EURES activity report 1998-1999 - "Towards an integrated European labour market: the contribution of EURES"
Date: 2000-10-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU employment policy, activity report, cross-border cooperation, employment policy, labour market

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 02.10.2000
COM(2000) 607 final

EURES activity report 1998-1999

"Towards an integrated European labour market: the contribution of EURES"

(presented by the Commission)

EURES activity report 1998-1999

"Towards an integrated European labour market: the contribution of EURES"

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3

1.

EURES tasks and priorities....................................................................................... 4

1.1. EURES: a specific service for European citizens.................................................... 4

1.2. An instrument in the service of the European employment strategy........................ 4

1.3. A well-defined framework of priorities .................................................................. 5

2.

Consolidation and expansion of the EURES partner network ................................ 5

2.1. Greater integration of EURES into the public employment services ....................... 5

2.2. The consolidation of cross-border EURES ............................................................. 6

2.3. Euroadvisers: the driving force behind the network................................................ 7

3.

Development of the EURES service .......................................................................... 9

4.

5.

3.1. More job vacancies more easily accessible............................................................. 9

3.2. High-quality services ........................................................................................... 12

3.3. Additional EURES-T services.............................................................................. 14

Funding .................................................................................................................... 16

Priorities and challenges.......................................................................................... 17

5.1.

Political and operational integration ..................................................................... 17

5.2. Modernising the means of providing services....................................................... 17

5.3.

Improving the range of services ........................................................................... 18

5.4. Re-examining administration methods ................................................................. 18

2

Introduction

Labour market
trends in the European Economic Area in recent years make
geographical mobility of workers an increasingly important economic factor. It is
true that unemployment remains very high in a number of Member States or regions,
and preventing and reducing long-term unemployment is a major challenge. At the
same time, however, the question of employment is increasingly being posed in
terms of shortages of manpower for responding to the needs of employers. These
tensions in the labour market have a negative impact on growth and on price
stability, while the shortage of skilled manpower affects the competitiveness of
businesses.

Geographical mobility - both within each Member State and between the Member
States in the European Economic Area - is one potential factor for reducing these
tensions in the labour market.

This economic change is clearly shown in political declarations at EU level. Thus, in
its Opinion for the Lisbon European Council (March 2000), the Employment and
Labour Market Committee stressed the need to encourage mobility in a European
labour market. It identified a series of specific measures to be taken, particularly in
the context of EURES, to contribute to increased mobility. The conclusions of the
Lisbon European Council of March 2000 call upon the Council and the Commission
on the one hand to "improve employability and reduce skills gaps, in particular by
providing employment services with a Europe-wide database on jobs and learning
opportunities" 1, and, on the other, to develop "a common European format for
curricula vitae, to be used on a voluntary basis, in order to facilitate mobility by
helping the assessment of knowledge acquired, both by education and training
establishments and by employers".2

The European Parliament, for its part, proposed developing EURES into a "European
employment service" in a Resolution in April 2000 on the internal market.3

The development of EURES over the two years covered by this report – 1998 and
1999 – needs to be examined in the light of these economic and political
developments, particularly in order to determine whether the work carried out during
this period will enable EURES to meet the expectations of the European Council.

This development has been characterised primarily by an increasing awareness
among EURES partners, and particularly the public employment services, of their
evolving role in the context of a European employment strategy and a European
labour market, resulting in better integration of EURES services into the range of
services offered to job seekers and employers.

1

2

3

Conclusions of the Presidency, paragraph 29.
Conclusions of the Presidency, paragraph 26.
Resolution of 13 April 2000 on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the
Council - The strategy for Europe's internal market (COM(1999) 464).

3

Thus there has been a large increase in vacancies exchanged, rising from 43 000 at
the beginning of 1998 to 166 000 at the beginning of 2000. In addition, the period
has been marked by use of the Internet in support of EURES services. The EURES
site was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President
of the Commission at the Cardiff European Summit in June 1998. In the space of
several months, it became one of the Commission's most visited sites.

