29. Expresses concern about the high youth unemployment figures observed in a number of Member States and the negative employment prospects; notes with concern the European Union's limited ability to attract high-quality human capital while there are significant human capital flows towards third world countries; recognises that the European Union holds vast potential in terms of high-quality human capital and calls on the Commission and the Member States to step up action in order to tackle youth unemployment through programmes and concrete action at European and national level; welcomes in this regard the statement of the European Council calling on the Member States to introduce national schemes ...[+++]akin to the Youth Guarantee and urges the Member States to back up this plea with swift and concrete action at national level so as to ensure that young people are either in a decent job, education or (re-) training ; considers that the European Union should step up its efforts to achieve the employment objectives of the EU 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, including reduced taxes on labour aimed at attracting more investment in the labour-intensive sectors of the economy;

There are difficulties with other figures: there are difficulties with the quarterly financial account figures in the national accounts, with the unemployment figures at this time of the enquiry into the German workforce and with the French figures, but that is everyday statistical work, and if Parliament wants to give Eurostat more resources, they will be welcome.

(1) Article 28(6) of Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes - common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment(3), allows the reduced rates provided for in the third subparagraph of Article 12(3)(a) also to be applied to the labour-intensive services listed in the categories set out in Annex K to that Directive for a maximum period of four years from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2003.

On the first point – cabin baggage – the amendments are anti-competitive and cannot apply to third-country carriers.

(1) Article 28(6) of Council Directive 77/388/EC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes - common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment(3), allows the reduced rates provided for in the third subparagraph of Article 12(3)(a) also to be applied to the labour-intensive services listed in the categories set out in Annex K to that Directive for a maximum period of three years from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2002.

C. whereas tobacco growing is one of the most labour-intensive industries in the Community, since one hectare of tobacco requires a thousand hours of labour on average and over two thousand in the case of the eastern varieties (compared to 147 hours on average for general crops, except cereals, which require even less) and whereas the employment aspects are thus of crucial importance,