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Mousiouttas Chairs EU Discussions On Skills And Labour Market Policies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 9, 2026

Cyprus Sets Ambitious Youth Employment Agenda

Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas announced new initiatives aimed at strengthening employment opportunities for young people. The measures form part of a labour market strategy for 2026-2028.

Policy Frameworks And Targeted Initiatives

Responding to a question from MP Charalambos Theopemptou of the Green Party, Mousiouttas said the initiatives build on existing policies under the National Strategy for Active Employment Measures for 2023-2025 and a draft strategy submitted to the European Commission in December 2025. Planned actions include personalised counselling, individual action plans and subsidised employment programmes designed to support young job seekers entering the labour market.

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Eurostat data show that youth unemployment in Cyprus stood at 15% in December 2025, close to the EU average. Data from the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat) indicate that unemployment among people aged 15-24 reached 14.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with 9.6% in the same period a year earlier.

Structural Reforms And Long-Term Vision

Mousiouttas also referred to measures introduced in recent years to support young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs). An early identification system allows individuals registering with public employment services to be referred to employment counsellors.

An outreach programme operating between January 2024 and August 2025 used mobile units to provide employment support in both urban and rural areas. According to the ministry, the programme engaged 542 young people classified as NEETs, providing information and guidance on available employment services. Efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education are also underway. The education ministry has allocated €30 million to support related programmes.

At the same time, a project aimed at modernising the public employment service is running until 2027 with a budget of €17.8 million. Authorities have also established the National Lifelong Guidance Agency to provide career guidance and support services.

EU Engagement And Strategic Dialogue

Mousiouttas is currently in Brussels participating in meetings of the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO). Agenda items include discussions on the 2026 European Semester, labour market policies linked to skills shortages and the impact of artificial intelligence on employment. The council is also expected to discuss a new EU recommendation on human capital aimed at improving coordination between education, training and labour market policies across the bloc. Participants in the discussions include EU commissioners and economists such as Christopher Pissarides.

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Cyprus’ Poverty And Social Exclusion Risk Stands At 17.1%

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 20, 2026

Cyprus recorded a poverty or social exclusion risk rate of 17.1% in 2025, below the European Union average of 20.9%, according to new Eurostat figures. Across the bloc, however, more than 92 million people continued to face the risk, highlighting persistent social and economic inequalities.

More Than 92 Million People At Risk Across The EU

A total of 92.7 million people across the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, equivalent to just over one in five residents.

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Cyprus is treated as a single statistical region because of its size, unlike many member states divided into multiple regions for comparison. Its national figure therefore provides an overall picture but does not capture differences between districts or communities.

Regional Gaps Remain Stark Across Europe

The risk varied considerably across the EU, with the highest rates concentrated largely in southern, eastern and outermost regions. In 24 of the 243 regions with available data, at least 31.5% of the population faced poverty or social exclusion.

These regions were located in Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, France and Romania, as well as Brussels in Belgium and Bremen in north-western Germany.

French Guiana recorded the highest rate, at 54.8%, followed by Calabria in southern Italy at 45.3% and Sicily at 44%. Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city, recorded 43.7%, while Réunion, another French outermost region, stood at 42.3%.

Central Europe Records The Lowest Rates

At the other end of the scale, 24 regions reported poverty or social exclusion risk rates below 13% in 2025. These included five eastern EU capital regions: Bratislava in Slovakia, Warsaw in Poland, Prague in the Czech Republic, Budapest in Hungary and Zagreb in Croatia.

Other regions with low rates were concentrated in northern Italy, the Czech Republic, northern Belgium, Hungary, Poland and Austria, illustrating the uneven distribution of economic security across Europe.

Cyprus Remains Below The EU Average

Cyprus’ rate of 17.1% places it below the EU average, although it remains higher than the levels recorded in the bloc’s lowest-risk regions.

The figures suggest that Cyprus performs relatively well compared with the wider EU, but poverty and social exclusion remain significant challenges across the bloc, affecting more than 92 million people.