Employment, social inclusion and the protection of our most vulnerable citizens

By Alexandra Attalides

On Thursday the House labour and foreign affairs committees exchanged views with the visiting delegation of the European parliament’s employment committee on the pressing labour and social issues undermining the welfare of European citizens, particularly the young and the vulnerable. 

It is generally accepted that across Europe, young people are facing increasing challenges — insecure jobs, uncertainty, inequalities and limited opportunities for upward mobility. In Cyprus, despite overall economic progress, the share of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) remains high, at 12.9 per cent, above the EU average, and reaches 14.1 per cent among young women.

The gender employment gap also remains significant — particularly in the 55–64 age group, where men’s employment stands at 78.9 per cent, compared with 62.4 per cent for women. Our labour market continues to suffer from skills shortages and mismatches, as well as low participation in lifelong learning.

Only 28 per cent of adults take part in training, and just 49.5 per cent possess basic digital skills — one of the lowest rates in the EU. At the same time, Cyprus has recorded one of the largest increases in low performance in basic skills among students according to the OECD PISA 2022 results, signalling the urgent need to strengthen education and training systems.

Through our Recovery and Resilience Plan and the European Social Fund Plus, Cyprus is implementing reforms to better link education and training with labour market needs, strengthen digital and green skills, and introduce individual learning accounts for adults. These are important steps — but they must reach those who need them most: young people at risk of exclusion, persons with disabilities, women returning to the labour market and migrants. At the same time, population ageing is creating new demands for long-term care services. By 2030, nearly one in five older people in Cyprus will require care, and by 2050, this share is expected to rise to almost one in four.

We need faster implementation of the integrated long-term care model, as well as investments in workforce capacity and quality standards.

Another pressing issue is energy poverty, which continues to affect a large proportion of Cypriot households. Despite national support measures, 42.5 per cent of the population remain at risk of energy poverty, while 14.6 per cent report being unable to adequately heat their homes.

Efforts under the Recovery and Resilience Plan to improve energy efficiency and support vulnerable consumers are crucial, but additional action is needed to ensure a socially fair green transition.

These challenges are not only national — they are European. Volt therefore strongly supports the European Commission’s new Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Roadmap for Quality Work, and the EU Strategy to Combat Poverty. These initiatives can make a real difference by promoting decent work, fair wages, social cohesion and equal opportunities for all Europeans.

Cyprus must work closely with the Employment Committee of the European Parliament (EMPL) and all EU institutions to advance policies that provide real opportunities for young people, protect the most vulnerable, and strengthen the social fabric of our union.

Volt Cyprus together with Volt Europa works across the union for a Europe of fairness, solidarity, and dignity — A Europe that truly leaves no one behind.

Alexandra Attalides is a Nicosia MP for Volt Cyprus