No C 322/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
Draft council resolution on long-term unemployment 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Economic Community, 
Having regard to the draft resolution submitted by 
the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, reduction in the living standards of the long-term 
unemployed; 
Whereas the long-term unemployed risk being 
among the last to benefit from any upturn in em­
ployment and policy action within an overall stra­
tegy to combat long-term unemployment therefore 
needs to be strengthened and developed, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS RESOLUTION: 
Whereas, at the joint meeting on 16 November 1982 
of the Ministers for Economic and Financial Ques­
tions and the Ministers for Employment and Social 
Affairs, the Council invited the Commission to un­
dertake a study of long-term unemployment and 
possible proposals for remedial action; 
Whereas the Council, at its meeting of 28 June 1982 
of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs, reiterated 
its profound concern at the continued high level of 
unemployment, recognized the need for additional 
action and the need for such measures to be compa­
tible with special measures, particularly those to 
help the long-term unemployed; 
Whereas the problem of long-term unemployment 
has reached extremely serious proportions and the 
continuation of high levels of total unemployment is 
leading to a further deterioration; 
Whereas more effective labour market and social 
policy measures are essential ingredients of a policy 
response, and need to be linked to wider policies to 
promote economic growth and employment crea­
tion, which are major elements of a strategy to main­
tain and strengthen the Community economy; 
Whereas the persistence of long-term unemployment 
on the present scale is an obstacle to the realization 
of the Community's objective of improving the qual­
ity of its labour force; 
Whereas worsening long-term unemployment is 
symptomatic of, among other things, a lack of flexi­
bility in the Community labour market which there 
is an urgent need to remedy if employment growth is 
to be restored; 
Whereas the burden of social transfers on public 
budgets should not be allowed to lead to a further I. GENERAL GUIDELINES 
The Council considers that an effective Community 
policy to combat long-term unemployment requires 
both individual and cooperative actions by govern­
ments and by the social partners, at local, regional 
and national level, encouraged and supported at 
Community level. 
The specific measures to be adopted should seek to 
overcome weaknesses in existing employment and 
social policies by: 
— making greater efforts to create new job opportu­
nities and to improve the flexibility and adapta­
bility of labour markets; 
— improving the availability of adequate informa­
tion about long-term unemployment; 
— organizing the public employment and social se­
curity services so as to facilitate the 'triggering' 
of specific policy responses which would prevent 
the unemployed sinking into long-term unem­
ployment; 
— providing adequate levels of social support for 
those who nevertheless remain unemployed for 
long periods. 
II. NATIONAL MEASURES 
1. Within the context of their own policies and 
practices, Member States are requested to make 
every effort to put into effect the following measures 
to aid the Community to target and 'trigger' policy 
responses: 
— undertake a coordinated series of analyses de­
signed to provide comprehensive data on the 
characteristics of long-term unemployment, 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/15 
identifying, in particular, the circumstances of 
the long-term unemployed; 
— in cooperation with the social partners, ensure 
that where workers lose their jobs through redun­
dancies, appropriate preparatory support in the 
form of training and counselling is given before 
they enter the labour market or take early retire­
ment. 
