The EESC considers that there is an enormous need for a social investment package to counter poverty and promote employment. Implementing such a package requires:

- creating an investment programme amounting to 2% of GDP;

- identifying new sources of revenue;

- including social investments in the Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Semester;

- considering excluding social investments from the calculation of net government deficits; and

- finding the right tools to measure the effects of such investments

Traineeships have become an important gateway through which young people enter the labour market. However, although traineeships have become standard in European labour markets, their spread has been accompanied by growing concerns as to learning content and working conditions. To facilitate access to employment, traineeships should offer good quality learning content and adequate working conditions.