Despite obvious progress as shown in the report below, serious challenges remain -
for the Commission and for the partners in the EURES network - in order to meet
satisfactorily in the coming months and years the expectations of job seekers and of
employers affected by geographical mobility, and the challenges set by the European
Council and the European Parliament.

1.

EURES TASKS AND PRIORITIES

1.1.

EURES: a specific service for European citizens

Having its origins in Regulation No 1612/68 on the free movement of workers,
EURES was designed to facilitate the exercising of the right of EU and EEA citizens
to work in another Member State.

EURES therefore developed with a view to providing a direct service to citizens,
whether job seekers or employers, and is thus one of the most visible and effective
facets of the Commission's efforts to come closer to citizens.

EURES basically provides information, advice and placement assistance. It is based
on a network of experts (Euroadvisers), a large number of contact points in partner
organisations and a free-access service on the Internet.

EURES is one of the key players in "Europe Direct", an initiative launched by the
Commission at the Cardiff European Council in June 1998, aimed at bringing Europe
closer to its citizens.

1.2.

An instrument in the service of the European employment strategy

Over and above the individual services it provides for citizens, EURES supports the
European employment strategy in a number of ways.

Firstly, EURES contributes to greater transparency in the European labour market.
This results from its role of providing information on vacancies, on regional labour
markets or on living and working conditions in the different Member States. In
facilitating worker mobility, EURES helps to provide greater flexibility in the labour
market. The adaptability of undertakings benefits from access to a range of human
resources which is not only wider but also richer in terms of skills, work culture and
languages. The employability of job seekers is greatly improved by occupational
experience abroad, even if only short-term. Cross-border EURES make a special
contribution to local development on the basis of local partnerships. Finally, the
social dialogue on employment policy is fostered by cross-border EURES.

4

the task of EURES is therefore to improve the operation of

In summary,
European labour market by facilitating the exercise of workers' right
movement.

the
to free

1.3.

A well-defined framework of priorities

In 1998 and 1999, EURES activities - at partner and at European Commission level -
followed a set of priorities defined jointly by all partners together with the
Commission. These were:

A. to improve EURES performance with regard to vacancies. In this context, the aim
was to increase the number of vacancies in the EURES database with a view to
obtaining a critical mass. It was equally important to improve the quality of jobs
offered. Finally, the processing of vacancies received by the partner organisations in
the network was to be improved;

B. to improve access to EURES services. The aim was not only to strengthen the
available human network - particularly by making better use of the resources of the
public employment services - but also to develop free access to certain basic services
in relation to geographical mobility, particularly through use of the Internet;

C. to improve the quality of EURES services. The aim was to implement EURES
quality standards and to train Euroadvisers and make them available to EURES;

D. to improve communication within the network. One particular aim was greater
involvement of the entire hierarchy of the employment services. Similarly, measures
were proposed for improving communication between the main network players
using information and communication technologies.

On the basis of these common aims, each partner was invited to define an annual
EURES "development plan", to be implemented with financial support from the
Commission. The report below will explain to what extent these aims have been
achieved.

2.

CONSOLIDATION AND EXPANSION OF THE EURES PARTNER NETWORK

2.1.

Greater integration of EURES into the public employment services

The basic partners in EURES are "the employment services of the Member States
and any further national partners which they may have".4

4

Commission Decision No 93/569, Article 1.

5

These partners have not changed during the reference period and are as follows:

A-Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich (AMS)

F-Office des migrations (OMI)

B-FORmation EMploi (FOREM)

GR-Office de l'emploi and de la main-d'oeuvre (OEAD)

B-Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsvoorziening (VDAB)

IRL-Foras Aseanna Saothair (FAS)

régional

B-Office
Gewestelijke
(ORBEM/BGDA)

bruxellois
voor

de

l'emploi/Brusselse
Arbeidsbemiddeling

ISL-Direction générale de l'emploi

Dienst

D-Bundesanstalt für Arbeit (BA)

I-Ministero del Lavoro

D-Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA)

L-Administration de l'emploi (ADEM)

DK-Arbejdsmarkedsstyrelsen (AMS)

NL-Arbeidsvoorziening (ARBVO)

