Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Soteroula Charalambous has said that supporting measures are needed for the integration of young people into the labour market, such as vocational training, counseling support, practice periods and the provision of financial motives to develop business activities.
She noted that these are some of the measures which can contribute to the normal transition from training to employment and promote the employment of young people.
Charalambous was speaking during an informal meeting of EU Employment Ministers, which took place in Godollo, Hungary, on January 17 and 18, to discuss job creation opportunities.
The Cypriot Minister noted that young people have been affected the most by the financial crisis and as a result youth unemployment has risen and the periods of unemployment are longer.
Charalambous particularly referred to the measures implemented by Cyprus, such as a plan to grant motives for the employment of unemployed persons from vulnerable groups of the population, as well as a special plan of giving work experience and jobs to unemployed graduates of tertiary education.
She also stressed that small EU member island states, such as Cyprus, experience permanent natural limitations, such as the small size of the domestic labour markets, and that measures should be taken to address this situation.
The meeting’s agenda included the utilisation of EU funds for job creation. In addition to economic development programmes and credit facilities aimed at job creation and European Social Fund related issues, the Ministers reviewed how efficiently member states use sources granted by structural funds to boost job creation.
On the first day of the informal meeting on January 17, the Ministers held talks with the social partners, EU level trade unions, the Employers’ Association and organisations representing small and medium sized enterprises. One of the key issues was the employment of European young people and the development of an employment-friendly economic policy. The Ministers also discussed the European Commission’s “Youth in Motion” initiative and its framework system.
In the meeting, the non-governmental organisations involved in the cooperation called ''Social Platform'' presented their working material on social crisis and the situation of young people in the labour market.
