Greece Tops EU Rates for Young Men Neither Working Nor Studying

In 2023, Greece made notable strides in reducing the number of young people neither in employment nor education or training (NEET).

Across the European Union, the NEET rate for individuals aged 15 to 29 stood at 11.2%, down by 0.5 percentage points from 2022. This decrease is part of a broader trend over the past decade, excluding the COVID-affected 2020.

However, Greece still faces significant challenges, particularly for young men. In 2023, Greece recorded the highest NEET rate for young men in the EU at 14.8%. This is notably higher than the EU average of 10.1%. The overall NEET rate in Greece, when combining both men and women, indicates ongoing efforts are required to meet the EU’s 2030 target of reducing the NEET rate to 9%.

The European Pillar of Social Rights has set this 9% target, and several EU countries, including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Portugal, have already surpassed it. In contrast, Greece remains above this benchmark, highlighting the need for focused policies and initiatives to further integrate young people into the workforce and educational systems.

Read more: Employment in Greece

(Source: Eurostat)