EU Youth Strategy - Employment Field

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-policies/doc1691_en.htm

Employment and Entrepreneurship
Having a professional occupation, in the form of a job, as self-employed or running one's own business is of great importance to many young people to achieve independence. Yet, since the start of the economic crisis mid-2008, more than 20% of young people are unemployed.
The urgency to tackle youth unemployment is recognised in the European cooperation framework. In the Council Resolution on the European Cooperation Framework of 27 November 2009, Member States agreed to make employment the overall thematic priority for the next 18 months (January 2010 - June 2011) .
Support to young people in the field of employment
This means that the tools under the European cooperation framework, including e.g. dedicated events, knowledge, common learning, will be geared towards finding solutions to unemployment. Youth employment is also the first topic for discussion in the context of the Structured Dialogue between public governments and agencies and youth organisations at EU level and within the Member States. Furthermore, efforts will be made to ensure a youth dimension in EU policy-making overall as regards employment issues, for example the EU 2020 strategy.

Whilst bringing the work forward, the EU Member States and the European Commission will take action to:

■Integrate concerns of young people in employment strategies
■Invest in theprovision of skills for those jobs in demand on the labour market.
■Develop career guidance and counselling services.
■Promote possibilities for young people to work and to follow training abroad, including by lowering barriers to free movement across the EU
■Promote quality traineeships to increase young people's chances on the labour market.
■Improve childcare and promote sharing of responsibilities between partners in reconciliation between professional and private life.
■Support young people’s entrepreneurship e.g. via targeted education, access to funds, mentoring and support networks and structures in favour of youth entrepreneurship