On March 11, CESI held a timely online debate on active labour market policies and the role of trade unions in promoting high-quality employment.

The event aimed to give to the participants the opportunity to discuss about best practices for effective active labour market policies and appropriate approaches for quality job creation with a special focus on workers and citizens that have been affected most by the pandemic.

Trade union experts and policy makers shared their views on issues such as: Which is the role of active labour market policies in mitigating the consequences of the current transitions in employment? How can they support those at risk of permanent detachment from the labour market and social exclusion? How can member states create quality jobs and improve matching between workers and jobs? And what is the role of trade unions and social partners in these interventions?

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger opened the debate and stressed the importance of effective social dialogue mechanisms in the design, delivery and implementation of active labour market policies.

Theodora Xenogiani, senior economist at the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), presented the most recent challenges for the public employment services (PES) in the OECD countries and the spending of these countries on labour market services and active labour market measures.

Roberto Di Maulo, CESI Vice-President and Secretary General of the Italian Confsal-Fismic, described the Italian legal framework of labour market policies in detail and shared his thoughts on how countries with high unemployment rates can revitalise their labour markets.

CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski presented the current needs of the youth and the difficulties for young people to access the labour market and find quality jobs.

CESI continues to work towards inclusive policies that support workers and citizens and leave no one behind.