Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2020)277 - Bridge to Jobs - Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee and repleacling Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2020)277 - Bridge to Jobs - Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee and repleacling Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a ...
source	COM(2020)277
date	01-07-2020

1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

• Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

The proposal for a Council Recommendation on “A Bridge to Jobs - Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee” responds to a political commitment of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and was announced in the Communication " A Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions " of 14 January 2020 ¹ . It is an important contribution to the ongoing implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights strengthening principle 4 “active support to employment”. It is part of a series of measures proposed by the Commission to boost youth employment, presented in the Communication on “Youth Employment Support: A Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation” ² .

The Council Recommendation on establishing a Youth Guarantee was adopted in 2013 in response to the last economic crisis and the resulting youth unemployment rate (among those aged 15-24) which increased to a very high level of 24.4% in the EU on average and over 50% in some Member States. In addition to youth being unemployed, 6.5 million young people (aged 15-24) were neither in employment, education or training (NEET).

Seven years after its launch, the Youth Guarantee has become a reality across the EU though challenges remain. Every year, more than 3.5 million young people receive a Youth Guarantee offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship or traineeship. The Youth Employment Initiative 2014-2020 (in total almost EUR 9 billion of EU contribution ³ ), together with additional European Social Fund investment, has been a key EU financial resource to support its implementation. Rates of youth unemployment and young NEET decreased substantially. Before the COVID-19 crisis the youth unemployment rate (15-24) was down to 14.9% on average compared to its peak of 24.4% in 2013. The improving macro-economic context has certainly played a role, but a recent study suggests that the Youth Guarantee coupled with European funding has created opportunities for young people and has triggered structural reforms in Public Employment Services and education systems in the Member States. ⁴

However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact will jeopardise this positive development. The Commission’s Spring 2020 Economic Forecast indicates that the EU economy will shrink by 7.4% in 2020, the deepest recession in its history and young people entering the workforce at this time will find it harder to secure their first job ⁵ . Earlier crises show that young people are indeed likely to be hit hardest. They are usually the first ones to be laid off. They work more often in the informal economy or in non-standard forms of employment, with no or little social protection. They are over-represented in sectors ravaged by the pandemic (e.g. tourism, accommodation, seasonal agricultural work, wholesale and retail where women are also overrepresented) where teleworking may not be an option. Moreover, some of them are still suffering from the previous economic recession and are now facing the risk of being hit again by a worldwide economic crisis.

It is therefore important to reinforce the Youth Guarantee at this very moment to help alleviating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and preventing another youth unemployment crisis. The proposal builds on the experience and lessons learnt of 7 years implementation of the 2013 Youth Guarantee and integrates the changing realities of the labour market as well as the twin digital and green transitions.

As part of the lessons learnt, the Youth Guarantee has to reach out to a wider target group and become more inclusive. Aggregate results for the EU indicate that, taken together, Youth Guarantee schemes do not yet reach a majority of young people who become NEETs and, for many of those who are registered, it takes longer than the foreseen four months to start their offer. Too many still struggle to make ends meet or face barriers to employability. Many young people, often from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, do not have access to quality education and training or face barriers in their transition from school to work. Gains in employment have not been evenly distributed among Member States and regions, ⁶ and certain groups of the young population are at a disproportionate disadvantage (e.g. those with low skills, living in rural areas or remote areas ⁷ , young people with disabilities, migrant backgrounds or belonging to racial and ethnic minorities, for example Roma). ⁸

While the rate of young unemployed decreased on average until early 2020, the rate of inactive young people remained stable or even increased in most Member States. Unlike unemployed young people, inactive young people are not even seeking employment because of, for instance, their own illness or because of barriers encountered by young persons with disabilities, their caring responsibilities for children or dependent adults or other personal or family responsibilities.

Amongst NEETs, the gender gap has somewhat increased during these years. On average across the EU, the gap was 3.2 percentage points in 2013 and amounted to 3.8 percentage points by 2019 ⁹ . Inactivity is also more common among female NEETs. ¹⁰ As a consequence, the gender dimension will be strengthened. Specific awareness raising and communication campaigns can tackle gender stereotyping at a young age and encourage young women into a wider choice of education paths and occupations. Young women can be supported by making sure they understand not only their potential but also their rights, through counselling, guidance and mentoring. This comprises advocacy and addressing gender stereotyping in educational and career choices. In this regard, the preparatory phase is also underpinned by referrals to partners that provide supporting social services, such as childcare, healthcare and psychological support.

Young people with disabilities have considerably lower employment rates than those without disabilities and the employment gap in relation to young people without disabilities is increasing. ¹¹ Inclusive education and training, ensuring accessibility and reasonable accommodation, and combating stereotypes around disability in the workplace can boost labour market participation of young people with disabilities.

Europe’s demography is changing. Due to ageing, many rural areas in Europe are seeing their populations decline. While the twin transitions can bring opportunities, this will not happen automatically and they may not be enough on their own to bridge the gap between rural youth and their urban peers. Young people living in rural and/or remote areas, especially those already facing disadvantages on other fronts, will require targeted support, while infrastructure and access to services in these areas should be improved. These measures will provide opportunities in these areas and help avoiding brain drain and further population decline. Meanwhile, youth living in disadvantaged urban areas continue to face specific obstacles to their integration in the labour market ¹² .

Moreover, the world of work is changing. On-going developments such as automation and digitalisation of production and services continue to reshape the labour markets. Job-to-job transitions are becoming more frequent and many young people shift between employment and unemployment or inactivity or are trapped in precarious non-standard forms of employment. In particular, young people are overrepresented in non-standard jobs such as platform or “gig” work, which may lack access to adequate social protection. Moreover, young people are at higher risk than others to lose their jobs to automation, as entry-level jobs tend to have a greater proportion of automatable tasks.

In addition, the broader twin transitions towards a more digital and greener economy will offer new opportunities as jobs are likely to be created in such sectors. However, this requires that young people have the right skills to adapt to evolving job requirements. Digital skills, skills needed for the green transition alongside soft skills, such as entrepreneurial and career management skills, are expected to grow in importance. Investing now in the human capital of young Europeans will help future-proof Europe’s social market economies: an active, innovative and skilled workforce is also a prerequisite for Europe’s global competitiveness.

Against this background, the current proposal aims at revamping the policy framework to better support youth employability and avoid another youth unemployment crisis. To achieve these objectives, the proposal:

·ensures that all young people under 30 receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education. This ambitious headline target of the Youth Guarantee is maintained whilst the age bracket is widened to include young people aged 25-29. ¹³

·This acknowledges that school-to-work transitions and a sustainable market integration are taking longer because of a changing nature of work and the skills in demand. The proposal also aligns with existing national practices: youth related measures and programmes are generally available for young people up to 29 years of age and the majority of Member States already consider young people aged 25-29 part of the target group ¹⁴ . Likewise, it recognises that during the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic a sizeable share of 25 to 29 year-olds may fall into unemployment and require support.

·includes a distinction between temporary NEETs (often higher educated, sometimes with work experience, perhaps laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or newly entering the labour market during the crisis after finishing their education) and longer-term NEETs (often from vulnerable groups, with low education attainment, requiring extra efforts). This allows for a more individualised and targeted approach for both groups as the latter is likely to need more support.

·reaches out and activates greater numbers of young people, in particular women, of all backgrounds, making sure that none of them are left behind. This will be done by improved and more targeted awareness raising and communication campaigns, including by addressing the challenges of rural or more remote areas and most vulnerable social groups.

·strives to support young people in gaining work experience and developing the right skills for a changing world of work, in particular those relevant to the green and digital transitions and those that correspond to the needs on the job market. It is therefore important to adequately accompany and advise youth on professional prospects and needs on the labour market.

In particular, as over 90% of jobs today require already digital skills, the Commission proposes to assess the digital skills of all NEETs who register by using the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) and the available (self) assessment tools, ensuring that, on the basis of gaps identified, all young people are offered a dedicated preparatory training to enhance their digital skills.

More generally, it proposes short and hands-on preparatory trainings, related to specific skill needs of a young person as one of the key activation features during the preparatory phase before taking up an offer. A hands-on training can be a stepping stone towards a full vocational training course, a taster of the world of work, or supplement existing education or work experience before the start of the offer. The short-term, informal nature of such preparatory training, which should not prolong the duration of the four-month preparatory phase, distinguishes it from the actual offer.

