French President Francois Hollande hosted 24 European leaders on Tuesday for a summit to tackle youth unemployment across the EU which stands at 23.5 percent. It’s a follow up to a jobs summit with took place in Berlin in July.
Addressing delegates, Hollande said: “If there are three words to remember after this summit they are: speed because the need to act is urgent, solidarity because we can not abandon a whole generation and finally security because we have to propose jobs and training with real prospects for young people”.
Today’s summit in Paris is the latest of a flurry of meetings and measures to tackle youth unemployment – considered by many to be the most pressing issue facing Europe.
Youth organisations and European trade unions urged the leaders to provide a more social Europe and guarantees for European youth dealing with austerity. Few are expecting any quick fixes to emerge from the summit.
