Civil service: Senate gives final go-ahead – from the National Charter to recruitment competitions, all the latest developments

To simplify and streamline the regulations governing youth policies. This is the main objective of the government-sponsored bill entitled ‘Provisions concerning young people and universal civil service’, which has been given final approval by the Senate. The bill, which had been given the green light by the Chamber of Deputies in July 2026, was tabled by the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, and the Minister for Institutional Reforms, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, and introduces changes in numerous areas, ranging from the National Youth Charter to universal civil service.

The draft bill aims, first and foremost, to overhaul Italian youth policies, not least to bring them into line with European Union law and the directives of the United Nations General Assembly. Specifically, the measure empowers the executive to adopt, within six months of the law coming into force, legislative decrees that promote coordination between the various levels of government and ensure the involvement of local authorities through the establishment of a technical coordination committee.

The measure also provides for the establishment of a regulatory framework for the adoption of the national youth strategy, a document which must set out the strategic priorities, objectives and lines of action agreed between central government and local authorities. The aim is to promote processes of inclusion, autonomy, empowerment and active participation amongst young people, as well as healthy lifestyles, mental and physical wellbeing, the protection of the family and the birth rate, the right to healthcare and the right to education.

The draft bill also amends the regulations governing the National Youth Card (CGN), stipulating that it will be issued free of charge to all young people aged between eighteen and thirty-five, including, for the first time, foreign nationals lawfully resident in Italia. This extension of the target group was necessary to bring the legislation into line with European law.

Furthermore, whilst until now the CGN – which has been operational since March 2022 – could only be activated by registering via the IO app, the service will become automatically accessible once the draft bill is approved. The Card, which is a digital tool part of the EYCA (European Youth Card Association) network, provides access to discounts on goods and services – from transport to the cinema, and from sport to concerts – with the aim of fostering the personal, social and cultural development of its beneficiaries and promoting a better quality of life for younger generations.