More than 25% of Greek youth are neither in employment nor in education and training

Elstat - eKathimerini

Greek Reporter — More than 1 in every 4 young persons aged 20-24 (26.1%) was neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) in Greece  in 2015, the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat) said on Thursday, the eve of the International Youth Day.

This rate places Greece in second highest place in the EU, after Italy (31.1%), while Croatia (24.2%), Romania (24.1%), Bulgaria (24.0%), Spain and Cyprus (both 22.2%) follow.

In contrast, the lowest NEET rates among young persons aged 20-24 were recorded in the Netherlands (7.2%), Luxembourg (8.8%), Denmark, Germany and Sweden (all 9.3%), Malta and Austria (both 9.8%) as well as the Czech Republic (10.8%).

At EU level, almost 5 million young people aged 20-24 (or 17.3%) were in 2015 neither in employment nor in education or training. According to Eurostat’s data, NEET rates increase considerably with age.

Young people aged 15-29 account for almost 90 million people in the European Union, or 17% of its population.