For the young people, teachers and researchers of the consortium with partners in 25 countries, it is clear that only a more integrated Europe can achieve the EU 2020 goals with active citizens participating in this process. We therefore share the assessment of the Education and Training 2020 work programme that the EU has to take major steps to meet its targets especially with regard to the promotion of active European citizenship and democratic participation. Hence, with this proposal the consortium implements a project that will address the challenge of acquiring civic competences and creating the environment for pupils and teachers to learn, practice and encourage active European participation and intercultural dialogue to engage in the building of an ever closer Europe.The project as three phases: Firstly, young people, teachers and researchers will develop new concepts and formats for non-formal education on European topics. Secondly, these are to be tested and evaluated at the International Session of the European Youth Parliament in Istanbul (spring 2012) bringing together 200 young people and their teachers from 25 European countries. Thereby, the previously developed methods will be tested in the framework of an already existing and proven methodology of citizenship education (incl. amongst others international team work, drafting of resolutions, parliamentary debate and dialogue with political decision-makers). Finally, the results are to be used to improve an already existing tool kit which is currently used by teachers to use the European Youth Parliament’s methodology in the class room.The entire project is implemented by voluntarily active young people as well as teachers. By engaging the participants in an truly European experience of political participation using innovative methods of non-formal education and then finally ensuring that teachers as well as pupils can also use these methods on the school level, the EYP achieves a long term impact