Young people in six Western Balkan economies (WB6) have an unfavourable position on the region’s labour markets. In 2020, the youth employment rate for the 15-24 age group was below 27% in all WB economies, while the youth unemployment rate for the 15-24 age group was above 26% (compared to just 16.8% in the EU-27, for the 15-24 age group) reaching almost 50% in Kosovo* (based on average of Q1- Q3). The proportion of young people neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) for the age group 15-24 averages 23.7% in the Western Balkans ranging from 15.9% in Serbia to 37.4% in Kosovo* (Q3) , compared to just 11.1% in the EU27 for the 15-24 age group1. Long-term unemployment affects almost two-thirds of unemployed youth in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo*, and two thirds of unemployed young women in Montenegro. This suggests that new policies are needed to assist young people to #nd a suitable position in work, education or training in a timely manner, for example within four months as proposed in the Youth Guarantee.