2. Member States should also take the following 
measures to tackle the problem: 
— ensure that the employment and other services 
concerned are structured, organized and staffed 
so that they can provide the necessary personal 
contact to keep track of those who remain on the 
unemployment register and become long-term 
unemployed and that policy interventions are 
made at the appropriate moment; 
— systematically review the functioning of labour 
markets, in particular as regards regulations and 
practices which may disadvantage long-term un­
employed and in particular unskilled workers, 
young people and those seeking flexible working 
hours; 
— ensure that programmes of temporary work for 
the Community are prepared in collaboration 
between Member States, local and regional au­
thorities, the employment services and the social 
partners. The scale of such programmes should 
be determined by the scale of the long-term un­
employment problem at the local and regional 
level. The structure and content of the pro­
grammes should be determined by local needs, 
but should, as a rule, incorporate an element of 
education or training linked with mainstream 
education and training provision; 
— where it is not already the case, review the rules 
for payment of social security/unemployment 
benefit with a view to permitting unemployed 
people to undertake certain kinds of non-paid 
• work in public or private bodies, without loss of 
benefit rights; 
— provide funding to enable the establishment, in 
- cooperation with the social partners, of local 
centres for unemployed people with the empha­
sis on the provision of information, workshop, 
leisure and similar facilities, along the lines of 
successful examples in the Community. Priority 
should be given to the areas of highest unem­
ployment; 
— more generally, encourage greater awareness of 
the problem and solutions through various 
means including the use of the broadcasting 
media. III. ACTION AT COMMUNITY LEVEL 
1. Taking into account the role played by Commu­
nity financial instruments and existing Community 
action programmes in combating long-term unem­
ployment, the Commission is requested to undertake 
the following supplementary action: 
— work with the Member States by organizing inter 
alia a series of meetings of experts, to achieve a 
better understanding of the nature and extent of 
long-term unemployment, which will; 
(a) improve the collection of adequate statistics 
on an agreed Community basis giving infor­
mation on the total numbers of long-term un­
employed by age group, sex, region and 
length of unemployment, 
(b) enable the Commission to use long-term un­
employment as a criterion for allocating fi­
nancial support, notably from the European 
Social Fund and from integrated operations 
involving more than one source of Commu­
nity finance. The scope for new forms of spe­
cific Community intervention should also be 
considered; 
— encourage and support at Community level the 
Member States' policy efforts, with particular re­
gard to the organization of the employment and 
social security services and the use of employ­
ment and temporary work initiatives; 
— cooperate with the social partners and relevant 
agencies in the development of their actions to 
tackle the problem, with particular emphasis on 
actions to assist the recruitment of the long-term 
unemployed and to provide centres for the long-
term unemployed in areas of particularly high 
unemployment; 
— undertake further research with the assistance of 
Misep (') into those measures or practices, 
whether taken by governments or social partners, 
which are successful in combating the problem 
of long-term unemployment, with a view to ex­
tending their use in other areas of the Com­
munity. 
2. The Commission is moreover encouraged to 
initiate a broad policy reappraisal at Community 
level in order to develop a more consistent medium-
term employment and social policy to tackle the 
problem of long-term unemployment. Particular 
issues to be studied in this context will include job 
creation and labour market flexibility, social sup­
port schemes, retirement, education and training, 
and future patterns of life and work. 
(') Mutual Information System on Employment Policies. 
No C 322/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
3. The Commission is requested to inform the 
Council every two years of progress made in the 
implementation of these actions. 4. Community financing for the actions set out in 
this section will be decided on in the framework of 
the budgetary procedures and in accordance with 
the legal commitments entered into by the Council. 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/17 
ANNEX I 
Specific national measures for the long-term unemployed or workers difficult to place 
Note: The tables contain information available in the Member States collected by the Commission 
departments. It is not exhaustive. 
They will be updated as and when the information becomes available. 
No account is taken here of general measures from which the long-term unemployed may 
benefit but of which they are not the specific targets. For this reason, no information appears 
about Greece. 
No C 322/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
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3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/27 
ANNEX II 
Annexe statistique / Statistical Annex / Statistischer Beitrag 
1. Working population and employment 
Population active et emploi 
Erwerbsbevolkerung und Beschaftigung 
2. Trends in employment 
Evolution de l'emploi 
Beschaftigungstendenzen 
3. Registered unemployed by duration 
— Proportion of unemployed registered for more than one year 
October 
Chomeurs enregistres — structure par duree 
— Part des chomeurs inscrits depuis plus d'un an 
Octobre 
Arbeitslosmeldungen nach Dauer 
— Anteil der seit mehr als einem Jahr Arbeitslosen 
Oktober 
4. Persons registered as unemployed for more than one year according to national method of 
measurement 
Demandeurs d'emploi enregistres au chomage depuis plus d'un an suivant les methodes de 
calcul nationales 
Personen, die mehr als ein Jahr als arbeitslos gemeldet sind (nach nationaler MaBmethode) 
5. Employment duration — Methods and measurements 
— Summary of a study published by Eurostat in 1983 
Duree du chomage — Methodes et mesures 
— Resume extrait d'une etude publiee par Eurostat en 1983 
Beschaftigungsdauer — Methoden / Mafiverfahren 
— Zusammenfassung einer Eurostat-Studie (1983) 
No C 322/28 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
Working population and employment 
Mio Population active et emploi 
EUR 10 
119 
118 
117 
116 
115 
114 Mio 
119 
Working population / Population active 
Total employment / Emploi total 
110 
109 
108 — ?v 
107 -
106 -
105 ***i :*#-^ '«*.^* ;*•**. 
