Abstract
Over the last decades, youth unemployment has attracted serious attention of the public, politicians and researchers of social phenomena. Economic and sociological literature of the past 20-30 years abounds in studies aiming at clarifying the causes of this phenomenon. Statistical data show that youth unemployment rate is twice or even three times higher than the rate of general unemployment. Also, there are major discrepancies in youth unemployment rates across countries. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of this phenomenon and to present and debate on the main factors causing its high rates in several European countries. Both objective factors such as, educational system, government policy on wages and education etc. and subjective ones, related to the role of family, traditions, mentality, habits etc., are discussed.