2017 Employment and Social Developments in Europe review confirms positive trends, but highlights high burden on the young

Today, the Commission published the 2017 edition of its yearly Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review.

This year's edition confirms positive labour market and social trends and continued economic growth. With over 234 million people having a job, employment has never been as high as today in the EU, and unemployment is at its lowest level since December 2008. Since 2013, 10 million jobs have been created in the EU.

But looking beyond the overall social and economic progress, evidence shows that a particularly high burden is put on the younger generations:

• they tend to have more difficulties in finding a job,
• they are more often in non-standard and precarious forms of employmentincluding temporary contracts
• they are likely to receive lower pensions, relative to wages.

​This is why the 2017 ESDE review focuses on intergenerational fairness: we need to make sure that all generations benefit from the current positive economic trends.

Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, MarianneThyssen, commented: "This annual review shows once again that we are firmly on the path towards more jobs and growth. However, today's young and their children may end up worse off than their parents. This is not what we want. Swift action is needed. With the European Pillar of Social Rights we want to preserve and improve our social standards and living conditions for future generations."

The annual Employment and Social Developments in Europe review is the European Commission's main report to provide evidence and analysis and to review trends and upcoming challenges on the labour market. It reports on the latest employment and social trends, and reflects on upcoming challenges and possible policy responses.