Willmott calls on the EU to fund youth jobs - 2012-10-01

“We call on the European Union to bring forward plans to fund a Youth Jobs Guarantee,” said Glenis Willmott, Leader of Labour’s MEPs, in a speech to Labour’s Conference in Manchester on Monday.

“I’m not arguing for any increase in the EU budget. This fund can be paid for initially by using 10 billion euros in unused European Social Funding,” she added.

In her speech, Glenis Willmott called for an end to the “Camerkozy” Europe that had created widespread European youth unemployment, and led to a widespread feeling of “worthlessness” among Europe’s unemployed youth.

“The fund should be fully flexible – to allow countries like the UK to develop a programme specific to our own needs,” Glenis Willmott continued.

“Let’s be clear, at the same time, we’re battling to reform the European Budget – to cut any wasteful spending and focus it instead on supporting an innovative economy and creating decent jobs,” she said.
 
ENDS
 
Note to Editors

The initial aim of Labour MEPs would be to allow EU countries to ensure that every young person who has been jobless for a year to be offered a job, further education or work-focused training.

Full text of Glenis Willmott’s Speech, delivered 10am Monday 1st October can be found here

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