National and European Parliament Members under-35 join forces to tackle youth unemployment

Brussels, 26 June 2013 // European leaders will meet on 27 and 28 June to discuss and adopt extraordinary measures to tackle youth unemployment. In light of this event, the Youth Intergroup and the European Youth Forum have joined forces to present a joint initiative from members of the National and European Parliaments who are under 35. This European Summit is crucial, as it will have a significant impact on the hopes and destinies of young citizens in Europe.

In a meeting held earlier today in the European Parliament, several national MPs and MEPs under 35 from across Europe outlined an open letter to the President of the European Parliament and the Heads of States and governments. This event marks the launch of a cooperation network among the Members of Parliament under the age of 35 to exchange good practices and coordinate between different legislative actions carried out on the national and European level.

All stakeholders agreed that a Europe based only on governmental cooperation has not proven to be able to answer to the challenges that the continent is facing and that Europe needs to widen the debate and to enlarge the spaces for cooperation, among institutions and the civil society.

MEP Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Chair of the European Parliament Youth intergroup, stated: “We would like to launch this network of young Member of the European and National Parliaments as it is crucial that young people present in the legislative institutions can meet, discuss and share ideas on how to make a better policy making for young people at national and European levels. This is why we aim to convene the first inter-parliamentary forum of young members of the European and of national parliaments, to be held by the end of November in the European Parliament.

Therefore, together with the European Youth Forum, more than 20 Members of National and European Parliaments decided to draft and sign in the open letter to raise their voice and proposals before the Council.

Anna Ascani Member of the Italian Parliament, stated “Europe cannot afford a lost generation and we cannot afford any further delays. The tragedy of European youth unemployment cannot be dealt with vagueness, and, above all, we need to act together; the answer can emerge only from a united Europe, from the United States of Europe. A consistent plan against youth unemployment can be our generation’s Schuman Declaration”

Giuseppe Porcaro, Secretary General of the European Youth Forum, underlined that “no country or institution alone can effectively respond to this challenge. Only real cooperation at European level and involving national Parliaments, Governments and European institutions, can make the difference”.

[ENDS]

Notes to editors:

The Open letter is in annex to this press release and will be delivered during the European Council to President Schultz.

Speakers at the conference:

• MEP Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, President of the Youth intergroup

• Giuseppe Porcaro, Secretary General of the European Youth Forum ,

• MP Anna Ascani, Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies

• Andrius Mazuronis, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament

• MP Yannis Kefalogiannis, Member of the Greek national Parliament

MP Robrecht Bothuyne, Member of the Flemish Parliament