MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on European action to combat youth unemployment
10.6.2013 - (2013/2673(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Milan Cabrnoch, Anthea McIntyre on behalf of the ECR Group
B7‑0273/2013
European Parliament resolution on European action to combat youth unemployment
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission’s communication of 5 December 2012 entitled ‘Moving Youth into Employment’ (COM(2012)727),
– having regard to the question for oral answer put to the Commission on the Youth Opportunities Initiative (O [000/2012] – B[7 /2012],
– having regard to the Conclusions of the European Council on 17 June 2010 on the Europe 2020 Strategy and its 5 headline targets,
– having regard to the Commission’s Communication “Youth Opportunities Initiative” (COM (2011)0933),
– having regard to the Commission’s Communication “Single Market Act - Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen confidence “Working together to create new growth” (COM (2011) 0206),
– having regard to the Commission’s Communication “Youth on the Move” (COM (2010)0478),
– having regard to its Resolution of 14 June 2010 on “Promoting youth access to the labour market, strengthening trainee, internship and apprenticeship status”[1],
– having regard to Title XII TFEU,
– having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas tackling youth unemployment is the EU’s urgent social challenge;
B. whereas high unemployment levels of employment can be achieved only by competitive, innovative and sustainable businesses;
C. whereas 22.8 % of young people in the EU are currently unemployed, with youth unemployment exceeding 50 % in some Member States;
D. whereas fighting youth unemployment requires structural reforms leading to more labour market flexibility and improved investment in both education and vocational training across the EU;
E. whereas approximately four million jobs are vacant in the EU due to a mismatch between the skills of the unemployed and the skills required for available jobs;
F. whereas SMEs and micro-enterprises, which are driving forces for economic growth and job creation - and for achieving the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy - have shed more than 3.5 million jobs as a result of the economic crisis, with workplace closures affecting all workers, including the young;
G. whereas countries that reformed their labour markets have weathered the crisis better than those where no or limited action has been taken;
1. Strongly believes that Europe’s greatest need in both the long and short term is economic growth and the regaining of competitiveness in order to create jobs;
2. Calls on the Commission to promote the interests of SMEs and microenterprises by ensuring easier access to Europe’s Single Market;
3. Calls on the Commission to open up opportunities in the Single Market in key growth areas, like services and the digital economy;
4. Is convinced that the most effective way of bringing young people back to work consists of introducing more flexible labour laws at EU and national level; considers it essential to reduce unnecessary and disproportionate existing regulatory burdens, particularly on our SMEs who are the engine of job creation in the EU;
5. Strongly believes that systemic reforms are crucial in order to improve the employment prospects of young people and tackle particularly structural unemployment;
6. Stresses that investing in the right skills – corresponding to labour market needs – is an important factor in helping Member States innovate and regain their competiveness;
7. Calls on the Member States to support self-employment among young people by creating facilities and preferential conditions for starting up their own businesses, through, e.g., cutting red tape and improving access to finance;
8. Calls on the Commission to look for further and more ambitious measures to promote workers mobility across the EU as a way to help Member States tackle high youth unemployment;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and Member States.