Youth Guarantee discussed at the Economic Council to the Prime Minister

The EU initiative commits states to offer young people up to 25 (or 30 in some cases) a job, education, training or traineeship within four months of leaving school or losing a job. Experts noted that EU youth unemployment in 2024-2025 was around 15%, more than double the average rate, and that every tenth young person in the EU27 is NEET. Pirkko Pyorala of the European Commission presented the initiative, while EU4Youth Phase III experts presented the framework and good practice from Lithuania and Ukraine, along with the situation of NEET youth in Moldova and ANOFM pilots in Chisinau, Balti, Rascani and Ocnita.

State Secretary Felicia Bechtoldt called young people Moldova's most valuable potential. Lithuanian diplomat Liudas Dabkus said success depends on inter-institutional cooperation, working with NEET youth, involving employers and social partners, and focusing on quality of results. Business associations urged expanding NEET programmes and stronger cooperation to make the Youth Guarantee effective. The event was organised under the project "Support for Labour Market Reform".