Employment Policy in the EU

Latest business news about Employment Policy in the European Union.

Adapting to change and ensuring the correct matching between labour market and supply is crucial if EU countries want to remain productive and competitive.

The rapid change implies that EU countries have to become pro-active and be able to anticipate in order to be better prepared for future challenges.

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EU Employment Contacts

LATEST NEWS

Romania to cut 600 postal jobs in accord with IMF: report — 13 February 2012, 00:36 CET

Romania's centre-right government has agreed to an IMF call to cut 600 jobs in the state-owned postal service before opening it up to private capital, the Mediafax news agency reported Sunday.

Clashes erupt on sidelines of Greek austerity protest — 10 February 2012, 15:17 CET

Greek protesters threw stones and firebombs at riot police who responded with tear gas in Athens on Friday as clashes erupted on the sidelines of a protest against new austerity cuts.

Greek unions call 48-hour general strike against new cuts — 09 February 2012, 11:49 CET

Greece's main unions on Thursday called a 48-hour strike, the second this week, over new austerity cuts agreed by the country's coalition government in return for bailout loans.

Corporate failures threaten 1.5m jobs in Europe: study — 07 February 2012, 19:03 CET

The number of companies going bust as a result of the eurozone debt crisis is on the increase and could see as many as 1.5 million jobs across Europe under threat as a result, a study found Tuesday.

Chinese village exports cheap labour abroad — 07 February 2012, 12:22 CET

Xie Guolu proudly shows off the two-storey home he is having built in the small Chinese village of Lujiazhuang, paid for by money his son earns thousands of kilometres away in Algeria.

General strike hits Greece, EU raises pressure on debt — 07 February 2012, 15:03 CET

A general strike gripped Greece on Tuesday in protest against new austerity measures demanded with increasing urgency by the European Union as part of a debt rescue deal with banks.

With job spurt, US economy races ahead of Europe — 05 February 2012, 20:55 CET

The latest surge in US job creation suggests the world's biggest economy is gathering momentum -- in contrast with the recession taking hold in parts of Europe.

Commission dangles money if national job plans match cash — 30 January 2012, 18:16 CET

The European Commission dangled Monday what it said was EUR 82bn of unclaimed funds from the bloc's budget that could be used to kick-start growth and job creation if matched by money at national level.

EU leaders scramble to summit amid Belgian strike — 30 January 2012, 18:23 CET

Belgium was at a standstill Monday, as transport workers and other public officials went on an anti-austerity strike that nevertheless failed to cause major disruption to 2012's first EU summit.

Belgium on strike ahead of EU summit — 30 January 2012, 09:37 CET

Belgium was in chaos Monday, just hours before an EU summit, with transport and other public services halted by a national strike called by unions in protest at EU-ordered austerity measures.

Multiple short-term job contracts are within EU law: court — 26 January 2012, 12:49 CET

Europe's highest court ruled Thursday that employers can keep staff on successive short-term contracts in a preliminary ruling issued amid a planned shake-up of labour markets across the eurozone.

Romania president bitter at Schengen, labour restrictions — 19 January 2012, 16:58 CET

Romanian President Traian Baseescu on Thursday blasted the EU's veto of his country's accession to the visa-free Schengen area and labour market restrictions imposed by nine member states.

Belgian unions call general strike for EU summit date — 17 January 2012, 18:45 CET

Belgian trade unions on Tuesday called a general strike for January 30, the date of a summit of European Union leaders in the capital Brussels.

Europe auto must cut capacity by 10-20%: Fiat chief — 12 January 2012, 11:04 CET

The European car industry needs to cut its capacity by 10 to 20 per cent in response to slack consumer demand that will likely continue through 2014, Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne said.

Eurozone jobless stuck at record 10.3% in November — 06 January 2012, 12:48 CET

Eurozone unemployment remained at an all-time record high of 10.3 per cent for the second month running in November, official figures showed on Friday.

Greece stokes euro crisis fears as banks opt for safety — 04 January 2012, 22:24 CET

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos stoked fears Wednesday of an uncontrolled default by his country as eurozone banks parked record sums at the ECB in signs that the debt crisis is far from over.

Top Greek union stonewalls lower wage demands — 04 January 2012, 22:26 CET

Greece's leading union on Wednesday rejected calls to cut labour costs that are rumoured to be on the agenda of talks later this month with EU and IMF officials on a new debt rescue package.

States drag heels on billions to fight youth unemployment: EU — 20 December 2011, 18:21 CET

The European Commission said Tuesday that EU states are dragging their heels on 30 billion euros of funding that could reduce high European youth unemployment and get economies growing.

Modernisation of the Professional Qualifications Directive - guide — 19 December 2011, 20:00 CET

As the working age population in many Member States shrinks, demand for highly skilled people between now and 2020 is projected to rise by over 16 million jobs. If Europe is to meet this demand, gaps in labour shortages need to be filled – for example through mobile and well qualified professionals from other EU Member States. They can be a key source of growth, but only if they can easily go to where jobs are and this requires their qualifications in the EU to be recognised in a fast, simple and reliable way. That is why the European Commission has adopted a proposal for modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC). The proposal aims at simplifying rules for the mobility of professionals within the EU by offering a European Professional Card to all interested professions which would allow easier and faster recognition of qualifications. It also clarifies the framework for consumers, by inviting Member States to review the scope of their regulated professions and by addressing public concerns about language skills and the lack of effective alerts about professional malpractice, notably in the health sector.

Job opportunities in Europe have improved, study shows — 15 December 2011, 16:33 CET

The chances of finding a job have improved in Europe over the past 10 years, but contracts tend to be temporary, rather than permanent, according to the results of a new study published on Thursday.

Cyprus austerity strikes shut down airports, ministries — 15 December 2011, 11:32 CET

Cyprus government services and airports came to a halt on Thursday as thousands of civil servants went on strike over austerity measures to reduce a bloated fiscal deficit.

Cyprus hit by strikes over austerity package — 14 December 2011, 23:20 CET

Thousands of civil servants in Cyprus staged an impromptu strike on Wednesday in protest at a two-year salary freeze among other government austerity measures to avoid an EU bailout.

Cyprus public sector strikes over austerity — 13 December 2011, 12:25 CET

Thousands of public sector workers in Cyprus staged a three-hour stoppage Tuesday in protest over government moves to freeze salaries for two years as part of an austerity drive to avoid an EU bailout.

Top Greek pension fund seeks EUR 3bn loan: director — 05 December 2011, 19:43 CET

Greece's leading social security fund IKA needs three billion euros ($4 billion) in loans to plug a 200-million-euro deficit in 2011 and manage pension payments in the next two years, its director said Monday.

Eurozone unemployment hits record 10.3% in October — 30 November 2011, 12:57 CET

Eurozone unemployment rose to an all-time record of 10.3 per cent in October, official figures showed on Wednesday as the indebted 17-nation bloc falls towards a recession.