E-Instituto Nacional de Empleo (INEM)

N-Arbeidsdirektoratet

SF-Ministère du Travail

P-Instituto do Emprego e Formaçao Profissional (IEFP)

F-Agence nationale pour l'emploi (ANPE)

S-Arbetsmarknadsstyrelsen (AMS)

F-Association pour l'emploi des cadres (APEC)

UK-Employment Service

The most significant development during the reference period was the adoption by
the directors of the public employment services (PES) on 16 November 1998 of a
Memorandum of Undertanding on the development of EURES services. In this
Memorandum, the public employment services recognised the importance of EURES
as a totally integralelement in their range of services. They undertook to further the
integration of the EURES service into their own organisations, in terms both of
planning and of management of human resources and processing of vacancies. An
evaluation of the implementation of the Memorandum after one year showed that it
had contributed to improved knowledge and understanding within the PES. A large
number of worthwhile initiatives had been taken, such as the training of officials
other than Euroadvisers,
training bringing together line
managers from all the partner PES.

including transnational

EURES is thus confirmed as an effective agent in the Europeanisation of the public
employment services, which are increasingly considered agents of the European
labour market rather than merely of the national or regional market.

2.2.

The consolidation of cross-border EURES

Following a strong expansion in the number of cross-border EURES partnerships
(EURES-T) in 1996-97 (increasing from 11 structures to 18), the network underwent
a degree of stabilisation with only one new – albeit important – partnership in the
Upper Rhine region.

6

The EURES-T "Oberrhein/Rhin supérieur" has been active since July 1999. This
cross-border region covers more than 500 km of the border between Germany
(Baden-Württemberg), France (Alsace) and Switzerland (area around Basle).
Switzerland has been invited to participate in the EURES-T as an observer. The
number of commuters totals an estimated 73 000 (31 000 French commuters to
Germany; 1 000 German commuters to France; 31 000 French and 10 000 German
commuters to Switzerland).

A cross-border partnership was also successfully established at the end of 1997
between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The partnership, which includes public
employment services, trade unions and employers' representatives, covers the whole
of Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland. The development of the
cross-border structure has been greatly assisted by the peace process and is viewed on
both sides of the border as a very concrete example of how effective cooperation can
benefit job seekers and employers.

A number of other cross-border regions, particularly in the Scandinavian countries,
are currently examining the possibility of applying to establish a EURES-T.

Beginning in 1999,
the chairmanship of the cross-border partnership steering
committees has been progressively transferred from the European Commission to
local partners (transfer already carried out for 11 partnerships as of 31 December
1999). This change is aimed at giving local players more responsibility for the
development of cross-border EURES.

2.3.

Euroadvisers: the driving force behind the network

Euroadvisers are the driving force behind the EURES network, since they have a key
role in delivering information, guidance and placement/recruitment assistance
services to both job seekers and employers. There are around 520 in all the EEA
countries, including the cross-border regions.

Distribution

The majority of Euroadvisers are from the public employment services (430), while
trade unions (77) and employers’ associations (13) are represented only in the cross-
border regions.

It was decided at
the end of 1998 to stop the training of special university
Euroadvisers but instead to develop other forms of cooperation between EURES and
higher education bodies (including universities), taking into account local traditions
and circumstances.

