Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Albania (Ratification: 2009)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of a national employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in September 2012. The Government indicates in its report that the purpose of Law No. 7955 of 20 September 1995 on employment promotion, as later amended, consists in pursuing general active policies to support full, productive and freely chosen employment by ensuring that there is work for all those who are seeking work, and that such work is as productive as possible. The Government also reports that the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy, the Ministry of Finance and other ministries draft the national employment policies. The goal of these policies is to achieve full employment, improve quality and productivity at work and strengthen social cohesion. The Government also indicates that the employment strategy is intended to achieve the highest level of employment for all sectors of the labour market, gradually shifting from passive policies of unemployment to policies aimed at increasing the level of employment. The Committee notes that employment promotion programmes are active state programmes that operate directly in the group of unemployed jobseekers to encourage them to find long-term employment. These programmes aim to reduce the number of registered unemployed persons and remove them from passive income support schemes. The Committee invites the Government to describe in its next report the developments with respect to the implementation of a national employment policy designed to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. It also invites the Government to indicate what procedures exist for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of employment policy measures in the framework of an overall economic and social policy. The Committee also invites the Government to provide detailed information on its employment measures targeting specific categories of workers, such as women, young persons, rural workers and workers in the informal economy.

Collection and use of labour market information. The Government indicates that, in the field of state employment policy, the labour market is systematically observed, employment developments are envisaged and programmes and projects are proposed to increase the employment rate. The Committee notes from the Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for Albania, 2012–15, that the economic development over the last ten years was accompanied by positive changes in employment and reduction of poverty rates. The generation of statistics being an essential step in the pursuit of an active employment policy within the meaning of the Convention, the Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report updated labour market information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment, disaggregated by age and sex.

Education and training. The Government indicates that vocational training is an active labour market policy, which is implemented through the regional directorates of public vocational training. The aim of vocational training is to train unemployed jobseekers who are registered at the employment offices in order to integrate and reintegrate them into the labour market. The Committee notes the results of the training programmes provided in the Government’s report. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to coordinate education and training polices with future labour market demands. It also invites the Government to indicate the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development of education and training programmes that meet the needs of the labour market.

Article 3. Consultation with the social partners. The Government indicates that the highest decision-making body of the National Employment Service is the Tripartite Administrative Council, which is comprised of 13 members, including three members from the most representative organizations of workers and three members from the most representative organizations of employers. It also indicates that the National Labour Council is a tripartite consultative body composed of 25 members: ten representatives of employers, ten representatives of workers and five state representatives. The Committee invites the Government to include detailed information on the activities of the Tripartite Administrative Council with respect to the development, implementation and review of employment policies and programmes. Please also provide information on the consultations held with the representatives of rural workers and workers in the informal economy.

ILO technical assistance. The Committee notes from the DWCP for Albania, 2012–15, that the ILO has contributed to the development of the National Employment Service by enhancing its administrative and training capacities with a strong focus on the implementation of active labour market policies. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the technical assistance received from the ILO on matters related to the application of the Convention.