 Hi there. In this video we talk about youth unemployment, which is reaching unprecedented levels in Europe. Millions of young people under 25 are not in education, employment or training. Many are leaving school early and are at risk of exclusion. Countries like Greece and Spain have unemployment levels of around 40%, Italy 35%. And in many other countries we still see much more unemployed youth than before the financial crisis of over a decade ago. Governments continue to make empty promises while counterproductive crisis policies fail to give young people a future, especially in the southern countries. So what can be done to prevent a lost generation and give youth in Europe the chance of a fulfilled life? Before we discuss what more can be done, let's look at two examples of what the EU is already doing to tackle this issue. In 2013, the EU put in place the Youth Guarantee, an initiative to get young people back on their feet. The initiative requires governments to set up programmes that help young people find education, training or employment. The experience after a few years of implementation is rather positive. However, several reports call for sustained support by all member states. The Youth Guarantee is making an impact in some countries, while others need to step up their game. Moving forward to another measure, the European Social Fund Plus, which merges several existing programmes. The idea is that especially EU countries with high numbers of young people unemployed or without training and education should allocate 15% of resources to more targeted support for youth and prevent poverty and unemployment. So what more can we do and better? First, the fight against youth unemployment should not be an option but an obligation for each government. The Youth Guarantee can really make an impact when it's taken seriously by national governments. So why not make it binding for member states and ensure a serious follow-up? Second, we need to start early. Children growing up in poverty and exclusion are much less likely to reach their full potential as adults. They are less likely to complete their education, find a job and have a good fulfilling life. We have to make sure that all children in the EU can participate in play, recreation, sport and cultural activities, as well as in decisions that affect their lives by guaranteeing their rights and equal opportunities by law. And let's not forget that helping parents means helping children. Parents need enough time together with their kids and enough income to live in safety. They need access to the labour market, minimum income for their household and access to affordable, high quality education and health care. Third, education is a basic human right and investment in education is one of the most profitable uses a country can make of taxpayers' money. However, more than 10 years after the financial crisis hit Europe, the average government expenditure is almost 10% lower than before the crisis. Cutting expenditure in education has a huge social and economic impact precisely when education and training are needed the most. So governments, put back the money in education because Europe's youth need education that helps them shape their future, teach them the skills they need to navigate safely in the digital world, prepare them for life and teach them soft skills and knowledge on how democracy works. Besides education, young Europeans also need opportunities to volunteer and gain experience. Internships are a common way for them to get work experience, but they are often unpaid. It's time youth had their hard work and talent valued in the workplace. Let's not forget about the most vulnerable. While dedicated EU funding is a step in the right direction, we need more complex measures that also strengthen the rights for children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. It cannot be that in Europe, a young migrant is denied access to services or that a child in a wheelchair cannot access their school due to a lack of basic infrastructure. So yes, there are more and better policies we can enact for youth in Europe. But for this to be possible, young people themselves need to be represented in democratic institutions and have a driving seat in decision making, especially when it comes to policies affecting them directly.