26/06/2012 Session
Strasbourg, 26.06.2012 – Concerned about the situation of young people, affected by unprecedented unemployment, underemployment and poverty, PACE today called on member states to pursue youth policies that will help young people integrate into society through active citizenship, social dialogue and sustainable employment opportunities. The resolution adopted calls for young people to be given full access to their rights and sets out a series of measures, including promoting the creation of sustainable jobs and investment in lifelong learning, implementing national “youth guarantee” schemes to ensure that no young person is out of employment or education for more than four months, and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Endorsing the conclusions of the rapporteur, Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD), the Assembly also called for improved social protection for young people in precarious employment or first-time jobseekers, and for family-friendly policies in support of young parents. It also called for strengthening consultation and institutional representation mechanisms – such as youth organisations and youth parliaments – and dialogue mechanisms with the social partners, so that young people can put their views forward and have greater involvement in the taking of decisions which concern them directly.
“If no tangible improvements are made, Europe risks not only producing a ‘lost generation’ of disillusioned young people, but also undermining its political stability and social cohesion as well as its long-term competitiveness,” the Assembly warned.