w..-# 
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Unemployment / Chomage •': 
^^w*m:^ 
Employment / Emploi — 118 
— 117 
— 116 
— 115 
— 114 
— 113 
— 112 
— 111 
— 110 
— 109 
— 108 
— 107 
— 106 
105 
Decrease in employment 
EUR 10 
of which/dont: 
Bundesrepublik 
Deutschland 
France 
Italia 
Nederland 
Belgique 
United Kingdom 
Danmark 1980—1983 
Total 
Persons 
Personnes 
-3 046 000 
-1 115 000 
- 253 000 
+ 21 000 
- 43 000 
- 176 000 
-1 586 000 
- 13 000 % 
-2,8 
-4,2 
-1,2 
+ 0,1 
-0,9 
-4,6 
-6,3 
-0,5 Males / hommes 
Persons 
Personnes 
-2 970 000 
- 838 000 
- 412 000 
- 106 000 
- 177 000 
- 170 000 
-1 247 000 
- 48 000 -4,2 
-5,1 
-3,0 
-0,7 
-5,0 
-6,8 
-8,2 
-3,4 Declin de emploi 
Females / Femmes 
Persons 
Personnes 
- 76 000 
-277 000 
+158 000 
+127 000 
+135 000 
- 6 000 
-339 000 
+ 35 000 % 
-0,2 
-2,8 
+ 2,0 
+ 1,9 
+ 8,9 
-0,5 
-3,4 
+ 3,2 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/29 
Trends in employment Evolution de 1'emploi 
Bundes-
republik 
Deutsch-
land France Italia Neder-
land Belgi-
que/ 
Belgie Luxem­
bourg United 
Kingdom Ireland Dan-
mark EUR 9 Ellas EUR 10 
56,2 
54,3 
54,1 
52,8* 57,2 
55,2 
55,2 
55,4 54,7 
53,0 
52,8 
53,9 55,2 
54,8 
54,2 
53,2* 62,3* 
63,1* 
62,2* 
60,6* 60,7 
59,0 
59,5 
59,0* 55,9 
52,3 
52,2 
52,2* 59,8 
58,4 
58,8 
58,8 58,1* 
56,2* 
56,3* 
56,0* 54,9 
56,6* 
28,8 
30,4 
32,5 
33,3* 21,9 
22,5 
26,0 
27,3 18,9 
20,2 
23,6 
27,3 24,9 
27,5 
30,7 
32,0* 21,0* 
24,6* 
26,2* 
28,1* 31,3 
33,6 
36,3 
36,5* 19,7 
19,6 
20,5 
21,3* 36,9 
40,0 
45,3 
48,0 27,7* 
29,0* 
31,4* 
32,4* 21,1 
23,4* Activity rates by sex (O/o) 
(Total working population as a % of the total pop.) 
