EGP co-chairperson Reinhard Bütikofer along with Terry Reintke, co-spokesperson for the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) share a statement on the recently announced European Commission Youth Package.
With over 7.5 million youth across Europe unemployed, and increasingly vulnerable - in particular early school leavers - there is a clear need for change.
While there are good ideas on offer, overall the European Commission package disappoints. The Youth Guarantee aspect comes from an initial Green idea, but the EU version fails to have the necessary support structures leaving the real responsibilities to member states. Youth employment has not received the necessary pressure for attention, allowing the needs of youth to slip, yet again, through the cracks. Part of the reason is that many of the younger youth simply are not of voting age - something that needs to be addressed if the EU is representing all citizens, and the future of Europe.
With better employment opportunities for youth come other issues, such as how to address the number of youth who leave school early and the tax on labor, particularly with youth, that is so costly. With high unemployment levels, especially with youth, it is important to create a taxation system that encourages employment.
