Cooperating in the field of youth policy

As millions of young Europeans return to school in September, the Commission will adopt a communication to promote young people's participation in education, employment and society as a whole, looking at how Europe can better coordinate policies on youth.

There is growing concern that many young people continue to face difficult challenges, hindering their development and ability to succeed. Education systems are not equipping them with the skills needed for a smooth transition into employment. Nearly one in six young people in the EU still leaves school early and the vast majority of the 4.6 million young unemployed do not find a new job within 6 months, despite Member States' reiterated commitment to this target.

The Communication is complemented by a comprehensive report on youth employment prepared by DG Employment as well as the results of the analysis of national reports on volunteering prepared by DG Education and Culture.