European Structural and Investment Funds: specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative

The Committee on Regional Development adopted the report by Iskra MIHAYLOVA (ALDE, BG) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards the resources for the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament adopt its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission's proposal.

The proposal aims to adapt the amounts of resources available for economic, social and territorial cohesion, the amount of resources for the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the annual breakdown of commitment appropriations reflected in Annex VI of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 to reflect the increase of the resources of the YEI, in line with the adopted budget for 2019.

More specifically, commitment appropriations for the specific allocation for the YEI should be increased by an amount of EUR 116.7 million in current prices, bringing the overall amount for 2019 up to EUR 350 million.

The YEI provides support to young people living in regions where youth unemployment was higher than 25 % in 2012. In 2017, funds were increased for regions where this rate was higher than 25 % in 2016.

The YEI supports young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs), including the long-term unemployed and those not registered as job-seekers.