EPP-CoR members today presented their proposals to boost youth employment support and to support the development of skills of the workforce in order to respond better to the COVID19 crisis.
Romy Karier, Member of Clervaux municipal council and Rapporteur for the CoR opinion on Youth Employment Support: A Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee spoke about the key role cities and regions can play in the fight against youth unemployment. "Like all levels of power, we must step up our efforts and work hand in hand in this moment of crisis. It is in this perspective that we propose concrete and strong measures to reinforce the European Youth Guarantee. Without a real commitment to increase the support to our youth, either financially or by improving our strategies, the consequences are likely to be dramatic and to extend well beyond the current crisis. But if instead, we come together, I am convinced that we can avoid a new lost generation."
Karier's opinion underlines that, in order to effectively address youth employment in light of the pandemic, the Reinforced Youth Guarantee should be complemented by the prolongation and extension of the temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE), by the inclusion of youth employment measures in National Recovery and Resilience Plans. Furthermore, the opinion warns against policies that seek to promote youth employment by undermining people’s rights to fair remuneration and access to social protection as part of the recovery.
Csaba Borboly, President of the Harghita County Council and CoR Rapporteur for the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience emphasised the need to invest in people through upskilling. "In order to achieve the EU's priorities and targets for the relaunch of economy in the post-pandemic period and for a successful transition towards a green and digital economy, we must put our efforts in the development of skills of the EU's workforce and their resilience toward the continuously changing trends all regions are affected by.”
Borboly's opinion outlined that in most Member States, LRAs play a major role in funding education and developing skills-related policies. In this regard the opinion calls on the European Commission to take steps to build direct links with LRAs interested in fast-tracking of EU funds in the form of pilot projects. Furthermore, the opinion suggests that regional territorial strategies and Green-Deal-related pacts should refer to the skills policy and investments that the region needs.