·continues to support the employability of young people in the short-term through a number of measures: temporary short-time working arrangements, targeted wage subsidies and promotion of self-employment. Apprenticeships should also be supported as they train young people for jobs that are in high demand and thereby provide stable labour market integration. Their role during the economic recession needs to be strengthened so that more young people can take up such an offer. In addition, since early school leavers and low-skilled young people are at particular risk of becoming longer-term NEET, young people should be encouraged to complete their education and training and those who have left prematurely should be brought back to education or training. Less formal and more flexible forms of education and training can be useful in this case.

·safeguards the quality of offers by linking them to the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships, Quality Framework for Traineeships, both of which have been developed since 2013, assuring, for instance, access to social protection, a reasonable duration of probation periods, a clear written contract or the definition of working and rest periods. This should help make the offers taken up more stable in the long run. ¹⁵

·enhances the prevention of unemployment and inactivity of young people through better tracking and early warning systems, cooperating proactively with, among others, the education sector and youth organisations.

·improves monitoring and data collection through a stronger focus on post-placement support and a call for improving the follow-up of young people after having taken up an offer to ensure their sustainable labour market integration.

1. The current proposal is structured around four phases (mapping, outreach, preparation and offer):

·In the mapping phase, a more profound knowledge of the NEET target group is transposed to the specific geographical context of the service provider. This is to identify individual NEETs and, crucially, those at risk of becoming NEETs. Through partnerships and early warning systems, young people could be supported before becoming unemployed or inactive, particularly when they are still in formal education and training.

·In the outreach phase, contact is made – and trust is built – with individual NEETs. The outreach phase comprises a comprehensive communication strategy to raise awareness among NEETs of the available support, and that pays due attention to the gender stereotypes and specific additional barriers to reach out to vulnerable groups.

·The preparatory phase runs from the moment of initial registration with the responsible service up to the actual start of an offer. The matching of needs and responses starts during this phase by tailoring individualised, holistic approaches that can cover a wide range of services depending on the young person’s situation. Most importantly, action plans comprise counselling, guidance and mentoring (including referrals to wider partners), additional upskilling where relevant and pay due attention to gender stereotypes and specific stereotypes linked to vulnerable youth.

·The fourth and final phase is the actual start of an offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship or traineeship. This represents an exit from the scheme.

• Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area

The proposal is consistent with and builds further upon the existing policies in the area of employment and skills.

As part of the Recovery plan for Europe ¹⁶ , Next Generation EU, through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (EUR 560 billion proposed) and REACT-EU (EUR 55 billion proposed) will provide additional financial support for youth employment measures. These efforts will be complemented in the 2021-27 financing period by the European Social Fund Plus, with a proposed budget of EUR 86 billion. The ESF+ will support the full range of employment, education and training measures included in this proposal. The European Regional Development Fund will contribute as well with future-proof investments in education and training aligned with the digital and green transitions. Member States will also be able to obtain support from the Technical Support Instrument in the preparation and implementation of structural reforms, notably in the field of education and training and labour market policies.

The 2019 guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States ¹⁷ call on Member States to continue addressing youth unemployment and the issue of young NEETs, including through the full implementation of the Youth Guarantee.

The Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning ¹⁸ calls upon Member States to support the development of basic digital skills and to increase the level of digital competences across the population. The Commission Communication on the Digital Education Action Plan ¹⁹ sets out 11 actions over a three-year timeframe (2018-2020) to help Member States make better use of digital technology for teaching and learning and develop digital competences and skills, improving education through data analysis and foresight. Moreover, the Council Recommendation of 19 December 2016 on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults ²⁰ recommends that people with a low level of skills, knowledge and competences be offered the opportunity to acquire a minimum levels of skills. The present proposal will complement this approach by offering targeted and tailored upskilling pathways to young people.

The Council Recommendation of 15 February 2016 on the integration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market ²¹ recommends that Member States provide particular support to long-term unemployed. The proposal will complement this approach by preventing long-term unemployment among young people.

The 2016 Commission Communication on the Action Plan on the integration of third-country nationals ²² recalled the vital importance of early activation and intervention of vulnerable NEETs, including young third country nationals, to ensure their swift integration into education, apprenticeships, traineeships or the labour market.

The Council Recommendation of 10 March 2014 on a Quality Framework for Traineeships ²³ offers guidance on the provision of quality traineeships. Moreover, the Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships ²⁴ identifies 14 key criteria that Member States and stakeholders should use to develop quality and effective apprenticeships. The proposal aligns traineeship and apprenticeship offers to the quality criteria laid out in these Council Recommendations.

The Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the Validation of non-formal and informal learning ²⁵ invited Member States to have in place arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning. The proposal will complement this approach by promoting validation of non-formal and informal learning.

The Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to reduce early school leaving ²⁶ sets out a framework for coherent, comprehensive, and evidence-based policies on early school leaving. The ‘mapping’ phase of the proposal, including effective partnerships and early warning systems, closely follows this framework.

• Consistency with other Union policies

The Commission Communication Europe’s moment: Repair and Prepare for the Next Generation ²⁷ stresses that the EU’s recovery plan must guide and build a more sustainable, resilient and fair Europe for the next generation and advocates pressing fast-forward on the twin green and digital transitions. It proposes a new Recovery and Resilience Facility to support Member States to implement investments and reforms that are essential for a sustainable recovery. A new initiative, REACT-EU, will provide a top-up for cohesion support to Member States. It will support workers and vulnerable groups, education and training measures, SMEs, health systems and the green and digital transitions and will be available across sectors. The present proposal will inform these investments by enhancing the employability of young people.

The European Green Deal ²⁸ is the EU’s new growth strategy that aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. It puts sustainability and the well-being of our citizens at the centre of our action. The Circular Economy Action Plan ²⁹ for a cleaner and more competitive Europe sets out actions to achieve the decoupling of growth from resource use by, inter alia, placing a strong focus on the need to acquire the right skills, including through vocational education and training. The transition to a clean and circular economy is an opportunity to expand sustainable and job-intensive economic activity, thus supporting recovery. Given that the greening of the economy is shaping skill requirements in multiple ways, it is crucial to put in place policies that will support young people in harnessing the new opportunities. The proposal will complement this approach by promoting skills needed for the green economy.

The opportunities and challenges of the ongoing digital transformation and Europe’s policy response have been outlined in the strategy Shaping Europe’s Digital Future ³⁰ , which highlights the need to invest in education and training and digital skills for all Europeans. The Commission adopted a New Industrial Strategy for Europe ³¹ to support industry to drive Europe’s competitiveness at a time of increasing global competition and to ensure it leads the twin green and digital transitions. There is a strong focus on unlocking the investment, innovation and skills needed for the twin transitions. The twin transitions will provide job opportunities that will also be of benefit for implementing the present proposal.

The SME Strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe ³² highlights how an increasing number of SMEs is confronted with the challenge of finding the necessary skilled staff. The skills shortage is particularly acute for digitalisation and new technologies. The Strategy stresses that the EU can further help address these challenges, facilitating access to training, and helping match the demand for talents from SMEs with labour market supply. Entrepreneurial education and training that enhances business knowledge and skills play a key role in making SMEs fit for the single market. The proposal will complement this approach. Young people can be offered a preparatory training to enhance their entrepreneurial skills using the tools and modules developed under the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp).

The Common Agricultural Policy supports young people who would like to engage in the agricultural sector and young people who launch an activity in rural areas. It provides to young people training, advisory services, setting up and investment supports. The proposal’s skills dimension, in particular entrepreneurial skills, will complement this approach.

In addition, the Gender Equality Strategy ³³ aims to close the gender gaps in in the labour market and increase effective access to fairly paid quality and sustainable employment for women.

2. LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

• Legal basis

The proposal is based on Article 292 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), according to which the Council adopts recommendations acting on a proposal from the Commission, in conjunction with Article 149 which foresees incentive measures designed to support the action of Member States in the field of employment.

Title IX TFEU defines the EU’s remit regarding employment policies in particular Article 145 on developing a coordinated strategy for employment and Article 147 on contributing to a high level of employment by supporting and complementing the action of Member States. Low labour market performance at national level in terms of youth unemployment and inactivity may have negative economic impact and undermine social and economic cohesion across the EU, including when low performance is mainly related to sub-groups of the NEET population that are in a vulnerable situation.

Thus, the proposal will contribute to the objectives of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), notably promoting full employment, non-discrimination, equality between women and men, social inclusion and social cohesion (Article 3 TEU).

• Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)

In its work towards developing a strategy for employment, the EU has the competence to coordinate, encourage cooperation and support the Member States' actions. While respecting the competence of the Member States, the proposal gives concrete content to this ambition in particular by capitalising on seven years of implementation of the Youth Guarantee. The proposal aims at improving the implementation of the already existing Youth Guarantee schemes in Member States, building on successful practices and lessons learnt. A continued EU intervention to tackle youth unemployment and inactivity based on a more future-proof and inclusive common policy framework should provide improved policy guidance to the Member States and can contribute to increasing activity rates and upskilling of the workforce in the EU, while avoiding the very high economic and societal costs of having young people not in employment, education or training.

