In March 2018, 3.5 million young people under 25 were unemployed in the European Union, including 2.449 million in the eurozone. Compared to March 2017, the number of unemployed young people decreased by 409,000 in the EU28 and by 305,000 in the eurozone.
The youth unemployment rate thus stood at 15.6% in the EU28 and 17.3% in the eurozone, compared to 17.3% and 19.4% respectively in March 2017. For the entire European labor force, this rate was 7.1% for the EU28 and 8.5% for the eurozone.
The differences between countries are significant. Germany has the lowest youth unemployment rate (6.1%), followed by the Czech Republic (6.8%) and the Netherlands (7.0%). In comparison, the rate peaks at 42.3% in Greece (January 2018 figures), 35.0% in Spain, and 31.7% in Italy.
In 2012, the European Commission launched the “Youth Employment” package.
This package includes a proposal adopted by the Council in 2013 for a Youth Employment Guarantee, a Council recommendation on the quality of internships adopted in 2014, and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships program.
Additionally, there is the Youth Employment Initiative, launched in 2013, which aims to strengthen and accelerate the implementation of measures, particularly in regions where the youth unemployment rate exceeds 25%.
As part of the negotiations for the next multiannual budget of the European Union (2021 – 2027), the envelope dedicated to youth policy will necessarily need to increase.
