Answer given by Ms Thyssen on behalf of the Commission
12.9.2015
The Youth Guarantee (YG) is a Council Recommendation in the area of youth employment policy, and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), is a EUR 6.4 billion funding instrument in the 2014-20 programming period contributing to support the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in EU’s most affected regions. In 2015 pre-financing payments to the Member States from the Youth Employment Initiative's specific budget line were increased to 30%. The Commission refers the Honourable Member to its reply to Question E-006152-15[1].
In addition, in the new programming period 2014-2020, the European Social Fund (ESF) will continue to support interventions to boost youth employment in Italy, in the framework of national and regional programmes, including the Youth Guarantee.
The Commission is monitoring Member States' policies to address youth employment and Youth Guarantee implementation within the framework of the European Semester.
Monitoring of ESF and YEI implementation takes place in the context of the ESF regulation 2014-2020[2] under Annexes I and II, the latter including specific result indicators for the YEI. Member States have also added programme-specific indicators to better capture outcomes and results of ESF and YEI-supported actions.
As to the policy recommendations to Italy, the Commission refers the Honourable Member to its reply to Question E-6655/2015[3].
As to the last question the Commission refers the Honourable Member to its reply to Question E-006152-15.