The financial and economic crisis will especially hit the most vulnerable, which includes young people. The crisis threatens to exacerbate the difficulties young people face in finding stable employment, achieving autonomy and being able to fully being included in society.

At the same time, the current young generation has the highest potential to contribute to a lasting recovery from the current crisis. It is the best educated generation ever, familiar with new technologies, more mobile and open to new opportunities. The EU should not run the risk of a “lost generation” engendered by the current crisis.

The European Youth Forum puts forward a clear list of priorities and policy actions upon which the YFJ calls EU Member States to act in order to minimise the effects of the crisis when it comes to young people’s entrance into the labour market as well as decent working conditions for young people.