03/11/2014
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Debating with young people from all over Europe at the Committee of the Regions in the frame of European Youth Week, Commissioner László Andor stressed the need to step up efforts at national and EU level to “improve education and training systems, enhance youth employment, and increase EU youth mobility” – in line with the Europe 2020 initiative Youth on the Move 
.
With the EU youth unemployment rate at 20.4% and mismatches between the skills offered / demanded in the job market, Mr Andor pointed out the challenges ahead: “Only one in every three young people in the 15-to-24 age group across the EU is in employment and one young person in every seven leaves the education system with just a lower secondary education and follows no further education or training.”
Nevertheless, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey
, 53% of young people in Europe are willing or keen to work in another European country, but lack of cash discourages many of them from taking a first step towards this by spending part of their education abroad.
The Commissioner took the opportunity to present specific EU actions targeting young people: Your first EURES job abroad – providing support and advice for young jobseekers willing to work abroad, and for companies seeking to recruit young mobile workers – and the new European Vacancy Monitor
– with detailed labour market information for jobseekers on the sectors and countries where jobs are available.
“I am committed to presenting a quality framework for traineeships next year after consulting all the stakeholders", Mr Andor said. “We have identified three areas where Member States can conduct structural reforms: ‘Youth Guarantees' and reform of employment legislation. The Commission is currently looking at the Member States’ national reform programmes and will soon present its assessment”, he added.
