Youth Guarantee in Western Balkans
The Youth Guarantee is a well-tested, inclusive and ambitious activation scheme that EU Member States have used since 2013 to provide a smooth transition for young people from school to work, support their labour market integration and ensure that no young person is left behind.
It aims to address the challenge of youth unemployment and inactivity. Through the Youth Guarantee, EU Member States as well as the six Western Balkan economies, commit to ensure that all young people receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship, within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.
In October 2020, the European Commission (EC) announced a comprehensive Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans (EIP), with a focus on long-term economic recovery, a green and digital transition, regional integration, and convergence with the European Union. The EIP introduced Flagship initiative #10, suggesting that WB-6 governments should establish a youth guarantee in line with the EU Youth Guarantee.
On 8 July 2021, at the second EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Meeting on Employment and Social Affairs, ministers responsible for employment issues endorsed a Declaration on ensuring sustainable labour market integration of young people. The Declaration recognizes the disproportionate impact of the ongoing crisis on young people and spells out the commitment to gradually implement and enhance youth guarantee schemes in the region, taking inspiration from the EU Council Recommendation of 30 October 2020 on A Bridge to Jobs – Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee.