NEETs are an essential problem for European countries. Early-career inactivity turns NEETs into the most likely candidates for long-term socioeconomic marginalization, criminal careers, unwanted pregnancies, and grave mental and physical health problems. They are often the first victims of any economic recession. But societal costs are also severe. Total yearly costs associated with European NEETs surpassed €153 billion in 2011 alone.

The project will investigate how individual and institutional circumstances combine to predict NEET. By identifying how different social groups respond to various policies and institutional characteristics, the project aims to significantly increase or understanding of NEETs, as well as provide input for policies that may reduce NEET.

To study these questions, the national scientific agencies allocated 1.5M euro to the project. The international consortium is composed of a team of researchers from Maastricht, Oxford, Berlin, Dijon and Kyoto, and policy makers at the EC, the OECD, and national governments. 
The Open Research Area competition is one of the most competitive grant schemes in Europe. Success rates in this scheme are exceptionally low (about 7%).