Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Serbia (Ratification: 2000)

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates in its report that the Law on Employment and Unemployment Insurance was amended to develop public works as an active employment policy tool to include a greater number of unemployed persons in public works. It adds that the National Employment Service (NES), together with other stakeholders, is implementing projects for capacity building, such as the twinning project “Preparation of labour market institutions of the Republic of Serbia for the European Employment Strategy”, which forms part of the 2011 programme cycle of the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (EU IPA). While the NES, partly supported through EU IPA projects, is tasked with monitoring and evaluating the measures implemented, it has also concluded 53 agreements on technical cooperation with local governments to implement local employment action plans. The Government adds that its 2015 National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) focuses on employment, vocational guidance and career planning advice for jobseekers, subsidies for employers to hire unemployed persons from the most vulnerable groups, public works, support for self-employment, further education and training as well as the integration of beneficiaries of social assistance into the labour market. The Committee notes from the report that 2,291,525 persons of working age (15–64) were in employment in 2014, an increase of 93,325 people compared to 2013 figures. In 2014, unemployment affected 562,163 persons of working age, which is 92,882 people less than in 2013. Increasing by 0.2 percentage points as compared to 2013, the general activity rate of the working age population stood at 61.8 per cent in 2014. With regard to employment in the informal economy, the Government indicates that comparison of data from 2013 and 2014 shows that the rate of informal employment increased from 19.3 to 22 per cent. According to available data for the first quarter of 2015, the rate of informal employment was measured at 19.4 per cent. In reply to previous observations of workers’ organizations on the need to strengthen social dialogue, the Government indicates that measures were under way which are aimed at the establishment and support of local employment councils consisting of representatives of local governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of employment policies implemented to promote productive employment. Referring to the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204), the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the extent of employment in the informal economy and on the measures taken in line with its national employment policy to facilitate the transition to the formal economy. Please also provide information on the participation of the social partners, including local employment councils, in the formulation, adoption and implementation of the employment policy.

Women. The Government indicates that differences in employment rates for women and men persist. The employment rate of women, 42.9 per cent in 2014, is still significantly lower than the employment rate of men with 56.5 per cent. The unemployment rate of women, while declining between 2013 and 2014 from 24.7 to 20.4 per cent, was 1.2 percentage points higher than that of men (19.2 per cent). Long-term unemployment among women is also higher with 13.5 per cent in 2014, compared to 12.2 per cent for men. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to encourage and support labour market participation and social inclusion of women.

Young persons. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate of young persons in the 15–24 age group was measured at 47.1 per cent in 2014. Although decreasing by 2.3 percentage points when compared to 2013, it remains well above the overall unemployment rate for the population as a whole (19.7 per cent in 2014). Young persons’ employment rate increased from 14.5 per cent in 2013 to 14.8 per cent in 2014. During the same period, the activity rate of young persons decreased from 28.7 to 27.9 per cent. Moreover, according to the Statistical Office of Serbia, 20 per cent of young persons were neither in employment nor in education or training. As part of the implementation of employment measures for young persons in 2014, 174,454 young persons (15–30 years old) were registered as unemployed, out of which 125,412 young people were assessed to be eligible for employability projects. In this regard, 123,821 individual employment plans were developed. The 2015 NEAP aims at increasing the number of young persons in labour market training and employment and self-employment programmes. The promotion of entrepreneurship among young persons as well as mentoring programmes for young entrepreneurs were also included within the services of the 2015 NEAP. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to encourage and support youth employment.

Roma population. The Committee notes that 22,804 members of the Roma minority were unemployed on 31 May 2015. On 31 December 2014, a total of 21,791 persons were unemployed, of which 10,053 were women and 14,669 were long-term unemployed people. In its National Employment Strategy for the period 2011–20 and in the NEAP, the Government has identified the need to improve the employability and the position of particularly vulnerable groups in the labour market, including the Roma population. Building on measures to encourage the employment of the Roma population implemented since 2010, the 2015 NEAP has again determined the members of the Roma minority as the group of unemployed people who need support in the process of work and social activation, integration or re-integration into the labour market. Specialized measures include subsidies for employment as well as additional education and training. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken, including through the 2015 National Employment Action Plan, in order to increase labour market participation of the Roma population.