WIREDGOV

A pilot project to help young people find a job in another EU country has been launched by the European Commission. In its initial phase 'Your first EURES job' will aim to improve cross-border mobility for 5,000 people. It will also serve as a testing ground for transforming EURES - the network of Member States' employment services – towards a pan-European employment service.

As announced in the Commission's April 2012 Employment Package (see IP/12/380), the Commission intends to improve EURES so as to provide more transparency on the European labour market and direct jobseekers and job changers to where the jobs are. It will also provide easier and real-time access to vacancies available in the EU, while presenting employers with a pool of candidates with the right skills.

EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor said "The pilot project 'Your first EURES job' marks our first steps towards a more customised job placement service that would help people to find jobs in other European countries. Helping people with relevant skills to find jobs in other countries that need those skills can be part of the solution to Europe's unemployment crisis."

Under the 'first EURES job' scheme, four selected employment services from Germany, Spain, Denmark and Italy will help young people look for work in Member States other than their own. As part of the scheme, young EU nationals between the ages of 18-30 will be provided with information and help for their recruitment, as well as the possibility of financial support for their application or training. Small and medium businesses, i.e. companies with up to 250 employees, may apply for financial support to cover part of the cost of training newly-recruited workers and helping them settle in.

The European Vacancy Monitor and the European Job Mobility Bulletin - both published today, also contribute to matching jobs and jobseekers across borders. The European Vacancy Monitor provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments on the European job market and shows trends in occupational demand. The Monitor shows that, at present, higher skills remain an important factor to finding employment opportunities, whilst an increasing number of countries are experiencing a shrinking number of vacancies.

The Job Mobility Bulletin analyses vacancies posted on the EURES jobs portal and highlights where the best employment opportunities are. Currently it shows the jobs most in demand in the EU are sales people, finance professionals and housekeeping and restaurant services workers.

Background

More than 5.5 million young Europeans are currently looking for a job.

The 'Your first EURES job' webpage is available on the Europa portal at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/yourfirsteuresjob. It provides the contact details of the 'Your first EURES job' employment services, as well as how to participate. A users' guide, a leaflet and a video also feature on the website with detailed information on this new EU level initiative.

The data for the European Vacancy Monitor is drawn from a wide range of sources: public employment services, temporary work agencies, online services, the EU statistics office job vacancy statistics (Labour Force Survey), national statistical offices and other relevant research.

The quarterly European Job Mobility Bulletin, like the European Vacancy Monitor, is part of the European Commission's Employment Package specifically targeted at people looking for work outside their home region/country, and at EURES advisers aiming to help them.

Further information

See also MEMO/12/363

Your First EURES Job: http://ec.europa.eu/social/yourfirsteuresjob

EURES: http://ec.europa.eu/eures

Youth on the Move: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=950&langId=en

Youth Opportunities Initiative: http://ec.europa.eu/social/yoi

European Vacancy Monitor:

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=1283&furtherNews=yes

László Andor's website: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/andor/

Subscribe to the European Commission's free e-mail newsletter on employment, social affairs and inclusion: http://ec.europa.eu/social/e-newsletter

Follow László Andor on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LaszloAndorEU