EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 15.9.2015 SWD(2015) 168 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Results of the open method of coordination in the youth field with a special focus on the second cycle (2013-2015) Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Draft 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018) {COM(2015) 429 final}

{SWD(2015) 169 final}







Table of contents 1.Introduction 2.General overview of youth policy 2.1.Evidence-based youth policy 2.2.Legal framework and national youth policy environment 2.3.Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2.4.Other relevant initiatives 3.Youth employment and entrepreneurship 3.1.EU initiatives and action 3.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 3.3.Youth-led initiatives and actions at EU level 4.Social inclusion 4.1.EU initiatives and action 4.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level

4.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 5.Youth participation 5.1.EU initiatives and action 5.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 5.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 6.Education and training 6.1.EU initiatives and action 6.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 6.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 7.Health and well-being 7.1.EU initiatives and action 7.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 7.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 8.Voluntary activities 8.1.EU initiatives and action 8.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 8.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 9.Youth and the world 9.1.EU initiatives and action 9.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level

9.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 10.Creativity and culture 10.1.EU initiatives and action 10.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 10.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 11.Structured Dialogue with young people and youth organisations 11.1.EU initiatives and action 11.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 11.3.Youth-led initiatives and action at EU level 12.EU programme: from Youth in Action to Erasmus+ 12.1.Erasmus+ opportunities in the field of youth 12.2.Mobility for young people and youth workers 12.3.Cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices 12.4.Support for policy reform 12.5.Partnership with countries neighbouring the EU Annexes Annex 1: Abbreviations Annex 2: Council resolutions and conclusions on youth (2010-2015) 1.Introduction

In 2009, the Council endorsed a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), also known as the EU Youth Strategy. The period covered by the framework is divided into three-year work cycles. At the end of each cycle, a European Union (EU) Youth Report should be drawn up by the Commission. The Council specified that the report ‘shall consist of two parts: A joint Council-Commission report (political part), and supporting documents (statistical and analytical part). The EU Youth Report will evaluate progress made towards the overall objectives of the framework, as well as progress regarding the priorities defined for the most recent work cycle and identify good practices’. At the same time, the report should serve as a basis for establishing priorities for the following work cycle. The analytical part of the report assesses the state of play at EU and national level, focusing in this instance on the second three-year work cycle of the EU Youth Strategy; relevant information about the previous cycle is also provided. Separate chapters cover all eight ‘fields of action’ of the strategy, looking first at the priorities of the most recent cycle – youth employment, social inclusion and youth participation. One chapter is given over to the ‘Structured Dialogue’ process, which is seen as crucial to youth participation. Another chapter provides details on the EU Youth Strategy’s financial instrument, the Erasmus+ programme and its predecessor Youth in Action. Each chapter consists of three sections. The first provides an overview of initiatives taken at EU level since 2010, with a focus on the period from 2013 to 2015. The second summarises and assesses the initiatives and action taken at national level; a distinction is made between action deriving from the 2009 Council resolution on a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field and initiatives implementing subsequent Council agreements (resolutions and conclusions). The information presented in this section is based on National Youth Reports submitted by all 28 Member States plus Iceland, Serbia and Turkey. These reports were drawn up in response to a comprehensive questionnaire covering all aspects of the EU Youth Strategy and can be downloaded from the Commission website. Finally, considering the framework’s invitation to encourage and support the involvement and participation of young people and youth organisations in policy-making, implementation and follow-up, the third section reports on youth-led initiatives and action by the European Youth Forum (YFJ). The YFJ, which – together with the Commission – is the only EU-level stakeholder in the European Steering Committee of the Structured Dialogue, brings together 99 national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe. In the Erasmus+ regulation the YFJ is invited to provide the Commission with regular, updated information regarding its fields of activity.

2.General overview of youth policy 2.1.Evidence-based youth policy The EU Youth Strategy stresses the importance of evidence as a basis for policy-making. This EU Youth Report was drawn up around a framework for reporting and monitoring of youth data, research and policy activities. Definitions of young people vary between countries. The age range 15-29 is often selected for statistical purposes at EU level. The situation of young people is measured through a dashboard of EU youth indicators developed in 2011. There are now 41 indicators in all eight fields of action of the strategy. The latest available data for these indicators can be found in a specific subsection on youth on the Eurostat website. In addition, the Commission conducted Flash Eurobarometer surveys on youth in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Data collected on those occasions further contributed to the dashboard of indicators and can now be consulted through the recently developed EU Youth Monitor. The evidence base was further enriched by findings from studies on youth participation in democratic life and on the value of youth work in the European Union. Eurofound – which has prioritised youth in its recent research activities – is another source of knowledge. In its evidence-based approach to youth policy the Commission also works in partnership with the Council of Europe, managing the Pool of European Youth Researchers and the European Knowledge Centre on Youth Policy. The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency provides additional help in monitoring data and statistics in the youth field and is assisting the Commission in the current development of a youth wiki tool. The agency also prepared the statistical part of this EU Youth Report. The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7) supported 20 European, large-scale, multi-stakeholder research projects with a contribution of about € 63 million. ‘The young generation in an innovative, inclusive and sustainable Europe’ was addressed in a call for proposals under Horizon 2020 (Societal Challenge 6, Work Programme 2014-2015). The call covered five different research topics – job insecurity, mobility, lifelong learning, participation and engagement (for an indicative budget of € 29 million). Eight new research projects started in 2015. 2.2.Legal framework and national youth policy environment This section provides a general overview of how Member States and participating non-EU countries structure their youth policy in terms of legislation, policy strategies and interministerial cooperation. It also looks at how these countries perceive the impact of the EU Youth Strategy at the national and local levels as well as other linkages between youth policy at national and EU level. 2.2.1.Youth laws or national legislation on youth Most countries report that during the period 2010-2014 they maintained or introduced legislation that specifically refers to youth issues or contains a section which addresses the needs and/or rights of young people. Table 1: Overview of youth laws or national legislation on youth Youth law or national legislation on youth Belgium German-speaking Community: Dekret vom 6. Dezember 2011 zur Förderung der Jugendarbeit (Decree of 6 December 2011 regulating the funding of youth work http://www.dglive.be/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-111/418_read-38242/ );

Sonderdekret zur Gründung eines Zentrums für die gesunde Entwicklung von Kindern und Jugendlichen vom 20. Januar 2014 (Special decree of 20 January 2014 on the establishment of the centre for the healthy development of children and young people) http://www.dglive.be/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-107/4314_read-43515/ ) Flemish Community: Decreet van 20 januari 2012 houdende een vernieuwd jeugd- en kinderrechtenbeleid (Flemish Parliament Act of 20 January 2012 on conducting a renewed policy on youth and children’s rights) French Community: no youth law Bulgaria Decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria for adoption of the Youth Law (from 5 April 2012, prom. SG. 31/20 April 2012, effective as from 20 April 2012, amend. SG. 68/02 August 2013, effective as of 2 August 2013)

www.mpes.government.bg

http://mpes.government.bg/Pages/Documents/Law/default.aspx Czech Republic No youth law Denmark No youth law Germany Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB) – Achtes Buch (VIII) – Kinder- und Jugendhilfe vom 26.6.1990 in der aktuellen Fassung von Mai 2013 (Social Code, Book VIII – Child and Youth Welfare Act – Article 1 of the Act of 26 June 1990 – current version of May 2013)

https://www.juris.de/purl/gesetze/_ges/SGB_8 Estonia Noorsootöö seadus (Youth Work Act)

https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/ee/Riigikogu/act/512012015003/consolide Ireland Youth Work Act 2001

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/pub/0042/ Greece Laws on youth issues are stipulated and incorporated in the legislation of various Ministries concerning the following policy areas: education, employment, sports, health, culture, family, military service, deviant behaviour, etc. such as for instance: Νόμος 2413/1996 για τη Διαπολιτισμική Εκπαίδευση (Law 2413/1996 on intercultural education

https://nomoi.info/%CE%A6%CE%95%CE%9A-%CE%91-124-1996-%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%BB-1.html Νόμος 4027/2011 για την ελληνόγλωσση εκπαίδευση στο εξωτερικό και άλλες διατάξεις (Law 4027/2011on greek language education abroad and other provisions)

https://nomoi.info/%CE%A6%CE%95%CE%9A-%CE%91-233-2011-%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%BB-1.html Νόμος 3443/2006 για τα ΤΟ.ΣΥ.Ν. (Law 3443/2006 on Local Youth Councils)

http://www.neagenia.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=RESOURCE&cresrc=134&cnode=29 Νόμος 4115/2013 για την οργάνωση και λειτουργία του Ιδρύματος Νεολαίας και Διά Βίου Μάθησης (ΙΝΕΔΙΒΙΜ) και του Εθνικού Οργανισμού Πιστοποίησης Προσόντων και Επαγγελματικού Προσανατολισμού (Law 4115/2013 concerning the organisation and functioning of the Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation and the National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications & Vocational Guidance)

http://www.edulll.gr/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/NOMOS_4115_INEDIBIM_EOPPEP.pdf Σχέδιο Δράσης για την ενίσχυση της απασχόλησης και της επιχειρηματικότητας των νέων (Action Plan for Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship)

https://www.espa.gr/elibrary/Youth%20Action%20Plan%20el.doc

http://www.esfhellas.gr/en/Pages/YouthActionPlan.aspx (in English) Spain There is no specific legislation on youth at national level neither is it expected. The competences in this field have been transferred to the Autonomous Communities (hereinafter called CCAAs). These laws exist in 11 out of the 17 CCAAs. The existing youth regional laws and their dates of enactment are listed below:Castilla y León: Youth Regional Law 11/2002 of 10 July.Madrid: Youth Regional Law 8/2002 of 27 November.La Rioja: Youth Regional Law 7/2005 of 30 June.Islas Baleares: Integral Law of Youth 10/2006 of 27 JulyAragón: Youth Regional Law 3/2007 of 21 MarchMurcia: Youth Regional Law 6/2007 of 4 AprilGovernment of Canarias: Youth Regional Law 7/2007 of 13 AprilCataluña: Youth policies Law 33/2010 of 1 OctoberAutonomous Community of Valencia: Youth Regional Law of 30 DecemberNavarra: Youth Regional Law 11/2011 of 1 April Galicia: Youth Regional Law 6/2012 of 19 June. France Loi d’orientation et de programmation pour la refondation de l’Ecole de la République du 8 juillet 2013