Males 
59,5 
57,0 
57,4 
57,6* 
Females 
30,3 
31,1 
32,0 
32,9* 
Total working population (1 000) 
(Employment and unemployment) 
Males and females 
27 191 
27 445 
Proportion of females in working population (°/o) 
38,4 139,6 134,2 134,0 138,7 132,7" 
Total employment (1 000) 
Males and females 
26 302 
25 187 
Proportion of females in employment (°/o) 
38,0 138,2 131,9 132,9 136,6 
Distribution of employment by sector (°/o) 
5,4 
41,1 
53,5 
Proportion of employees in employment (°/o) 
87,2 183,9 171,4 188,0 183,0 Taux d'activite par sexe (°/o) 
(Population active totale en % de la population totale) 
Hommes 
56,2* 
56,0* 
Femmes 
23 147 
23 306 22 804 
23 406 5 389 
5 814 4 152 
4 182 159,9 
161,0 26 819 
26 704 1239 
1283* 2 662 
2 728 113 563 
115 029* 3 636 
3 892* 31,1' 
Population active totale (1 000) 
(Emploi et chomage) 
Hommes et femmes 
117 199 
118921* 
Part des femmes dans la population active (°/o) 
39,6 128,8* 145,6 137,9* 130,0* 137,7* 
Emploi total (1 000) 
Hommes et femmes 
110 684* 
107 638* 
Part des femmes dans 1'emploi (°/o) 
33,3* 141,0 129,6* 145,6 137,3* 129,2* 137,0* 
Part des secteurs dans Pemploi (°/o) 
7,4* 
34,6* 
58,0* 
Part des salaries dans 1'emploi (°/o) 
90,2 175,4* 184,8 183,7* 151,7* 182,6* 21695 
21 442 21 107 
21 128 5 081 
5 038 3 841 
3 665 158,9 
159,5 25 306 
23 720 1 163 
1 146* 2 489 
2 476 107 143 
103 962* 3 541* 
3 676* 
7,9 
330 
59,1 12,0 
35,1 
52,9 4,9 
27,3 
67,7 2,9 
30,9 
66,2 4,7 
35,4 
59,9 2,7 
33,0 
64,3 17,1* 
30,7* 
52,2* 8,4 
25,8 
65,7 6,7* 
34,8* 
58,4* 27,4* 
27,7* 
44,8* 
87,4 
No C 322/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
Registered unemployed by duration 
Proportion of unemployed registered 
for more than one year 
October % Chomeurs enregistres — structure par duree 
Part des chomeurs inscrits depuis 
plus d'un an 
Octobre 
Bundes-
republik 
Deutsch-
land France Italia Neder-
land Belgique/ 
Belgie Luxem­
bourg United 
Kingdom Ireland Danmark EUR 9 Ellas EUR 10 
9,6 
17,9 
18,6 
20,3 
19,9 
17,0 
16,2 
21,2 
28,5 
11,0 
21,3 
21,2 
22,5 
22,2 
18,3 
16,0 
20,9 
29,9 
7,9 
14,7 
16,2 
18,5 
18,1 
16,0 
16,3 
21,6 
27,0 11,9 
11,1 
15,4 
17,1 
18,4 
21,8 
22,3 
22,2 
25,2 
26,6 
12,6 
9,9 
14,4 
14,6 
15,9 
19,4 
20,2 
19,4 
23,1 
24,4 
11,4 
12,3 
16,2 
19,1 
20,6 
23,7 
24,0 
24,7 
27,3 
28,8 28,4 
32,9 
35,6 
34,4 
39,8 
43,0 
30,3 
35,0 
36,8 
34,5 
39,8 
40,2 
26,0 
30,7 
34,4 
34,2 
39,7 
45,9 Males and females • Hommes et femmes 
22,6 
24,2 
25,3 
25,7 
21,1 
24,3 
33,6 
47,6 
25,3 
27,1 
27,5 
28,9 
21,2 
24,3 
34,5 
49,4 
16,0 
18,3 
21,3 
21,2 
20,7 
24,2 
31,7 
44,1 52,0 
35,9 
43,8 
54,4 
49,0 
46,2 
48,0 
51,9 
55,1 
58,8 
34,4 
40,1 
41,7 
38,1 
32,4 
36,2 
45,1 
49,9 
45,8 
37,2 
46,6 
62,4 
55,3 
55,1 
56,9 
57,7 
59,6 16,6 
20,0 
24,6 
26,1 
19,4 
26,3 
35,5 
36,9 31,6 
30,7 
30,2 
36,5 7,8 
4,1 
5,4 
5,6 
Males D Hommes 
19,9 
23,7 
28,4 
30,4 
22,2 
29,2 
39,6 
41,5 
Females D Femmes 
7,7 
11,4 
15,8 
17,1 
13,5 
19,2 
25,7 
26,4 34,6 
34,2 
34,4 
40,9 
22,1 
19,4 
17,3 
23,4 6,8 
3,7 
5,4 
5,6 
9,0 
4,4 
5,4 
5,5 
1974 
1975 
1976 
1977 
1978 
1979 
1980 
1981 
1982 
1983 37,7 
42,1 
46,7 
50,1 
51,9 
51,8 
51,4 
46,9 
43,8 52,5 
55,9 
57,8 
61,1 
60,2 
59,4 
59,4 
57,9 
54,9 
53,7 41,1 
43,8 
47,7 
51,6 
49,1 
52,1 Proportion of females in total 
46,3 
53,8 
60,9 20,4 
25,1 
30,7 
33,8 
36,0 
33,1 
29,9 
30,2 70,4 
71,5 
72,7 
67,6 
60,6 
58,1 • Part des femmes dans le total 
