequently within the Community ; Whereas, the Treaty has not provided  the necessary powers, other than those of Article 235, - HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 A programme to promote youth exchanges in the Community, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Youth for Europe’ programme and as set out in the Annex, is hereby adopted for the period 1 July 1988 to 31 December 1991. () OJ No C 77, 6. 4. 1981, p. 38. () O No C 184, 11. 7. 1983, p. 22. () OJ No C 10, 16. 1. 1984, p. 286.