Funding of pay supplements for young people budgeted for by the Spanish Government using EU Youth Guarantee funds

9.5.2017

Question for written answer E-003231-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Javi López (S&D) , Ramón Jáuregui Atondo (S&D) , Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (S&D)

In April 2017, the European Court of Auditors published a report assessing the Youth Guarantee. The Court highlighted, in the specific case of Spain, the poor coverage ratio of NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) and the poor quality and sustainability of part-time job offers obtained through the scheme. The Spanish Government’s budget includes a pay supplement for young people which will supposedly be financed through the Youth Guarantee from 2017. The same budget, however, reduces unemployment protection funding.

1. Does the Commission consider it possible to fund pay supplements through the Youth Guarantee, as per the Spanish Government’s budget?

2. Does the Commission take the view that this pay supplement, funded both by Spanish and EU-wide taxpayers, could lead to employers reducing the salaries of jobs advertised to young people, aggravating the Court of Auditors’ concerns about the quality of Youth Guarantee job offers?