12,4 
17,2 
19,8 
21,2 
21,8 16,5 51,6 
21,6 14,8 50,8 
21,5 14,0 48,6 
21,5 16,2 51,8 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/31 
Persons registered as unemployed for more than one year 
according to national method of measurement Total registered by duration 
Registered 
> 1 year by age 
25-54 
100% 100% 
October 1983 
DEUTSCHLAND 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
=s55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
17,0 
5,2 
17,5 
35,9 1983 
28,5 
15,5 
32,5 
41,6 UNITED KINGDOM 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
=s55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
19,4 
8,7 
22,4 
41,3 1983 
37,0 
26,9 
43,4 
46,0 
FRANCE 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
22,3 
12,4 
25,4 
54,8 1983 
26,5 
15,6 
27,7 
68,7 IRELAND 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
31,6 
15,8 
34,1 
49,9 1983 
36,4 
21,1 
41,4 
53,1 
ITALIA 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
35,6 
31,3 
40,1 
38,5 1983 
43,0 
42,4 
43,7 
42,0 EUR* 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
26 
17 
30 
48 1983 
37 
28 
40 
50 
Estimate calculated as average of non-harmonized national data. 
NEDERLAND 
Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
21,1 
11,9 
25,6 
62,8 1983 
47,6 
35,6 
54,3 
67,2 
BELGIQUE/BELGIE 
37,4 17,7 Age 
(%) 
Total 
<25 
25-54 
2=55 100 
100 
100 
100 > 1 year/ 
annee 
1980 
46,2 
25,1 
59,4 
75,7 1983 
55,1 
33,4 
67,3 
82,6 Registered unemployed 
October 1983 
Deutschland 
France 
Italy 
Nederland 
Belgique/Belgie 
United Kingdom 
Ireland 
EUR 
October 1980 
EUR Total 
(x 1000) 
2 133,9 
2 165,1 
2 763,7 
824,6 
625,7 
3 094,0 
196,0 
11 803,0 
Total 
(x 1000) 
7 135,8 >1 y 
(x 1000) 
608,7 
575,1 
1 187,3 
392,9 
344,9 
1 142,9 
71,5 
4 323,3 
>1y 
(x 1000) 
1 846,3 ear 
(%) 
28,5 
26,5 
43,0 
47,6 
55,1 
37,0 
36,5 
37,0 
ear 
(%) 
26,0 
No C 322/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
EMPLOYMENT DURATION —METHODS AND MEASUREMENT 
Summary of a study published by Eurostat in 1983 
1. This report looks at the measurement of the duration of unemployment for those registered 
at the local employment offices (or their equivalents) in the EC member countries of Bel­
gium, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands 
and the United Kingdom. It also uses the available statistics to show the range of published 
material available and to illustrate recent trends over the five-year period 1977 to 1981. 
2. All member countries examined in this study have experienced significant increases in the 
number of unemployed over the past five years. A component of this general increase in 
numbers has been a growing proportion of the total unemployed remaining without work for 
longer periods. 
3. In all eight countries the main unemployment duration series is derived from the administra­
tive data collected by the national public employment services starting at a local level. As 
such it suffers from the same problems inherent in the general unemployment series, the 
main one being in terms of coverage with inclusion or exclusion of certain groups. 
4. Because the main source of information for the regular statistics is the record of those regis­
tered, the statistics actually measure the duration of current registration taken at one point in 
time, the date of the regular count. As such they will tend to be incomplete spells of unem­
ployment. 
