Labour ministers on youth guarantees, the situation of Roma and the posting of workers abroad

Despite the fact that the number of unemployed young people in the European Union has decreased by approximately 1 300 000 in the last two years, we should bear in mind that the overall unemployment situation for young people up to the age of 25 is still serious. The Council is ready to contribute immediately to strengthening the EU programmes designed for this disadvantaged group.

Ján Richter

Youth employment, improving the situation of Roma, the posting of workers abroad and the European pillar of social rights dominated the last meeting of ministers for labour, family and social affairs convened by the Slovak Presidency.

The Council of Ministers, chaired by the Slovak Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Ján Richter, supported a revision of the statutes of three major agencies - the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training. Their statutes have not been revised for 40 years and it is necessary to make them fit for new contexts.

Ministers paid particular attention to youth. The Council adopted its conclusions on the application of the Youth Guarantee and the Youth Employment Initiative. According to the Commission report, the position of young people in the labour market has generally improved in recent years, and the group's unemployment rate has decreased from the high it reached during the economic crisis. 'Despite the fact that the number of unemployed young people in the European Union has decreased by approximately 1 300 000 in the last two years, we should bear in mind that the overall unemployment situation for young people up to the age of 25 is still serious. In the case of some Member States and regions, the situation is even worrying. I am therefore very happy that the Commission has proposed new initiatives for young people. The Council is ready to contribute immediately to strengthening the EU programmes designed for this disadvantaged group,' said the Slovak Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Ján Richter.

During the meeting, the Council took note of the report drawn up by the Slovak Presidency on progress achieved in terms of the proposal for a directive on the posting of workers. 'We tried to make as much progress on the file as possible and, as the first presidency ever to make such a proposal, we have suggested various compromise solutions in order to gain wider support for it. For example, we have achieved good progress in clarifying certain aspects, in particular as regards the provisions on remuneration, as well as provisions on workers posted through temporary work agencies,' explained minister Richter. The debate on the draft report has been postponed to the end of January 2017.

Ministers also discussed the European pillar of social rights. The public consultation concerning this topic ends this month. According to the Commission, the structure of the pillar will be based on three principles - equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions and adequate and sustainable protection.

The Council also adopted its conclusions on improving the position of Roma in the fields of employment, education, housing and healthcare. These are the key areas for the full involvement of Roma in society.

Over a working lunch, ministers discussed the social economy and social innovation as ways to create jobs and reduce poverty. They exchanged national best practices and dealt with future prospects. 'I believe not only that the social economy has the potential to create new jobs, especially for disadvantaged groups of people, but also that social enterprises themselves are the types of companies that put the dignity of work first. By encouraging this type of entrepreneurship, we can help to employ people who are unfamiliar with the world of work and, often, who lack basic social skills,' said the Slovak Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Ján Richter. Therefore, the Slovak Presidency organised an international conference on this topic. The conference, which was held in Bratislava, was attended by more than 230 experts from almost all the EU Member States. It was there that government representatives of ten EU Member States signed the Bratislava Declaration calling on the European Union to support the social economy to a greater extent. They demand more ambitious legislation, the establishment of financial tools for the effective promotion of social entrepreneurship and more extensive use of the social aspect of public procurement by both the Member States and the European institutions. On today´s Council session other member states have shown their interest in joining the Declaration.