In
the past few months, following the June European Council and the
Berlin Conference, all member
states have intensified their efforts for addressing youth
unemployment, taking all necessary measures and confirming in this
way their commitment to tackle this challenge as an urgent priority.
Towards
the fulfilment of its commitments and following our discussion in
Berlin last July, by the end of December Cyprus
will submit our Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan which will be
part of a wider Youth Employment Action Plan. The measures and
actions that will be included can be summarized into four major
groups:
- First, early intervention aiming to prevent youth from falling into unemployment, to provide for early identification of cases of youth at risk and to take up early action for youth integration.
- Second, introducing a balanced mix of appropriate measures that are targeted, sustainable, generate where possible multiplier effects and predominantly facilitate either directly or indirectly the creation of new jobs.
- Third, improve the link between supply and demand, through the upgrade of advisory services to the unemployed, aiming at the improvement of the effectiveness of the activation measures and the efficient use of the available funds.
- Fourth, address the demand side by improving services to employers and promoting entrepreneurship and a favourable business environment, by fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set, increasing availability of start-up support services and finance.
Capitalizing on our long and proven record on
social dialogue we have engaged from the very early stages all
stakeholders, including the social partners and, of course, young
people themselves.
It
is important that the measures that we will implement within 2014 to
immediately curb unemployment are consistent with our long term
objectives and actions beyond 2015. So, in our view, these measures
must be conducive to the creation of conditions
for sustainable growth, the creation of
an adequate number of good quality new jobs and the timely forecast
of future skills for emerging sectors of the economy.
To
yield long-lasting and effective results, it is important that most
of the measures be pursued simultaneously in an integrated manner,
which of course is easier said than done, considering the financial
constraints most of us have to deal with. Another important parameter
is that each member
state must develop the right policy mix according to its specific
national circumstances,
keeping of course an eye at the same time on the wider picture of the
European Labour Market.
In this respect the exchange of good practices among member states
not only works towards strengthening solidarity but also provides for
a shared learning environment that allows us to use and adapt
successful measures, according to national specificities.
Facilitating mobility can also be a useful tool
that may help reduce unemployment. I believe that, with full respect
to the principles of free movement, we should look for immediate ways
to improve the efficiency of mobility.
Finally, we also welcome the initiatives
promoted by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank,
towards enhancing the access of Small and Medium Enterprises to
finance with a view to enhancing investment and business activity
and, consequently, creating new jobs.
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