On Friday 31 January, the European Commission authorised, under EU State aid rules, a €1.1 billion Italian scheme to support the employment of young people and women, financed in part by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
The aid is targeted at young people under 35 who have never had a permanent employment contract and women living in the Mezzogiorno (Southern Italy) who have not had a regular job in the last six months. It is a maximum of €650 per worker per month (€500 for young people in regions other than the Mezzogiorno). The employment contract must be signed before 31 December 2025 and the aid will be paid for 24 months. More than 180,000 new permanent employment contracts are expected. According to the Commission, the aid is “necessary and appropriate” to encourage stable employment for workers who are finding it difficult to enter the labour market or to remain in work on a long-term basis. In addition, the aid is deemed proportionate (30% of wage costs for the employer). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)