France to extend its Youth Guarantee scheme

The French government decided to expand the Youth Guarantee Initiative (YEI) to cover a further 61 departments in 2015. The original scheme had been launched in only 10 departments.

The expansion of the programme was expected to support 50,000 young people in 2015, and 100,000 in 2017, according to French minister for Employment, François Rebsamen.

However, the renewal of the funding on a EU-level to support the YEI was still uncertain. The €6 billion budget for the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) were fully allocated to 2014 and 2015, in an attempt to rapidly respond to the alarming youth unemployment rates. Beyond this point, no funding was still guaranteed.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Press Release: Youth Employment Initiative: Commission adopts first programme with France to use €620 million to tackle unemployment http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-youth-employment-initiative-commission-adopts-first-programme-with-france-to-use-e620-million-to-tackle-unemployment/

ESO: Background information: EU slow to spend youth job funds http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-slow-to-spend-youth-job-funds/

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