5. The collection of statistics on duration has been the subject of discussion by the international 
agencies. In particular, the 1954 Eighth International Conference of Labour Statisticians laid 
down guidelines on what to collect and with what frequency. 
6. In five of the eight countries, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, the 
statistics are collected and published by the respective Ministries of Labour or a specific 
branch of them. In Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands the national statistical offices 
have overall responsibility. 
7. All countries use a regular monthly count date, as used for the main unemployment series, 
for the duration calculations. The special counts are carried out monthly in Belgium, Den­
mark and France, quarterly in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and twice-yearly in 
Germany, Ireland and Italy. 
8. There is a particular problem with the statistics in Denmark due to the adoption of a new 
information base in 1978/79. The series was, in effect, restarted in 1979 and the unemploy­
ment duration records were interrupted. This makes data collected either side of the date 
incompatible. 
9. The recording of unemployment duration and the payment of unemployment benefits are 
strongly linked in the sense that usually the conditions for receiving benefit require the per­
son to be available for work. Therefore, such periods of unavailability due to sickness, for 
example, should not be counted. 
10. The most serious problem affecting comparability is the treatment of breaks in the unem­
ployment period. Most countries do not have a formal system for recording such breaks and 
as a result many individual cases are treated subjectively by local employment office staff. 
This discrepancy, however, will tend to affect comparisons of national trends less than inter-
country comparisons. 
11. All countries have comprehensive benefit schemes for the unemployed, with contributions to 
the appropriate fund compulsory in all countries except Denmark for most categories of 
worker. However, the proportion of the labour force covered by such a scheme varies due to 
the exclusion of certain groups, in the main the self-employed and family workers. However, 
despite the voluntary nature of the Danish scheme, the proportion of workers covered (about 
65 %) compares favourably with proportions in other member countries. 
12. The conditions surrounding the payment of unemployment benefits may have an effect on 
the timing of registration and hence the measurement of duration. This is due to the imposi­
tion of waiting periods before any benefit is paid and the length of time for which earnings-
related benefits are paid. All countries except Belgium have a cut-off point after which those 
still unemployed switch to a means-tested social assistance scheme. The length of time for 
which earnings-related benefits are paid varies from six months in Italy to 30 months in 
Denmark and the Netherlands. In Belgium the period is unlimited. 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/33 
13. The ability to receive earnings-related benefits for an unlimited period in Belgium may be a 
contributory factor to that country's high proportion of registered unemployed in the over 12 
months category, consistently over 50% for the period 1977 to 1981 compared to a norm of 
around 20 % for the other member countries. 
14. All countries publish analyses of the unemployment duration statistics by sex and age group 
and all except France by region, though the level of regional disaggregation varies. In addi­
tion Denmark produces a range of statistics which reflect its own unique insurance scheme. 
A good deal of the information available in each country is not regularly published (for 
example for local area statistics), but is generally available to users on a request basis. 
15. Analysis of the administrative statistics over the period 1977 to 1981 shows that there has 
been a significant increase in the number of long-term unemployed. The largest increases 
have been in France and the United Kingdom and the smallest in Germany and Ireland. 
16. Survey data on unemployment periods is available in some member countries but the only 
comparable data is that derived from the Community-wide Eurostat Labour Force Survey. 
However, the survey effectively measures the length of active job search for those describing 
themselves as unemployed and is not, therefore, strictly comparable with the data derived 
from administrative sources. 
17. It is not valid to compare the data from administrative and labour force survey sources since 
they measure different aspects of duration. Comparison of French data from the alternative 
sources reveals that the survey results tend to show much higher proportions of the total 
unemployed in the longer duration categories. 
18. The accuracy and reliability of the administrative data across countries will tend to be 
dependent on the basic comparability of the general unemployment series". Furthermore, the 
duration data will be strongly associated with the different conditions surrounding the pay­
ment of unemployment benefits which vary considerably from country to country. As such 
the data are better used as trend indicators rather than cross-sectional measures in interna­
tional comparisons. 
