After six months of solid campaigning, we start to see the great results of our work together. 

In two weeks’ time, on  December 5^th, the European Commission will present a first proposal on a European Youth Guarantee.

We need to make sure that this proposal marks a turning point  for the Youth of Europe.

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François Hollande a lancé jeudi 8 novembre «la bataille contre le chômage». Le président de la France s'est rendu à Chelles en Seine-et-Marne dans les locaux de Pôle Emploi pour la signature des onze premiers emplois d'avenir qui permettront aux jeunes entre 18 et 25 ans sans qualifications d'accéder à un premier emploi à temps plein pour trois ans au minimum.

In Catalonia, the Party of Catalan Socialists (PSC) has included the European Youth Guarantee promoted by PES, PES Women and ECOSY in its program for next elections to the Catalan Parliament of 25th November. The Catalan Socialist Party endorses this initiative as a right of young people that we want to be recognised at a European level.

La crise financière ne doit pas signifier rigueur et chômage car ce serait réduire le problème à sa plus simple expression. Si les gouvernements étaient restés majoritaires des conseils d'administration des banques, s'il n'y avait pas eu de dérégulations meurtrières, les marchés financiers n'auraient pas pu faire exploser certains pays, comme ils l'ont fait. De surcroit les états ont renationalisé les dettes bancaires sans jamais demander un droit de regard sur l'utilisation de cette mane financière.

Cet état de fait et d'impuissance hypocrite doit cesser ! les grandes entreprises et les banques doivent arrêter d'octroyer des dividendes exhorbitants et utiliser ces produits pour les uns rénover leur outil de production et pour les autres prêter aux petites entreprises. Je n'entends parler que de gain de compétitivité et de frein de compétitivité lié au coût du travail. Il faut arrêter cette course à la paupérisation et tenter de raison garder.

A new study by Eurofound (European Foundation to improve the living and working conditions), released on 22 October, points to the severe consequences of youth unemployment in Europe. It also highlights the need to develop policies that address youth unemployment all over Europe, especially taking into account the effects of the crisis on the younger groups.

In this context, a European Youth Guarantee would ensure that every young person in Europe is offered a job, further education or work-focused training at the latest four months after leaving education or after becoming unemployed. The study notes that if implemented, such a guarantee would mean that immediate action to address youth unemployment can be prompted before disengagement sets in. In addition, a Youth Guarantee – either applied at European or national level – can help reverse the trend of raising youth unemployment in Europe, which in the medium run would also improve States’ finances and counter the effects of the crisis.

Recently, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Guy Ryder has called for a universal youth employment guarantee as there is growing political momentum for introducing such a policy in the European Union.

In this context, the the ILO Youth Employment Programme (YEP) and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions are currently organizing an online discussion on "Youth Guarantees in Asia-Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities", from 5 to 19 November 2012. 

The European Youth Guarantee campaign team has already contributed to the debate (see video below) and now you too can join the debate!

Numa das suas primeiras entrevistas como novo Secretário Geral da Juventude Socialista (JS), João Torres defende uma garantia europeia para os jovens. 

Num contexto de crise que toca de forma particularmente dura os jovens, o líder da JS sublinha a importância de adoptar uma garantia para os jovens, de forma a combater a precariedade e o desemprego jovem em Portugal (35% de jovens desempregados em Setembro 2012).

Before a European Council, German MPs in the Bundestag meet to prepare the government's position for the European Summit ahead.

On 16 October, during the preparation meeting for the Council of 18 October, the Social Democrats (SPD) have called on the conservative government of Angela Merkel to push for stronger measures to overcome youth unemployment.

The SPD group demanded a strategy to reduce the number of young people in unemployment and a quick implementation of a European Youth Guarantee, financed by the European Social Fund.

Unfortunately, mirroring previous actions in Spain and in Portugal where conservatives have blocked such proposals, the German conservative and liberal groups have rejected the resolution and the call for introducing youth guarantees. 

Read the SPD resolution

Contributing to a European Youth Guarantee: the Work Experience Grant

Youth unemployment has been mounting in the European Union. 5.5 million young people are currently unemployed in Europe and an additional 1.5 million are forced into precarious jobs. In some countries as many as one young person out of two cannot find a job. The situation among low-educated and in ethnic minorities is even far more alarming. If nothing happens, youth unemployment will go up further, reaching levels that are similar to the 1980s and 1990s. Every next year a new cohort of school-leavers and graduates will try to make its way into the labour market, adding to the large numbers of young people that are already looking for a job.