The 2012 Charlemagne Youth Prize was awarded to the "Europe on the Ground", a Greek youth media project. According to the European Parliament, it is an innovative youth media project that sends multicultural teams of over 50 young citizen journalists and amateur photographers to 10 European capitals each year.

The 2012 Charlemagne Youth Prize whose applications could be sent since November 2011, was awarded to Europe on the Ground, an innovative youth media project that sends multicultural teams of over 50 young citizen journalists and amateur photographers to 10 European capitals each year. Second prize went to Europe Meets School, an exchange programme for Erasmus students (Czech Republic) and third prize was to the Cycle Me Home project, a documentary road-movie (Hungary).

The winner project sends multicultural teams of over 50 young citizen journalists and amateur photographers to 10 European capitals each year. The young participants are given four days to write articles and produce photo galleries on subjects related to European culture and society. The European Parliament President, Martin Schulz, Europe on the Ground makes cultural diversity in Europe tangible, promotes multilingualism and encourages the emergence of a European public.

The Charlemagne Youth Prize ceremony took place on 15 May in Aachen and it was organised jointly by the European Parliament and the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation and was hosted by Aachen University. The three winning projects will receive funding of €5,000, €3,000 and €2,000 respectively. Their representatives will also be invited to visit the European Parliament in the coming months.