Youth employment: more funding, faster, thanks to the EPP Group

"Thanks to the EPP Group, things are progressing: the European pre-financing that creates jobs for young people in the most affected regions will increase from 1% to 30%”, said Elisabeth Morin-Chartier, following the adoption, by an overwhelming majority in plenary, of her Report on the increase of pre-financing for the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI).

"Nowadays in Europe, more than 7 million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are unemployed. That is nearly one in four! In Greece and Spain, it's even worse with one in two young people unemployed! This is unacceptable and we need to act quickly. By voting in favour of an increase of €1 billion for the YEI, the European Parliament, under the leadership of the EPP Group, is finally paving the way to eradicating the scourge of youth unemployment", explained Elisabeth Morin-Chartier MEP and Lara Comi MEP, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group responsible for the Youth Strategy.

"This Report has largely brought all the political groups together. We have set aside our differences and united our will to be effective and show that Europe will not abandon its youth", said Morin-Chartier.

"The Report, adopted in less than 3 months, is a clear signal to the Heads of State and Government to take action. The ball is now in their court!", she concluded.