Brussels, 21/12/2011
The issue of youth employment and self-sufficiency are main concern of young people. Access to employment and the fight against unemployment are fundamental concern of young Europeans, and with good reason, as they will affect the course of their life.
The approach of young people is actually pragmatic, logical and rational: they want to develop, get training, and have a quality job and housing – aspirations that no longer correspond to reality. More than 5.5 million young people across Europe are unemployed, and two thirds of young people are in precarious jobs: a situation that is amplified by the crisis and one that has been denounced by ETUC for years.
These figures put the institutional and social stakeholders face to face with their responsibilities.
Against this background, ETUC welcomes the intentions of the European Commission, provided that they are followed by results. “The youth initiative of the European Commission must not be a new Youth Pact without follow-up, without implementation and without resources! With its Youth Committee, ETUC will set up a focus group so as to contribute actively and concretely through its analysis and proposals” declared Patrick Itschert, Deputy General Secretary of ETUC.