The proposal will also help Member States to make best use of the ESF+, in order to address youth unemployment and inactivity.

In line with the principle of subsidiarity, the proposal makes recommendations to improve the implementation of Member States’ Youth Guarantee schemes fully respecting the competence of the Member States in the field of employment as well as their internal division of competences. The proposal recognises that different situations in individual Member States (or at regional or local level) can lead to differences in how the recommendations are implemented.

• Proportionality

The actions proposed are proportional to the objectives pursued. The proposal supports the Youth Guarantee schemes launched by Member States and complements Member States' efforts in the area of youth unemployment and inactivity. The proposed action respects Member States’ practices and the diversity of systems. It accommodates a differentiated approach reflecting Member States' different economic, financial and social situations, the diverse labour market conditions and the heterogeneity of situations leading to youth unemployment and inactivity. It recognises that different national, regional or local situations could lead to differences in how the proposed recommendation is implemented.

Choice of the instrument

The proposed instrument is a proposal for a Council Recommendation, which respects the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. It builds on the existing body of European Union law and is in line with the type of instruments available for European Union action in the areas of employment. As a legal instrument, it signals the commitment of Member States to the measures laid down in this Recommendation and provides a strong political basis for cooperation at European Union level in this area, while fully respecting Member States competence in the field of employment policies. Once adopted, the Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee would be replaced.

3. RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

• Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation

Not applicable.

• Stakeholder consultations

As explained above, the proposal builds on the 2013 Council Recommendation on establishing a Youth Guarantee ³⁴ . Since 2014, the implementation of the Recommendation has been monitored within the context of the European Semester. Reviews of the implementation for all Member States are carried out within the Employment Committee (EMCO) every two years. In addition, quantitative monitoring of national schemes, based on a commonly agreed Indicator Framework ³⁵ , is carried out annually. Youth Guarantee coordinators from all Member States meet regularly to discuss progress in implementation, ongoing policy reforms and relevant projects, and participate in mutual learning activities.

Moreover, specific consultation activities took place in early 2020 and targeted stakeholders closely involved in designing and implementing the Youth Guarantee or benefiting from it. While all consultations preceded the COVID outbreak and the economic downturn that followed, the contributions focused on structural aspects and therefore remain pertinent. ³⁶

The proposal reflects to a large extent the views gathered during the targeted consultations. All stakeholders consulted, except for the employers – who advocated a closer follow-up of the implementation of the existing Council Recommendation, were in favour of reinforcing the Youth Guarantee by proposing a new Council Recommendation.

All stakeholders called for improving the ‘quality’ of the offers, proposing different approaches, which the proposal responds to by aligning offers to existing quality standards and principles. It also reflects the consensus on the need to strengthen the multi-stakeholder partnership-based and integrated approach.

• Collection and use of expertise

In addition to the use of consultation results, the proposal is based on a wide range of reports and studies as well as expertise gathered through peer learning activities and meetings of the Youth Guarantee coordinators.

Quantitative monitoring of national Youth Guarantee schemes, based on a commonly agreed Indicator Framework, is carried out annually. Macroeconomic indicators based on data from the EU Labour Force Survey (LFS) are used to monitor the general situation of young people in the labour market and therefore, indirectly, the impact of the Youth Guarantee and other measures that prevent young people from becoming NEETs. Implementation and follow-up (long-term outcome) indicators are derived from administrative data provided annually by Member States. They are based on data on the number of young people that have registered in Youth Guarantee schemes (how long they stay registered, where they go when they leave the registry and where they are sometime after leaving). Implementation indicators measure the direct impact of Youth Guarantee delivery while follow-up indicators are used to gauge the sustainability of labour market integration after provision of a Youth Guarantee offer.

Furthermore, Youth Guarantee coordinators from all Member States meet regularly to discuss progress and challenges in implementation, ongoing policy reforms and relevant projects. They also participate in mutual learning activities. The experiences and evaluations from the implementation at national level contributed to a series of reports published in 2018. The European Network of Public Employment Services (PES) is regularly reporting on the PES capacity to implement the Youth Guarantee via the biennial assessment reports. The EU funding side is closely monitored via the ESF monitoring committees and annual implementation reports and regularly evaluated.

