Young people make up a significant proportion of the EU population: on 1 January 2009, there were 95 million persons aged 15 to 29 in the EU27, almost a fifth of the total population. Statistics on young people confirm that they have their own characteristics compared to the older generation, but also reveal differences in their behaviour between Member States.

What is the average age of young people when leaving the parental home? What is the difference in unemployment rates according to the level of education? What proportion of young people are employed on a temporary contract? How often do young people go to the cinema and other cultural events? Answers to these questions and to many more can be found in the publication "Youth in Europe - A statistical portrait" published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. This publication is issued in connection with the adoption of a resolution2 by the Council on 27 November 2009, on a new EU Youth Strategy for 2010-2018.

Young people leave their parental home earliest in Finland, France and the Netherlands

The average age of leaving home differs strongly between Member States, although in all Member States, men stay longer in the parental home than women. In 2007, the average age of leaving home for men ranged from 23.1 years in Finland and 24.2 years in both France and the Netherlands to 31.5 in Bulgaria, Slovenia and Slovakia. For women, the average age was below 30 years in all Member States, ranging from 22.0 in Finland, 23.1 in France and 23.2 in the Netherlands to 29.8 in Slovakia, 29.6 in Slovenia and 29.5 in Italy.

Difficulties for young people in entering the labour market are aggravated for those with low qualifications

In the second quarter of 2009 in the EU27, the unemployment rate for the age group 25 to 34 was 19.2% for those with a low education level (up to lower secondary education), 9.1% for those with a medium level (upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education) and 5.9% for those with a high level (tertiary education). Almost all Member States followed this pattern, with the higher the education level, the lower the unemployment rate. Only in Greece did unemployment rates hardly vary with the educational level.

The unemployment rate for those aged 25 to 34 with a low education level ranged from 6.4% in the Netherlands, 7.6% in Malta and 8.7% in Cyprus to 53.7% in Slovakia, 34.4% in the Czech Republic and 31.1% in Latvia. For those with a medium level it ranged from 3.1% in the Netherlands, 4.2% in Austria and 4.5% in Cyprus to 18.8% in Spain, 17.8% in Latvia and 17.3% in Lithuania. For those with a high education, it varied from 1.9% in the Netherlands, 2.7% in Romania and 2.8% in the Czech Republic to 11.8% in Spain, 11.7% in Greece and 9.6% in Italy.

Young people are more often in temporary employment

In the EU27 in 2008, nearly four out of every ten employees aged 15 to 24 and two out of ten of those aged 25 to 29 had a temporary contract. This share was less than one in ten for those aged 30 to 54. This pattern of a fall in the share of temporary contracts with age is the same in all Member States. Among those aged 15 to 24, the main reasons for having a temporary contract were that it covered a period of training (mentioned by 40% of young people with a temporary contract), e.g. apprenticeship, or that they could not find a permanent job (37%). For those aged 25 to 29, these shares were 15% and 65% respectively.

While in some Member States, the proportion of employees with a temporary contract was high in all age groups (e.g. Spain, Poland and Portugal) and in other Member States it was low for all ages (e.g. Latvia, Lithuania and Romania), there were particularly significant differences between age groups in Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Slovenia.

More participation in cultural activities for young people

In the EU in 2006, more than three quarters (77%) of those aged 16 to 29 went to the cinema at least once in the past year. This share fell to 37% for those aged 30 and over. This pattern was the same in all Member States. The highest shares of young people going to the cinema at least once in the past year were observed in Germany (87%) and Denmark (85%), and the lowest in Bulgaria (38%) and Latvia (53%).

Just over half (54%) of those aged 16-29 in the EU in 2006 went to a live performance (a play, a concert etc.) at least once in the past year compared with 40% for those aged 30 and over. This pattern was again the same in all Member States, although the difference between age groups was not as significant as for going to the cinema. Estonia (71%), Portugal and Slovakia (both 70%) had the highest proportion of young people going to live performances, and Malta (29%) and Bulgaria (32%) the lowest.

Almost half (49%) of those aged 16 to 29 in the EU in 2006 made a cultural visit (museums, art galleries etc.), compared with 42% for those aged 30 and over. The highest proportions of young people making a cultural visit were found in Finland (63%) and Slovakia (61%), and the lowest in Malta (14%) and Bulgaria (21%).