Catherwood LibraryILR School

Among the things on the table as European Union leaders meet this week is the stubbornly high youth unemployment. Across the world?s largest economic bloc, approximately 23.3% of those of legal age to hold employment, but under age 25 are unemployed. High debt, sparse funding opportunities, and disperse labor law restrictions are all barriers to an E.U. solution. Business federations in Europe argue that more flexibility to hire, fire, and determine terms of employment would increase employment, while labor unions argue that cuts into Europe?s labor regulations have created more short-time and temporary jobs already. Currently under negotiation is some 8 billion Euros that the European country leaders will discuss how to distribute to alleviate the issue.