7

EURES CROSS-BORDER PARTNERSHIPS

1. H.N.F.K Hainaut / Nord-Pas de Calais / West-Vlaanderen / Kent

Belgique/ België, France, United-Kingdom

2. IGA 1

Belgique / België, Nederland
3. Euregio Gronau / Eschede
Deutschland, Nederland

4. IGA 2

Belgique / Beglië, Deutschland, Nederland

5. P.E.D.

Belgique / België, France, Luxemburg

6. Saar / Lorraine / Luxembourg / Rheinland - Pfalz

Deutschland, France, Luxemboug

7. EURAZUR

France, Italia
8. TRANSALP
France, Italia

9. SØNDERJYLLAND / SCHLESWIG

Danemark, Deutschland

10. EURALP

Italia, Österreich

11. Euregio Rhein - Waal /Rhein - Maas - Nord

Deutschland, Nederland

12. INTERALP

Deutschland, Österreich

13. EDR

Deutschland, Nederland

15

IRELAND
EIRE

UNITED
KINGDOM

1

SUOMI
FINLAND

SVERIGE

NORGE

DANMARK
17

9

NEDERLAND
3

13

Ё

2
BELGI
BELGIQUE
4

11

DEUTSCHLAND

5

6

19

12

14. PYREMED / PIRIMED

España, France

15. Northern Ireland / Border counties

of the Rep. of Ireland
Ireland, United Kingdom

16. Trans Tirolia

Italia, Österreich

17. ØRESUND

Danmark, Sverige
18. Galicia / Região Norte
España , Portugal

19. Oberrhein

France, Deutschland

18

PORTUGAL

FRANCE

16

ÖSTERREICH

10

8

7

10

ESPAÑA

ITALIA

-

ELLAS

8

E
E
E
E
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
A
A
A
A
S
S
S
S
The changing role of Euroadvisers

Euroadvisers were originally the only people to provide EURES services, mainly
through direct contact with job seekers and employers, being the only ones with
direct access to the two databases (job vacancies and general information), and most
of their activity was directed at meeting requests from users. With the growing
process of integration of EURES into the PES, their role has been changing, from a
‘first-stop shop’ to an ‘expert’ who coordinates and promotes the use of EURES
services at a local/regional level. In order to support Euroadvisers, most PES have
trained assistants and other administrative staff, whose main task is to provide
information to the public, make an initial pre-selection and, where applicable, refer
them to the Euroadviser for guidance and placement services. Moreover, many PES
have already installed self-service points for users, and the EURES job vacancies
database is often available on these self-service facilities as well as on the EURES
Internet site.

Training

Staff training activities for the EURES network have increased. The Commission is
responsible for the basic training of new Euroadvisers (around 80 each year). It is
assisted in this task by a training team responsible for designing, organising and
providing this training. Each year
the Commission prepares a transnational
continuing training programme according to Euroadvisers’ needs (e.g. living and
working conditions in some countries, social security issues, vacancy handling,
large-scale recruitment, etc.). Line managers (i.e. PES managers at local/regional
level) are invited to join some sessions, in order to increase their awareness of the
network (e.g. a special seminar for line managers was organised for the first time in
Turin in February 1999). Moreover, all countries prepare a national/local training
plan for Euroadvisers, assistants and other staff members to cover specific training
issues which are not covered in the transnational programme.

3.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE EURES SERVICE

3.1.

More job vacancies more easily accessible

An important feature of the EURES service is to allow job seekers to identify job
vacancies of interest to them in other countries in the single market. This helps to
promote greater transparency in the European labour market. Two parallel and
complementary approaches have been pursued in this context:

–

–

firstly, significant progress has been made in the numbers of transnational and
cross-border job vacancies notified by public employment services to the
EURES jobs database in Brussels;

the

rapid development of

information and communication
secondly,
technology, particularly the Internet, has greatly widened the dissemination of,
and access to, job vacancies in the single market.

9

EURES Jobs Database

to the database via a fast

The jobs database itself is housed in the Commission in Brussels. Euroadvisers can
connect
telecommunications network funded by the
Enterprise DG's TESTA programme. TESTA itself is part of the wider Enterprise
DG programme "Interchange of Data between Administrations" (IDA), in which
EURES is viewed as a prime example of how public administrations can exchange
information in a modern, fast and effective way.

Euroadvisers can enter jobs on the database directly or use it to search for jobs in
other countries. Most vacancies, however, are not entered by individual Euroadvisers
but are directly transferred from national PES databases. This integrated approach,
implemented as part of the 1998 Memorandum of Understanding, has led to a large
increase in the number of vacancies available to job seekers at transnational and
cross-border level. The countries which have integrated their systems with EURES
are France, Austria, Germany, Norway and Belgium. In addition, Finland and the
Netherlands receive EURES job vacancies automatically. There is a commitment to
integrate all PES systems with EURES by the end of 2002, starting with the planned
integration in 2000 of the PES in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and
Portugal.

Chart
n°1

Numbers of jobs per country

Portugal
0%

UK
3%

Norway
1%
Sweden
2 %

Netherlands
5%
Luxembourg
0%

December
1999

Austria
38%

Italy
9%

Iceland
0%

Ireland
8%

Greece
2%

France
10%

Finland
1%

Spain
3%

Denmark
5%

Germany
5%

Belgium
6%

This chart represents the stock of transnational vacancies in the 17 countries. The
spread of vacancies between countries has become more evenly distributed over the
years, although Austria is still predominant. As countries integrate their national
systems with EURES, it is expected that the spread will become increasingly even.

The major sectors (see Chart No 2) which are advertising vacancies continue to be
hotels, catering and tourism,
together with the ICT sector. There is, perhaps
surprisingly, consistently high demand for skilled jobs in the manufacturing sector.

10

The relatively high proportion of jobs in agriculture is largely due to seasonal
vacancies, e.g. in fruit picking, which are notified to EURES and which have proved
especially popular with young people.

Although the stock of transnational vacancies has grown steadily from under 4 000 in
1997 to over 26 000 in 1999 (see Chart No 3), it is the increase in cross-border
vacancy exchange which has led to the extremely large growth in the overall stock of
EURES vacancies, which passed the 200 000 mark early in 2000.

Increasing transparency

Integration clearly helps to meet one of EURES' key objectives: an open and
transparent service which allows citizens easy access to the European labour market.
At national level, integrated PES can offer access to EURES jobs via their self-
service terminals located in job centres, as is the case in Germany, Austria and the
Netherlands. In France, the vacancies are available on Minitel. In other countries,

Chart No 2

Job vacancies by sector

Education & healthcare
9%

Other services
5%

Agriculture & fishing
13%

ICT & administration
21%

Transport & finance
5%

December
1999

Manufacturing
13%

Contruction & utilities

9%

Hotels, catering, tourism
& retail
25%

Internet terminals have been installed in job centres and these are linked to the
EURES website. This trend towards self-service is growing rapidly throughout the
European employment services network and provides a real opportunity for the PES,
and EURES, to offer their services to customers at the point of demand. It has the
added advantage, in the case of EURES, of freeing-up the valuable human resource
of Euroadvisers to provide additional advice and guidance to those job seekers who
require a more tailor-made approach.

11

Increasing access to the Internet and the technology associated with it has also
offered new opportunities which help fulfil this objective. The EURES website,
http://europa.eu.int/jobs/eures/, was launched in 1998. It contains information on the
EURES network, living and working conditions in all of the 17 countries, selected
transnational job vacancies and useful links to other websites. It also acts as a
gateway to the PES websites where a vast amount of additional information and job
vacancies are available. By providing access to EURES jobs via the Internet and a
clear link with PES national databases, job seekers now have access to around 1
million jobs every day.

New service for job seekers

In 2000 there will be an additional feature on the EURES site, namely the facility for
job seekers to register their interest in working in another country by placing their
CV, either openly or anonymously, on a database which can then be searched by
registered employers. This will run as a pilot project for one year and its future will
be evaluated in 2001. In this way the EURES site will, in many ways, reflect at

Chart No 3

Stock of vacancies

180 000

160 000

140 000

120 000

100 000

80 000

60 000

40 000

20 000

0

165 896

129 535

137 691

110 458

Trans

Cross-border

Total

25 703

29 322

28 205

3 619

19 077

Nov 97

Nov 98

Nov 99

European level the range of services currently available in the PES at national and
regional level, as well as working towards fulfilling one of the objectives outlined in
the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council.

3.2.

High-quality services

The Commission aims to ensure that exchanging large numbers of vacancies and
making them as widely available as possible is backed up by a commitment to a

12

high-quality service for both job seekers and employers. During 1999, therefore, a set
of EURES quality standards for the handling of vacancies and job applications was
agreed following extensive consultation among the partners. These standards will be
implemented in each organisation as an integral part of their national quality
training of
standards and will be further reinforced by national and regional
Euroadvisers and other staff managing job vacancies and applications at European
level.

