The European Union has agreed to a multi-billion dollar fund to tackle its youth unemployment crisis, which has led to warnings of a lost generation. Even as the bloc struggles through the economic crisis, its expansion plans continue - with Serbia set to begin formal accession talks in the coming months.
歐洲決定投入幾十億基金處理失落一代的青年失業危機預兆。儘管歐盟掙扎著度過經濟危機，這項擴張計畫仍然會與塞爾維亞入盟談判一起進行。

In Spain and in Greece, unemployment among under-25s is running at over 50 percent. In Portugal, there are lines every day outside the Angolan and Brazilian consulates, as job-seekers look for better fortunes in the country's former colonies.

    It is a vicious downward spiral, says John Springford of the Center For European Reform policy group.
歐洲改革中心政策小組Springford 說「這是一個惡性循環」

    "When people have been out of work for a long time they tend to lose the skills that they have, they lose initiative, and also the social problems like drug and alcohol abuse can make them quite difficult to employ again," said Springford.
「當人們長期失業，他們會失去原有的技能、缺少進取心，以及藥物和酒精中毒等社會問題會讓他們難再雇用。」

Meeting in Brussels Friday, EU leaders agreed to spend $7.8 billion over the next two years to tackle youth unemployment. Herman Van Rompuy is president of the European Council.

    "We know that reforms take time and results won't be immediate.  So we're also concentrating on launching actions with direct impact.  Fighting youth unemployment and helping SMEs [small and medium enterprises] access credit," said Van Rompuy.
歐洲理事會執行長Rompuy 說「眾所皆知，改革並非一蹴可幾。所以，我們也致力於採取激進的行動。抵抗青年失業和幫助中小企業獲得貸款等，」

There are about 5.6 million unemployed young people in Europe - and the money simply won't be enough, says economist John Springford.

    "We're looking at about a thousand euros [$1,300] per person.  And the thing that we know about youth unemployment is that when unemployment is high generally, then youth unemployment will be even higher.  And so this kind of problem is best sorted out by macroeconomic policy rather than microeconomic tinkering," he said.
經濟學家Springford 說「我們預估大約每人一千歐元。而關於青年失業一事，我們認為當失業率攀高時，代表年輕人的失業率更高。因此，最根本的解決辦法是宏觀的經濟政策，而不是微觀的修修補補。」

European commissioners have described this week as a good one for the EU - after a deal was clinched on a $1.25 trillion seven-year budget for the bloc, ending months of argument between member states.

Croatia joins the European Union on July 1, while EU leaders agreed Friday to begin accession talks with Serbia no later than January next year.  European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hailed the agreement.

"This is historic. Let's not forget what happened not so long ago in that part of Europe with one of the most violent wars we ever saw.  And now we will start negotiations with Serbia," said Barroso.

Key to the accession process has been the Serbian government's willingness to negotiate, says James Ker-Lindsay of the London School of Economics.

    "There has been a tremendous transformation that's taken place over the past year since the arrival of a new government which many people thought would be a step back.  It had a reputation of being nationalist.  But in actual fact it's made a whole range of moves, so most importantly on relations with Kosovo, which has been a very, very tricky subject since Kosovo declared independence in 2008," said Ker-Lindsay.
倫敦經濟學院的Lindsay 說「自從許多人看衰的新政府上台後，發生過一個巨大的轉變，被冠上民族主義之帽。但事實上影響層面廣泛，最明顯但也最複雜的項目是與2008宣布獨立的科索沃建立聯繫。」

Meanwhile Latvia gained formal approval Friday to join the eurozone on January 1, 2014 - becoming the 18th country to use the currency.