EMPL

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Submitted by: Célestine van Swieten, Engel Sammels, Jakob Schwartz, Marjolijn Webb, Niels van de Laak, Shadia Yoko, Tamar Reuven, Eleni Anayiotou (Chairperson, CY)

The European Youth Parliament,

  1. Alarmed by the fact that a lower quality of life in Member States is directly linked to a higher youth unemployment rate, as seen prominently in Southern-European Member States that were hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, 
  2. Deeply conscious of differences in quality of education between private and public schools which results in unequal development opportunities, 
  3. Noting with deep concern that labour migrants and refugees are faced with unfair disadvantages, such as language barriers and lack of qualifications’ recognition,
  4. Bearing in mind that inadequate wages, also caused by a lack of centralised minimum wage policies, make employment prospects for the youth less attractive, leading to under- and unemployment,
  5. Recognising the growing difference between full-time and part-time employees, as well as older and younger employees causing:
    1. disproportionate job offers,
    2. difficulties regarding work experience and increasingly higher qualifications, 
    3. wage differences and a lack of social security,
  6. Noting with satisfaction the guidelines set by the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Adequate Income Ensuring Active Inclusion, which encompasses criteria for transparency and non-discrimination,
  7. Noting further that as a result of the pandemic and a lack of overall mental health support and resources, mental health and subsequent employment rates amongst young people have deteriorated,
  8. Observing that crucial skill shortages lead to the respective specialised shortages in the workforce, that could be filled by currently unemployed youth,
  1. Encourages the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI)1 to continue its course improving access to support services, specifically focusing on European youth in areas where unemployment rates surpass 25%;
  2. Suggests that the European Commission allocates more funds to the European Social Fund (ESF+)2, as to support curriculum enhancements and career guidance programmes, shrinking the difference between public and private schools;
  3. Supports the implementation of programmes like the European Network of Employment Services (EURES)3 to help refugees find jobs in the Member States by decreasing language, bureaucratic, legal, and cultural barriers for those participants;
  4. Reiterates the importance of the implementation of a minimum wage policy on a national level, guided by the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Adequate Income Ensuring Active Inclusion and the Reinforced Youth Guarantee;
  5. Emphasises the importance of creating a secure position for young people in the workforce through the support of the YEI, by:
    1. creating better conditions for short term job offers by ensuring paid internships,
    2. implementing measures to close the wage gaps based on age, 
    3. appointing  an independent Young People’s Commissioner;
  6. Strongly suggests Member States to properly implement ALMA4 by integrating it into their respective national agendas, thus ensuring active inclusion and transparency of eligibility criteria;
  7. Urges the ESF+ to fund companies to incentivise investment in mental health experts for employees to prevent mental issues such as burn-out or anxiety, which lead to unemployment;
  8. Seeks that YEI redirects young unemployed people towards traineeships and internships with current skills shortages, promoting entrepreneurship, thereby realising the potential of green and digital transitions.
  1.  The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is one of the main financial resources that focuses specifically on supporting young Europeans that live in areas where unemployment rates surpass 25%
  2.  The European Social Fund (ESF+)  is the main instrument of the EU that is involved with employment, ensuring that better and fairer job opportunities are made available to EU citizens.
  3.  EURES is a cooperation network that maintains a database of jobs, thereby promoting employment mobility.
  4. ALMA is a cross-border mobility initiative supported under the ESF+, which provides a supervised stay abroad for a period of 2 to 6 months in another EU Member State, along with a cohesive training project, to young NEETs.