On 28 March 2022, the EESC's Labour Market Observatory will hold a remote public hearing on youth participation in the EU labour market.
The COVID-19 crisis has aggravated inequalities and the impact on young people is stronger than for other age groups. The youngsters who were in education or training at the time of the pandemic have seen their schooling interrupted and often need to catch up. Among those in employment, many lost their jobs and the recently graduated have not always found employment. In the context of the European Year of Youth, the event will examine, through a discussion with civil society organisations and socio-professional stakeholders, the challenges, opportunities, and current trends concerning youth on the EU labour market.
Speakers due to attend include representatives of the European institutions, Eurofound and the EESC, as well as the social partners and other civil society organisations.
The event will feature an intergenerational and international discussion on critical areas for climate and social justice: nature and sustainable business, energy transition, water management and sustainability in the global economy. Youth and high-level decision-makers will engage in a dialogue on opportunities, challenges and ways to make climate and sustainability policies participatory.
The webinar will explore two inter-related questions: How has the COVID-19 crisis affected the mental health of young people in Europe and what has been the impact on their employability? It will be an informal and fully virtual event on Microsoft Teams in English only.
A Sustainable Recovery for the Future of Europe's Citizens
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Location
Brussels
Belgium
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has proved to be an endurance test for human and social rights, democratic values, the rule of law and economic resilience in the EU. While navigating stormy waters, organised civil society is playing a key role in coping with the countless pandemic-related challenges at European, national, regional and local level.
This years' meeting of the EESC's Western Balkans Follow-up Committee outside of Brussels will be held on 24-25 September 2018 in Tirana, Albania. A meeting with social partners on the state of social dialogue in Albania on 24 September and a hearing with the civil society organisations (CSOs) on Youth Policy and Youth Participation in the Albanian society on 25 September.
Our Western Balkans Follow-up Committee members will listen to the views on the role of civil society in Albania, and later convey these messages to the Government of Albania and to the political authorities of the EU. These meetings in Albania are a step towards the 7th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum to be held in 2019.
The EU-Africa economic and social stakeholders' network will first deal with the up-coming EU-Africa Action Plan for the period 2018-2020. The annual meeting will specifically address migration and economic issues, focusing on the implications for young people. The youth focus is essential as young people clearly represent an increasingly important proportion of African populations. Moreover, youth unemployment in both Africa and Europe is a shared concern of economic and social actors. It is helping to feed migration flows, especially for young Africans who are facing a lack of prospects.
Europe is facing a pivotal moment. Social and economic inequalities, rapid technological change, anti-democratic forces and geopolitical instability are straining the foundations of the European project.
With democracy and civic space under mounting pressure, civil society organisations, human rights defenders and free media face growing constraints - from restrictive laws and disinformation campaigns to underfunding and public distrust. Deepening polarisation and eroding trust in institutions further undermine Europe’s democratic model.
This study examines how social partners and civil society organisations in six Member States — Italy, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Sweden — view the effectiveness of current policies in raising employment levels and increasing adult participation in training. It also puts forward recommendations for improving policy outcomes.
