Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, and the European Parliament’s youngest MEP, Emilie Turunen, will meet with the Young Mayor of Lewisham on Friday, before travelling to Westminster to discuss Emilie’s draft report on Youth Unemployment in the EU with a group of experts on the issue.

Over 5.5 million young people in the EU under 25 were unemployed in December 2009, the equivalent to 21.4 percent of all young people. Emilie’s draft report, which was produced for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, calls for a promotion of youth access to the labour market and a strengthening of trainee, internship and apprenticeship status.

As a fellow member of the committee, and a longstanding campaigner for worker’s rights, Jean is keen to pledge her support and will join Emilie, 25, in meeting the Young Mayor of Lewisham, Jacob Sakil, at the Civic Suite, Lewisham Town Hall. The pair will then travel to Deptford, where there will be joined by Darren Johnson AM, to discuss youth unemployment with representatives from The Albany arts venue.

Jean said:

“Youth unemployment is one of the most acute problems facing Europe today, while Lewisham has one of the highest rates of unemployed under 25s in inner London, so I welcome the opportunity to draw attention to this worrying trend by backing Emilie’s comprehensive draft report.

“This chronic problem has far-reaching consequences, from the increase in welfare costs to the erosion of the tax system, with young victims of the recession more at risk of long-term social exclusion and health problems.

“In response to this challenge I strongly support Emilie’s call for Member States to work together to produce a coherent strategy of educational, financial, and social policies.”

Emilie, who represents the Danish Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF) in the European Parliament, added:

“Let’s put youth at the top of the political agenda. Let’s take up this challenge. Let’s turn Generation Lost to Generation Hope.”

 

Note to Editors:

Jean Lambert is one of eight MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives in the European Parliament. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections and was re-elected in 2004 and 2009.

Emilie Turunen has represented the Danish Socialist People’s Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti, SF) in the European Parliament since June 2009. In 2008, Emilie became the national chair of the youth wing of the SF and in the same year was also made a member of the National Executive and Executive Committee of the SF. She graduated with a bachelor degree in social sciences and working life studies from Roskilde University in 2009.