Italy: ERM comparative analytical report on Recent Policy Developments related to those Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET)

The interest for NEETs in Italy is recent and mostly connected with the effects of the current economic crisis. However, the problems related to young people have always been quite consistent in Italy as for social conditions and for the difficulties which young people have in entering the labour market. The various policy measures which were taken in the past were characterised by scant public financing, trade unions’ weak incisiveness and, sometimes, a misuse by companies. In this regard, reference can be made to the controversies at times connected with job training contracts. More recently measures, having various levels of efficacy and which had never been taken in Italy before, have been implemented. This has been possible thanks to the funding coming from the European structural funds. The trade unions and entrepreneurs are also somehow starting to look at youth problems with a stronger proposal-making attitude. The governmental support is still scarce and employment active policies are still insufficiently spread and financed.