Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Belgium (Ratification: 1969)

1. The Committee notes the Government’s reports for the period ending May 2003. It has also had access to the national plan of action for employment of September 2004. The Committee notes that the period has been marked by an increase in unemployment, with an OECD standardized unemployment rate increasing from 6.7 per cent in 2001 to 7.3 per cent in 2002 and to 8.1 per cent in 2003. The unemployment rate of young persons below 25 years of age has increased significantly, from 14.3 per cent in 2001 to 20.1 per cent in 2003, while the share of long-term unemployment has decreased from 51.7 per cent of all unemployed in 2001 to 46.3 per cent in 2003.

2. Labour market policies. In order to enable an assessment of the effect given to the Convention, the Committee requests the Government to endeavour to submit a more focused presentation in which the principal labour market policy objectives and measures taken are analysed in light of the impact they may have had. The Government is also requested to submit information on measures taken to increase the employment rate of older persons over 55 years of age. Please submit all available evaluations of results obtained through the use of incentives designed to boost employment by reducing the non-wage labour costs. Please clarify how the unemployment benefits policy contributes to promoting the re-entry into employment of the beneficiaries. Please describe the measures taken to favour lifelong learning both of the unemployed and the employed.

3. General economic policies. The Committee also wishes to reiterate its interest in information on how measures taken to promote employment operate within a "framework of a coordinated economic and social policy" (Article 2, paragraph (a), of the Convention). It would appreciate it if the Government could indicate how the key elements of monetary and fiscal policies contribute to the employment objectives.