YOUTHUNEMPLOYMENT

The Political Economy of Youth Unemployment

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'In recent decades, global and European policy makers have been very slow in recognising youth unemployment and underemployment as a priority challenge requiring decisive policy responses. While an urgent concern at the global level, youth employment is not only an issue for developing countries: in recent decades, both developed countries and countries in transition have seen their labour markets incapable of integrating newcomers. Youth unemployment is nowadays a crucial issue in the EU policy agenda. Several policy instruments have been designed to improve the labour market integration of young people. Up to now, the situation of youth in employment has not substantially improved. At the European Union (EU) level, the biggest challenge is to significantly increase participation rates in employment so as to limit, as much as possible, the effects of an ageing population, and overcome the negative economic consequences of a declining European labour force from 2010 onwards. Moreover, these structural features of the unemployment in EU and Eastern Europe have been exacerbated by the recent recession following the international financial crisis. Many young people involved in temporary work will most likely loose their jobs due to the fact that labour market reforms have been implemented in most countries looking at flexibility side only (and not also at the security side). This poses several policy questions: 1. How policy intervention might prevent some particularly weak young people to fall into long-term unemployment or temporary work experiences? 2. Is the springboard effect of temporary work contracts universal or is it linked to particular contractual conditions, such as type and length? 3. Which kind of labour active policy programmes or passive income support schemes should be implemented in order to reduce youth unemployment? This project tries to answer these questions with an in-depth and systematic investigation in several directions.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An in-depth investigation is working to answer questions regarding the role policy intervention plays in long-term youth unemployment.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Youth unemployment and underemployment represent a growing challenge needing policy responses. In recent decades, this urgency is present not only in Europe but globally as well. Although policy measures have been implemented, the situation has not shown substantial improvement.

Furthermore, unemployment in the EU and Eastern Europe has worsened due to the recent recession. Even young people who are employed in temporary work are likely to lose their jobs. Ways to limit the effects of an ageing population and overcome the negative economic consequences of a declining European labour force are needed.

In light of this, the EU-funded YOUTHUNEMPLOYMENT (The political economy of youth unemployment) project is examining these issues through an in-depth and systematic investigation. Thus far, several international scientific meetings have been realised and results disseminated in a wealth of publications. Some of the areas covered include alternative labour market policies on youth unemployment and the analysis of the role of temporary work on youth unemployment.

As a final result of the project, an empirical outline is planned that will show the condition of young people and of policy implications in both Eastern and Western Europe.