€150bn cost of jobless youth

All shareholders must work together to tackle the EU’s long-term youth unemployment crisis, writes Rolf Dorig

RISING youth unemployment, especially in Europe, is making headlines worldwide. Roughly 5.5 million Europeans under the age of 25 are unemployed. More than 7.5 million people aged 15-24 are “NEETs” — not in employment, education, or training. The youth unemployment rate exceeds 25% in 13 European countries, amounting to roughly 30% in Italy, Ireland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, and Slovakia, and surpassing 55% in Greece and Spain.

Furthermore, more than 30% of jobseekers under 25 have been unemployed for more than 12 months, and their chances of finding employment remain low. Less than one-third of young people who were unemployed in 2010 found a job in 2011, and their chances continue to decline.