Europe plans to urgently rescue jobless youth

The soaring rate of unmployment among younger generations of European countries prompts the leaders of the region which is still battling with the consequences of the financial crisis. The French, German and Italian governments are urging for a broad plan to tackle issue in response

Europe must urgently tackle youth unemployment, the French, German and Italian governments said on May 28, urging action to rescue an entire generation who fear they will not find jobs.

Ministers called for a mixture of measures including helping small companies and boosting apprenticeships. Some 7.5 million Europeans aged 15-24 are neither in employment nor in education or training, according to EU data. Youth unemployment in the EU stood at 23.6 percent in January, more than twice as high as the adult rate.

“We have to rescue an entire generation of young people who are scared. We have the best-educated generation and we are putting them on hold. This is not acceptable,” Italian Labour minister Enrico Giovannini told a conference in Paris.

Germany in particular, weary of a backlash as many in crisis-hit European countries blame it for austerity, has over the past weeks taken steps to tackle unemployment, striking bilateral deals with Spain and Portugal.

Its labour and finance ministers told the conference that, to help young people find jobs, Europe must continue on the path of structural reforms to boost its competitiveness as well as make good use of available EU funds, including 6 billion euros (5.1 billion pounds) that leaders have set aside for youth employment for 2014-20.

“We need to be more successful in our fight against youth unemployment, otherwise we will lose the battle for Europe’s unity,” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said.


/HurriyetDailynews.Com/