Costoiu: Romania has the highest share of unemployed young people in the EU

Newsroom 11/03/2014 | 10:57

Romania is the EU member with the highest percentage of young people that are unemployed and aren’t registered with any educational institution, according to the delegate Minister for Superior Education and Research, Mihnea Costoiu.

“Romania recorded the highest NEET percentage – young people without a job or education – among the EU members. At the Union’s level, there are 6.8 million young people in the 25-29 yrs age category, which means approximately 1 in 5 young people”, Costoiu explained.

According to the minister, the percentage of young Romanians in this situation is 23 percent, over the european average. Between 2008 and 2012, the NEET percentage for 15-24 yrs was 13.1 percent, also above the European average.

“Most of the youngsters were identified in 2011 – 17.4 percent of people between 15 and 24 years old, while in 2012 the percentage dropped to 13.1 percent”, Costoiu mentioned.

The delegate minister believes that the Government must make a “complex and swift” intervention to mend the situation.