“Once again we are discussing the same problem and, unfortunately, nothing has changed” Portuguese MEP Inês Zuber told Commissioner  László Andor in today's debate on the European Youth Initiative that came into force in January 2014.

 

“Much propaganda has been carried out to show the good intentions of the same EU leaders that force countries to pay debts that are unpayable, instead of investing their wealth in development and the creation of employment. A practical initiative to tackle phenomena such as precariousness, emigration, underpaid internships and jobs without social protection rights is urgently needed. This programme should not serve, under any circumstances, as an excuse to cut social protection mechanisms. There is a whole generation that is desperate and tired of being exploited – they have heard enough words.”

 

Greek MEP Kostadinka Kuneva said the funding for the initiative was “a drop in the ocean.”

 

“What is the result? Unemployment keeps rising and in Greece there's a whole lost generation. The new commission knows very well that this talk of tackling youth unemployment is nothing but hypocrisy. We need real results and real training for jobs. We also need an end to the Troika driving down wages for the lucky ones who are able to find a job.”

 

“Youth unemployment in Ireland and across the EU is having serious repercussions which are not only having impacts now but will have social ramifications for years to come” Irish MEP Lynn Boylan told the house.

 

“Those who did not cause the crisis – the young – are certainly having to pay for it. By failing to allocate the funds recommended by the ILO, the Youth Guarantee Scheme is a guarantee only on paper. Six months from its roll-out in January, even Angela Merkel had to admit that it had been a failure in truly tackling the problem. It has provided little more than nice sound bites for certain politicians who want to appear to be acting on the issue while in reality doing very little. I would like to see a full review of the Guarantee,” she concluded.