Most active themes in the European Parliament are tied to managing the crisis, tackling unemployment and opportunities for growth in Europe.
We have 23 million unemployed, over 5 million of which are young people. The economic crisis has already created significant social consequences. To recreate growth and employment, the European Parliament voted on a draft resolution whereby every country, including Slovenia, will have to focus their efforts on employment and new jobs.
It is not just about an increase in jobs, but also of higher quality jobs. It is necessary to adapt accordingly the education system to meet market needs. Primarily these will be in information technology, healthcare, tourism, food, the efficient use of energy, and also the use of alternative energy sources. Young people need to be encouraged and guided already during their studies into entrepreneurialism and self-employment.
European guidelines suggest that youth unemployment should never last more than 4 months, after which there should be an offer of employment, further education, training or engagement in voluntary work. A prerequisite for more vigorous employment is the adjustment of employment offices making them more effective in finding employment for the unemployed.
European politics and that of the Member States will also be devoted to encouraging greater mobility for young people within the European market. Work should be sought for where it can be found. The European strategy that supports mobility in employment is founded on the single market, green jobs and broadband networks, which provide excellent IT support, including working from a distance. It is necessary to implement e-government for this at both the European level and at national levels. Four years ago, Slovenia was the leader in this area, the same cannot be said today.
As a Member of the EPP, which the Slovenian Democratic Party is a member of, I would like to invite you, dearest young people, to join my team’s initiative as part of my work in the European Parliament. We have created a local initiative for the youth named Start-up Europe. The purpose of this initiative is for young people to gain a better understanding of the European Union and the work of the European Parliament and to actively participate in discussions and projects that will open up employment opportunities and career development.
With the launch, we organized a roundtable in the SAŠA region on Youth and Opportunities in Europe and also started the Facebook page, which will be the initiative’s information point. More important topics that will be on the agenda are: freedom of expression, protection of intellectual property, volunteerism, the culture of communication, and networking. Active participants will also be able to visit the European Parliament.
