Solicitud directa (CEACR) - Adopción: 2025, Publicación: 114ª reunión CIT (2026)

Convenio sobre la política del empleo, 1964 (núm. 122) - Dinamarca (Ratificación : 1970)

Articles 1 to 3 of the Convention. Active labour market measures. Participation of the social partners. The Government informs that from May 2021 to April 2024, employment rose by 126,400 full-time employees, corresponding to a five per cent increase in employment. According to Eurostat, the overall employment rate in the third quarter of 2024 was 80.2 per cent (83.5 per cent men and 77.0 per cent women). Regarding unemployment, it has fallen by 28,300 full-time unemployed from May 2021 to April 2024 and the share of unemployed has decreased from 3.9 per cent in May 2021 to 2.9 per cent in April 2024. The Government indicates that bottlenecks in the labour market are closely monitored and as of March 2024, the number of unsuccessful recruitments was over 84,000. The share of unsuccessful recruitments is greatest in the construction sector, the hotel and restaurant sector, the retail and wholesale sector, the industrial sector and in the cleaning and other operational services. In the context of the measures to address bottleneck challenges, the Government refers to a tripartite agreement in 2023 the “Job and education partners” with a focus on national upskilling. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that social partners have a significant influence on employment policy, conditions of remuneration and working conditions. The Government highlights several tripartite agreements regarding remuneration and working conditions of public employees, long-term investment in adult education and continual training, sexual harassment, reinstating and prolonging the temporary wage compensation scheme and labour shortage. The Committee notes that these findings are corroborated by the European Commission in its 2024 Country Report for Denmark, which identifies significant labour and skills shortages, especially in construction, manufacturing, and healthcare, as a key bottleneck to economic growth. The Commission notes these shortages are particularly acute for the green transition. The Commission’s analysis, along with that of the OECD, points to the need to activate untapped labour reserves, including older workers, persons with disabilities, and persons with a migrant background. The Committee further notes that the Government does not provide information, disaggregated by sex and age, on the nature, scope and employment measures taken to increase labour supply and reduce unemployment. The Committee requests the Government to provide specific, disaggregated information on the impact of the measures taken to increase the labour supply and reduce bottlenecks, particularly in construction and industry. Noting the central role of tripartite agreements, it requests the Government to provide specific information on the concrete outcomes of the 2023 “Job and education partners” agreement in addressing the skills shortages for the green transition, as identified by the European Commission; which should include information on how the social partners are involved in the monitoring and review of this agreement.

Education and training. The Government informs about the evaluation of the Tripartite Agreement for adult education and training from 2017 which shows that several initiatives have succeeded in increasing flexibility and making participation in adult education more attractive. However, challenges remain concerning the activity in adult education and training which has been decreasing or stagnant over the past 15 years. The Government also indicates that a new tripartite agreement on long-term investments in adult education and continuing training was signed in September 2023. In addition, the Committee notes that a national alliance for the promotion of basic skills and a national strategic investment in digital learning will be created between the Government and 10–20 large employers. The Committee notes the Government’s report that activity in adult education and training has been decreasing or stagnant over the past 15 years, which is a critical issue in a time of severe skills shortages. The Committee requests the Government to provide an analysis of the reasons for this long-term stagnation. It further requests the Government to provide specific information on how the new tripartite agreement (September 2023) and the national alliance for basic skills are designed to overcome these past failures and measurably increase training participation, especially for skills related to the green and digital transitions.

Regional development. The Committee notes the detailed information about the funds allocated to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) programme in the programming periods 2014–20 and 2021–27, as well as the number of projects selected under these programmes. Funds are implemented to support growth and employment across Denmark. The Government informs that in the second period (2021–27) the ERDF programme consists of five different focus areas: innovation, competitiveness, and digitalization; green transition in SMEs; development of tourism areas (tourism infrastructure); vibrant and sustainable city centres, and development of a position of strength for welfare technology. More than half of the ERDF funds target initiatives related to priority 1, a third of the total funds – priority 2 and 7.00 per cent of the ERDF funds – priority 3. The ESF+ programme also consists of five priorities: qualified labour for enterprises; a regional effort targeted competencies for the future and education for all; an effort aimed at citizens in homelessness or at risk of homelessness; a priority targeted entrepreneurship and a priority targeted social innovation. About 57 per cent of the funds of the ESF+ programme target initiatives aiming to increase the supply of qualified labour for enterprises (priority 1), 20 per cent – priority 2 and 3.00 per cent – priority 3. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the results of the regional development measures in terms of creating lasting and sustainable employment, including statistical information, disaggregated by age, sex and region.

Older workers. The Government indicates that seniors do not have a general increased risk of unemployment; however, if they lose their job, they experience a slightly higher risk of long-term unemployment. The Government also provides information regarding initiatives targeted at unemployed older workers. These initiatives include wage subsidies, company internships, “senior jobs” in local municipalities for unemployed persons with a maximum of five years left until the age of early retirement and special initiatives to help seniors become reemployed in the municipality or unemployment funds. Other measures include experimental schemes aimed at determining whether placing older workers in temporary jobs can help them to reintegrate into the labour market, as well as the establishment of local “senior networks”, which provide job search assistance to older workers in addition to training and motivational activities. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to promote employment of older workers.