A comparison between the statistics on Euroadvisers' activity during 1996/1997 and
1998/1999 shows a reassuring development in activity by the EURES network, even
though it reflects only a part of that activity.

EURES
contacts with:

1996/97

1998/99

% increase

Job seekers

802 315

1 077 127

Employers

Others

66 951

99 968

105 666

148 960

25.51

36.64

32.89

Placement activity also intensified, increasing from 26 449 in 1998 to 44 460 in
1999.5

the beginning of 19996 indicated that

In addition, a study carried out at
the
information and advice services provided by the EURES network were highly
regarded by users. A large majority of both job seekers and employers expressed
satisfaction with the quality of information provided and with the professionalism of
the Euroadvisers. The advice given, whether written or oral information, the direct
to a competent department, was judged
resolution of a problem or a referral
satisfactory or highly satisfactory by more than seven out of ten of those questioned.

With regard to the information tools provided to Euroadvisers, EURES has added
significantly to the contents of its database (disseminated only within the network)
on living and working conditions and regional
the
presence within the Commission of other databases also covering the area of worker
mobility in Europe has encouraged EURES to begin a process of fusing three
databases (Citizens First, Scadplus and a section of EURESInfo) and should give rise
in the spring of 2000 to a single Community database, disseminated under the title
"Dialogue with citizens". This new database will have wider subject- and language-
based coverage than EURESInfo.

job markets. Nevertheless,

information and advice, the basic activity of the EURES network and
Finally,
hitherto almost entirely the responsibility of Euroadvisers,
is also undergoing
changes in so far as, having fulfilled their role as "communicators" of the European
dimension within their respective bodies, Euroadviser services are increasingly

5

6

These figures correspond to the number of job seekers placed by EURES in a post in another partner country.
"Eures Cross-border Partnerships – (net)work in progress", B&A Groep Beleidsonderzoek & -Advies b.v., The Hague,
1999.

13

relayed through other agents who in turn provide information to the public at a more
local level (see point 2.3 of this report).

3.3.

Additional EURES-T services

Cross-border EURES partnerships contribute to the general tasks of EURES in terms
of information, advice and placement assistance for
job seekers, workers or
employers in the regions concerned. Furthermore, the legal basis of EURES provides
for certain additional tasks for the EURES-T by virtue of their specific nature.

Cross-border vocational training

One of the tasks allocated to cross-border EURES is the carrying out of an inventory
of vocational training opportunities in the cross-border area. A number of these have
been developed, often establishing links - from the Internet sites of partnerships –
with various other sites in the cross-border region providing information on the
subject and in certain cases enabling on-line registration.

Some partnerships have carried out studies of qualification requirements or on
recognition of qualifications in the regions concerned. In the light of these studies,
some intend to establish cross-border vocational training actions, open to residents
on both sides of the border and leading to qualifications recognised by employers on
either side of the border.

The grant for training periods in businesses implemented by the Interalp partnership
(AT/DE) provides information on the Internet on training periods at cross-border
level.

However, there are still obstacles to following vocational training on the other side of
the border, particularly the obligation in some Member States to be resident in the
country in which the training is given, or the loss of social security rights, including
unemployment allowances, for workers in training.

Obstacles to cross-border mobility

Taking advantage of their favourable position for observing the local labour market,
the cross-border EURES partnerships have taken steps to identify the obstacles to
mobility in the regions they cover. Apart from specific studies carried out by some
partnerships, a joint approach was implemented in order to identify these obstacles
with the help of cross-border Euroadvisers. Each of them identified the five main
obstacles to mobility at their own border level. Using a common classification, a
summary of these questionnaires enabled the EURES report on obstacles to cross-
border mobility to be drawn up (Spring 2000). Apart from its informative nature, this
report also highlights areas for discussion in order to resolve the obstacles and may,
in this regard, be used by administrations or other bodies involved to try to improve
the situation.

The report also refers to the fact that in certain partnerships, actions undertaken by
Euroadvisers or by partners have made it possible to find solutions to particular
obstacles, especially with regard to dual taxation or discrimination in terms of social
security cover.

