Young people and the low-skilled in many European countries will continue to struggle for jobs as unemployment is set to remain high in 2014, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Tuesday (July 16) in its 2013 employment outlook.

"Since 2009, the unemployment rate has indeed remained stubbornly high. There are eight percent on average in OECD countries and it is forecast to persist at this level well into 2014. There are some countries of course where the average jobless rate is between 25 and 30 percent, and it's really a social tragedy. And we need to address it," said OECD secretary general, Angel Gurria.

"The crisis has been particularly harsh for the youth, in an number of OECD countries, unemployment among the young has risen to about 40 percent, that's Italy, Portugal, Slovak Republic, 55 percent in Spain, I just was there yesterday. It's scratching the 60 percent level in Greece. Just think for a moment, 60 percent, more than one out of two unemployment of the people between 15 and 24," she said.