A written declaration was used because youth is a cross sector issue, and the campaign wants the attention of all MEPs not just dicsussions in individual committees.

In a nutshell,

The written declaration calls concretely on the European Commission to consider the impact on youth when preparing legislative proposals, in particular in the policy fields of particular importance to young people, to ensure that the structured dialogue with youth organisations through the European Youth Forum encompasses these policy fields, and to incorporate the impact on youth and the results of the structured dialogue in relevant legislative Commission proposals.

So far 276 MEPs have signed but 117 more are needed to pass the declaration.  You can find out on the site if your MEP is has signed or not. I'll be emailing mine.  There is a lobby pack and sample letter to send too (in fact this is a good example of a European collaborative effort that aims to influence EU policy, in much the way that Eurotrib has discussed).

I asked what the arguments are from MEPs who have not signed and it was suggested that there are so many written declarations that they do not make the time to read them all, and some do not like the instrument of written declarations. Apparently UK independents (not sure if this is UKIP or actual independents) don't sign out of principle and we don't know why the conservatives will not sign.

But here are the arguments for:

1.- It is a formal recognition of the need of a horizontal youth policy, as identified in the White Paper

2.-  It is a concrete action implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed and ratified by all EU Countries  

3.-  It is a major breakthrough in the recognition of youth as a specific target group, with needs differing from other groups in society  

4.-  It increases participation of young people in European decision-making and the relevance of the EU for young people  

5.- It would strengthen civil society and a more participative democracy in the EU