Youth and work
The role of young people in Europe and youth employment and qualifications are high on the European agenda and the agendas of national governments. At European level, the importance of taking young people into consideration has been emphasised in recent years. In March 2005, the Commission published a communication (COM (2005) 206 final) on European policies concerning youth (186Kb PDF), stating that 'the destiny of Europe increasingly depends on its ability to foster societies that are child and youth-friendly'. This study examines the employment situation of young people in 26 European countries, looking at unemployment data, the regulatory framework and programmes at national level specifically targeted at raising employment levels. The study also presents the role and views of the social partners and highlights the main issues for policy consideration. It is based on national reports on the subject, drawn up on the basis of a questionnaire, available on the Foundation's website.
Recent demographic trends indicating substantial changes in the size and age structure of Europe's population are a challenge to policymakers. The number of young people aged 15 to 24 years is set to decline by a quarter - from 12.6% of the population to 9.7% - between 2005 and 2050, while the 65 years and over age group will increase from 16.4% to 29.9%.
The Commission's Green paper on Confronting demographic change (309Kb PDF) highlights the implications for Europe of these changes.