Unemployment in the EU rose to 10.3% in April 2012, as employers cut 102.000 jobs from their payrolls. Unemployment in the EU has not been this high since 2000, with governments across the EU facing the double challenge of reducing unemployment levels and fiscal deficits and public debt at the same time.

The Group of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament (ALDE) again stressed the necessity for a pro-growth structural reform of the labour market to tackle unemployment and reach the EU2020 goals for smart, sustainable and inclusive jobs and growth.

Phil Bennion (UK, LibDems) welcomes Parliament's resolution following the Employment package presented in April by the European Parliament.  "This resolution highlights, amongst other things, the importance of improving the business environment for SMEs which are the corner stone of employment within the EU - particularly through efforts to reduce the administrative burden on them. I'm also pleased that it touches on the need to support entrepreneurs and self starters in developing new businesses and social enterprises, which are vital to our global competiveness. There is a real focus on social enterprises and youth entrepreneurship, and this is something that I'd like to see more of, and will continue working to promote as much as possible within the Employment committee."

The unemployment problem is especially severe for young people across Europe, as 22.4% of those aged 24 or younger were jobless in the EU in April. More than half of the young people are without jobs in Spain and Greece. ALDE coordinator of the Employment Committee Nadja Hirsch (Germany, FDP) reiterates her call for a swift implementation of the European Youth Guarantee to improve the employment outlook especially for young people.

"It's all hands on deck to ensure that every young person in the EU is being offered a job or an apprenticeship or equivalent after a maximum of four months of inactivity. Member States should make the Youth Guarantee legally enforceable in order to effectively fight youth unemployment, using non-committed EU structural fund resources to finance projects for young people."

ALDE remains concerned that the rising levels of unemployment will have a direct economic cost and will also have a social impact including social exclusion, mental health problems, violence and increased crime. These must be addressed in addition to policies addressing the economic effectsof rising unemployment. The Commission must continue to develop policies to promote increased participation of young people, women and people with disabilities in the labour market.