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

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Republic of Moldova (Ratification: 1996)

Articles 1–3 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Consultation of the social partners. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the implementation of its National Employment Strategy and Employment Policies (NES) for 2007–15, which continued to focus on job creation through promotion of entrepreneurship, targeting rural areas, young graduates of foreign educational institutions, migrants having returned from abroad, unemployed persons generally, women and disadvantaged persons. The Government indicates that the impact of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on economic growth has increased, with SMEs now comprising 97.4 per cent of the total number of enterprises in the country and providing 56.2 per cent of existing jobs in the economy. The Committee further notes the involvement of the social partners in the development and promotion of policies to liberalize the regulatory and fiscal framework for SMEs aimed at supporting their capacity to expand into larger companies, generating additional jobs in the long term. Activities implemented under the NES also include the promotion of lending programmes aimed at facilitating access of SMEs to funding of customized training programmes and grants aimed at developing and promoting an entrepreneurial culture. The Committee notes that, in 2014, SMEs that had received grants from the Credit Guarantee Fund (CGF), managed by the Organization for Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ODSME), created 23,967 new jobs. The Government indicates that, as a result of funding granted under the CGF, 223 new businesses were created, of which 83 are managed by women. The Government indicates, however, that the number of registered unemployed persons increased from 43,463 in 2013 to 50,612 in 2015, and that State budgetary constraints have affected the financing of projects and programmes, including training programmes, organized by the ODSME. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on active employment measures adopted and implemented and on their impact in terms of full, productive and sustainable employment. The Committee also requests the Government to provide updated statistical information on the situation, level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment for the population as a whole as well as for particular groups of workers. The Committee further requests the Government to continue to provide information on the consultations held with the social partners and their participation in policy formulation and decision-making in relation to matters covered by the Convention.

Young persons, women and migrants. The Government indicates that in 2015, there were 16,336 young registered unemployed persons (16–29), 65 per cent of whom were located in rural areas. The Committee notes the training measures under the National Programme for Economic Empowerment of Youth (NPEEY), which is targeting young persons in rural areas. In 2015, despite financial constraints, in the framework of the Programme for Attracting Remittances in the Economy, the ODSME provided 2,179 consultations and eight entrepreneurship training sessions, in which 198 migrants participated. Consultations and training sessions were provided under the NPEEY to 1,110 young entrepreneurs, of which 41 per cent were young women. The Government indicates that it has become increasingly difficult for unemployed youth to find employment, as shown in the decline of after-training placements from 86 per cent in 2014 to 78 per cent in 2015. The Government is attempting to increase the integration of young people into the labour market by promoting new online labour market information tools to assist them in locating employment. The Committee further notes that, under the Programme for Attracting Remittances in Economics, 49 per cent of the grants distributed to SMEs up to 16 March 2015 went to businesses managed by young persons up to 35 years of age, while another 27 per cent benefited enterprises founded and/or managed by women. In 2015, the CGF run by the ODSME managed 128 active grants. Of the collateral portfolio assets managed by the CGF, 30 per cent were awarded to businesses managed and/or funded by women and 63 per cent to businesses created by young persons. Moreover, under the Network of Business Incubators, 155 companies have been established – 34 per cent of which are run and/or created by women and 51 of which are managed by young persons – creating 643 jobs of which 39 per cent are for young persons. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information, including updated statistical information, on the impact of labour market measures aimed at meeting the employment needs of young persons, women and persons with a migration background.

Persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the National Employment Agency’s cooperation with organizations of persons with disabilities, which seeks to improve the integration of persons with disabilities into the labour market. It further notes that in 2015, 877 persons with disabilities were registered as unemployed – equivalent to 1.73 per cent of the total number of registered unemployed, of which 340 (38.8 per cent) were women. The Government indicates that, in 2015, 300 persons with disabilities (34.2 per cent of those registered as unemployed) received support and were placed in employment. The Government indicates that, due to the implementation of Law No. 60 of 30 March 2012 on the social inclusion of disabilities, there has been an increase in the number of persons with disabilities that have registered with the territorial employment agencies with the aim of taking up employment. The Committee notes the launch in 2014 of vocational rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that nine training seminars were organized in 2014–15 to increase the capacity of specialists of the territorial employment agencies responsible for providing employment services to persons with disabilities and, in 2015, for the first time, the territorial employment agencies organized awareness-raising campaigns focusing on social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the impact of the measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market.