Italy's Letta calls for EU plan against youth unemployment

(ROME) - Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta on Friday called for the European Union summit in June to adopt a strategy to combat youth unemployment with concrete measures to be implemented immediately.

"Europe has to provide answers on youth unemployment," Letta said after talks in Rome with European Parliament speaker Martin Schulz.

"Without jobs for young people there is no hope, either for the member states or for Europe," he said.

One out of four under-25s, or 23.5 percent, was unemployed in the 27-nation European Union in March, but almost two in three were in Greece and Spain, according to the latest official figures.

In Greece the jobless figure for youths stood at 64.2 percent in February and in March hit 55.9 percent in Spain, 38.4 percent in Italy and 38.3 percent in Portugal.

Letta also rejected the idea of an "ideological war" on the theme of austerity and growth, saying his country was committed to keeping public accounts within EU-mandated limits.

"We agree with having our accounts in order," he said.

Schulz said he hoped the next European council would take measures against tax evasion.

"Experts say that 1.0 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) are lost to tax evasion and it is important for the next European Council to take action against tax evasion. It would send an important signal," Schulz said.