Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Serbia (Ratification: 2000)

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Participation of the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s detailed report received in November 2010, which includes a comprehensive analysis of the country’s labour market and a description of the implemented measures. The Government reports that the employment policy and decentralization process continued in 2009 and activities were directed at local employment councils in order to strengthen their capacities in the area of elaboration and implementation of local employment measures. In this regard, training activities were held for members of local employment councils which focused on: the European employment policy; the national employment policy and the importance of employment policy decentralization; regional and local employment policy development; the creation of local employment action plans; and the financing of active employment policy measures. The Government further indicates that the Law on Employment and Unemployment Insurance, which took effect on 23 May 2009, provides an adequate, all-inclusive and flexible legal framework for elaboration and implementation of an active employment policy. The obligation to conclude individual employment plans, the system for tracking and assessing the active employment policy, as well as forecasting the future needs of employers have been introduced. Arrangement and positioning of the National Employment Service and other employment agencies have been specially regulated, while the promotional mechanisms have provided for greater decentralization in the implementation of active employment policy measures. As for the participation of employers’ and workers’ organizations, the Government indicates that representatives of the social partners have been included in the elaboration of strategic and operative components of the employment policy with regard to defining objectives, priorities and determining measures for employment promotion at the national, regional and local levels. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the implementation of employment policy measures at the local level, as well as the involvement of the social partners in policy development and implementation and in the local employment councils. The Committee also requests the Government to provide specific details on the consultations held on the matters covered by the Convention with the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, both at the national and local level, with regard to the implementation and review of an active employment policy.

Employment policy measures taken in response to the global economic crisis. The Government reports that objectives concerning the employment rates defined in the National Employment Strategy 2005–10 were not attained due to the global economic crisis. The Government indicates that macroeconomic data indicate gradual recovery and stabilization, which has also been confirmed by the positive grade carried out by the IMF under the programme supported by a standby arrangement. Interventions implemented by the Government and the National Bank of Serbia to mitigate the negative consequences of the global economic crisis contributed to the attainment of key objectives of the 2009 economic policy. The Government reports that more balanced growth in Serbia will depend on global trends but primarily on structural reforms. The Committee notes that the employment rate declined from 50 per cent in October 2009 to 47.2 per cent in April 2010 and, during the same period, the employment rate of women declined from 42.7 to 40.3 per cent. Unemployment increased during the reporting period with 16.4 per cent in April 2009, 17.4 per cent in October 2009, and 20.1 per cent in April 2010. The unemployment rate of women reached 20.9 per cent in April 2010 compared to 19.4 per cent for men. The number of unemployed persons increased from 517,000 in October 2009 to 572,000 in April 2010. The Government indicates that the active employment policy measures implemented through the National Employment Service include: mediation for persons looking for employment; professional orientation and career-planning counselling; employment subsidies for employers; self-employment support; additional education and training; incitements for financial compensation beneficiaries; and public works. The total number of unemployed persons who participated in the different employment policy measures in 2009 was 135,784 persons, with 42 per cent of this total amount securing employment. While stressing the importance of mitigating job losses in the process towards a new economic growth model, the Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the impact of interventions implemented by the National Employment Service. The Committee also invites the Government to provide an evaluation on progress made in terms of policy coherence and policy integration in order to achieve sustainable and productive employment growth.

Monitoring and evaluating employment policy measures. The Government indicates that the Statistical Office carries labour force surveys in April and in October. The opportunity to carry out the labour surveys four times per year is being examined. The Government also indicates that the National Employment Service’s information system has been improved so that changes in the labour market can be continuously reported on. Since the new information system has been introduced in all National Employment Service local offices and the central reporting database has been organized, data presentation will now be of a considerably better quality. The Committee refers to the 2010 General Survey concerning employment instruments and recalls that “[p]rocedures to review and assess the results of employment policy measures are of crucial importance” and such procedures “serve as a helpful means for governments and the social partners to assess the extent to which proposed measures have been implemented and the desired results have been achieved” (paragraph 66). In this regard, the Committee requests the Government to include information in its next report on the methods of coordination envisaged between the economic and social ministries and the social partners, to review and assess the results of employment policy measures.

Youth employment. The Government indicates that the promotion of employment of persons up to 30 years of age is a great challenge since the unemployment rate of young persons in Serbia is one of the highest in Europe. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate of persons in the 15–24 age group increased from 40.7 per cent in April 2009, to 42.5 per cent in October 2009, and 46.4 per cent in April 2010. The number of young persons deciding to continue with their education increased by 31.9 per cent in April 2010 when compared to October 2009 figures, due to the lack of employment opportunities caused by the period of economic crisis. The Committee notes that the ILO Project on Youth Employment Promotion in Serbia, realized with the technical support of the ILO and funding from the Government of Italy, has been assisting, since February 2008, an inter-ministerial working group of experts in the development of the youth employment policy and a National Action Plan on youth employment. The Committee also notes the joint project entitled Support National Efforts for the Promotion of Youth Employment and Management of Migration implemented by the IOM, ILO, UNDP and UNICEF. The project, which started in May 2009 and will last in 2012, has been financed by the Spanish Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the results of the measures taken to increase the access of young people to sustainable employment.

Roma population and other minorities. The Government indicates that the promotion of employment of the Roma population was one of its employment policy priorities in 2009 and 2010. The Committee notes that a working group dealing with the promotion of employment of Roma people was appointed by the decision of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development. The information system of the National Employment Service was also improved to better track the effects of the active measures intended for Roma people. On 31 December 2009, 13,416 persons of Roma nationality were registered within the National Employment Service, 6,571 of which were women. In 2010, special public invitations were announced for self-employment of Roma people as well as for employment with subsidies for employers. Activities were directed towards raising awareness and encouraging employers to employ Roma people and towards the improvement of the capacities of local authorities and employment councils with regard to the creation of active employment policy measures intended for Roma people. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the employment situation of the Roma population and other minorities as well as measures taken to improve their participation in the labour market.