The Ministers for Employment and Social Policy and the social partners will meet on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 July in Ljubljana to discuss mainly the labour market and the need to ensure its inclusiveness and resilience in the face of the many challenges in the short and medium term.
The informal meeting will last two days. Thursday morning will be devoted to how to make labour markets more resilient in the face of an ageing population, and the dual digital and green transition, while smoothing the consequences of the pandemic.
Based on an analysis note produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU wants to know the priorities and actions undertaken by Member States to make markets more resilient. It will look at how the EU can complement national actions.
In addition, the Presidency will ask a series of sub-questions to the Ministers to find out more about what Member States are doing for people in transition and/or about to re-enter the labour market.
The Presidency will seek to identify the role of public employment services in this regard. Improving access to adult education and training will also be discussed. In connection with the rise of new digital jobs in particular, the Presidency wants to hear from ministers on their approach to ensuring flexible working patterns while limiting the risks involved.
The second day of the meeting will be dedicated to labour market inclusiveness. The most pressing questions remain the same: what are the national priorities and actions to make national labour markets more inclusive and how can the EU support national actions?
Here, the Presidency will try to sound out Ministers on the actions of governments and social partners to develop employment and social policies adapted to the wide diversity of workers (especially with regard to age) and SMEs. It will also look at the national measures taken in the framework of the ‘Youth Guarantee’.
The Western Balkans
On Thursday afternoon, the Western Balkan Ministers for Employment and Social Policy will be present. The meeting will be an opportunity to discuss youth employment in both the EU and the Western Balkans.
Priority actions to prevent long-term youth unemployment, the implementation of the ‘Youth Guarantee’ and possible improvements will be discussed, says the Presidency in its document.
To consult the documents from the informal meeting: https://bit.ly/3ytyj7q (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)