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1. Youth employment measures

2. Flexicurity measures focusing on young people

3. Reconciliation of private and working life for young people

4. Funding of existing schemes/initiatives

5. Quality assurance

Measures for youth employment

To support employment, government agencies (Law 4855/2021, Official Gazette 205/Α/12-11-2021) implement the following measures: The total fiscal cost amounts to 299 million euros. 

These measures are:

1. . Subsidised employment programmes for young people (DYPA)

The Public Employment Service (DYPA) implements programmes that subsidise businesses to hire unemployed young people by covering part of the wage and non-wage labour costs.

Example of a recent programme

• Employment programme for approximately 6,000 young people aged 18–29

• Subsidy of up to €1,256 per month per job position

• The objective is to facilitate the labour market integration of young people without prior work experience.

These programmes mainly target:

• young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs)

• young people registered in the DYPA registry.

   

2. Youth Entrepreneurship Programmes 

The Greek state promotes youth self-employment through grants for the establishment of new businesses.

Programme 2025–2026

• Support for youth entrepreneurship for unemployed people aged 18–29

• Budget of approximately €37 million

• Objective: the creation of around 2,100 new businesses.

In other programmes, funding of up to €17,500 per young entrepreneur is provided, paid in instalments depending on the viability and development of the business.

3. Training and skills development programmes

A significant part of labour market integration policy focuses on skills upgrading (upskilling/reskilling).

Examples of actions

• Training programmes for 30,000 unemployed persons in key sectors of the economy

• Duration of up to 400 hours of training

• Certification of skills upon completion.

Additionally, training vouchers and programmes financed through the Recovery and Resilience Facility are implemented, focusing on skills related to:

• the digital economy

• green development

• technology and innovation.

4. Work experience programmes

DYPA also implements work experience (pre-employment) programmes for young people without professional experience.

Example

• Work experience programme with six-month placements

• Monthly allowance of up to approximately €700

• Objective: to provide professional experience and facilitate the transition to permanent employment.

Flexibility measures with an emphasis on young people

In the general context of strengthening employment as described in the previous section, as well as in the labor legislation in Greece, flexibility measures with an emphasis on young people are included (e.g. first job contracts, safety of young workers). 

Reconciliation of private and professional life for young people

The Research Centre for Gender Equality(KETHI) is a Legal Entity under Private Law and constitutes part of the broader Public Sector (General Government Body). It is part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, it is supervised by the General Secretariat for Family Policy and Gender Equality and is governed by a five-member Administrative Board. 

KETHI's goals are: 

• Supporting women who suffer violence and/or multiple discrimination, through the provision of counselling services. 

• Production of scientific knowledge, through conducting research and preparing, publishing and publishing scientific studies in the field of gender equality. 

• Eliminating gender discrimination and inequalities, as well as strengthening the position of women, through the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of action programs. 

• Development of actions for issues of gender equality at work, entrepreneurship and social inclusion, through the provision of documentation and information. 

• Promoting the inclusion of the gender dimension, through the implementation of educational activities with a gender perspective (gender training). 

• Promotion of gender equality in special conditions of multiculturalism, through the undertaking of relevant initiatives. 

• Transfer of know-how and experience in counselling women and socially vulnerable groups, with a gender perspective. 

KETHI together with the General Secretariat of Family Policy and Gender Equality (GOPIF) and the Women On Top organization implement the SHARE project.

The project aims at addressing traditional and stereotypical gender roles within the family and at promoting work-life balance, emphasizing the work environment and taking into account relevant European and national priorities and developing complementary activities that act in a multidimensional and multifaceted way.

A series of laws (Law 4097/2012 Official Gazette 235/Α’/3-12-2012, Law 4075/2012 (Official Gazette 89/Α’/11-4-2012), Law 3996/2011 (Official Gazette 170/Α’/5-8-2011) etc.) regulates the framework for reconciliating private and professional life. Law 4808/2021 incorporated Directive 201/1158 regarding the balance between professional and private life into Greek law. 

The following concepts are defined by this specific directive:

1. "Paternity leave": Leave from work for the father, which is taken upon the occasion of the birth of a child, for the care of the child.

2. "Caregiver leave": Leave from work for employees to provide personal care or support to a relative or person living in the same household who requires significant care or support for a serious medical reason.

3. "Parental leave": Leave from work for employed parents due to the birth or adoption of a child, to enable the care of the child.

4. "Relative": The spouse, partner in a civil partnership, biological or adopted children, parents, siblings, and in-laws in the same line and degree.

e) "Flexible work arrangements": The ability of employees to adjust the form of their employment, including the use of remote working arrangements, flexible working hours, or the implementation of reduced working hours.

Funding of current projects/initiatives

1. The budget of the measure of the recruitment subsidy for young people up to 29 years of age with 1200 euros amounts to 28,000,000 euros. 

2. The budget for the measure to expand the subsidized jobs program from 100,000 to 150,000 is €169,000,000. 

3. The budget of the measure of the extension of the "Co-Work" program until the end of the year amounts at a cost of €50,000,000. 

4. The budget of the measure to extend the subsidy of vacancies in culture amounts at a cost of €22,000,000. 

5. The budget of the special purpose compensation measure (€534/month) for artists and tour guides amounts at a cost of €30,000,000. 

Quality assurance

As part of the operation of the  Public Employment Service , the  Improvement of quality control of the Public Employment Service in Vocational Education and Training (VET) units- Digital Data Analysis System for monitoring VET (Vet Tracking IS) is underway.