The ETUC is urgently highlighting the dire situation faced by young people in Europe today. More than 5.5 million youngsters are unemployed and almost half of them only have precarious jobs. This situation is exacerbated by economic and social decline caused by the crisis. This state of affairs is untenable. Young people need guarantees to safeguard their future. Political measures have to be taken to improve the situation facing young people and especially to ensure the availability of quality jobs. Such policies must be accompanied by the allocation of adequate financial resources. The European trade union movement rejects the inevitability of a lost generation: there are alternatives. What is needed are active labour policies implemented jointly with the social partners. The very future of Europe’s societies is at stake. At a time when young people are massively mobilising in indignant movements across Europe, the ETUC reiterates that they cannot and must not be regarded as a labour market adjustment variable.

In the European social partners’ Work Programme for 2012-2014, the ETUC reiterated the urgency of the situation, committing itself alongside the employers and pledging to make a priority of negotiating a framework of actions on employment for young people.

Contact details

Patrick Itschert (send a mail

Sec: Roxane Bertolini (send a mail