Brussels, 01/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 December, member state ambassadors to the EU are expected to endorse the agreement between the Council of the EU and European Parliament on reform of the EURES network, the virtual “European labour market” window. This agreement should pave the way to the participation of all the different stakeholders and offers of training schemes and apprenticeships.
The inter-institutional negotiations should have been easy (see EUROPE 11237). In the end, however, they required 11 formal sessions in order to finally obtain a compromise on Tuesday 24 November. The Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Marianne Thyssen, has already welcomed the final compromise reached, which she said “will expand the scope of EURES… increasing the range of services available and will thereby facilitate national and cross border labour mobility”.
One of the most significant novelties that this reform will introduce involves the opening up of the network to all the different stakeholders, by proposing job offers in the private and public sector to full “members” of the network. This status may prove more binding than that of a “partner”. Private bodies will therefore be obliged to provide a variety of services, such as support for employers and jobseekers. This novelty, however, includes certain restrictions on charities. Employers and member states will also be able to refuse job offers being transmitted to the European platform. The general services provided by EURES will be free but the specialist services targeting employers and post recruitment services can be invoiced.
The fact that the network will propose apprenticeship and training opportunities is another significant novelty. Member states will, however, be able to refrain from putting this job offers on the European network site if they are linked to their education systems. Even though the EURES will be open to nationals from third countries, EU citizens will have a priority and the Council was particularly keen on highlighting this “Community preference”.
In an effort to facilitate candidate selection, the Commission will develop an information technology platform for the network, as well as a “European classification” of skills and qualifications. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)