In 2023, more than 11 per cent of 15 to 29-year-olds in the European Union were defined as NEETs. At an EU level, NEETs represent one of the most problematic and complex subgroups in the context of youth unemployment.
Young people often fall into this category when they have difficulty transitioning from school to work. Social inequalities, job shortages and low levels of education are all contributing factors.
The term was formally introduced in the UK in the late 1990s and later adopted by most EU member states. The scale of the issue varies across the bloc; NEET numbers range from nearly 5 per cent in the Netherlands to more than 19 per cent in Romania.
The European Commission introduced indicators such as NEET rates in a bid to monitor the problem as higher NEET rates are often synonymous with high levels of poverty.