Earlier this year, the committee discussed the proposal for a recommendation of the Council of Ministers of the EU on establishing a youth guarantee. In view of the importance we attach to the issue of youth unemployment, we decided to submit a political contribution on our position to the Presidents of the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Within the overall challenge presented by unemployment, youth unemployment has the potential to cause the widest social and economic damage to society. Accordingly, the course of action proposed by the European Commission, through the youth guarantee, is most welcome. Youth guarantee schemes have a proven record in assisting people to find employment and training or education courses, thus reducing the economic and social burden of unemployment. It is important that the youth guarantee be properly funded and fully implemented through the European Union. For this reason, the European Commission's proposal that aims to provide matching funding from the European Social Fund for the youth employment initiative is welcome. It is important that all member states fund the youth guarantee, to the maximum extent, in order to draw down as much matching funding as possible. The political contribution the committee proposes to adopt will convey to the institutions of the European Union the importance that we attach to the youth guarantee. I wish to see it implemented fully and speedily throughout the European Union. Is the political contribution agreed to? Agreed.
