In a written answer on 17 July 2026, Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto outlined the European Commission's response to concerns over youth unemployment, brain drain, and structural economic challenges in Sicily, stressing that existing EU cohesion funds and the Italian Recovery and Resilience Plan already channel substantial resources to the region. Fitto was replying to a parliamentary question from Giuseppe Antoci (The Left), who had cited OECD reports highlighting stagnant wages, high taxes, and fossil fuel dependence as drivers of a bleak outlook for young Sicilians.
the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) regional programme for Sicily is investing EUR 204 million in targeted youth employment actions, including active labour market policies, dual learning, apprenticeships, and vocational training. The European Regional Development Fund allocates around EUR 502 million to support SME investments in research, competitiveness, and the green transition, with the aim of generating additional jobs. Fitto also pointed to Italy's Recovery and Resilience Plan, which includes measures to reduce early school leaving — 820,100 beneficiaries received training and mentoring, and over 44,000 minors at risk of drop-out in the South received NGO support — and the Garanzia Occupabilita' Lavoratori programme, which reached more than 3 million beneficiaries, including young unemployed in the South.
On wage growth, Fitto noted that the Commission regularly analyses Italy's comparatively low wage growth under the European Semester and the Social Convergence Framework, but offered no new instruments. Regarding fiscal reform, he recalled that in 2025 Italy received a country-specific recommendation to 'promote job quality and reduce labour market segmentation, also to support adequate wages' and to 'make the tax system more supportive to growth'. The Commission acknowledged efforts already made by Italian authorities and said it would continue to provide technical support for tax reforms aimed at stable youth employment.
The answer is largely a restatement of existing commitments rather than a new policy initiative. It does not propose additional EU-level measures or increased funding beyond what is already programmed. The policy orientation is one of continuity: relying on the current cohesion policy framework and the Recovery and Resilience Plan to address structural challenges, with no indication of a shift in approach. Institutional follow-up is likely to occur through the regular European Semester cycle, where the Commission will continue to monitor Italy's progress on the 2025 country-specific recommendations.