No C 322/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 12. 84 
ANNEX III 
Bibliographie / Bibliography 
I. Mesure de la duree individuelle du chomage / The measurement of the duration of unem­
ployment / Messung der individuellen Dauer der Arbeitslosigkeit 
— Walsh, Kenneth — 'The measurement of the duration of unemployment in the EEC, 
November 1982; a report prepared for the Statistical Office of the European Communi­
ties, Luxembourg, 1983 
II. Nature du chomage de longue duree / The cause of long-term unemployment / Die Ursache 
der Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit 
— Beardsworth, Alan; Myrman, Alan; Ford, Janet and Keil, Teresa — 'Employers' strate­
gies in relation to their demand for labour: a sociological contribution', Industrial Rela­
tions Journal, 1982, Summer 
— Bunchteman, Christoph F. — „Die Bewaltigung von Arbeitslosigkeit im zeitlichen Ver-
lauf" — Forschungsbericht 85, Sozialforschung 1984 des Bundesministers fur Arbeit und 
Sozialordnung 
— Bundesanstalt fur Arbeit — „Dauer der Arbeitslosigkeit; Mehrfacharbeitslosigkeit" — 
Amtliche Nachrichten der Bundesanstalt fur Arbeit Nr. 3/1984 vom Marz 1984, Niirn-
berg 
— Colin, Jean-Francois; Welcomme, Dominique — «L'employabilite des demandeurs 
d'emploi: une description a partir des statistiques de l'ANPE», Travail et Emploi, juillet-
septembre 1981, n°9, Paris 
— Commission des Communautes europeennes — «Le chomage de longue duree dans la 
Communaute europeenne», rapport realise par l'Agence nationale pour 1'emploi, France 
1980; etude n° 79/68, Bruxelles, 1980 
— Direction des etudes et des statistiques de l'ANPE — «Les demandeurs d'emploi de lon­
gue duree: analyse d'une populations juin 1983, Paris 
— Feinberg, R. M. — 'Risk aversion, risk and the duration of unemployment', The Review 
of Economics and Statistics, Volume LIX No 3, August 1977 
— Franz, Wolfgang — „Jugendarbeitslosigkeit: eine kurze Episode oder eine permanente 
Gefahr?" — Wirtschaftsdienst 1983 III 
— Ginneken (van), W. — «Le chomage: tendances, causes et possibilites d'action», Revue 
internationale du travail, Bureau international du travail, Geneve, vol. 120, n° 2, mars/ 
avril 1981 
— Greedy, John and Disney, Richard — 'Changes in Labour market ... in Great Britain', 
Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Volume 28 No 1, February 1981 
— Irish Manpower Consultative Committee — 'Report on the problems of the long-term 
unemployed', November 1982 
— Humilton, Leslie and Just, Wolf-Dieter — Poverty and dependence in the European Com­
munity: an ethnical perspective, Rotterdam, 1983 
— Konig, Heinz — „Zur Dauer der Arbeitslosigkeit" — Kylos Vol. 31, Fasc. 1.36.52 
— Levy, Martine — «Le chomage des femmes», rapport elabore a l'intention de la Commis­
sion des Communautes europeennes, avril 1983, Bruxelles 
— Lux, Bernard — «Les facteurs determinant la duree individuelle du chomage», Cahiers 
economiques de Bruxelles, n° 94, deuxieme trimestre de 1982 
— MacGregor, A. — 'Unemployment duration and re-employment probability', The Econo­
mic Journal, 18 December 1978 
— Manpower Services Commission — 'Closure at Lintwood: a follow-up survey of redun­
dant workers', April 1984 
— Manpower Services Commission — 'A study on the long-term unemployment', February 
1980 
— Salais, Robert — «Le chomage, un phenomene de file d'attente», Economie et statistique, 
INSEE, Paris, n° 123, juillet 1981 
— Short, J. F. — 'Long-term unemployment in Ireland', Analysis Section, Department of 
Finance, October 1970 
— Standing, Guy — «La notion de chomage structured, Revue internationale du travail. 
