Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2001, publiée 90ème session CIT (2002)

Convention (n° 122) sur la politique de l'emploi, 1964 - Suède (Ratification: 1965)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s detailed report for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 2000, as well as Sweden’s Action Plan for Employment 2000 and 2001, forwarded by the Government in June 2001.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government states that in 2000 there was a substantial rise in the employment ratio to 77.2 per cent, with young workers and urban jobseekers being the main beneficiaries of the increase. Average open unemployment reached 4.7 per cent (down from 5.6 per cent in 1999), but grew for foreign-born citizens, to as much as 16 per cent for those residing in Sweden for less than five years, as compared to about 4 per cent for people born in Sweden. Youth unemployment decreased to 7.4 per cent. Unemployment was 4.3 per cent for women, and 5 per cent for men; however, the Government states that there was a considerable amount of underemployment among women workers. The Government has set the goal of halving open unemployment between 1997-2000, from 8 per cent to 4 per cent. It hit this target briefly at the end of 2000, but was not yet able to sustain this level. The Government also aims to increase employment to 80 per cent for workers aged 20 to 64 by 2004. The Committee notes this information with interest, and would appreciate being kept informed of progress made in achieving these goals.

2. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that there is a significant regional imbalance in growth in employment. The Government’s main measures for dealing with this imbalance are to provide relocation grants to jobseekers and to subsidize transportation costs. The Committee requests further information on the impact of these measures, and on other policies adopted to promote more balanced regional economic growth and development.

3. The Committee notes with interest that the Government has been very active in attempting to overcome sex segregation in the labour market, and has established "pattern breaker projects" to broaden the employment choices of each sex. An evaluation of the pattern breaker projects was due in August 2001. The Committee would appreciate receiving further information on the outcome of this evaluation.

4. The Government states that it targets special groups in its labour market measures. These groups include non-Nordic citizens, people with disabilities, and young persons (aged 18-24). The Government has set a goal of ensuring that the share of spending on active labour market programmes allocated to these groups matches or exceeds their proportion of unemployment. Special programmes for these groups include computer training, employability measures, tax credits for hiring and training a long-term unemployed person, work experience, and grants for viable entrepreneurial proposals. Please continue to supply information on the impact of these special programmes on employment promotion for the target groups.

5. For older workers, the Government has a system of public temporary employment. However, it has eliminated early retirement as an employment promotion strategy. The Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) notes that early retirement is mentioned in the Annex to the Employment Policy Recommendation, 1964 (No. 122), as a possible means of reducing unemployment (Paragraph 6(3)), but that pension benefits are designed to encourage late retirement in Sweden. The Committee would appreciate continuing to receive information on progress made in promoting employment for older workers. The Committee also draws attention to the provisions of the Older Workers Recommendation, 1980 (No. 162), Part IV of which addresses preparation for and access to retirement.

Article 3. In reply to previous comments, the Government states that consultations take place at all levels (national, regional, and local/municipal), through bodies such as the labour market committees and the regional skills councils. The social partners provide the text of guidelines addressed to them, which are contained in the Action Plan for Employment.