In recent years, European labour markets have undergone unprecedented structural changes. The significant demographic transition and ageing of European societies, the liberalisation and globalization of markets and flexibilisation of employment, digitalisation and automation of work and the shift to a greener economy have reshaped the way work is performed and labour markets are organised.

In an already volatile environment for the labour markets of the Member States, the Covid pandemic has administered a further blow. The slowdown in business activity -especially during the first year of the pandemic- had a dramatic impact on the European labour markets. The employment fallout of Covid-19 has been visible in three fields: the number of jobs, the quality of jobs and the specific adverse effects on vulnerable groups. The pandemic increased unemployment and underemployment rates, reduced wages and limited access to social security protection and amplified social exclusion and working poverty.

Although the Covid crisis-affected labour markets in their entirety, employment in some sectors were hit particularly hard, especially in the services sector. Similarly, certain groups of vulnerable workers have been disproportionally affected: workers with underlying health conditions, young and old workers, women, atypical workers, and migrants.

And, amid the difficult recovery of European economies from the Covid pandemic, the recent outbreak of a war in Ukraine brought about new obstacles and challenges for the European labour markets that are now called upon to integrate an influx of the Ukrainian refugees. The support of millions of vulnerable people and their inclusion in Europe’s labour markets seem to be an immense challenge, but constitute an inevitable need (and, if managed well, opportunity) that governments and policymakers must face.

In an effort to rebuild labour markets and prepare them for these numerous challenges, EU Member States must invest in active labour market policies. Performing active employment policies remain a vital tool for the protection of the most vulnerable and the preservation of social cohesion and welfare and can help labour markets build up resilience. Against the background of fast evolutions in the world of work, measures are needed that will increase employment opportunities and improve the matching between supply and demand of skills in the job market.

Following the “Employment Guidelines” included in the “Europe 2020 Strategy”, which were aligned to integrate the consequences of the pandemic, the green/digital transition, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Member States are called upon to work towards:

• Boosting the demand for labour
• Enhancing labour supply and improving access to employment, skills and competences
• Enhancing the functioning of labour markets and the effectiveness of social dialogue
• Promoting equal opportunities for all, fostering social inclusion and fighting poverty

In the first place, this translates into further needed support for the employment services. Through information, placement and active support services, public employment services (PES) can enhance employment. At local, national and EU levels, public employment services can provide assistance for job placements and thus help in the improvement of working and living conditions. Moreover, active labour market policies include measures for forward-looking education, training and re-/up-skilling schemes to adapt the skills of workers to evolving labour market requirements, as well as a variety of employment subsidies to support and stimulate job creation and allow the unemployed to re-enter labour markets and gain work experience. Active labour market policies have also included measures to reinforce work incentives for social benefit recipients.

Albeit generally intended to safeguard employment, active labour market policies may bring unnecessary adverse effects for workers or not reach their full potential for them. Indeed, active labour market policies can only succeed if workers and their representatives are involved in their design and implementation. Policies need to consider the real needs and interests of the world of work, and this can only happen through the effective participation of workers as well as the trade unions and social partners representing them. In its Recommendation 2021/402 of 4 March 2021 on effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE), the European Commission recognizes the vital role of social partners in this regard and asks for their active involvement.

As a confederation of more than 40 national trade union organisations with a total of more than 5 million individual members, this project aims to build capacity and raise awareness about the role of workers, unions and social partners in the design and delivery of effective active labour market policies.

The project foresees:

• Six (6) hybrid national seminars hosted by members of CESI in several EU countries to discuss their needs and their role in the design and implementation of active labour market policies in their countries.
• A hybrid comparative European conference on the role of workers, trade unions and social partners in the delivery of performing active labour market policies in Europe and the tools, instruments and support provided by the European Union in this regard.
• Four (4) hybrid European seminars to provide CESI’s members with training on how to contribute more effectively and meaningfully to a successful design and delivery of active labour market services in the Member States, including by making increased use of tools and support provided for by the EU (as established in the European Conference) and by drawing lessons learned from each other in the course of the project (and the 6 hybrid national seminars in particular).