European Youth Forum welcomes approval on youth unemployment reports by MEPs and demands concrete action

Brussels, 11 September 2013 // Today the European Parliament approved two reports focusing on youth issues. The European Youth Forum (YFJ) welcomes their approval, but is however disappointed that the Parliament remains silent on major issues such as the quality of jobs offered to young people and the proliferation of temporary and/or precarious contracts.

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The Youth Forum welcomes this morning’s approval of two youth related reports by the European Parliament; ‘Tackling youth unemployment: possible ways out’, and the ‘Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2010-2012’. Both reports include clear messages for more EU action in favour of investments in youth.

Nonetheless, MEPs remain silent on major issues such as the quality of jobs offered to young people. From the report entitled ‘Tackling youth unemployment: possible ways out’, the Youth Forum notes that the Parliament does not take a stance on the budget allocated to the Youth Guarantee, which obviously will not be sufficient for the scheme to reach its objectives.

However the Forum welcomes the position reached in this report that emphasises the impact the financial crisis has had on young people and the overall question of their inclusion within wider society. Furthermore, the report includes a firm set of proposals targeted towards improving young people’s access to the labour market, getting young people in jobs, internships, apprenticeships, vocational education and training (VET) and the recognition of non-formal education (NFE). The call for extension of the Youth Guarantee up to the age of 30 is also very clearly stated in the report.

Peter Matjašič, President of the European Youth Forum stated “The ball is now in the court of the Commission and member states. Therefore they must answer the Parliament's concerns with concrete actions that will truly make young people's needs their priority in the coming months and in the EU's next legislative period!”

The Youth Forum seconds the Parliament in its clear call for greater follow-up of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) at the national level, as well as for a strong cooperation between policy fields impacting youth in the report on the ‘Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2010-2012’. Following the announcement from the European Council on funding for youth employment, MEPs clearly stated their concerns that most of this funding will consist of the reallocation of existing funds.

In this report, the Parliament also calls for the mainstreaming of youth as a priority in the next long-term budget. The Youth Forum welcomes this call and that it also stresses the importance of recognising and engaging with youth as a priority group in the EU's social vision. The European Youth Forum is also very pleased that the Parliament endorses the general principle of eliminating any kind of discrimination against young people, including those based on their age. The Forum hopes this will allow, among other steps, to tackle the discrimination young people face when they enter (or try to enter) the labour market.

(ENDS)