Representatives of the Party of European Socialists (PES) today called for a ‘European Jobs Plan’ to be at the heart of EU recovery strategy. The PES Social Europe Network, chaired by Spanish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Alejandro Cercas stated that; “Unemployment, and particularly youth unemployment, is at catastrophic levels. An ambitious European Youth Employment Strategy must be implemented, with active labour market policies at the heart of our recovery strategy”.

On the same day that Standard and Poor have downgraded Italy’s credit rating, Mr. Cercas added that; “for two years now the Eurozone crisis has been obsessed with placating the markets rather than building a ‘real economy’ recovery. Europe’s success must be based on a productive workforce rather than the diktats of arbitrary speculation”.

The Vice President of the PES Youth Organisation ECOSY, Pavel Šílený (MSD Czech Republic), stated that many young people are forced to enter labour markets at lower skill and pay levels than their education and experience would merit. This influences the development of both pay and career opportunities all the way through the career, and results in lower pensions.

“For young people, being unemployed bears a higher risk of being socially excluded”, he stated. “A binding Youth Guarantee is essential. Every young person in Europe should be offered a youth guarantee, enshrined in European legislation, which guarantees every young person to receive further education, training or a job at the latest four months after leaving education or after becoming unemployed”.

The PES Social Network is made up of national and European social experts, elected representatives and member party officials. A special PES working group on youth unemployment will meet on 13 October under the joint chairmanship of Nicolas Schmit, Minister of Labour, Employment, and Immigration of Luxembourg and Kaisa Penny, ECOSY-President.

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