Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Serbia (RATIFICATION: 2000)

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The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS), communicated with the Government’s report.

Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes the concern expressed by the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia that the National Employment Service (NES) has been inefficient as there are unemployed persons registered with the NES for ten years who have not been placed in employment. The Committee notes the detailed information on the labour market situation in Serbia contained in the Government’s report. The Government indicates that, despite recent developments in the macro and microeconomic situation of the country, the general employment situation is still unsatisfactory, which means that the NES faces great challenges. It adds that an increase in GDP in 2013 has helped to slow negative trends in the labour market. The Committee notes that a twinning project was implemented between May 2012 and June 2014 to accelerate labour market reforms in accordance with EU standards. The NES was among the key beneficiaries of this project. The Committee also notes that a network of seven migrant service centres has been established as part of the NES to provide migrants with information about employment opportunities, residence permits and education. In 2013, a total of 886 persons used the services offered by these centres. The Government reports an improvement in the services offered by the NES through its official website. The section of the NES website that matches labour demand with labour supply has been upgraded. By July 2014, 9,705 employers were registered in the NES database and the curriculum vitae of 92,345 jobseekers have been uploaded to the NES website. According to NES statistics, in 2013 a total of 44,148 job opportunities were registered. In the same year, 6,999 job applicants were referred to employers and were recruited or likely to be recruited after the selection processes. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the impact of the measures taken by the NES. Taking into consideration the observations made by the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the action taken by the NES to promote the job placement of long-term registered unemployed persons.

Articles 4 and 5. Cooperation with the social partners. The Government indicates that members of provincial and local employment councils are elected from among the social partners through procedures set out in the respective local government regulations. Candidates are nominated by the representative organizations of employers and workers of the local community concerned. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the outcomes of the consultations held within local employment councils in relation to the organization and operation of employment services.

Article 9. Staff of the employment service. The Government indicates that, in June 2014, the ratio of NES employees to users, which was 385:1, was unsatisfactory. It adds that the ratio of employment advisers to jobseekers was even more unfavorable, as there was one adviser for 1,257 unemployed persons. The Committee notes that the NES is undergoing changes in its organization and staff structure. The Committee requests the Government to provide information concerning the reorganization of the NES and its impact.

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Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report concerning the application of the Convention in the Republic of Serbia for the period ending July 2009, including replies to the 2006 direct request and statistical information. It also notes the comments made by the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia. The Government reports that since May 2009, Law No. 39 on Employment and Unemployment Insurance forms the legal basis for the work of the National Employment Service (NES), which, together with the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency, is mainly charged with the implementation of the employment policy. It further reports that since 2005 the NES has constantly reorganized its network of organizational units, depending on the economic situation and on the changes in the local labour markets. In 2009, the NES comprised of two provincial services, 34 offices, 21 services and 127 outposts, covering the territory administered by the Government. The Committee requests the Government to continue to report on developments of the NES practical operation (Article 1(2) and Article 3 of the Convention) and to continue providing statistical information (Part IV of the report form).

Articles 4 and 5. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government that the process of institutionalizing social dialogue is continuing and that the new legal basis for the operation of the national and local employment councils is the Law on Employment and Unemployment Insurance. It further notes the information concerning the composition of the federal and local employment councils and the training members of local economic councils received. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on how the economic councils work in practice at different levels and how the views of the social partners are taken into consideration by the NES. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the procedure adopted for the appointment of workers’ and employers’ representatives to the employment councils (Articles 4 and 5).

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1. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report concerning the application of the Convention in the Republic of Serbia for the period ending July 2005. It observes that the Convention seems to be applied by the Law on Employment and Insurance in the Case of Unemployment, 2003. It also notes of the establishment of 25 branch offices of the National Employment Service (NES) in different districts and in the city of Belgrade, as well as 18 services as smaller organizational units and around 165 subsidiaries at the local level. The Committee requests the Government to indicate how the NES operates in practice to achieve the best possible organization of the market and whether a general review of the organization of the network of employment service offices has been undertaken or is envisaged (Articles 1, paragraph 2, and 3, of the Convention). It further asks the Government to continue providing statistical information concerning the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received and the number of persons placed in employment by such offices (Part IV of the report form).

2. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes the establishment of the Employment Council in which the authorities, the NES, specialists dedicated to employment issues and experts are participating in the preparation and the implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee would appreciate further details on how the Council works in practice, its achievements and how the views of the social partners are taken into consideration by the NES. It would also be grateful if the Government could indicate the procedure adopted for the appointment of workers’ and employers’ representatives to the Employment Council (Articles 4 and 5). Please indicate whether the Social and Economic Council contributes to the application of the Convention.

3. The Committee would be grateful if the Government could describe in details the status and conditions of service of the NES staff, in particular whether such staff is composed of public officials whose status and conditions of service are such that they are independent of changes of government and improper external influences and whether they are assured of stability of employment, subject to the needs of the service. Please also give general information concerning the methods of their recruitment and selection, as well as training for the performance of their duties (Article 9).