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000027677984&categorieLien=id Croatia Zakon o savjetima mladih – Narodne novine broj 23/07 (Law on Youth Advisory Boards – Official Gazzete 23/07) adopted in 2007

http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/297305.html Zakon o savjetima mladih – Narodne novine broj 41/14 (Law on Youth Advisory Boards – Official Gazzete 41/14) adopted in 2014

http://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2014_03_41_724.html Italy No youth law Cyprus No youth law Latvia Jaunatnes likums (Youth Law)

http://izm.izm.gov.lv/laws-regulations/3903.html Lithuania 2003 m. gruodžio 4 d. Lietuvos Respublikos jaunimo politikos pagrindų įstatymas, Nr. IX-1871 (įsigaliojo 2003 m. gruodžio 18 d.) (Valstybės žinios, 2003, Nr. 119-5406)

Law on Youth Policy Framework of the Republic of Lithuania, 4 December 2003, No IX-1871 (in force from 18 December 2003) (Official Gazette, 2003, No 119-5406)

http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_p?p_id=267613 Luxembourg Loi du 4 juillet 2008 sur la Jeunesse (Youth Law introduced on 4 July 2008) – A draft law amending the Youth Law of 4 July 2008 is within the legislative process, possible adoption in 2015

www.chd.lu/wps/PA_RoleEtendu/FTSByteServingServletImpl/?path=/export/exped/sexpdata/Mag/195/016/109145.pdf Hungary There is no single youth law. 1995. évi LXIV. törvény a Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alapról, a Nemzeti Gyermek és Ifjúsági Közalapítványról, valamint az ifjúsággal összefüggő egyes állami feladatok ellátásának szervezeti rendjéről (The 1995th LXIV. law Children and Youth Fund, National Children and Youth Public Foundation and the state’s responsibilities for particular youth related tasks) 2/1999. (IX. 24.) ISM rendelet a Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alapprogram és a Regionális Ifjúsági Irodák működéséről (Regulation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports 2/1999 (IX.24.) Functioning of the National Children and Youth Fund and the Regional Youth Services) Malta Aġenzija Żgħażagħ (Establishment as an Agency) Order, 2010

http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=21605&l=1 Netherlands Jeugdwet (Youth Law)

http://www.voordejeugd.nl/ondersteuning/downloads/factsheets Austria Federal Act governing the promotion of extracurricular youth education and youth work (Federal Youth Promotion Act) Poland No youth law Portugal No youth law Romania No youth law Slovenia Public Interest in Youth Sector Act

http://www.ursm.gov.si/fileadmin/ursm.gov.si/pageuploads/pdf/ZJIMS/ZJIMS_ENG.pdf Youth Councils Act

http://www.ursm.gov.si/fileadmin/ursm.gov.si/pageuploads/pdf/ZJIMS/ZMS-NPB1__ANG.pdf Slovakia Zákon č. 282/2008 Z. z. o podpore práce s mládežou (Act No 282/2008 Coll. on support of youth work) Finland Nuorisolaki (Youth Act) (72/2006), amendments 693/2010 and 937/2013

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2006/20060072

In English: http://www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Nuoriso/lait_ja_saeaedoekset/Youth_act_Nuorisolaki_amend_2010_en.pdf , Valtioneuvoston asetus nuorisotyöstä ja –politiikasta (Government Decree on Youth Work and Policy) (103/2006)

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/smur/2006/20060103

In English: http://www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Nuoriso/nuorisopolitiikka/liitteet/Valtioneuvoston_asetus_en.pdf Several other laws refer to youth issues and address the needs and rights of young people, e.g. Lastensuojelulaki (Child Welfare Act) (417/2007), Perusopetuslaki (Basic Education Act) (642/2010) Sweden No youth law United Kingdom There is a range of legislation relating to youth that exists in the UK. For example in Wales: The Rights of Children and Young Persons Measure (2011). For more examples of youth laws introduced before January 2010 and maintained please see UK contribution to 2012 EU Youth Report: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/policy/implementation/report_en.htm Iceland Youth law

http://www.menntamalaraduneyti.is/media/MRN-pdf/youth_act70_2007.pdf Serbia Zakon o mladima, ‘Sluzbeni glasnik RS’ broj 50/11 (Law on Youth, Official Gazette of the RS, no 50/11)

http://www.mos.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/download-manager-files/The%20Law%20on%20Youth.pdf Turkey The Ministry of Youth and Sports was established by the Decree Law No 638 dated 3 June 2011 (published in the Official Gazette No 27958 dated 8 June 2011)

http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/Metin.Aspx?MevzuatKod=4.5.638&MevzuatIliski=0&sourceXmlSearch = However, these legal acts can differ in scope: many of them have to do with youth work activities (Flemish and German-speaking Communities of Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Austria, Slovakia, Finland); some are more related to education (France); and others are more focused on youth participation (Cyprus, Croatia, Luxembourg) and/or youth well-being (Germany, Spain, Latvia, Wales in the United Kingdom). Half of the reporting countries mention the existence of a cross-sectoral dimension in the implementation of these laws.

2.2.2.National youth strategies The vast majority of reports (31 out of 33) mention the existence of a specific youth strategy; this trend already present in 2012 is clearly confirmed for 2015. Only Cyprus and Greece declare that they do not have a youth strategy. Poland used to have one until 2012 but has since then opted for a horizontal approach to issues related to education and youth. Some of the youth strategies are new (German-speaking Community of Belgium, Romania) or still in the making (Ireland and Malta within the EU, Iceland and Serbia outside the EU). In 80 % of the cases mentioned, youth strategies were developed after 2010, and the more recent ones tend to have a greater cross-sectoral emphasis.



Table 2: Overview of youth strategies National youth strategies Belgium German-speaking Community: Jugendstrategieplan (Youth Strategy Plan) 2013-2015 (effective) and 2016-2020 adopted by the Parliament of the German-speaking Community on 26 January 2015 French Community: Plan Jeunesse 12-25 ans (Youth Plan 12-25)

www.plan12-25.be – project in stand-by Flemish Community: Vlaams Jeugdbeleidsplan 2011-2014 (Flemish Youth Policy Plan 2011-2014)

http://www.sociaalcultureel.be/jeugd/vjkb.aspx Bulgaria Council of Ministers’ Decision of 6 October 2010 for the adoption of National Youth Strategy (2010-2020)

www.mpes.government.bg Czech Republic Koncepce podpory mládeže na období 2014-2020 (National Youth Strategy for 2014-2020) adopted by the Government of the Czech Republic, Decree No 342 of 12 May 2014

http://www.msmt.cz/file/33599/ Koncepce státní politiky pro oblast dětí a mládeže na období 2007-2013 (Government policy on children and young people for 2007-2013) adopted by the Government of the Czech Republic, Decree No 611 of 4 June 2007

http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/zakladni-vzdelavani/koncepce-statni-politiky-pro-oblast-deti-a-mladeze-na-obdobi Denmark Youth Package 1 + 2, Youth Package 3 (2012-2016) – also local youth strategies with general focus on young people’s well-being and early intervention. Germany Entwicklung einer Eigenständigen Jugendpolitik, Phase I (ab 1.10.2011)

(Development of a modern Youth Policy)

http://www.bmfsfj.de/BMFSFJ/Kinder-und-Jugend/eigenstaendige-jugendpolitik.html Phase II (ab 30.10.2014): Umsetzung der Eigenständigen Jugendpolitik „Handeln für eine jugendgerechte Gesellschaft“ (Implementation of the modern Youth Policy ‘Acting for a child- and youth-friendly society’) Estonia Noorsootöö strateegia 2006-2013 (Estonian Youth Work Strategy 2006-2013)

http://www.hm.ee/sites/default/files/noorsootoo_strateegia_eng.pdf Ireland Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020

http://www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/cypp_framework/BetterOutcomesBetterFutureReport.pdf The Government, in partnership with stakeholders, is developing a National Youth Strategy for 2015-2020 which will have its basis in the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People. Greece No youth strategy as such Spain Youth Strategy 2020 – approved by the Spanish Government on 12 September 2014 France Plan priorité jeunesse (Youth Priority Plan)

www.jeunes.gouv.fr Croatia Nacionalni program za mlade za razdoblje od 2014. do 2017. (National Youth Programme 2014-2017)

http://www.mspm.hr/novosti/vijesti/nacionalni_program_za_mlade_za_razdoblje_od_2014_do_2017_godine Former programmes: Nacionalni program djelovanja za mlade od 2003. do 2008. godine (National Programme of Action for Youth 2003-2008); Nacionalni program za mlade od 2009. do 2013. godine (National Youth Programme 2009-2013) Italy Diritto al futuro (Right to the future)

http://www.diamoglifuturo.it/ Cyprus No youth strategy as such Latvia Jaunatnes politikas pamatnostādnes 2009. - 2018.gadam (Youth Policy Guidelines for 2009-2018)

http://polsis.mk.gov.lv/view.do?id=2994 Lithuania Order No A1-660 of the Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania of 4 December 2013 ‘On the Approval of the Action Plan 2014-2016 for the Implementation of the National Youth Policy Development Programme 2011-2019’ The Action Plan of Strengthening Regional Youth Policy for 2015-2017 was approved by the Order of Minister of Social Security and Labour on 9 January 2015 No A1-11 Dėl Regioninės jaunimo politikos stiprinimo 2015-2017 metų veiksmų plano patvirtinimo (Due to the Approval of the Action Plan of Strengthening Regional Youth Policy for 2015-2017) Luxembourg Pacte pour la Jeunesse 2012-2014 (2012-2014 Youth Pact)

www.jugendpakt.lu Hungary National Youth Strategy – adopted by the Hungarian National Assembly in 2009 (88/2009)

Action plan for 2014-2015 – adopted by the Government in 2014. (1847/2014 (XII.30.)) Malta National Youth Policy 2010-2013

http://cdn02.abakushost.com/agenzijazghazagh/downloads/0662_001.pdf A Shared Vision for the Future of Young People. Draft National Youth Policy Framework 2015-2020

http://cdn02.abakushost.com/agenzijazghazagh/downloads/Draft_National_Youth_Policy_Framework_2015-2020_Discussion_Document.pdf Netherlands Beleidsbrief ‘Geen kind buiten spel’ (No child excluded)

http://www.voordejeugd.nl/ondersteuning/downloads/communicatie-met-de-tweede-kamer Austria Austrian Youth Strategy introduced in 2012

http://www.bmfj.gv.at/ministerium/jugendstrategie/dokumentation-jugendstrategie/publikationen.html Poland A specific Youth Strategy was in force between 2003 and 2013 Report on Youth 2011

http://zds.kprm.gov.pl/sites/default/files/youth_2011_internet.pdf Currently, the system of development strategies includes 9 integrated strategies and 2 principal documents, defining the medium- and long-term development strategy of the country. The integrated strategies are thematically related to key policy areas of the Government. None of those documents is devoted to a particular social group. Issues related to education and youth are included in a horizontal manner in all these documents. Portugal Laws on IPDJ: Dec lei 98/2011 21 sept; Dec lei 132/2014 3 sept 11/2012 11jan; Livro Branco (White Paper on Youth): Resolução 11/2013 youth organisations laws Dec lei 23/2006 23 jun and dec lei 40/2006 24 aug Livro Branco da Juventude (White Paper on Youth) was developed between 2012 and 2014 and is to be published in 2015. Young people and representative structures have been consulted to draw up a document at national level to define a global strategy and an action plan in the youth field.

http://microsites.juventude.gov.pt/Portal/LBJ/OQueE/ Romania National Strategy for Youth Policy 2015-2020 Slovenia Resolution on the National Programme for Youth – adopted in 2013 Slovakia Stratégia Slovenskej republiky pre mládež na roky 2014-2020. (Strategy of the Slovak Republic for Youth 2014-2020)

http://www.rokovania.sk/File.aspx/ViewDocumentHtml/Mater-Dokum-164154?prefixFile=m_ Sweden Med fokus på unga – en politik för goda levnadsvillkor, makt och inflytande (Focus on young people – a policy for good living conditions, power and influence)

(new bill) http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/108/a/236143 Finland Lapsi- ja nuorisopolitiikan kehittämisohjelma 2012-2015 (Child and Youth Policy Programme 2012-2015)

http://www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Julkaisut/2012/liitteet/OKM8.pdf?lang=en Lapsi- ja nuorisopolitiikan kehittämisohjelma 2007-2011 (The Finnish Government’s Child and Youth Policy Programme 2007-2011)

http://www.minedu.fi/export/sites/default/OPM/Julkaisut/2008/liitteet/opm21.pdf?lang=fi United Kingdom England: Positive for Youth

www.education.gov.uk/positiveforyouth Northern Ireland: Priorities for Youth – Improving Young People’s Lives through Youth Work (October 2013)

http://www.deni.gov.uk/19-priorities-for-youth.htm Scotland: Our Ambitions for improving the life chances of young people in Scotland: National Youth Work Strategy 2014-2019

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/communitylearninganddevelopment/youngpeople/youthwork/strategy/index.asp Wales: The Youth Engagement and Progression Framework

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/skillsandtraining/youthengagement/?lang=en Iceland Youth strategy in preparation Serbia Nacionalna strategija za mlade, „Official Gazette of the RS, no. 55/08ˮ Akcioni plan za sprovođenje Nacionalne strategije za mlade za period od 2009. do 2014. godine, „Official Gazette of the RS, no. 7/09ˮ

The Republic of Serbia adopted the first National Youth Strategy in 2008 and one year later an Action plan for its implementation for the period 2009-2014.

http://www.mos.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/download-manager-files/Serbia_National_Youth_Strategy.pdf

http://www.mos.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/download-manager-files/Action%20plan%20of%20the%20National%20Youth%20Strategy.pdf In accordance with the Law on Youth (Article 11), the process of drafting a new National Strategy was launched in mid-2014. The new strategy shall cover the period of 10 years (2015-2025). It is expected to be adopted during February 2015. The three-year Action plan for its implementation will be endorsed during March 2015. Turkey National Youth and Sports Policy Paper published in January 2013

http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/main.aspx?home=http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2013/01/20130127.htm&main=http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2013/01/20130127.htm Ministry of Youth and Sports Strategic Plan 2013-2017

http://dergi.gsb.gov.tr/2013-2017-GSB-STRATEJIK-PLAN/ 10th Development Plan published in July 2013 (section on ‘Child and Youth’)

http://www.kalkinma.gov.tr/Lists/Yaynlar/Attachments/518/Onuncu%20Kalk%C4%B1nma%20Plan%C4%B1.pdf 2.2.3.Youth work Most countries refer to particular strands or aspects of their youth strategies or laws addressing the role of youth work. Many mention their funding in favour of youth work (the three Communities of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovenia). Other countries, for instance Malta and Portugal, stress the regulation of the youth work profession in their country. There are, however, some exceptions which highlight specific youth work strategies, especially at regional or local level. In Wales (United Kingdom), a national youth work strategy was launched in February 2014, setting out how youth work can support the Welsh Government’s priorities of narrowing the gap in educational achievement and reducing the number of young people who are not engaged in employment, education or training (NEETs). In Latvia, local governments develop their own youth work strategy, and it is expected that youth work strategies will be in place for all local governments at the latest in 2015 (and maintained till 2018). Germany underlines the work done on the national implementation of the EU Youth Strategy, as well as its efforts to do so at local level – e.g. the framework concept for youth work of the city of Bremen. Here again, the activities developed since 2010 are generally based more on cross-sectoral cooperation than before. 2.2.4.Institutional mechanisms aimed at cross-sectoral youth policy It seems that only two countries, Cyprus and Denmark, do not have an institutional mechanism for ensuring a cross-sectoral approach to youth policy, but some countries have several. In total, 35 cross-sectoral tools are known to exist, half of which were already in place before 2010. Most of the countries have set up interdepartmental working groups or committees, many of which are connected with youth strategies and are aimed at implementing these through a cross-sectoral approach. They meet mostly at technical level, sometimes coupled with meetings at ministerial level. Spain – Interministerial youth committee This interministerial committee meets at least twice a year under the presidency of the Minister of Health, Social Policy and Equality. The General Director of the Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE) is the vice-President, and each Ministry is represented by a member with the status of General Director. Its aims are: to propose youth policy programmes to the Government that highlight the economic, social, political and cultural factors affecting young people’s inclusion into active social life; to study youth problems and propose programmes and measures to resolve them; to coordinate proceedings between different ministerial departments, especially on youth-related issues. This committee approved the Spanish Youth Strategy 2020 in September 2014. 2.2.5.Linkages between youth policy and youth research Institutionalised and regular cooperation between the ministry responsible for youth and the youth research community is common practice in around two thirds of the countries. The Spanish Youth Institute INJUVE has developed a research programme whose most important study is the Spanish youth report produced every four years. In Finland, the Finnish Youth Research Society and Finnish Youth Research Network are very active. Once per legislative period, the Federal Minister responsible for Youth in Austria has to report on the situation of young people. Upon request by the Bulgarian Ministry of Youth and Sports, sociological studies on ‘Identifying the effect of youth policies on young people in the country’ are carried out in order to analyse the situation of young people and prepare annual youth reports. In Croatia, cooperation with representatives of the research community takes place within the youth advisory board of the Government.

When such cooperation between youth policy and youth research exists, it includes the following actors:



Table 3: Cooperation between youth policy and youth research – actors involved Youth institutes Universities Research centres Other Belgium – Flemish Community ● ● ● Bulgaria ● ● Czech Republic ● ● ● Germany ● ● ● Estonia ● ● Ireland ● Greece ● ● Spain ● ● ● ● France ● Croatia ● Italy ● ● Lithuania ● ● Luxembourg ● Hungary ● ● Malta ● Netherlands ● ● ● Austria ● ● ● ● Portugal ● Romania ● ● Slovakia ● ● Slovenia ● ● ● Finland ● ● ● United Kingdom ● ● ● Iceland ● ● Turkey ● ● ● Slovenia – Cooperation with the Educational Institute The Office for Youth has supported and promoted cross-disciplinary research relating to young people and their living conditions for a long time. In 2014, the office strengthened its cooperation with the Educational Institute with the aim of developing knowledge on youth, the youth sector and youth policies in Slovenia. Concrete measures to be implemented in 2015 are: establishing a platform for monitoring of the National Programme for Youth along the lines of ‘children’s observatory’ (development and monitoring of indicators); setting up a national database for monitoring youth policy in Slovenia; strengthening cooperation with the existing knowledge network at EU level. 2.2.6.Budgetary allocation for youth It is difficult to provide estimates on a general budget for youth; some countries have nevertheless succeeded in presenting relevant data. Table 4: Overview of budgetary allocation for youth National budget

for the youth field National budget

for youth in general EU budget

for the youth field EU budget

for youth in general Belgium – German-speaking Community € 1 695 000 Management costs of Youth in Action Agency: € 28 217. Eurodesk Agency: € 6 102 Belgium – Flemish Community € 71 085 000 Overall budget for education, employment and VET € 104 828 000. There also were € 4 580 000 youth care. Belgium – French Community Estimate 2013 for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation: € 47 615 000 Bulgaria The funds spent by the specialised administration in the Ministry of Youth and Sports for 2013 are BGN 1 138 335 (funds for policies, administration of National Youth Policy (2011-2015) and subsidies for funding of project proposals). Funds spent by the governmental institutions, district administrations and municipal structures for 2013: BGN 161 770 019 Under the Youth in Action programme for 2013, 259 contracts for the total amount of € 3 538 059 were concluded Eurodesk, (National Centre European Youth Programmes and Initiatives): BGN 38 200. Czech Republic Subsidy programmes supporting youth work: CZK 170 million; Czech-German cooperation in the field of children and youth: CZK 3 381 500. Funds supporting gifted children and young people (Programme Excellence): CZK 20 million and funds supporting festivals for young people, and knowledge-based and skill-based competitions for young people: CZK 35 million. ESF Project ‘Keys for Life’: CZK 15 298 202 from EU budget (national co-financing: CZK 2 699 682) Denmark n/a Germany 2013 German expenditure on public child and youth support agencies: € 35 526 752 000 for youth work, youth social work, educational child and youth protection, child day-care services, educational support, employee further training, other expenditure and personnel costs Estonia € 7 386 520 € 7 001 682 (EU funds without Youth in Action) Ireland Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Affairs Budget of € 51 748 000 (2013) current and € 500 000 capital in 2015 Greece € 355 775 582. This amount includes EU funds and other programmes/funds. Spain € 25 924 000 (budget INJUVE) € 1 600 000 € 10 953 105 France € 244 551 876 € 80.47 billion Croatia In 2013 the budget allocations targeting young people were HRK 344 247 024.9 million. This amount includes state budget, lottery funds and EU funds. Italy National Fund for Youth of € 5 278 360 million in net cuts for the spending review allocated to the interventions of Communes (€ 659 795), Provinces (€ 264 445), Regions (€ 3 298 447) and the Central State (€ 1 055 672). Fund for the civil service net of cuts for the spending review: € 126 859 716 Fund Cohesion Action Plan ‘Youth for the noon’: € 63 600 000 The appropriations provided with the Youth in Action programme in 2013 amounted to € 11 966 525. Lithuania € 1 700 000 € 3 million Malta € 680 000 (Aġenzija Żgħażagħ budget) € 1 802 833 Austria From 2009 to 2013 the Federal Budget Reform was implemented in two stages. It now defines for instance a new budget structure as well as outcome oriented budget management. https://english.bmf.gv.at/budget-economic-policy/BMF-HHRR_folder_E.pdf?4cxx82 There is no special dedication to the youth field in each Federal Ministry. In addition, there is supplement financial support from the Federal Provinces and local authorities € 3 804 548 (Erasmus+ Youth in Action) Portugal € 11 000 000 Slovakia Support of youth work activities via financial ‘Programmes for youth’, amount: € 2.5 million Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family runs specific initiatives for young people especially in the field of unemployment National projects targeted on youth work development financed under European Social Fund. Amount: € 12 million Targeting youth unemployment ‘Youth Guarantee’ is used. Amount: € 76 million Slovenia € 200 million € 70 million Sweden SEK 282 million SEK 4.2 million Finland € 74 million total (71% of the total budget is allocated from the Lottery funds and the rest from the ordinary budget) € 976 million (general education), € 737 million (vocational education), € 2 739 million (university education) € 3 million United Kingdom Responsibility for youth sits across various Government departments and Devolved Administrations and so it is difficult to provide a total figure of the estimated budget allocation Serbia € 8 400 000 € 1 361 259 Turkey TRY 5 596 536 251 (Ministry of Youth and Sports budget, includes administrative costs) 2.3.Implementation of the EU Youth Strategy 2.3.1.Impact of the EU Youth Strategy on national, regional or local level Twenty-two reports confirm that the EU Youth Strategy has reinforced existing youth priorities at national level. Many national youth strategies take their cue from the EU Youth Strategy by using the same principles, goals and fields of action (Austria, Flemish Community of Belgium, Croatia, Ireland, Malta) or by getting inspiration from its instruments like the Structured Dialogue and support for youth participation (Flemish Community of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal). Spain, Sweden, the German-speaking Community of Belgium, Ireland, Estonia, Slovakia, Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Poland as well as Serbia point out that the EU Youth Strategy has to some extent triggered a shift in their national youth policy. Slovakia’s new national strategy follows the same structure as the EU Youth Strategy, which is gradually being reflected in the country’s regional youth strategies. In some countries, such as Italy and Slovenia, the European strategy has influenced the development of a cross-sectoral approach. 2.3.2.Assessment of the EU Youth Strategy at national, regional or local level One third of the national reports indicate that the EU Youth Strategy was assessed in the respective countries. In many cases, this was done when evaluating the national strategy (Flemish Community of Belgium, Finland, United Kingdom). For instance, the annual assessment of the Finnish Child and Youth Policy programme concluded that more attention should be paid to developing opportunities for all children and young people to participate. The German Youth Institute (Deutsches Jugendinstitut, DJI) evaluated the first implementation phase in Germany (2010-2013). The assessment focused on the governance panels set up by the federal government and federal states, which monitor and coordinate the German implementation process. It was found in particular that effective cooperation had been established between the government, the federal states and relevant civil society stakeholders and that this cooperation has to be seen as a normative process. The existing panels may be enlarged to include further relevant actors at any time. The National Working Group for Structured Dialogue has, for example, included youth representatives from the European youth conferences. 2.3.3.Consultation of young people and other youth stakeholders

Young people were consulted in most of the countries when the national reports were being prepared. Slovakia was the only country that did not organise a specific consultation, relying instead on the results of a previous consultation on the country’s new youth strategy, for which a youth conference was organised in March 2014. Slovakia therefore used the information gathered at the conference, which was updated by various stakeholders and umbrella organisations. 2.3.4.EU Work Plan for Youth In May 2014 the Council adopted a European Union Work Plan for Youth for 2014-2015 aiming to sharpen implementation of the EU Youth Strategy and better align activities in the youth field with the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy. This was done by focusing on a given number of priorities, supported by expert groups and other forms of mutual learning. Most countries take the view that the EU work plan reflects national priorities. Spain emphasises that the cross-sectoral handling of youth employment issues, promoting non-formal learning and empowerment, is essential to drawing up youth policies in the context of the current crisis. Malta points out that its new National Youth Policy (2015-2020) has a dual strategic approach that is focused on youth work and non-formal learning on the one hand, and on a cross-sectoral dimension on the other hand. When drafting its youth strategy for 2014-2020, the Czech Republic took the opportunity to link national priorities to the priorities of the EU work plan. In Ireland, the three priorities of the work plan are reflected in the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People; they will also be picked up in the forthcoming national youth strategy. Both policy documents recognise the significant contribution of non-formal and informal learning provided through youth work, emphasise and promote cross-sectoral cooperation and collaboration, and prioritise young people’s participation. Twenty-three of the reporting countries believe that the work plan facilitates the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy. Finland points out that the work plan lends substance to the strategy and ties it more closely to policy-making and further development of youth work at national level. Italy considers that the work plan allows Member States to implement the strategy more effectively in a number of ways: it identifies which fields of action are the most relevant in view of the current situation of young people; it sets a clear timetable and planning for intervention at European level; and it strengthens cross-sectoral cooperation. For Greece, it serves as a concrete framework of actions for policy-makers. Some caution was expressed. While recognising the work plan’s benefit in terms of making the EU Youth Strategy more concrete, giving clear direction and increasing transparency, the Flemish Community of Belgium says there is a risk that it could be considered as a separate instrument with its own dynamics of implementation and reporting. The need for the EU Youth Strategy on a long-term basis is still there and the work plan should cover all themes – and the presidency priorities should be related to it. Finally, most of the Member States participated in the planned activities and their feedback provided details on national participation in the work plan’s expert groups. 2.4.Other relevant initiatives Countries were asked to specify if they took other initiatives linked to the EU Youth Strategy, such as multilateral peer-learning activities, policy conferences or policy networks. When such activities are mentioned, these are mostly conferences or other mutual learning events.



Table 5: Overview of other relevant initiatives Peer-learning activity, policy conference or network Other Belgium French Community: 1st European Youth Work Convention in July 2010 under the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU Flemish Community: Seminars in the framework of the multilateral cooperation between Flanders, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia; study visits and conferences on different themes, e.g. development of youth policy at all levels, youth policy at local level, youth in an urban context, participation, quality youth work Bulgaria Annual exchange of experience with South Korea and Azerbaijan in the field of youth policy and sport on the basis of memorandums of cooperation Exchange of experience with Finland for studying good practices in the youth field under a project funded by the ESF, Operational Programme ‘Administrative Capacity’ Exchange of experience in the field of youth policies and programmess with Greece Bulgarian Chairmanship of the meeting of the ministers of youth and sports of the Black Sea Cooperation Organisation member states (2013) Czech Republic Working seminar on Youth Volunteering for Visegrad Group (V4) and Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, September 2014; main theme: role of local, national and international volunteering in V4 and EaP countries – identification of cooperation opportunities for better efficiency The new National Youth Strategy (2014-2020) was developed using Czech-Slovak bilateral cooperation, cooperation between the Visegrad Group countries and a peer-learning activity between the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Belgium, Lithuania, Netherlands and Sweden in 2011-2013 Denmark Exchange of good practices and coordination of views among the youth councils in the Nordic countries (Demark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland). Yearly conferences for board members of youth councils in the Nordic countries. Germany Various multilateral cooperation projects: European Peer Learning on Youth Policy (Eigenständige Jugendpolitik) ‘youthpart’ (on e-participation) transitions. Successful Transitions to Training and Employment Participation of young people in the democratic Europe Ireland Different meetings as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2013: EU youth conference on social inclusion High level round table on the role of youth work in responding to youth employment and employability Informal meeting of EU Directors-General for Youth BelonG To conference on ‘LGBT Youth and Social Inclusion’ Spain ‘youthpart’ project (2012-2014): cooperation between Spain, Germany, Finland, Austria, United Kingdom and the Commission on youth e-participation; conferences, peer-learning seminars and youth conferences Croatia April 2012: ‘Information right now! – Young people are asking’ conference, organised by the Community Information Centres for young people in Croatia and the Ministry of Social Policy and Youth to mark the beginning of a public campaign Informacija uPRAVO sad! (Information right now!) in Croatia; On that occasion, the European Charter for Youth Information was signed February 2014: conference on the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, Erasmus + December 2014: conference ‘EU for Youth’ to inform students, young unemployed people and young entrepreneurs about their possibilities from EU funds. Italy European Conference on Youth Health and Well-being, Rome, June 2010 Events organised in 2014 as part of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the EU: EU youth conference on support access to rights by young people to enhance their autonomy and participation in social life Meeting of EU Directors-General for Youth ‘Regenerate participation. Youth and Civil Service in the European perspective’ ‘Youth employment event – 1 year after – Building a sustainable future’ Latvia Multilateral cooperation with Estonia, Lithuania and Flanders – for the implementation of cooperation in the youth field 2012-2014. The aim of the cooperation is to promote the exchange of experience on the participation of young people in thematic areas, to identify effective methods and best examples for young people; workshops organised, for example, on 1) skill recognition through informal education, 2) youth participation in different decision-making processes, 3) youth work quality, 4) evidence-based youth policy at the local level Hungary V4 seminars related to the youth field with Visegrad Group and Eastern Partnership countries Bilateral cooperation with the Flemish Community of Belgium. A five-days long study visit was achieved in September 2014 Netherlands Focus in positive youth policies and practices – multilateral peer-learning seminars with German and Czech partners; one was organised in Rotterdam in 2012. Austria Youth Forum 2010: exchange of opinions and ideas on three main topics (education, inclusion, participation); networking and exchange of good practices in the youth field on a European level; meeting between more than 200 young people and youth workers, representatives of youth ministries and authorities from Austria, Germany, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Belgium and Liechtenstein 2013 learning mobility research conference ‘International youth work and mobility as learning contexts: research evidence for policy and practice’ organised by the network for the ‘Research-based Analysis and Monitoring of Youth in Action’ (RAY) Regional symposia 2011-2012: under the heading ‘Youth.Politics.Europe.Austria’ the tour of the federal states included symposia in Tyrol, Styria, Vorarlberg, Upper Austria and Salzburg. Apart from decision-makers in the fields of politics and administration, practitioners and multipliers were also invited according to the key topic. Apart from spreading information on the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field, the goal of the series of events was to relate these European guidelines to the national and local level and to bring together various players around a chosen key topic Portugal Conferences, peer-learning and network activities – youth employment, entrepreneurship, youth work and non-formal education – social inclusion; national and transnational Slovakia Declaration on the recognition of non-formal learning in youth work: public declaration of various stakeholders (employers, ministries, municipalities, universities, youth organisations, etc.) in education about the value of non-formal education in youth work. Finland 2nd InterCity Conference – peer-learning in local youth work and youth policy, December 2013, Helsinki Autonomy through dependency – histories of cooperation, conflict and innovation in youth work, June 2014, Helsinki Finland also focuses on the topic of social inclusion during its Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, which includes non-EU member states (Russian Federation and Norway) United Kingdom UK Young Ambassadors (Young Migrants project) to engage young migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Structured Dialogue British Youth Council partnered with ‘Refugee Youth’ for the duration of the Trio, getting access to the target group and supporting them to develop resources and workshops to outreach further. Serbia Regional network Western Balkans

3.Youth employment and entrepreneurship The aim of action in this field is to support young people’s integration into the labour market (either as employees or as entrepreneurs) and to facilitate and support the transition from education and training, or from unemployment or inactivity, to the labour market. Opportunities to reconcile working life with family life should also be improved.

3.1.EU initiatives and action The growing number of unemployed youth and those not in employment, education or training (NEETs) has led to an increase in the number of initiatives in the field of youth employment and entrepreneurship. Youth Guarantee The Youth Guarantee seeks to ensure that all EU Member States make a good-quality offer to all young people (up to age 25) of a job, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of leaving formal education or becoming unemployed. The Youth Guarantee recommendation was formally adopted by the EU’s Council of Ministers on 22 April 2013 and endorsed by the June 2013 European Council. It includes guidelines for setting up such schemes, covering in particular the need for stronger partnerships between all the public authorities concerned (education and employment institutions), early intervention and activation, and making full use of EU funding. The implementation of the Youth Guarantee in all Member States is already producing results. Compared to other structural reforms in Europe, the Youth Guarantee is probably one of the most rapidly implemented. All 28 Member States presented their Youth Guarantee Implementation Plans in 2014, setting out the respective roles of public authorities and other organisations, how it will be financed and monitored, as well as a timetable. The Commission monitors the progress made within the EU’s reinforced economic surveillance framework (the European Semester). An Indicator Framework for Monitoring the Youth Guarantee is now in place. The Commission provides technical support and guidance in a variety of ways. For example, to assist the Member States in developing their Youth Guarantee schemes, the Commission organises high-level events as well as more technical meetings and country visits. The Commission has set up and continuously updates a Youth Guarantee website which explains the concept and related actions to a wider audience. A dedicated hotline provides information and guidance to Member States. The Commission also encourages and enables mutual learning among Member States through the sharing of experiences and good practices. One example is a peer review of the Finnish Youth Guarantee held on 18 September 2014. The Commission also supports awareness-raising activities centred around the Youth Guarantee: a pilot was launched in four countries in the first half of 2015, with a particular focus on outreach to young people to invite them to contact the relevant services. Furthermore, at the request of the European Parliament, the Commission financed 18 twelve-month pilot projects in seven Member States to support Youth Guarantee partnerships at the local level. The results of these projects can be found in the summary report published in April 2015 and were presented at a conference during the European Youth Week. European Parliament pilot project in Ballymun (Ireland) A particularly comprehensive and ambitious pilot project was set up in Ballymun, outside Dublin, Ireland, to support 739 young people facing multiple barriers to the labour market in one of Ireland’s most disadvantaged areas. The project had an ambitious target of guaranteeing all newly-registered unemployed young people aged between 18 and 24 years in the Ballymun area a good-quality offer of a job, apprenticeship, traineeship, work experience, or continued education within four months of registration and all those already on the unemployment register would receive an offer within four months of an initial guidance interview. This target was met, with 98 % of young people receiving their offer on time: 57 % of offers were for further education and training, and the remaining 43 % were offers of employment, subsidised employment and traineeships. Unsurprisingly, the profile of offers to the better educated members of the client group featured much higher rates of employment and higher levels of further education and training. For many others the ‘offer’ was the start of a process and not the end: stepping stones along a pathway to employment. The Ballymun pilot was also successful in terms of engaging employers: new communication materials for employers (leaflets and webpage) featuring one key contact person for queries were developed. A database of local employers was created to facilitate communication and relationship building. A range of employer events including breakfast briefings were held to raise awareness and boost participation in the Youth Guarantee. By the end of the project the number of youth registered as unemployed in Ballymun had dropped by 29 %, which compares positively against the national rate of reduction of 19 % during the same period. Particular emphasis will be placed on youth employment in implementing the EU Structural and Investment Funds from 2014 to 2020. The regulations that govern these funds already include a dedicated investment priority targeting the sustainable labour market integration of young NEETs. To increase available EU financial support to the regions and individuals struggling most with youth employment and inactivity, the EU also agreed to create a dedicated Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). The YEI exclusively targets NEETs aged below 25 years, and where the Member State considers relevant, also those aged below 30 years. The YEI provides additional funding to support the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. The YEI funding comprises € 3.2 billion from a specific EU budget heading dedicated to youth employment and at least another € 3.2 billion from the EU Structural and Investment Funds’ national allocations. This will boost the support already provided by these funds for similar types of activities. Furthermore, Member States will have to complement this assistance with additional investments in structural reforms to modernise employment, social and education services for young people, and by strengthening the capacity of relevant structures and improving education access, quality and links to labour market demand. Quality apprenticeships and traineeships are two core components of Youth Guarantee schemes. Effective vocational education and training systems, in particular those that include a strong work-based learning component, appear to facilitate the transition of young people from education to work. A recent analysis by the Center for Research on Education and Life Long Learning (CRELL) showed a labour market advantage, at least in the short run, of young individuals with VET qualifications (compared to their non-VET counterparts), although with important cross-country differences. Launched in July 2013, the European Alliance for Apprenticeships brings together public authorities, businesses, social partners, vocational education and training providers, youth representatives, and other key actors in order to improve the quality and supply of apprenticeships across the EU and change attitudes towards apprenticeship-type learning. A Council Declaration on the European Alliance for Apprenticeships was adopted in October 2013. By June 2015, 26 Member States and 5 non EU countries had submitted concrete commitments on next steps to increase the quantity, quality and supply of apprenticeships. Furthermore, 86 organisations (companies, business associations, chambers, social partners, education and training providers, regional authorities, youth and non-profit organisations) pledged to contribute to strengthening the supply, quality and/or attractiveness of apprenticeships. A pool of ‘business ambassadors’ was set up on the initiative of the European Roundtable of Industrialists. So that young people can acquire high-quality work experience under safe and fair conditions and to increase their employability, Member States agreed on a Quality Framework for Traineeships in March 2014, setting a benchmark for the determination of good quality traineeship under the Youth Guarantee. It offers guidelines to ensure that all traineeships are based on a written agreement covering learning content and working conditions (learning objectives, mentoring, limited duration, working time, clear indication as to whether remuneration/compensation and social protection apply). In addition, traineeship providers are recommended to enhance transparency by disclosing in the vacancy notice the financial conditions (compensation and social security coverage) and the proportion of ex-trainees recruited in the past after their traineeship. These requirements are designed to tackle the lack of transparency on compensation (46 % of vacancy notices do not indicate it), often exploited by unscrupulous traineeship providers, and the problem of traineeships being renewed more than once under the guise of (non-existent) hiring prospects. Labour mobility The EU facilitates labour mobility, in particular by making young people aware of job opportunities in other EU countries. The European Employment Services (EURES) network provides information, advice and recruitment/placement (job matching) services for the benefit of workers and employers as well as any citizen wishing to benefit from the principle of free movement of workers. EURES promotes cooperation between the Commission, public employment services of 28 Member States, and their partners. It consists of about 1 000 EURES advisers working on transnational and cross-border mobility issues. The human network is complemented by the EURES Job Mobility portal giving access to about 1.4 million job vacancies and offering opportunities for easy and multilingual matching of CVs with those job vacancies across Europe. The overall ongoing reform of EURES aims at making it a more demand-driven and result-oriented recruitment tool. As part of this development, the Commission has been testing a scheme called Your first EURES Job (YfEJ) to help EU nationals aged 18 to 30 to find a job in any of the 28 Member States (remunerated, minimum 6 months contract). The scheme combines information, recruitment, matching and job placement support with financial incentives. It finances language courses, other training needs and travel expenses for young job applicants (for job interviews and job settlement in other EU countries). It also provides a contribution to an integration programme in the case of recruitment by an SME. The objective of the YfEJ for the three calls launched between 2011 and 2013 was to find jobs for 5 000 young people on the basis of a total budget of around € 12 million. As from 2013, support measures were extended to trainees and apprentices with an enhanced mobility package (e.g. further language training support, costs with recognition of qualifications, supplementary allowance for young people with special needs, mentoring for trainees/apprentices). By the end of the first quarter of 2015, nearly 4 000 young jobseekers had obtained a job in another Member State, but not all projects will be finished before the end of the third quarter 2015. A mid-term evaluation confirmed the relevance and EU added value of the scheme; an ex-post evaluation will follow in 2016. The EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (2014-2020) provides additional funding to support targeted mobility schemes intended to fill bottleneck vacancies or deal with vacancies in certain occupations, sectors or Member States or to support specific target groups (e.g. young people) , facilitating intra-EU job mobility. Under the programme, the YfEJ covers young people aged 18 to 35 and is open to the 28 Member States, Norway and Iceland. From 2014 the YfEJ scheme is integrated into the above-mentioned EURES network. EURES member organisations are lead applicants, in consortium with EURES partners and other labour market organisations. The 2014 call for proposals (€ 7 million) selected EURES Italy and EURES Sweden as lead applicants. For the 2015 call, € 8 million is available to finance two additional projects. Each project aims at about 1 500 placements over a period of two years. EU-funded research projects on youth mobility and labour market integration Research projects launched in 2015: MOVE – Mapping mobility: Pathways, institutions and structural effects of youth mobility in EU ( http://www.move-project.eu ) YMOBILITY – Youth mobility: Maximising opportunities for individuals, labour markets and regions in EU ( www.ymobility.eu ) NEGOTIATE – Negotiating early job: Insecurity and labour market exclusion in Europe ( www.negotiate-research.eu )

European youth cooperation on employment Youth employment was the overall thematic priority of the first Trio Presidency after the entry into force of the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field. The first cycle of the Structured Dialogue also focused on youth employment. The results of this thematic priority inspired subsequent initiatives, such as the Council recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. Based on Council conclusions on fostering the creative and innovative potential of young people (May 2012), a thematic expert group was set up in order to share best practice on how to promote the creativity and innovative capacity of young people by identifying competences and skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning relevant to employability. The expert group’s final report was submitted to the Youth Working Party on 22 January 2014. It confirms that engaging in non-formal learning activities can help boost young people’s employability and social inclusion. Participation in non-formal learning activities allows young people to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that are frequently said to be needed in the labour market. This includes teamwork, communication, leadership, flexibility and responsiveness. It also entails discovering one’s entrepreneurial and innovative potential, by identifying problems, coming up with ways of dealing with them and sticking to a chosen course of action. The report also identifies a need for greater recognition of non-formal learning and recommends ways of explaining non-formal learning more clearly to employers and educators, translating non-formal learning outcomes to the world of work, encouraging youth entrepreneurship and promoting partnerships and cross-sectoral innovation. The European Union Work Plan for Youth for 2014-2015 underlines the need for cross-sectoral cooperation, with a particular focus on collaboration between youth policy and employment policy. The Member States and the Commission were invited to establish an expert group for the duration of the work plan, whose aim is to define the specific contribution of youth work and non-formal and informal learning to address challenges young people are facing, in particular the transition from education to employment. The group started work in October 2014 and will present its results at the end of 2015. Entrepreneurship The purpose of youth entrepreneurship is to combat youth unemployment and social exclusion as well as to stimulate the innovative capabilities of young people in Europe. Therefore, the objective of fostering youth entrepreneurship has a prominent place in the Europe 2020 strategy. The Commission communication Rethinking Education: Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes identifies the development of transversal skills, particularly entrepreneurial skills, as one of the strategic priorities in education and training. The importance of promoting entrepreneurship was stressed in the Council conclusions on promoting youth entrepreneurship to foster social inclusion of young people (20 May 2014). In this context special attention is paid to the concept of ‘social entrepreneurship’, which is embedded in the real economy, close to people and to local communities, and primarily aims at contributing to the general good of society. The above-mentioned expert group on promoting the creativity and innovative capacity of young people recommended a ‘strong focus on entrepreneurship’. A number of policy initiatives and tools in the field of formal education and training address the need to foster entrepreneurship. The Council conclusions on entrepreneurship in education and training of 12 December 2014 highlight the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach to entrepreneurship education; initial teacher/trainer education programmes and continuous professional development; synergies between entrepreneurship education and career guidance; involvement of entrepreneurs in the learning process as well as providing traineeship, apprenticeship, work-based learning; and practical entrepreneurship experience. In its final report of November 2014, the thematic working group on entrepreneurship education explored ways of embedding entrepreneurship as a key competence in education and training, namely by identifying success factors for the entrepreneurship ecosystem such as stakeholder engagement; entrepreneurial curriculum and teaching methods; entrepreneurial learning outcomes and assessment; supporting educators and leaders; pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs; and measuring progress and impact. Through a study launched by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the Commission also works on the description of the key competence for lifelong learning ‘sense of initiative and entrepreneurship’. A competence framework will be developed, clarifying the constituting elements of entrepreneurship competence for all stakeholders – including young citizens – to refer to for any purpose, including education, employment and business endeavours. ‘HEInnovate’, a joint initiative of the Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), enables self-assessment of the entrepreneurial and innovative capabilities of higher education to promote an entrepreneurial mind-set through education. The ‘knowledge triangle’ interaction between education, research and innovation supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) enhances the teaching and learning process by stimulating creative thinking and innovative attitudes and approaches that often result in venture creation. During the second cycle of the renewed framework, the Commission adopted the communication Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan – Reigniting the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe, which invites Members States to offer all students a practical entrepreneurial experience, including through youth work and non-formal learning (e.g. volunteering), before they leave secondary education. A number of EU programmes contribute to fostering entrepreneurship. The European exchange programme for entrepreneurs ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ (2014-2020) gives would-be and recently established entrepreneurs the know-how that is key to creating and running a new business, through exchanges with experienced entrepreneurs in another European country. The EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation, the European Social Fund as well as the European Regional Development Fund (2014-2020) facilitate access to finance for social enterprises and support business creation by young people. The EU has since 2009 supported the multi-country initiative ‘South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (SEECEL) – developing an entrepreneurial society in Western Balkans and Turkey’. Its main purpose is to encourage systematic development of ‘entrepreneurially literate’ societies across the region and to support alignment of national policies with EU recommendations related to lifelong entrepreneurial learning, as well as to further develop the lifelong entrepreneurial learning system in line with the Human Capital dimension of the Small Business Act for Europe. The activity covers both secondary and tertiary education. Last but not least, the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (2007-2013) supported research activities related to social innovation focusing on social entrepreneurship and youth entrepreneurship (see box). EU-funded research projects on entrepreneurship Social entrepreneurship: SEFORIS – Social Entrepreneurship as a Force for more Inclusive and Innovative Societies ( www.seforis.eu ) EFESEIIS – Enabling the flourishing and evolution of social entrepreneurship for innovative and inclusive societies ( http://www.fp7-efeseiis.eu ) Youth entrepreneurship: STYLE – Strategic Transitions for Youth Labour in Europe ( http://www.style-research.eu ) CUPESSE – Cultural Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurship: Family Values and Youth Unemployment in Europe ( http://cupesse.eu/ ) 3.2.Summary of initiatives and action at national level 3.2.1.Implementation of the 2009 Council resolution The types of measures most frequently mentioned are the following: short-term measures stimulating the integration of young people in the labour market as well as structural measures taking into account youth; measures developing career guidance and counselling services; and measures supporting and promoting young people’s entrepreneurship via entrepreneurship education, support to start-up funds and junior entreprises, mentoring programmes and European networks and structures. Interestingly, these three types of measures are amongst those which to a large extent were introduced after January 2010.

A – Short-term measures stimulating the integration of young people in the labour market and structural measures taking into account youth B – Developing career guidance and counselling services C – Supporting and promoting young people’s entrepreneurship D – Increasing and improving investments in the provision of suitable skills E – Promoting cross-border professional and vocational opportunities F – Lowering barriers to the free movement of workers across the EU G – Facilitating reconciliation between professional and private life H – Promoting entrepreneurship in the field of sustainable development 3.2.1.1.Increasing and improving investments in the provision of suitable skills The provision of suitable skills for the labour market is of concern to most countries. Training programmes for the attainment of new, professional, language, practical or transversal skills and of key competences are commonly used measures which are often part of the national Youth Guarantee scheme. For instance, the United Kingdom (England) launched two ‘Work Skills’ pilots to help 18 to 21 year-olds with training on literacy, numeracy and other work skills with 18 000 participants. The support of youth work initiatives that increase young people’s employability is particularly mentioned by Ireland, which in the context of its annual Action Plan for Jobs instituted a mapping exercise to categorise and comment on the Irish youth work response to youth employment. The German-speaking Community of Belgium identified the need for professional youth workers and will develop a specific professional qualification for this activity by 2017. Bringing vocational training systems closer to the labour market is another priority. Here, the Czech Republic’s Action Plan for Support of Vocational Training (Akční plan podpory odborného vzdělávání) is being constantly refined and updated. Denmark also plans to reform its vocational education system in order to increase the participation of young people in VET and to strenghten the trust in this type of training. In Austria, the apprenticeship regulations (Lehrberufspaket) are continuously adapted to new trends and technologies and to professional practice. From 2011 to 2015 Slovenia runs a mentorship programme for young people (Mentorstvo za mlade ) with the aim to encourage employers to transfer knowledge, skills and experience from experienced staff to those who need their knowledge – new (young) employees. Special emphasis is put on inter-generational transfer of knowledge, skills and information. Regarding better anticipation in the longer term of the skills needed, common measures are labour market forecasts, identification of competencies and professions needed, and programmes for specific skills. By way of example, the Flemish Community of Belgium developed, via the VLAMT project, a methodology to collect information on future skills needs in order to facilitate future vocational choices. In Greece, the national organisation for the certification of qualifications and vocational guidance (EOPPEP) conducted several studies on future labour market needs, for instance on green jobs and green skills needed in the Greek labour market (2011) and on emerging occupational sectors in Greece and new skills meeting labour market needs (2013). In the Netherlands, the public administration, education sector, trade unions and employers concluded a pact to improve the links between education and labour market in the technical sector (Techniekpakt ). The Polish Commissioned Degree programmes address the huge skills mismatch concerning sector-specific skills (oversupply of graduates in social sciences, the humanities, economics, management, administration, etc. versus lack of students in mathematics, technical and natural science faculties) by scholarship schemes, remedial courses and attractive teaching activities. In Romania, the Law No 335/2013 on traineeships for higher education graduates aims at strengthening professional skills and abilities to adapt to practical requirements and job demands. 3.2.1.2.Promoting cross-border professional and vocational opportunities The Erasmus+ programme and its predecessors in the fields of youth and education and training are mentioned by many countries as important support for cross-border opportunities for young people. In this context, Europass, a set of documents that can be used to show skills and competences clearly and unambiguously, is also quoted. Several countries, such as Finland, refer to their international mobility and cooperation programmes. Other support measures for cross-border mobility of young people – although not directly aimed at professional or vocational development – are for instance bilateral governmental agreements concluded by the Czech Republic with other countries to facilitate working abroad during holidays (in South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, and soon Chile and Israel). These agreements enable young people from 18 to 30 or 35 to undertake employment in the host country for the purpose of supplementing their travel funds. Several projects of the Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus Cross Border Cooperation programme within the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) promote cross-border professional and vocational opportunities for young people, such as the one on ‘Youth Entrepreneurship Encouragement in Kaunas and Minsk regions’, whose overall objective is to enhance entrepreneurship, youth cooperation, reduction of unemployment and young people’s mobility in the regions concerned. More specifically on vocational training, Luxembourg concluded a framework agreement on cross-border vocational training in the Greater Region (see box). Austria offers foreign work placements to apprentices (for instance in the tourism industry). Thanks to these 3 to 5 weeks placements in another country, apprentices acquire new working methods, get to know another country and culture, improve their vocational, linguistic and intercultural competences, and get accustomed to the requirements of the labour market and clients. Framework agreement on cross-border vocational training in the Greater Region The members of the Greater Region (Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Wallonia and the rest of the French Community of Belgium, and the German-speaking Community of Belgium) concluded, for an unlimited period, a framework agreement on cross-border vocational training which entered into force on 4 December 2014. The agreement formulates, for the first time, common objectives on cross-border vocational training in the region. It aims at (non-exhaustive enumeration): deepening the regional labour market integration; improving the qualification, professional mobility and adaptability of the labour force, in particular of young people; fighting youth unemployment and reducing the number of young people who are not in employment, education or training; satisfying the demand for skilled workers; improving information on cross-border vocational training opportunities; removing regulatory barriers to cross-border mobility. The implementation will be monitored by the Greater Region Summit’s working group on the labour market. http://www.men.public.lu/fr/actualites/communiques-conference-presse/2014/11/13-accord-cadre/index.html

