With a view to boosting growth and Employment, the European Council agreed on a European Growth Pact at the June European Summit in Brussels. The pact will release €120 billion of funds for immediate measures to alleviate the economic and financial crisis burdening European Member States. At least half of the funds will be reallocated from existing regional policy funds. €55 billion proposed in the pact draws from unused structural funds, which will be mobilised for measures to support small and medium sized enterprises and youth employment. In its conclusions, the Council stated that it would soon examine and decide on the proposal contained in the Commission’s Employment Package.
The package underlines the need for quality job creation, labour market structural reforms and investment in human capital. It also contains imperative measures to address youth unemployment, particularly through the youth guarantee initiative, through which young people would receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education or an apprenticeship or traineeship, and the creation of a quality framework for traineeships. The report from the conclusions also stated that Member States will swiftly implement national jobs plans in order to development more ambitious and precise plans for the next European Semester. The Council also sees the need for the facilitation of labour mobility within the EU and for the recognition of professional qualifications and language skills to be improved.
The European Youth Forum urges further investment in young people through continued consideration of youth in the development of the Multiannual Financial Framework. Ahead of the European Council meeting, the Youth Forum sent an open letter to the EU Heads of State and to European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, outlining a vision for a visible, strong, and comprehensive investment in young people as a key priority for growth, stability, and wellbeing of society as a whole: a brave new deal for youth! For the Forum this should include the adoption of a Youth Guarantee across all European countries, coupled with a European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships to ease the transition of young people into the labour market by imparting them with necessary skills and experience. The Youth Forum strongly believes in continued allocation of funds to ensure the success and inclusion of young people as a sustainable solution to our current crisis. Europe deserves nothing less.
