PRESS RELEASE - From Italy to Ukraine: exchanges on Youth Guarantee build pathways to recovery and EU accession
Rome, 7 March 2025 – A week-long high-level visit of a Ukrainian delegation to Italy, hosted by the European Training Foundation (ETF), concluded today with a renewed commitment to support the implementation of the EU’s Youth Guarantee in Ukraine, in a broader context of employment, education and training, and social policies reforms. The initiative will be a very important step for the country’s economic recovery and a crucial step towards EU accession, by offering young Ukrainians quality education, training, and employment opportunities.
The visit, spanning Turin and Rome, brought together representatives from the Ukrainian government and ministries, civil society and youth organisations, social partners – as well as EU institutions, and international organisations – to exchange knowledge and best practices. Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Andriy Chesnokov, led the delegation, which engaged with Italian and European stakeholders, focusing on integrated measures to support young people, particularly those not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
ETF Director Pilvi Torsti underlined the initiative's significance: “Supporting Ukraine's youth is an investment in Europe’s future. The Youth Guarantee will help align Ukraine’s employment policies with EU standards, ensuring no young person is left behind. This week I have seen a committed high-level and diverse delegation of passionate advocates: never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world.”
"The Youth Guarantee is a powerful instrument to help us prevent the loss of human capital, support young people in realising their potential, and drive national recovery," said Deputy Minister Andriy Chesnokov. "We are taking home concrete policy ideas that will hopefully translate into the successful implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ukraine."
The visit featured practical insights into best practices from Italy and other EU Member States. In Turin, the delegation visited vocational education institutions and met with local authorities, learning from Turin’s successful Youth Guarantee implementation. In Rome, discussions with the European Commission’s Representation, the Italy’s Ministry of Labour and Social Policies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Institute for Public Policies Analysis (INAPP) and representatives of youth services, reinforced the need for coordinated policies and strong stakeholder engagement.
"Italy plays a central role in the EU and in human capital development," said Oleksandr Yarema, State Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. "ETF’s support is invaluable in preparing the Youth Guarantee, fundamental for our ultimate goal of EU accession."
The ETF's Ukraine Task Force, led by Iwona Ganko, highlighted the longstanding collaboration with Ukraine: “Unity creates prosperity – this was our motto for the week, and it will be for the coming years. The ETF remains committed to supporting Ukraine in building robust policies that empower young people.”
The outcomes of this visit will contribute to Ukraine’s preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in July 2025, where employment and skills development policies for youth will be a cross-cutting theme.
ETF’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine
As a longstanding partner of Ukraine, the ETF has been actively engaged in supporting human capital development through policy advice to labour market and education system reforms. The ETF’s Knowledge Sharing Programme on the EU Youth Guarantee reflects its commitment to ensuring Ukraine benefits from EU expertise and best practices in developing inclusive labour market policies.
Previously, the ETF has supported its implementation in EU candidate countries, such as in the Western Balkans, and more globally, such as in Thailand, by providing policy advice and facilitating peer learning with EU Member States. The visit marks a significant step in Ukraine’s efforts to align its policies with EU standards and foster long-term economic and social resilience.
Background
The European Training Foundation (ETF), headquartered in Turin, Italy, is the EU agency supporting reforms in education, training, and labour markets across 28 partner countries, particularly in the context of EU enlargement and neighbourhood policies.
The visit, coordinated by the ETF’s Task Force on Ukraine, is part of a preparatory journey undertaken by the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Youth Guarantee in Ukraine in collaboration with the European Commission, the International Labour Organisation, the EU4Youth programme and EU Member States.
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Press contact
Daria Santucci, +39 366 9639638, mediarelations@etf.europa.eu