Reinforcing the European Youth Employment Policy with the European Green Deal

Together with the “World Future Council”, the EUKI-project YESclima has published a proposal addressed to the European Commission. As consequence of the Corona-crisis it is feared that unemployment will rise massively in all affected regions of Europe. In particular the exclusion of (not only!) the European youth from economic activities will increase.

by Hartwig Berger, Sekretariat für Zukunftsforschung

Published: 09 June 2020
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It is urgent and necessary to act immediately on European level and in the member states against this. The already existing European Youth Guarantee has to be amplified, in order to develop an ambitious policy favouring youth qualification and employment. We propose to prepare young people for tasks and professions that are necessary for a sustainable and environmentally compatible future. The best and most convincing way to do this, will be programmes to train young people for jobs and activities that are in line with the European Green Deal.

(Not only) Europe needs urgently qualified women and men to realize the numerous tasks which are required for energy transition, for a climate-friendly mobility and climate-adaptation, for an environmental-friendly agriculture, forestry and for nature protection in general. It is absurd and unacceptable to swallow massive unemployment and social exclusion of young Europeans; if looking ahead, the EU and all member states should offer large opportunities to train them for participation in the imminent task of a European Green Deal and in a green recovery of their home-regions.

In our proposal we have

• elaborated our ideas for educational programs in technical “Green Skills” similar to offers in the German “dual system”, but focusing competence development and training in creativity , entrepreneurship and cooperative working.

• given particular attention on how to involve young Europeans (and refugees) without any work and professional qualification.

Because just these men and in particular women are suffering more and more seriously unemployment and social exclusion.
The proposal we have sent to the Commission should support the process of preparing new directives for youth employment. We have translated it in Greek and Spanish, the languages of the countries were the YES-clima project is implemented. We hope to initiate more and profound discussions and activities on how to involve the youth in the Green Deal and for their own sustainable future.

Read the full version of the proposal in: