C 152/30
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
6.4.2022
unemployed young people tend to be overlooked in the official data because they either do not apply for unemployment benefits or do not enrol with employment agencies and instead make their living in bogus self-employed work, working for a platform or in the shadow economy.
Therefore, it can be assumed that the real figures could be even worse than those reported by Eurostat.
3.2.
Moreover, the COVID-19 crisis has further aggravated the situation of NEETs.
The number of NEETs in Europe, especially in countries like Italy, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, is critical and once again on the rise as a result of school drop-outs, a lack of appropriate guidance, job losses and a lack of employment opportunities.
This category of vulnerable young people is at a higher risk of marginalisation, poverty and permanent exclusion from employment.
3.3.
NEET is a broad category encompassing a heterogeneous population, including the unemployed, school drop-outs, all those discouraged college graduates who still have not found a job, and the other young people inactive for different reasons.
The unemployed are only a subgroup of the broader category of NEET and the overlap between the unemployed and the NEET group varies over time and by country (8).
3.4.
High numbers of NEETs represent a big loss for our economies and societies.
The feeling of disenchantment or exclusion of the individuals concerned also bears a high political risk for the stability of our democratic societies.
The incapacity of education and social systems to prevent the phenomenon or reduce the number of NEETs points to a failure of broadly supported efficient policies to promote equality of opportunities across Europe.
3.5.
This crisis is particularly affecting workers in non-standard and diverse forms of employment (9) (casual work, voucher-based work, platform work, gig workers, collaborative employment, etc.) (10), and unfortunately there is a predominance of young people in these forms of work.
Such jobs can be low paid, with irregular working hours, poor job security, and limited or no social protection (paid leave, pension, sick leave, etc.).
Often, such work does not qualify for unemployment benefits or the short-time work schemes implemented by governments (11).
This type of work can be found mostly in sectors and industries that are particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the tourism, wholesale, retail, accommodation and food sectors (12).
On the other hand, new forms of work can be an opportunity for young people living in rural or remote areas, or for young disabled people, students and young parents, and decent wages and social security are therefore indispensable.
3.6.
Peripheral barriers to employment, such as mobility, digital literacy, health and precarious living conditions, including lack of housing or social security cover, should be identified and taken into account in the NRRPs.
The EESC believes that the Member States could monitor these obstacles to the integration of young people into the labour market in qualitative and quantitative terms and make specific proposals to remedy them within their respective NRRPs.
4.
Specific comments 4.1.
The post COVID-19 recovery should be seen as an opportunity.
The economy has been shaken, and so has the labour market.
4.2.
The NRRPs represent an unprecedented opportunity to drive and support change that must be seized with inclusive governance, requiring dialogue, openness and transparency.
The measures financed under the NRRPs should involve local authorities, the social partners and civil society, including youth organisations, in order to create participatory governance that can bring consensus, trust and a sense of justice regarding the NRRPs.
(8) (9) (10) (11) (12)
Konle-Seidl, R. and Picarella, F. (2021), Youth in Europe: Effects of COVID-19 on their economic and social situation, European Parliament, Luxembourg.
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/topic/non-standard-employment https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/blog/new-forms-of-employment-in-europe-how-new-is-new Eurofound (2021), COVID-19: Implications for employment and working life, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
Spasova S., Bouget D., Ghailani, D. and Vanhercke B. (2017), Access to social protection for people working on non-standard contracts and as self-employed in Europe.