Given the severity of youth unemployment in the on-going crisis, this presidency note disscused in  the 3263th  Council meeting looks at different instruments and their implementations. It provides an update on the measures taken so far at national level and related to activities at EU level.

Ministers stressed that youth employment continues to be a major challenge in the EU, taking into account the persisting high unemployment rates in a number of member states. While emphasizing the added value of exchanging good practices, the member states further shared national approaches to tackle youth unemployment. In particular, ministers pointed out the need for: 

  • quality education providing for key skills which would meet the labour market needs;
  • support to youth entrepreneurship ;
  • preventing young people of becoming NEETs for example by means of coaching, counselling, guidance;
  • apprenticeships and traineeships as an important tool to integrate young people in the labour market.