Cooperation and dialogue on the cross-border labour market

14

The EURES-T are also increasingly becoming forums for analysis, exchanges of
ideas and joint actions in relation to cross-border labour markets.

For instance, studies have been carried out on trends in qualification requirements at
flows, equal opportunities,
cross-border
comparison of collective labour agreements and comparison of functions on either
side of the border.

level, characterisation of commuter

The majority of partners have also collected statistics on cross-border labour markets
and disseminated them either on paper or on Internet sites.

Joint actions on cross-border employment areas are also carried out by the public
recruitment or
employment
redundancy actions, the setting up of cross-border "job clubs" or the exchange of
good practices between their organisations.

services, particularly in relation to significant

The social partners are also closely involved in preparing and editing documents and
brochures on living and working conditions in the cross-border zone. In addition,
they are often in charge of or associated with surveys or studies relating to
undertakings or to commuters in their regions. Having the cross-border social
partners within the same forum also promotes cross-border social dialogue, and some
studies on relevant topics have been carried out.

Synergies with Interreg

The Commission communication on the new Interreg III initiative7 provides for
consultation of the cross-border EURES for cross-border cooperation in the field of
labour markets. In this context, EURES organised a seminar in Barcelona in
September 1999 with EURES coordinators and partners, representatives of the
LACE network and people involved in the management of Interreg at national and
Community level, in order to get to know each other better and to identify additional
actions to be implemented between EURES and Interreg. This approach will be
developed during 2000 with the aim of bringing out Interreg III projects promoting
transparency and mobility at the level of cross-border labour markets.

Evaluation and follow-up

During 1998, the Commission carried out an external evaluation of five of the oldest
partnerships. This study showed that users were very positive about the services
provided by Euroadvisers (approximately 72% of those questioned were satisfied or
very satisfied). On the other hand, it appears that the network is still little-known
among the public.

The evaluation report also recommends the establishment of information networks at
local level to take charge of collecting and processing the information required by
partners (particularly Euroadvisers) and the public in general ("resource centre" or
"labour market observatories").

7

Communication from the Commission to the Member States COM(2000) 1101.

15

This evaluation enabled all EURES-T partnerships to fine-tune their development
strategies and operating methods in order, among other things, to make them more
available by means of Internet sites.

4.

FUNDING

€

10 million, or

The EURES budget is voted each year by the budgetary authority. For 1998 and
1999, it amounts to a total of
0.5 million less than for the two
previous years. In 1999, a ceiling of
450 000 was set in the context of the total for
expenditure on technical assistance and administration. In addition to these amounts,
EURES receives a contribution from EFTA (
196 000 in
the agreement on the European Economic Area
the terms of
1999) under
(participation of Norway and Iceland).

187 000 in 1998 and

€

€

€

€

Most of the budget is used to fund activities by national and cross-border partners for
the development of the EURES service, in particular information, promotion and
support activities or computer equipment.

Moreover, the budget funds a number of services of benefit to all partners, such as
basic and ongoing training for Euroadvisers and the development, administration and
updating of the databases containing vacancies and information on living and
working conditions.

The figure below illustrates budget allocation for 1998 and 1999 (average).

EURES budget allocation 1998-1999

6

1%

5

1%

4

5%

3

8%

2

31%

1. EURES-T activity plans

2. National activity plans

3.Training

4.Computer systems

5. Eures -Info

6. Other

1

54%

There is heavy demand from network partners to simplify the procedures for
allocating Commission grants and for obtaining multiannual grants.

16

5.

PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES

There are four main areas for determining the priorities and challenges facing
EURES in the next few years:

–

–

–

–

political and operational integration;

modernising the means of providing services;

improving the range of services;

re-examining administration methods.

These areas are reflected by the EURES partners in the aims and priorities for the
next three years (2000-2002), developed on the basis of an in-depth analysis of their
strengths and weaknesses, the political and socio-economic changes affecting them
and future European labour market requirements.

5.1.

