If you would like to know everything about Euro 26, read about the origins and development of the card project. Enjoy your reading!

Origins.
The first discount cards were introduced in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s in such countries as Holland, Belgium and Scotland. The cards offered a discount mainly on tourist accommodation and on admission to cultural institutions. People received them with incredible interest. The idea of a youth card as a universal card giving various discounts came into existence in France in the 1980s as a local card. The card editors immediately came to the conclusion that it was worth combining different actions in order to create a unique product. This is how an idea of creating a unique card that would combine various offers emerged. A cardholder would have a possibility to use it in different countries which cooperated with one another.

The turning point in the development of Youth Cards came in 1985.
In December of 1985 the Conference of Youth Ministers from the countries belonging to the Council of Europe was held as a result of the French initiative. A lot of attention was drawn to the aspect of the youth policy in the CE recommendations. The participants of this conference appreciated and adopted the principles of the project initiators - no other criteria (such as education, domicile, profession or social status) but age should have influence on young people’s access to the card offer.

On 1st June 1987 in Lisbon the Youth Cards Organizations signed an international Convention on cooperation, later referred to as Lisbon Declaration.
A standard specimen of the card, conditions for its edition, and the principle of reciprocity for the access to discounts were determined in the above document. It was also declared that the convention should welcome youth card organizations from other countries and define the conditions for their accession. The name European Youth Card Euro 26 was officially adopted. Since that time Euro 26 functions as an international discount card for people aged up to 30. The editors determined the rules for the realization of the Euro 26 project.

1. Principle of availability of services and goods to young people on preferential terms means not only saving their limited financial resources. It should make it easier for young people to find their place in a constantly changing society. The editors aim at preparing an offer of various discounts and facilitations for young people paying particular attention to culture and tourism. Obtaining a discount on communication, accommodation and admission to cultural institutions was viewed as priority and included in so called Brussels Card ‘Philosophical Aspect of the European Youth Card Euro 26’.

2. Principle of cooperation between Euro 26 editors from different countries and regions of Europe taking into account the development of individual card projects realized according to the needs of specific country/region.

3. Principle of comprehensive approach to young people’s needs and creating one key to all their needs - travelling, accommodation, culture, sport, leisure, education, information etc. There is also a need to ensure discounts in retail or service outlets that are popular with young people.

4. Principle of reciprocity in giving access to discounts and conveniences to holders of all Euro 26 editions. This basic principle, owing to which the card offer creates one system, does not violate the rights of individual editors to set the rules for cooperation with other countries independently.

5. Principle of Euro 26 availability to all young people at the age up to 30. Individual countries are allowed to apply the rule of minimum age (usually between 7 -12 years) which is compatible with a local legal system. The criteria such as education, domicile, social status etc. are of no importance when it comes to the card availability. The Euro 26 card gained a considerable approval from the European bodies, which was shown in the resolution ‘On a need to create a European Youth Card’ passed by the European Parliament on 17 February 1989.

Since 1991 the Euro 26 card has been acting under the auspices of the Council of Europe.
In September 1991 a Separate Agreement of the Council of Europe on creation of the European Youth Card was signed. According to it the Euro <26 became an instrument of widely understood youth policy. This decision resulted from the fact that the idea behind the Euro 26 card is similar to principles on activities undertaken towards young people and adopted by other European countries. The card influences the mobility of young people, encourages them to get to know other countries and cultures, offers easier possibilities for education, and gets them closer to cultural heritage. Travelling throughout Europe young people have a chance to get to know each other and create a ground on which the unification as a political and economic process can be completed.

The birth of EYCA (www.eyca.org)
In view of a great number of national and international youth cards, it became necessary to coordinate their actions and control the flow of information exchange among them. A decision was made to call European Youth Card Association (EYCA) with the seat in Bratislava.

The objective of the association is among other things:

‘to ensure promotion and support the development of youth cards by offering young people at the age up to 30 a privileged access to transport, accommodation, leisure, sport, services and other things, which should facilitate young people’s mobility and improve their living standards ‘ (from the articles of EYCA).

To ensure more precise coordination of activities and a better flow of information all EYCA members meet at conferences that are held twice a year. Two of such conferences took place in Poland – in Gdańsk in 1996 and in Cracow in 2001. Apart from the Euro 26 Card editors, there were also representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations form East European countries who were interested in the concept of Euro 26.

Euro 26 is a project comprising other new areas such as cooperation with banks and insurance companies to name a few. The card is becoming a more and more universal document granting the access to a wide variety of services that are important to young people.
The number of magazines related to different editions of the card is also growing with some of them reaching their total circulation of 2 millions. Magazines provide information about cultural events as well as keep the readers up-to-date with the card’s offer. The information about the Euro 26 card offer is also passed on via the Internet to those who may be interested in it. The card offer becomes wider and wider and other countries are willing to join the project.

Euro 26 in Poland
European Integration Foundation in Gdańsk introduced Euro 26 to Poland in 1995 and was granted a full membership in EYCA.
We started from scratch without large amounts of money for advertising campaigns or ‘gadgets for presidents’. Few foundation employees and few friends from university circle, as well as immense enthusiasm, an old copier and a borrowed computer – that was all we had to start with. The kindliness of people and hard work of volunteers helped us enormously.

From the beginning the initiators of the Polish project focused on intensive contacts with young people, so that the card could be really useful. It is not the editor but YOU, who decide where our offers should appear.

This approach is indeed really effective! The development of Euro 26 in Poland was so fast at the beginning that in 1999 the foundation’s activities were recognised by EYCA Association and awarded a statue of Silver Hercules for the most dynamic development of the Euro 26 project in Europe.

On Poland’s accession to the European Union – the duties of the Foundation had already been fulfilled. On 1st April 2002 the Polish Youth Card Association was formed and it took over the duties of the European Integration Foundation in Gdańsk (related to the edition of cards) The Association seat is situated in Gdansk.

In 2008 European Youth Card Association granted again Polish Youth Card Asoociation a statue of Gold Hercules for the whole activities of EURO 26 Card in Poland.

Nowadays.
Euro 26 is the most popular youth and student card in Poland. We started the year 2009 with the total number of 200 000 cardholders giving them almost 7 500 discounts at their disposal, which constitutes the greatest network of discounts for young people available in Poland. Furthermore, owing to the cooperation with banks, we can also offer 4 credit cards combining advantages of the Euro 26 card and the access to a large variety of financial services for young people. The insurance included in the card (available in three options) owing to which our cardholders are able to travel round the world gaining new experiences has been a considerable asset of the Polish Euro 26 card edition.