Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 82nd ILC session (1995)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Romania (Ratification: 1973)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1994, the information it contains in reply to the questions in the report form and the attached statistics on employment and unemployment. However, the Committee notes that the report only partially responds to the questions that it raised in its previous direct request. It requests the Government to supply full information in its next report on the application of the Convention, and particularly to provide data on the following points:

1. The statistics on employment and unemployment provided by the Government show that the increase in the unemployment rate has continued, rising from 8.8 per cent in August 1993 to 11 per cent in June 1994. According to the Government's forecasts, this rate was expected to be between 12 and 14 per cent at the end of 1994, particularly as a result of the redundancies expected in the context of restructuring measures. The Committee notes that unemployment continues to be particularly high among women and young persons under 30 years of age, who in June 1994 accounted respectively for 56.8 and 54.1 per cent of the total number of unemployed persons. It requests the Government to continue supplying statistics which are as detailed as possible on the trends of employment, underemployment and unemployment and to describe any new measure adopted to compile and analyse relevant data.

2. The Committee notes the brief information on the measures decided upon by the Government in the fields of investment, currency, income and wages. It notes in particular the launching of the so-called "massive privatization" programme, the first stage of which should cover 3,000 enterprises. The Government states that the aim of the programme, with the encouragement of foreign investors, is to create new jobs. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would describe the impact on employment of privatization and industrial restructuring measures, with an indication of the extent to which the creation of employment expected as a result of the growth of the private sector makes it possible to absorb the excess workforce. More generally, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which it is ensured that the measures adopted in the context of the macroeconomic stabilization and accelerated structural reform policy, decided upon in agreement with the International Monetary Fund, contribute to the attainment of the objectives of full, productive and freely chosen employment, in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.

3. The Committee notes the information concerning the implementation of active labour market policy measures. It notes the Act respecting social protection and the reintegration of the unemployed, which envisages the allocation of part of the assets of the unemployment fund for the financing of loans for the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises by the unemployed. Please indicate the number of jobs created as a result of these measures. Please also indicate the extent to which the subsidies provided to enterprises for the recruitment of young graduates lead to the lasting employment of the persons concerned. The Committee also notes the statistics provided on the activities of existing training centres, and the Government's plans for the development of vocational training for the labour market. Please supply detailed information on any new measures which are adopted for the coordination of education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

4. With reference to its previous request, the Committee is bound once again to regret the absence in the Government's report of any information on the manner in which representatives of the persons concerned are consulted in practice on employment policy measures, as required by Article 3 of the Convention. It trusts that the Government will supply full information in its next report on the procedures adopted to give effect to this fundamental provision of the Convention, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized by the Committee in the context of the far-reaching transformation of the labour market.