Political and operational integration

Better use deserves to be made of EURES' contribution to important political
priorities defined at European Union level. As a direct service to job seekers and
employers, EURES helps to promote a "citizens' Europe", one of the main objectives
on the Commission's agenda. As a tool contributing to the emergence of a European
labour market, EURES supports not only the completion of the internal market but
also the implementation of the European employment strategy and the success of
economic and monetary union. The conclusions of the Lisbon European Council in
March 2000 are consistent with taking greater account of geographical mobility and
favouring a European exchange of vacancies in the context of the economic and
social priorities of the EU.

EURES' contribution to other Community initiatives should also be exploited in a
more systematic manner. Cases in point are the Interreg programme (see 3.3), the EU
programmes for vocational training (Leonardo da Vinci), education (Socrates) and
youth, or measures in support of local employment initiatives.

There should also be integration within partner organisations. In particular, it will be
essential to maintain the impetus given by the Memorandum of Understanding on
EURES approved by the directors of the public employment services in 1998, in
order to ensure the integration of EURES into the PES.

Finally, the enlargement of the European Union is a major challenge. It will require a
commitment by the network to contribute to the harmonious integration of the new
countries.

5.2.

Modernising the means of providing services

It is essential that the particular skills of Euroadvisers are used to the full, freeing
them from basic tasks which can be carried out more effectively using new
technologies and enabling them to offer advice, guidance and placement services
with higher added value. In addition, wider human resources networks in and

17

external to, the partner organisations should be developed in order to offer EURES
services as widely as possible.

The rapid development of information and communication technologies enables
EURES to modernise its means of providing services by responding to a legitimate
demand from citizens for autonomous and rapid access to basic information and
services. One of
the central access points will be the EURES website
http://europa.eu.int/jobs/eures. This will offer access to the PES sites, EURES
vacancies and a EURES job seekers' database.

It is also essential for national and cross-border websites to offer clear and visible
access to all EURES services. In addition, national Intranets are an easily adaptable
tool for providing EURES information to all PES staff. The equipment provided by
the increasing number of call centres at European and national level will also make it
possible, and economic, to provide basic EURES services both to job seekers and
employers.

In response to a request from the budgetary authority, a specific report will be
submitted to it in 2000 on the resource requirements linked to increased use of the
Internet.

5.3.

Improving the range of services

The Commission and the partners will give priority to sources of information on
living and working conditions with a view to enabling access to a full, precise,
multilingual database available to all potential users. In addition, the EURES labour
market database should be developed as a tool not only for informing job seekers or
employers about conditions in the labour market, but also as an observatory for
assisting EURES partners in identifying trends in that market with regard to supply
and demand and real and potential bottlenecks. The number and quality of vacancies
also demands a real commitment by the partners to ensure that all appropriate
vacancies are exchanged at transnational and cross-border level using integrated
methods and ensuring that they are processed in accordance with high standards. Job
seekers will be able to disseminate their CVs at European level, thus placing them in
direct contact with potential employers.

At cross-border level, higher priority will be given to two sectors which are not yet
fully developed, namely information for citizens on opportunities for cross-border
training and identification of obstacles to mobility. Finally, in order to develop their
range of services and increase their
the cross-border EURES
partnerships should take advantage of the opportunities provided by Interreg 3 to
support additional activities to promote an integrated labour market.

impact,

local

5.4.

Re-examining administration methods

The administration methods initially defined for the EURES network should be
adapted in response to various findings and developments:

–

the EURES partner organisations, and in particular the public employment
services, have made considerable progress during the 1990s;

18

–

–

–

the increased number of cross-border partnerships and the prospects for
the Commission,
enlargement make it necessary to rethink the role of
particularly in terms of simplifying its relations with the partners;

ongoing discussions of ways to externalise certain Commission activities
should also have repercussions for the tasks incumbent upon the Commission
and the partners respectively;

the funding mechanisms, both within the Commission and in the partner
organisations, mobilise significant human resources to an extent which can
appear disproportionate. The annual nature of the budget does not promote
long-term planning.

In accordance with the above, the Commission is currently examining a possible
revision of its 1993 Decision on EURES.

19