Towards a job-rich recovery

Key points

The EESC

• notes a dramatic rise in unemployment, especially youth unemployment. European employment policy must support Member States' efforts to deal with problems.
• considers it essential that employment policy be used to bolster development of European infrastructure. Both private and public investment must be mobilised to that end.
• calls for an effective employment policy based on solidarity, in order to win back credibility. One of the key elements of this is timely and binding implementation of the Youth Guarantee. In some of the worst affected countries there is also interest in introducing dual education systems.
• anticipates a socially and politically explosive situation if we fail to give young people real prospects.
• supports the expansion of labour supply, by making use of the employment potential of long-term unemployed people through an inclusive market, and of labour demand, which is mainly possible in growing, highly labour-intensive fields such as the silver economy.
• notes that employment policy cannot compensate for mismanagement of macroeconomic policy, but it can make a real contribution to boosting competitiveness, by strengthening innovation capacity, and achieving a better balance between demand for, and supply of, skills.
• believes that the special role of the social partners in shaping and implementing employment policy needs to be taken into account and strengthened as part of the new governance.