The youth unemployment rate (under- 25s) rose from 16.9% in December 2008 to 21.4% in December 2009, in the EU27. According to EC calculations, this is the highest rate in more than 10 years. As outgoing EU Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla argued, the only long-term strategy is education and training. As young people often have only temporary contracts and thus a less stable employment situation, the Spanish government plans to invest €300 million in youth training. Member states do not agree on the causes of youth unemployment, nor on the best strategy to fight high youth unemployment rates. The Spanish EU Presidency will present its conclusions at the formal Council in early March in Brussels, and later at the European Council, where the employment aspect will be included in the EU 2020 strategy.

Photo : Flickr/ Labour Youth