Chiara Gemma· ECR

Nuanced

Approximately 16% of young people aged 15 to 19 in Italy are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Omissions

• The most recent data available before the claim date (January 2026) was from 2024, as 2025 data may not have been fully published yet at the time of the speech.
• The NEET rate for the narrower 15-19 age group is typically higher than for the broader 15-29 age group, which was 15.2% in Italy for 2024 according to Il Sole 24 Ore.
• The claim does not specify the source, though this data is available from Eurostat and ISTAT (Italy's national statistics office).

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat - Statistics Explained: Participation of young people in education and the labour marketIn 2024, data on NEET rates for young people aged 15-19 years by EU country. The document indicates Italy had among the highest NEET rates for this age group.
• PrimaryEurostat - PDF: Statistics on young people neither in employment nor in education or trainingIn 2024, the NEET rate for young people aged 15-19 years in Italy was approximately 16%.
• SecondaryIl Sole 24 Ore - Italia second in Europe for young NeetIn 2024, the percentage of NEET aged between 15 and 29 was 15.2% in Italy, higher than the European average of 11%. Italy ranked second in Europe for youth NEET rates.