Youth unemployment is decreasing, but EU measures still lack focus on long-term solutions, especially for those not actively seeking work, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on Thursday (4 June).
It highlighted a decrease in youth unemployment from 19.2 percent in 2014 to 11.6 percent in 2026, although the decrease in those not in employment or education has slowed.
The ECA report also highlighted a difficulty in identifying and engaging with young people who are not actively looking for work. This group has been increasing in numbers in countries such as Germany and Spain, auditors found.
EU youth employment policy became a priority in 2013 to address the lack of opportunities for graduates and junior workers following the 2008 financial crisis.
The EU has invested €25bn between 2014 and 2027 to support youth unemployment, although almost half of it was dedicated to solving widespread unemployment among Spaniards and Italians aged 15-29.
According to the most recent European statistics from Eurostat, the member state with the largest youth unemployment rate was Romania, at 28.8 percent, while on the other end of the scale is Germany, with 7.2 percent of its young people living without a pay cheque.
Although progress has been made, “young people are still twice as likely to be unemployed as the rest of the workforce,” said Carlo Alberto Manfredi Selvaggi, the auditor in charge of the report.
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