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BackThis week, the European Council - Europe’s heads of state and government met in Brussels. Apart from the Fiscal Pact, employment policy impulses and in particular the necessity to tackle youth unemployment were also on the agenda. Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, put it in a nutshell, when he said that Europe had to help young women and men to find a job in the labour market. This needed solid investments, commented van Rompuy. However, in time of crisis and record unemployment in Europe, in particular investments are more than difficult to realise.
Employment policy impulses must mainly come from the Member States
Almost 24 million people in Europe are currently out of work. A significant part of these are young adults. To address this problem requires joint efforts at European level. This issue was also taken up by the heads of state and government who demanded that young people had to be offered a job, further education options or a vocational training placement within a few months after having left school. However, as early as December 2011, the EU Commission demanded that young people would be offered an apprenticeship or a further education placement within four months after leaving school. Hence, the demand of the EU Commission had gone much further; however, it was significantly weakened at the EU Summit. Austria also formulated demands ahead of the EU Summit in Brussels and supported the allocation of EU funds for more youth employment. The initial thought was to apportion a third of the not yet allocated resources from the European Social Fund - that would have been EUR ten billion - to new projects to increase youth employment. Unfortunately, the conclusions of the EU Summit were not that concrete and nothing came of it but vague announcements.
Apprenticeship programmes to be extended
The cooperation with the Member States with the highest rate of youth unemployment is a declared goal of the EU, so that existing EU funds are made available to get young people into a job or an apprenticeship. In addition, the European Social Fund (EFS) shall be used to promote the establishment of apprenticeship programmes. The cross-border mobility of employees, based on a review of the legal provisions of the EU on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications shall also help to remedy the situation. Now the individual Member States must commit themselves to turn words into actions. The national employment programs will show whether these announcements account to more than hot air. Every good idea has to be financed and in particular the Member States with high youth unemployment rates are currently rather out of pocket.
Further information:
Conclusion of the heads of state and government (only in German)
Almost 24 million people in Europe are currently out of work. A significant part of these are young adults. To address this problem requires joint efforts at European level. This issue was also taken up by the heads of state and government who demanded that young people had to be offered a job, further education options or a vocational training placement within a few months after having left school. However, as early as December 2011, the EU Commission demanded that young people would be offered an apprenticeship or a further education placement within four months after leaving school. Hence, the demand of the EU Commission had gone much further; however, it was significantly weakened at the EU Summit. Austria also formulated demands ahead of the EU Summit in Brussels and supported the allocation of EU funds for more youth employment. The initial thought was to apportion a third of the not yet allocated resources from the European Social Fund - that would have been EUR ten billion - to new projects to increase youth employment. Unfortunately, the conclusions of the EU Summit were not that concrete and nothing came of it but vague announcements.
Apprenticeship programmes to be extended
The cooperation with the Member States with the highest rate of youth unemployment is a declared goal of the EU, so that existing EU funds are made available to get young people into a job or an apprenticeship. In addition, the European Social Fund (EFS) shall be used to promote the establishment of apprenticeship programmes. The cross-border mobility of employees, based on a review of the legal provisions of the EU on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications shall also help to remedy the situation. Now the individual Member States must commit themselves to turn words into actions. The national employment programs will show whether these announcements account to more than hot air. Every good idea has to be financed and in particular the Member States with high youth unemployment rates are currently rather out of pocket.
Further information:
Conclusion of the heads of state and government (only in German)