Ireland – Experience Your Europe (EYE) programme The Experience Your Europe (EYE) programme is part of the Youth Guarantee aimed at young people aged 18 to 24 years. It consists of three options: 12 month sponsored placement in another European country; helping jobseekers find a job in Europe; apprenticeship programme in Germany. Targeting of suitable candidates nationwide commenced in October 2014. Under the scheme the Department of Social Protection will fund some of the re-location costs and/or living costs incurred by jobseekers undertaking at least nine months’ training/work experience abroad. Basic language training will be provided in advance and language acquisition while abroad is a compulsory element of the placement. http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Experience-Your-Europe.aspx 3.2.1.3.Short-term measures stimulating the integration of young people in the labour market and structural measures taking into account youth Besides the Youth Guarantee implementation (see Section 3.2.2.2.) which is often linked to long-term structural reforms, noteworthy fast-acting initiatives are those to prevent and re-integrate early school leavers (for instance free revision classes, tailored vocational training for socially disadvantaged or less gifted young people), job fairs, short-term first work experience offers or public work programmes. Several countries adopted urgent labour market reform measures. For instance, Spain’s Royal Decree-Law 3/2012 on Urgent Measures to Reform the Labour Market (10 February 2012) amended the training and learning contract in order to strengthen the employment of young people, and introduced measures encouraging open-ended contracts and job creation. The Greek operational programme Development in Human Resources (2013) provided funding to businesses to hire young people for acquiring professional experience. With the Act on Emergency Measures in Field of Labour Market and Parental Care (ZIUTDSV) in 2013, Slovenia introduced temporary youth employment incentives which seek to contribute to swift and stable youth employment. Employers are exempted from paying social security contributions till the end of 2014 (extended till the end of 2015 in 2014) if they employ young people under the age of 30 years for an indefinite period. Through its Job Protection Action Plan, Hungary offered social contribution tax benefits and vocational training contribution discounts to employers hiring young people under 25, which resulted in more than 150 000 young people hired. Croatia’s Act on Employment Incentives of 2012 aimed at facilitating access to first employment and work experience, facilitating access to professional or master craftsperson examination, ensuring the acquisition of work-related skills for a specific workplace without any additional costs for the employer. Another example is France, which launched a ‘Jobs for the future’ scheme (emplois d’avenir) in November 2012. The programme supports young people with low education attainment and offers subsidised work contracts in the profit and non-profit sectors. In addition to gaining work experience, young people get access to training and counselling. By the end of 2014, 187 000 young people had enrolled, which is more than the initial objective to get 150 000 young people sign up for the scheme. Denmark’s cash benefit reform (Kontanthjælpsreformen) has a direct focus on young people under the age of 30 without ordinary education. The idea behind was that education is key to the stable integration of young people into the labour market. Furthermore, the reform created a greater incentive for benefit receivers under the age of 30 to find employment or enrol in an educational programme, as the cash benefits were reduced to the level of the state educational grant. Regarding young people, the overall focus of the cash benefit reform was to make sure that they have an education and remain an active part in society, leading to the successful integration into the labour market. The reform entered into force on 1 January 2014. 3.2.1.4.Developing career guidance and counselling services Job search guidance or training courses are part of ‘supply-side’ measures encouraged by the Youth Guarantee. Under the section ‘Early intervention and activation’, one of the Youth Guarantee’s recommendations to Member States is to ‘enable employment services, together with other partners supporting young people, to provide personalised guidance and individual action planning, including tailor-made individual support schemes, based on the principle of mutual obligation at an early stage and continued follow-up with a view to preventing drop-out and ensure progression towards education and training or employment’. In this context, many countries strengthened the provision and quality of career guidance and counselling services. Sweden’s new Education Act, which entered into force in 2011, stipulates that all pupils and students at every stage of the education system (from compulsory school throughout adult education) should have access to a person with sufficient competence as to meet their guidance needs for planning their forthcoming education and work. Guidance counsellors must be properly trained. In 2010/2011, there were 847 guidance counsellors working for the compulsory school system, which corresponds to one counsellor per 526 pupils. In upper secondary schools, there were 955 counsellors, or one counsellor per 500 pupils. In Finland, every person is entitled to guidance and counselling services, regardless of whether he or she is studying, working, unemployed or outside the labour market. Public sector education and employment authorities and education providers, normally municipalities, are the main actors responsible for guidance and counselling services. The division of duties between them is clear. Education and training institutions bear the main responsibility for guidance and counselling of pupils and students. The vocational guidance and career planning and educational and vocational information services, available at employment offices, are primarily intended for those outside education and training. All guidance and counselling services of employment offices, however, are also available for students. Career plans are also tackled in youth workshops. The Czech Republic’s national youth strategy contains an initiative to increase the effectiveness and quality of career counselling in leisure-based and non-formal education. This is part of a wider goal to promote greater cooperation between schools, education institutions, other educators, employers, professional and sectoral associations and labour offices to improve the young people’s opportunities on the labour market. Greece also implemented a number of actions to raise the quality of career guidance services, such as regular training seminars for public and private sector career guidance counsellors, development of a job profile for career guidance counsellor, and preparation of a code of ethics for this profession. The National Employment Action Plan of Serbia contains a strategy for career guidance and counselling which has already established career info corners in 120 local youth offices. More of these will follow in the course of 2014-2015. In Croatia, the public employment service developed a mobile expert team combining career guidance counsellors, employment counsellors, lawyers and other professionals. Slovenia also strenghtened its policy on counselling work with young people. In April 2014, 40 new counsellors were hired by the public employment service. The aim of another project is to set up a network of regional career centres for young people by 2020. Offering regional guidance and counselling services is also the endeavour of France, where the pilot phase of a new type of public service collaboration between national and regional levels (tested in eight regions) has proven to better respond to citizens’ needs. Therefore, it was decided in November 2014 to deploy this new service public régional de l’orientation (SPRO) across the remaining regions. Other countries have also introduced new approaches, such as Luxembourg, where career guidance services were centralised within the House of Guidance (maison de l’orientation) in September 2012. It goes without saying that career guidance and counselling is also and increasingly provided through dedicated or specialised online portals, which sometimes integrate the possibility to create a personal account, to carry out self-assessments, etc. An example is the Greek career guidance portal for adolescents launched at the end of 2012. 3.2.1.5.Lowering barriers to the free movement of workers across the EU Besides their participation in the EURES network and the YfEJ scheme, several countries refer to the implementation of Directive 2014/54/EU of 16 April 2014 on measures facilitating the exercise of rights conferred on workers in the context of freedom of movement for workers. This directive addresses the lack of awareness or understanding of the rules by public and private employers, which is a major source of discrimination based on nationality. People also consider that they do not know where to turn to in the host Member State when faced with problems concerning their rights to free movement. The directive aims to help workers to overcome obstacles to working in another EU country, notably by requiring Member States to designate bodies at national level to provide assistance to mobile EU workers and their families. 3.2.1.6.Facilitating reconciliation between professional and private life Many countries maintained or introduced measures to keep or increase the number of childcare facilities and places available to families in need of it. Since the initial situation seems to vary greatly between countries, the targeted coverage rate mentioned ranges from at least 12 % to 100 %, also depending on the age group (under 3 or between 3 and 6 years old). The measures do not only aim to achieve better coverage but also seek to improve the quality of childcare available. In general, there is an increased focus on shared parental and paternity leave. Certificates or awards for family-friendly enterprises, such as delivered in Slovenia or Austria, are other means to facilitate the reconciliation between professional and private life and to generate cultural change. 3.2.1.7.Supporting and promoting young people’s entrepreneurship A broad range of measures promoting young people’s entrepreneurship via entrepreneurship education, support to start-up funds and junior enterprises, mentoring programmes as well as – mainly national – networks and structures were taken by the different countries. These aim at improving the employability of young people by the development of relevant skills matching labour market needs, and/or providing an alternative way to get out of unemployment. Some of these measures are included in Youth Guarantee Implementation Plans (Luxembourg, Croatia) and target, among others, NEETs. This is particularly highlighted by countries with high unemployment rates like Spain and Portugal. In other countries, such as the Netherlands, Austria and France, the emphasis is put on developing the creative potential of young people and encouraging innovation and business start-ups, with a special focus on SMEs or social enterprises. Some measures are also aimed at school and higher education teachers, enabling them to develop relevant competencies to support young people in entrepreneurship education (France, Lithuania). Another emphasis is put on establishing broad cross-sectoral cooperation and networking platforms between formal education, non-formal learning and the world of work: employers, businesses and employment services. In Poland, entrepreneurship education is one of the priorities of education policy; the country has a comprehensive system of entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurship is a compulsory subject at school. Denmark put in place a national innovation strategy which aims to develop students’ relevant skills and competencies from primary to PhD level. Similarly, in the Flemish Community of Belgium, an action plan on entrepreneurship includes various measures, implemented also in school education, with the goal to equip youngsters with entrepreneurial skills. In Spain, an entrepreneurship and employment strategy has a strong focus on enhancing employability of young people through improvement of intermediation, incentives for hiring and promotion of entrepreneurship. Croatia developed plans to encourage self-employment of unemployed persons through financial incentives and professional assistance. In addition, a comprehensive Strategy of Entrepreneurship Development (2013-2020) includes a targeted entrepreneurship education programme ‘Entrepreneurial Impulse’, promoting entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, entrepreneurial culture, and self-employment through entrepreneurship. In Sweden, a strategy for entrepreneurship in the field of education was integrated in comprehensive reforms of the education system – entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial teaching are now part of the national teaching plan for lower education as well as in high schools. In Portugal, the business network programme RPGN supports young entrepreneurs from generating an idea to establishing a sustainable initiative.

In Lithuania, the National Entrepreneurship Action Plan (2014-2020) aims at creating a coherent entrepreneurship education system embedded in the lifelong learning continuum and embracing both formal education and extracurricular activities provided by youth work. The main pillars of the action plan are: improving the entrepreneurship learning environment; promoting students’ creativity, entrepreneurship and leadership; entrepreneurship education; teachers’ competencies; and stronger partnerships between schools, universities and companies. The plan receives funding from the Structural Funds. In 2013, France put in place an action plan to support students’ entrepreneurship with the aim of creating 20 000 youth enterprises. In most cases the enlisted projects are implemented by stakeholders, including civil society organisations, with funding provided and monitored by relevant administrative bodies. An example is a comprehensive education programme for young people of all ages developed, which is implemented by the Junior Achievement Serbia (partnership with local businesses). The United Kingdom Frontline London Campaign focuses on social business start-ups (partnership between the Cabinet Office and the daily newspaper London Evening Standard, with support of community organisations and volunteers). Close cooperation between the University of Malta and business organisations is the foundation for the Takeoff programme supporting enterprising graduates, students and staff to champion innovation and entrepreneurship. Support for start-ups is also at the core of the operational programme Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness in the Czech Republic. Equally, Latvia adopted measures to encourage innovation and start-ups to support young people in schools and at universities to become entrepreneurs. The programme includes practical training courses targeted at young people, seminars, competitions, events, and marketing activities. Financial aid and training was also provided through a national scheme for enhancing youth entrepreneurship in Cyprus, aiming at the creation of new and sustainable small and micro enterprises. Creating an entrepreneurial mind-set and improving the acknowledgement of entrepreneur career is the aim of several initiatives addressed to children and young people of all ages in Austria, such as the Kids Business Week, seminars, junior enterprise, the programme for self-employment and start-up of the Alumni Association of the University of Vienna, as well as the entrepreneurship professorship in Klagenfurt, Linz and Vienna. Since entrepreneurship is to be seen as a horizontal topic requiring a holistic cross-sectoral approach, a broad coalition of ministries in charge of education, youth, labour market and employment, enterprise and innovation, economy, industry and trade, and agriculture was set up in many countries. Many stakeholders were involved, including chambers of commerce, employers’ organisations, trade unions, youth networks, education centres and employment services, to conceive and implement relevant strategies and programmes. In many countries the European Social Fund and other Structural Funds are an important source of financing these measures, alongside national public expenditures and private funding. 3.2.1.8.Measures promoting entrepreneurship in the field of sustainable development A number of countries have already introduced measures promoting sustainable development, investing in green economy and social economy with special attention to social enterprises. Slovenia adopted a legislative act on social entrepreneurship to increase the visibility and understanding of this business model. In most cases promoting social entrepreneurship is part of dedicated programmes or projects. For instance, the Czech Republic offers support, within the REVIT framework programme, to micro entrepreneurs or SMEs in economically problematic regions or to entrepreneurs having faced natural catastrophes. The programme primarily aims at increasing employment in particular regions and is not specifically addressed to young people. The Irish ECO-UNESCO’s Green Pathways programme aims to train and progress participants onto employment in the green economy while building strong environmental, business, communication and leadership skills. Similarly, the Green Deal programme launched in the Netherlands fosters sustainable development in the fields of energy, elements, biodiversity, water and transport. The ‘Innovation Challenge: Go Green’ is a competition for young people aged between 17 and 30, incentivising them to identify environmental problems that affect Malta and to come up with green innovation solutions. In Denmark, funding is provided to establish existing initiatives within sustainable and social entrepreneurship in further education, and to test selected initiatives in a pilot project and measure their effects.



3.2.2.Implementation of subsequent Council agreements 3.2.2.1.Flexicurity measures In the Council resolution of 19 May 2011 on the Structured Dialogue with young people on youth employment, Ministers acknowledged the importance of improving flexibility as well as security for boosting youth employment. Effective active labour market policies are amongst the flexicurity measures most frequently mentioned. Measures aimed at improving flexibility range from laws regulating flexible work arrangements (which are not specific to young persons) and subsidy schemes aimed at attracting people in the labour market or creating new jobs through flexible forms of employment to regulations on student jobs (lower taxation and social insurance contributions). A lot of attention is paid to skills development or upgrading, and to first (short-term) work experience offers for young people. In terms of security, the countries refer to early activation measures, lifelong learning strategies, modernisation of social security systems (ensuring a higher level of security in the transitions between different jobs or between work and learning) or incentives for employers to offer young persons open-ended full-time contracts. In 2013, Romania amended its law regarding the unemployment insurance system and employment stimulation with the objective to stimulate employers to hire people who are looking for a job and to ensure the protection of persons within the unemployment insurance system. The recent structural labour market reform in Italy gives gradually rising levels of labour protection to people hired on open-ended permanent contracts, but it also softens protection against unfair dismissal. It shou