GRTU DG refers to Youth Employment Framework of Actions at EESC Plenary

GRTU Director General and EESC
Employers representative Vincent Farrugia has referred to discussions taking
place with the aim of establishing a European Framework of Actions on Youth
Employment Negotiations during the EESC Plenary on this month. With more than
26 million Europeans unemployed, a key condition is to create more and better
jobs in addition to the 2 million existing vacancies in Europe. The level of
youth unemployment is rising across Europe in many countries, a situation which
has been exasperated by the financial and economic crisis.

Adequate macro-economic policies and
targeted measures for productive investment are needed to foster growth and a
job rich recovery. The competitiveness of EU products and services depends
significantly on investment in research & development, innovation,
education and training. There is a lack of certain key competences and a
shortage of adequate skills in certain sectors and regions in Europe, in
particular related to new industries' and specific public services' needs.

Well-designed employment regulations
are needed to promote more opportunities for young people to obtain a job. When
devising solutions to maximize youth employment opportunities, it is important
to maintain an adequate level of social and labour rights. Active labour market
policies are also needed to promote young people's access to employment, which
enables them to become independent.

Coaching, tutoring and mentoring,
including through intergenerational cooperation, can facilitate the integration
of young people in their first job. Such an approach can help enterprises
promote simultaneously young and older workers employment. Moreover, individual
competence development plans can allow employers and employees to identify the
required competences of the young worker in a given work situation.

A majority of young people working
under temporary employment contracts choose to do so. However, due to a lack of
jobs, some young people may find themselves with no other alternative than to
accept a succession of short-term and/or part time contracts even though they
would prefer working full-time in permanent contracts. Therefore, social
partners and public authorities need to ensure that the conditions are right
for job creation and that permanent, temporary and short-term contracts are
regulated in a way that fosters sustainable integration of young people into
employment.

The Framework of Actions on Youth
Employment will establish a number of important actions and recommendations to
improve youth employment. These are currently in the final stage of discussions
between Employer Organisations and Trade Unions.