Outline:
Understanding the NEET Challenge in Europe
Young people are essential to driving social and economic change. They represent the human capital of every nation, yet in Europe, a significant number of them are neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET). This phenomenon has become a critical issue for policymakers across the continent.
In 2024, 11% of individuals aged 15 to 29 in the European Union were classified as NEET. The EU has set a target to reduce this figure to below 9% by 2030. However, as of 2024, only 11 out of 34 European countries have already met this goal. The variation in NEET rates across the region is considerable, with some countries experiencing much higher rates than others.
Regional Disparities in NEET Rates
According to Eurostat, the share of young NEETs in the EU ranged from 4.9% in the Netherlands to 19.4% in Romania in 2024. In Romania, poor educational outcomes are a major factor contributing to the high rate of young people not engaged in work or study. The OECD’s 2025 report on Romania highlights this issue, emphasizing that it is a key driver behind the elevated NEET rate.
When including EU candidate countries, the UK, and EFTA states, Turkey records the highest NEET rate at 25.9%. Bosnia and Herzegovina follows closely with 22.2%, both being EU candidates. Generally, Southern and Southeastern Europe faces higher NEET rates compared to Northern and Western Europe, which tends to perform better.
Other countries with NEET rates above the EU average include Romania (19.4%), Italy (15.2%), Serbia (14.9%), Lithuania (14.7%), Greece (14.2%), and Bulgaria (12.7%). Among Europe’s five largest economies, four—Italy, France, the UK, and Spain—have NEET rates above the EU average. Germany, however, stands out with the lowest rate at 8.5%.
Strong Performers in Reducing NEET Rates
Several countries have successfully reduced their NEET rates. The Netherlands leads with 4.9%, followed by Iceland (5.0%), Sweden (6.3%), Norway (6.8%), Malta (7.2%), and Ireland and Slovenia (both 7.6%). These nations have implemented effective strategies to help young people find pathways into employment or education.
The gap between countries is stark. Turkey’s NEET rate is more than five times that of the Netherlands. Researchers like Mehmet Ozan Özdemir and his colleagues suggest that a skills gap or mismatch is a primary cause of the high NEET rate in Turkey. According to the OECD, there is a significant disparity between the skills demanded by the labor market and those acquired by university students.
Gender Disparities in NEET Rates
The gender gap in NEET rates is particularly pronounced in some countries. On average, 10% of young men in the EU are NEET, compared to 12.1% of young women. This represents a 2.1 percentage point difference, or 21% more among women.
Three countries stand out as clear outliers: Turkey, Romania, and Czechia. In Turkey, 15.8% of young men are NEET, compared to 36.4% of young women—a gap of 20.6 percentage points. In Romania, the gap is 11.2 percentage points, while in Czechia, it is 9.4 percentage points. Only five countries in the EU have higher NEET rates among men than women, with Nordic countries like Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, and Belgium leading the trend.
Unemployment vs. Labour Force Participation
There are two main reasons behind NEET rates: young people are either unemployed or outside the labour force. In most countries, the share of those outside the labour force is higher than the share unemployed. Across the EU, the average is 4.2% unemployed compared to 6.9% outside the labour force.
Being outside the labour force refers to individuals who are not employed and are not actively seeking work or available to work. This group is also known as the economically inactive population. Higher shares of young people outside the labour force contribute to higher NEET rates.
In Turkey, one in five young people (20%) are outside the labour force, which significantly contributes to the country’s high NEET rate, despite an official unemployment rate of only 5.9% among 15–29-year-olds. Similar patterns are observed in Romania, where 14% of young people are outside the labour force, compared to 5.4% unemployed.
Gender and Labour Force Participation
Young female NEETs are more likely to be outside the labour force than young men, with only one exception—Estonia. In the EU, 8.5% of young women are outside the labour force compared to 5.3% of young men. In Turkey, the gap is even more dramatic, with nearly one in three young women (30.5%) aged 15–29 who are not in education being outside the labour force.
This trend is attributed to traditional household responsibilities such as housework, childcare, and caring for the sick or elderly. A 2023 study by Mehmet Ozan Özdemir and colleagues found that being female and married significantly increases the risk of becoming NEET, highlighting the need for policies that support women’s participation in the labor market.