Workers with disabilities. The Government reports that the employment rate of persons with disabilities increased from 2014 to 2022 and in 2022, 60 per cent of persons with disabilities were in employment, compared to 86 per cent of persons without disabilities. The employment gap between people with and without disabilities declined from 35 per cent in 2012 to 26 per cent in 2022. The Government adds that in 2022, 19 per cent of 16–29-year-olds self-report that they have a disability, predominantly a mental disability. The Government also informs that from 2011 to 2017 the Danish Agency for Labour Market funded the Inclusion Project, aimed at examining the efficiency of targeted employment interventions for individuals with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia. The evaluation of this project showed that nearly 60 per cent of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) participants took up employment or education over 18 months. Based on these positive results, DKK 16 million has been allocated to fund a nationwide IPS-ambassador corps from 2022 to 2026 which will facilitate cross-sector collaboration, supporting municipalities and psychiatry in implementing the IPS method. In addition, the Government has allocated a fund to assist more young persons with mental disorders and psychological distress in advancing to employment and education through the IPS method. The Government further refers to the “Better Resource Clarification Process” (Bedre Ressuorceforlø) from 2022, aiming to provide more tailored resource courses and to carry out early interventions. This Agreement introduces changes to the duration limit of the resource process and determines the number of resource processes depending on the age of the person. The Committee notes the information that in 2022, after three months of resource courses, approximately 4.2 per cent of the participants were in employment, 2.5 per cent had become self-sufficient, 1.4 per cent had entered education and 15.2 per cent were in flex jobs. The Government adds that 3 out of 5 participants had been granted an early retirement pension. The Committee notes the data on the “Better Resource Clarification Process”, which indicates that the vast majority of participants do not enter the open labour market, and that 3 out of 5 (60 per cent) were granted an early retirement pension. In a context of severe labour shortages, this appears to be a passive measure rather than an active employment policy as required by the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide an explanation for this high rate of transition to early retirement. The Committee also requests Government to contrast this with the highly successful IPS method (60 per cent employment/education uptake) and provide information on measures being taken to ensure that all activation programmes for persons with disabilities are genuinely aimed at promoting integration into the open labour market, rather than permanent exit from it.

Recruitment of foreign workers. The Government refers to various schemes under which residence and work permits can be granted to third-country nationals intending to take up work or self-employment in Denmark. The Government adds that, under the schemes, the salary and employment conditions must correspond to national standards to avoid social dumping. The Committee notes that the number of third-country nationals in Denmark with a residence and work permit has increased from 20,891 in May 2021 to 29,633 in March 2024. In 2023, the highest number of work permits, approximately 8,000, was issued under the Fast Track Scheme. This Scheme facilitates the recruitment process of third-country employees with special competences or qualifications who have been offered employment in a certified company. The Government also indicates that the Danish Integration Act ensures that newcomers, including migrant workers, are offered a programme that entails employment-oriented programmes to provide foreigners the opportunity to become self-sufficient and actively participate in and contribute to society. These programmes include Danish language, job training, internships and employment with a wage subsidy. The Government further informs about the establishment in January 2024 of an integrated-oriented basic education (IGU) programme aiming to ensure the opportunities for work and upskilling of refugees. The IGU includes apprentice pay and ensures that job training and intensive skills training are combined within two years. In addition, the Government refers to an agreement from October 2023 which introduces a mandatory work requirement for certain recipients of social welfare benefits. This policy aims to encourage employment among long-term unemployed foreign residents, particularly targeting women from non-Western backgrounds. The mandated activities encompass internships, community service jobs, wage-subsidized employment, and specific training or skills development programs. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the labour market integration of foreign workers. It specifically requests detailed information on the “mandatory work requirement” introduced in October 2023. Government is also requested to provide information on the nature of the “community service jobs” and internships, the safeguards in place to ensure these activities are freely chosen and lead to decent, lasting employment, and the impact of this new policy on the labour market participation of women from non-Western backgrounds.

Youth employment. The Committee observes that, according to Eurostat, the rate of young people (aged 15 to 29) who are neither in employment, education or training (NEETs) decreased from 9.6 per cent in 2019 to 8.6 per cent in 2023. In addition, the number of people under 30 years who have received cash benefits, training allowance or resource clarification process benefits and have either found a job or started education, has increased from 14 per cent in September 2019 to 22 per cent in September 2022. The Government indicates that people under the age of 25 who have not completed a youth education providing vocational skills can receive guidance on education and jobs from the municipal youth service. The Government also refers to a tripartite agreement signed in October 2021 which gives flexibility to the municipal effort to determine young, unemployed people, who are not in education. The purpose of the agreement is to give the municipalities the possibility to offer a job-focused effort instead of educational assistance to young people who are not motivated for education. The Government further indicates an agreement from October 2023 on a new cash benefit system that includes a 10-year reserve. The reserve aims to support people under 30 with a psychiatric diagnosis or a mental illness to find ordinary employment or education. As of March 2024, 27 municipalities participate in the reserve. The Committee notes with interest the decline in the youth NEETs rate to 8.6 per cent. It requests the Government to provide specific information on the impact of the October 2021 tripartite agreement, particularly on the results of the “job-focused effort” for youth not motivated for education. It also requests the Government to provide initial data on the impact of the new cash benefit system (October 2023) in helping young people with psychiatric diagnoses find and retain employment.