Bureau international du travail, Geneve, vol. 122, n° 2, mai/avril 1983 
— Tyrell, Robert and Shanks, Michel — Long-term unemployment, September 1982, Lon­
don 
3. 12. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 322/35 
III. Tendance de l'emploi / Employment trend / Beschaftigungstendenz 
— Eurostat — «L'emploi et le chomage des jeunes de moins de 25 ans», Bulletin, n° 1, 1983; 
Office des statistiques des Communautes europeennes, Luxembourg 
— Eurostat — «Les femmes face a l'emploi et au chomage», Emploi et chomage, n° 1, 1984; 
Office des statistiques des Communautes europeennes, Luxembourg 
— Eurostat — «Evolution de l'emploi en 1983», Bulletin statistique, n° 3, 1984; Office des 
statistiques des Communautes europeennes, Luxembourg 
IV. L'impact du chomage sur les individus et la societe / The impact of unemployment on indi­
viduals and society / Die Auswirkung der Arbeitslosigkeit auf Einzelpersonen und die 
Gesellschaft 
— Brenner, M. H. — 'Mortality and economic instability: a model including intervening 
risk factors for predictions purposes'. Symposium de TOMS 'Influence of Economic 
Instability on Health', Miinchen, 1981 
— Brinkman, Christian; Potthoff, Peter — „Gesundheitliche Probleme in der Eingangs-
phase der Arbeitslosigkeit", Mitteilung aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, IAB, 
Nurnberg, 16/J/1983—4 
— Frankfurter Rundschau — „Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Verhaltenstherapie: Denkschrift 
uber Gesundheit und Arbeitslosigkeit", 13. April 1983 
— Harrison, R. — 'The demoralizing experience of prolonged unemployment', Department 
of Employment Gazette, April 1976 
— Heyes, J., et Nutman, P. — «Comprendre les chomeurs», Bruxelles, 1983 
— OMS (Organisation mondiale de la sante): 
— seminaire sur la politique de la sante dans le contexte du chomage dans la Commu-
naute, Leeds, 1982 
— seminaire sur le chomage et la sante: approches nouvelles de la recherche et de fac­
tion sociale, Stockholm, 1983 
— Schnaffer, Dominique — «Chomage et politique: une relation mal connue», Revue fran-
caise de science politique, vol. 32, nos 4—5, aout/octobre 1982 
V. L'indemnisation du chomage / Unemployment benefits / Arbeitslosenvergiitung 
— Centre d'etude des revenus et des couts — «L'indemnisation du chomage en France et a 
l'etranger», document du CERC, n° 62, Paris, deuxieme trimestre de 1982 
— European Industrial Relations Review — International unemployment benefits in 12 coun­
tries, 1983 
— Euvrard, Francoise — «L'indemnisation du chomage: autres systemes, autres niveaux 
d'indemnisation», Droit social, n° 5, mai 1983, Paris 
VI. Centres d'accueil et d'aide aux chomeurs / Unemployed centres / Arbeitslosenzentren 
— Arbeitslosenzentrum Hannover — „Arbeitslos, nicht wehrlos", Hannover, November 
1982 
— 1. BundeskongreG der Arbeitslosen, Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main, 1983, Arbeits-
loseninitiativen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und West-Berlin 
— National Council for Voluntary Organizations — 'Voluntary and Community Organiza­
tions and long-term unemployment: an NVCO consultation paper', London, March 
1983 
VII. Mesures de politique de l'emploi / Employment measures / Beschaftigungspolitische MaB-
nahmen 
— Direction des etudes et des statistiques de l'ANPE — «Le programme gouvernemental 
des chomeurs de longue duree», Exchange et travail, juin 1983, Paris 
— Freie Universitat Berlin, Forschungsstelle Sozialokonomie der Arbeit — „Effizienz von 
Arbeitsmarkt- und Beschaftigungspolitischen Maflnahmen" — Etude realisee pour la 
Commission des Communautes europeennes, Bruxelles, 1983 
— Manpower Services Commission, Psychological Services — 'The results of schemes to 
help the long-term unemployed (10 % initiatives) at 34 local offices during winter 1981/ 
82', July 1982 
— MISEP— «Rapports nationaux d'information de base», Commission des Communautes 
europeennes et Work & Society, Maastricht, mars 1984.