• Impact assessment

The instrument proposed – a Council Recommendation – has the effect of offering guidance on the implementation of Youth Guarantee schemes, but it leaves Member States flexibility in designing and implementing measures. Therefore, an impact assessment is not necessary.

A comprehensive Staff Working Document ³⁷ includes an overview of the most important lessons stemming from the aftermath of the previous economic recession and a comprehensive summary of the lessons stemming from the Youth Guarantee’s 2013-20 implementation. These lessons originate from numerous monitoring and evaluation exercises at EU level but also from the feedback received during targeted consultations in early 2020, when the European Commission reached out to, among others, civil society, social partners, national stakeholders and young people themselves. Together, these lessons translate into a number of actions detailed in the proposal.

The Commission has evaluated the youth employment measures funded by the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative. The evaluation results and the preparatory work made in 2018 for the evaluation have been taken into consideration for the preparation of this proposal.

• Regulatory fitness and simplification

Not applicable.

• Fundamental rights

Not applicable.

4. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

The Recommendation does not require additional EU budget or staff resources.

5. OTHER ELEMENTS

• Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements

It is proposed that the Commission continues to monitor the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in cooperation with the Member States in the context of the European Semester. Reviews of all Member States should be carried out within the EMCO every two years. Quantitative monitoring of national Youth Guarantee schemes, based on the commonly agreed Indicator Framework, should be carried out annually. Furthermore, Youth Guarantee coordinators from all Member States should continue to meet regularly to discuss progress and challenges in implementation, ongoing policy reforms and relevant projects, and participate in mutual learning activities.

• Explanatory documents (for directives)

Not applicable.

• Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal

§ 1 updates the headline target, widening the age bracket to include young people aged 25-29. This makes the proposal more inclusive and recognises that during the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic a bigger share of 25 to 29 year-olds will fall into unemployment and require support.

§ 2 to 4 recommend Member States to reinforce mapping systems and enabling prevention through tracking and early warning systems.

§ 5 to 7 include recommendations to Member States on raising awareness and targeting communication and stepping up the outreach to vulnerable groups. This could be achieved by adopting appropriate, youth-friendly information channels and by using a recognisable visual style for communication purposes.

§ 8 to 11 include recommendations to Member States on profiling, counselling, guidance and mentoring. Member States are invited to improve profiling and screening tools and individualised action plans that take into account a young person’s preferences and motivation, barriers and disadvantages, and reasons for being unemployed or inactive.

§ 12 and 13 include recommendations to Member States on enhancing digital skills with preparatory trainings and on validation of learning outcomes. Member States are strongly recommended to assess the digital skills of all NEETs who register in the Youth Guarantee and ensure that, all young people are offered a dedicated preparatory training to enhance their digital skills.

§ 14 invites Member States to ensure that the preparatory phase facilitates upskilling and re-skilling geared towards the skills needed in a changing labour market and that are needed for the green transition as well as entrepreneurial and career management skills.

§ 15 to 19 recommend Member States to use targeted and well-designed employment and start-up incentives, align the offer to standards for quality and equity and expand post-placement support.

§ 20 to 26 include recommendations to Member States on partnerships, data collection and monitoring and the use of funds. Member States could strengthen existing partnerships and are invited to formalise protocols for cooperation between Youth Guarantee providers (including education and training institutions) and other social services (e.g. childcare, healthcare, social housing, accessibility services). In particular, it is important to ensure the active involvement of social partners at all levels. Member States are invited to further develop integrated service models, such as one-stop shops, joint case management or multidisciplinary teams. Member States are also invited to improve data on the sustainable labour market integration of young people and explore the potential of wider data sharing.

§ 27 to 31 welcomes the Commission’s intention to strengthen the support for the quantitative monitoring of Youth Guarantee schemes based on the commonly agreed Indicator Framework, explore the new possibilities yielded by upcoming improvements to the EU Labour Force Survey and the granularity with which the NEET target group can be assessed, and monitor the implementation of national schemes through the multi-lateral surveillance of the Employment Committee within the framework of the European Semester. The Commission is invited to report regularly to the Employment Committee on developments concerning the implementation and results of the schemes and support Member States’ awareness raising and communication efforts while reinforcing at EU level the dissemination of results and good practice examples. Good practices help other Member States in taking over measures with a proven track record.