Review by rapporteur Sanchia Alasia on investment in education and focus on long-term unemployment

Integration of long term unemployed

There were two main opinions that were on the table for discussion at the last SEDEC commission of the year. The first was the integration of the long term unemployed into the labour market. It was good to hear from the European Commission representative, who began the conversation by stating that the Commission was supportive of the opinion as in their view it was thorough and well-balanced. The focus on long-term unemployment is an important one as it is one of the main sources of poverty and therefore tackling this issue will play a key role in reducing poverty. The Commission highlighted the need for better integrated, individualised support for job seekers. There is a crucial role for employment services who should be fully involved in implementing the recommendations from this opinion so people can be guided to the appropriate support needed. In Barking and Dagenham we have developed a skills centre as well as job support services in our local libraries and children centres so residents can have easy access for help to find work and develop skills needed.

The COR opinion is in line with the proposals made by the European Commission but is less well advanced in the European Council. Nonetheless quick implementation of the tenants of this opinion would be welcomed. Important emphasis was made on the use of integrating EU funds, particularly the greater potential for the use of the Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund, which could yield up to 25 billion euro.

The rapporteur highlighted that 12 million EU citizens were currently unemployed with over 50% of them being unemployed for more than one year, thereby reducing their chances of finding work, which leads to uncertainty and instability. Unemployment is an EU as well as a member state issue, this was a point that was debated by COR members particularly around the principle of subsidiarity. However some member states have fewer resources to tackle unemployment than others and Portugal was highlighted as an example where youth unemployment is high which impacts on quality of life and social integration.

The rapporteur tabled three amendments to reach a compromise so members could approve the opinion.

EU cooperation in the youth field

The second opinion debated was about EU cooperation in the youth field. The rapporteur highlighted that there needs to be a process to allow young people’s opinions to be taken into account. In the local regions in London, a lot of funding changes are happening to youth services, which could have a detrimental impact on them, but we rarely find young people speaking out about what’s happening. They are not sufficiently involved in the decision making processes or electoral participation, particularly in European elections. This does not mean that their concerns and issues should be ignored. As local politicians we have to be careful to take the future of our young people into account when making changes to services that affect them, even if they are not the group that shouts the loudest. In the council that I represent in Barking and Dagenham, we have a youth forum that presents a report to one of our formal council assemblies each year. It always proves to be a thought-provoking and moving event, to hear young people articulately their views, concerns and the issues that they think we should be working on. This also ensures that we have a bottom-up approach to policy making by hearing from the users that it will affect, before we make key decisions.

Paragraph 12 in the opinion suggests developing a basic package that each member state could guarantee for young people which would include a range of measures and it was noted that the European Parliament was also drafting text on this issue which the COR could advise on.

The European Commission representative highlighted that there are 19 million young people in the EU, but the picture is complex and there are large discrepancies within this group. While on the positive side, 1/3 of young people have tertiary degrees and are keen to engage and participate in society and around one in four volunteer; there are some young people at risk of exclusion, unemployment and poverty. This is why it is important that the European Commission focuses its policy proposals on inclusion, participation in public life and civic duty. There was a point raised via an amendment about the radicalisation of young people, however it’s not just poverty that contributes to this. Well-educated young people via social media are being radicalised and this is why it is important for all communities to be vigilant and take responsibility for our young people.