Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has welcomed the European Parliament’s overwhelming support for a report calling for strong initiatives to promote youth access to the labour market.
The report, which was produced by Emilie Turunen MEP for the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and voted on last week, also calls for strengthening of traineeships, internships and apprenticeships.
Jean, who is a member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, said: "Such strong support for the initiatives proposed in Emilie’s report is enormously encouraging. It shows that youth unemployment is where it should be, at the top of the political agenda.
"With 5.5 million young people under 25 unemployed across the EU, youth unemployment is one of the most pressing problems facing Europe today. Indeed, only this week, figures released showed that the number of graduates chasing every job has surged to nearly 70, while the number of vacancies available is predicted to fall by 7 per cent.
"This chronic issue has far-reaching social and economic consequences, from the increase in welfare costs to the erosion of the tax system, with young victims of the recession more at risk of long-term social exclusion and health problems. It is high time to act and through the series of progressive and affirmative initiatives set out in this report I believe we can begin to turn Generation Lost into Generation Hope."
Emilie added: "The youth unemployment situation is so critical we risk losing a generation to social exclusion while gambling with the economic and social future of the EU. Through this vote, a large majority in the parliament have called for some very concrete initiatives. Now it’s up to the Commission to put it into practice. 5.5 million young people and counting are waiting for action."
Notes to Editors
The report calls for:
* A European Youth Guarantee securing the right of every young person in the EU to be offered a job, an apprenticeship, additional training or combined work and training after a maximum period of 4 months’ unemployment;
* A European Quality Charter on Internships that sets out minimum standards for internships
* An expansion of the European Social Fund and an earmarking of a minimum of 10 % of this fund for projects targeting young people
* A permanent EU youth taskforce to monitor developments on youth employment, enable cross-section policies, share best practice examples and initiate new policies;
* A non-discriminatory policy towards young people;
Jean Lambert is one of eight MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives in the European Parliament. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections and was re-elected in 2004 and 2009.
Emilie Turunen has represented the Danish Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF) in the European Parliament since June 2009. In 2008, Emilie became the national chair of the youth wing of the SF and in the same year was also made a member of the National Executive and Executive Committee of the SF. She graduated with a bachelor degree in social sciences and working life studies from Roskilde University in 2009