Nicosia, Cyprus. The number of young people in Cyprus who are neither studying nor working has fallen by nearly eight percentage points over the past decade, reaching 10.6% in 2026. That compares with 18.5% in 2015 and puts Cyprus close to the European Union average of 11%.
Age differences
Across the EU, the rate among young people varied by age group. Among those aged 15 to 19, 5.3% were neither employed nor in education or training. For those aged 20 to 24, the figure rose to 12.8%.
Highest and lowest rates
The highest rate was recorded among young people aged up to 29, at 14.7%.
The highest overall rates in the EU were in Romania at 19.2%, followed by Bulgaria at 13.8% and Greece at 13.6%. Greece also recorded one of the largest declines over the past decade, with the rate falling from 24.1% to 13.6%.
Slovenia recorded a rate of 7.6%, Sweden 5.9% and the Netherlands 5.3%, the lowest shares of young people without work or education in the EU.
EU trend
Over the past 10 years, the proportion of young people classified as NEETs — neither in employment, education nor training — has decreased in 22 of the EU’s 27 member states.