According to a new political agreement reached by the Council of the European Union on 28 February 2013, all young people without a job should quickly be offered employment or training.

The new recommendation, which is part of the “youth unemployment package”, is not legally binding. It is a response to the increasing youth unemployment in Europe, especially in countries such as Greece and Spain, where half of the young population is unemployed.

Ministers attending the Council meeting agreed that “all young people under the age of 25 who lose their job or are not able to find work after leaving school should receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within 4 months.”

Member states are expected to implement the scheme as soon as possible (preferably as from 2014), but the Council said a gradual implementation could be considered according to their individual needs. EU funds will partly fund the scheme, reinforced by EUR 6 billion made available for the period 2014-2020. The money will support regions where unemployment rates are above 25%.

Council of the European Union