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

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Netherlands (Ratification: 1979)

Articles 1–5 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of education and training policies and cooperation with social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in August 2013 containing information in connection with its previous comments and notes the observations made by the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV). The Government indicates that the Working and Learning Project, established in 2005 to provide training for employees and jobseekers, ended in 2011. The Committee observes that from 2005–11 more than 125,000 working and learning trajectories were established with a special focus on young people with no basic qualifications and jobseekers who were difficult to place. In its contribution, the FNV stresses that the end of the Working and Learning Project in 2011 also entailed the end of subsidies to the regional activities and learning projects. The FNV indicates that the Government is steadily withdrawing from lifelong learning measures and leaving the responsibility with the social partners. While it acknowledges the important role of the social partners in lifelong learning, it insists on the responsibility of the Government in this area. The FNV further indicates that the Government has announced substantial austerity measures and budget reductions to be implemented in respect of the knowledge centres for occupational training where educational institutes cooperate with social partners to improve the link between education and labour. The Committee recalls that the Trade Union Confederation of Middle and Higher Level Employees’ Unions (MHP) indicated in 2008 that training consultations took place on several occasions between the Government and the social partners and that the basis for these discussions was a training manifesto. The Government indicates in its last report that the training manifesto emphasized the importance of education, training and accreditation of prior learning (APL) to boost the levels of education and the rate of labour market participation and underlined the goals and policy instruments of the Working and Learning Project. The Government also indicates that the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations is ensured not only through the Social and Economic Council but also, for instance, through the agreement on APL signed in 2012 between the Government, employers and workers. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the activities undertaken for the development of comprehensive and coordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and training, indicating, in particular, the way in which effective coordination is assured and the manner in which the policies and programmes are linked with employment and the public employment service. The Committee also invites the Government to include more specific information on the agreement on APL signed in 2012, as well as on other means by which the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations is ensured, including through the Social and Economic Council, in the formulation and implementation of vocational training policies and programmes.