The Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP) calls for urgent measures to decrease the alarming rate of youth unemployment. In their declaration, adopted in their recent meeting in Lisbon, representatives of 33 centre-right organizations from all over Europe push for more ambitious commitments in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework. The declaration also promotes a better coordination of already existing EU programmes concerning employment.
According to YEPP, in order to create new jobs, a much bigger emphasis must be put on vocational trainings, while the role of practical skills should be increased in secondary and higher education. At the same time, Member States should stimulate youth entrepreneurship by tax cuts and reducing bureaucracy when setting up new businesses.
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The declaration says that voluntary work should be encouraged and recognized, since they are important contributions to societies, strengthening active citizenship. The position also calls for a more efficient protection of vulnerable youth segments in the labour market (people with disabilities).
YEPP also finds it crucial to stimulate mobility by tearing down obstacles that make it harder for young employees to work in other member states. Furthermore, according to the declaration, a lot of efforts are needed to reconcile work with family life. Women with children should be supported in their re-integration to the labour market inter alia by flexible work conditions and more child day care centres.
YEPP President Csaba Dömötör underlined that 6 million people lost their jobs since the onset of the economic crisis, and the youth is particularly affected. The fact that one out of five European young citizens is unemployed, seriously undermine the hopes for swift economic rebound, the trust in political leaders as well as the support of the European Union as a whole. According to Csaba Dömötör, firm financial pledges, more effective regulation and well coordinated programmes are needed to change the alarming trends.
Watch the President of the European Commission addressing YEPP on Youth Unemployment /
