The German Chancellor believes Europe will gradually evolve into a single labour market.
Angela Merkel said she was concerned about the high unemployment rate among youngsters in southern European countries, and that the tendency would be for Europe to become a single labour market to respond both to the needs of companies and EU workers.
In her opinion, the different educational systems in Europe represent a barrier for youngsters who want to emigrate. Thus Merkel encouraged them to learn other languages to facilitate EU mobility.
Citing the German “dual” professional training system, the Chancellor said other countries should follow this paid internships model, whereby youngsters receive training within a company while also earning a salary.
In 18 EU countries, the unemployment rate among youngsters is over 20%. Completing a Single European Labour Market is seen by many experts as one of the key drivers to fulfil the ambitions of the Europe 2020 strategy.
