Federation of Young European Greens

GEF Workshop “Social consequences of the crisis – analysis and proposals” Combating Youth unemployment: the youth guarantee

Terry Reintke, FYEG Co-Spokesperson “Young people argue with their parents, cross their legs, and chat when they should be working”

Socrates, 2,500 years ago. Youth unemployment

5.520 million young persons (under 25) in EU 27 3.493 million in the Euro area. → 22,8% in the EU27 and 23.3% in the euroarea. Spain= 54,2% and Greece= 55.6% (highest numbers worldwide) Eurostat October 2012 Working?

• In Catalonia, average wage for young people is 702€/month

• 44% of young Spaniards have a job under their skills/education level

• : problems with precarisation of labour market, especially for young people Lack of participation

● Economic crisis also crisis of legitimacy

● Give young people more decision-making power

● One concrete proposal: Lowering of voting age to 16 years Analysis and proposals

● Main fields where action is needed: → Education (free education, strengthening apprenticeships, exchange programmes [Erasmus] more inclusive) → Social Europe (Youth Guarantee, directing more money to social measures in MFF) → Democratic reforms (institutional reforms, new EU convention including young people, fighting populism) → Free movement (real freedom of movement within EU, portability of social services) Solutions in a nutshell

● Introduction of a Youth guarantee ● Revision of the EU budget ● Lowering voting age, more youth participation

● Green initiatives

● Call for tackling the crisis: www.youthincrisis.eu → initiated by , Maria Petinaki, Vesna Jusup, Markus Drake, Delfina Rossi and ● Youth in crisis conference in the , 10th April 2013, FYEG + Reinhard Bütikofer, Raul Romeva... ● Youth Emancipation publication www.reclaimthefuture.tumblr.com + Ecosprinter article series www.ecosprinter.eu ● FYEG initiated process in EGP, Madrid Council topic, 9th May 2013 public debate ● ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2014 Thank you for your attention!

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