The Regional Director of Labour, Vocational Training and Consumer Protection (DRTQPDC) defended that this is the time to create Regional Action Plans for Employment.

Rui Bettencourt spoke during the ceremony to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Assembly of European Regions in Brussels and considered this as “fundamental” to achieve the effectiveness of proximity policies and responses.

“What most worries the Europeans are not hard times: the Europeans are courageous. What most worries the Europeans, concerning the future, is that there might not be projects to build this future,” stressed Carlos César.

For Rui Bettencourt, the European regions are thus “a passionate obligation” to “turn the regional initiative for employment, particularly youth employment, into the central political project of our public action.”

On the occasion, the Regional Director stressed the importance of youth mobility programme Eurodyssey, “which continues to be the first mobility programme between European regions.”

“Eurodyssey is therefore an example of the effectiveness of the European Regions,” stressed the Regional Director.

According to Rui Bettencourt, over 10,000 Europeans youngsters have participated in the programme and another two thousand have moved to region different their region of origin.”