Mr. Konrad Kobler:

To answer Deputy Durkan's question, Germany experienced significant challenges with regard to unemployment, and not only youth unemployment, in the context of reunification. At present, we cannot fill positions and must seek people to do the work. We recruit from elsewhere, we have extended the length of working life and introduced new training models to allow people change career. A White Paper has been published on the duration of working life and pension policies in member states, and a number of member states fall below the retirement age threshold of 65 or 67 which is foreseen in the White Paper.

With regard to youth unemployment and the dual vocational training programme we mentioned, it is our view and experience that the benefit of this training programme is that highly-qualified people are trained specifically for the jobs in the market. They are trained in companies where the work takes place. It is not schooling which takes place outside of the real world; it is very specific and tailor made. Those who emerge from the programme are very well qualified and respected, and have no problem finding their place in the workforce. We hold great store by the fact this significantly contributes to our low youth unemployment rates.