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1. The Committee notes with interest that the Government has established a programme to personalize employment placement services for unemployed persons during the first six months of unemployment for people less than 25 years of age and during the first 12 months for other jobseekers, in particular those at higher risk of long-term unemployment. The programme seeks to coordinate the actions of various government agencies and mobilize resources to help people find work as quickly as possible. There were 841,000 participants in 1999. Please continue to provide information on the number of participants and whether this programme has been effective in preventing and reducing long-term unemployment.

2. The Committee also notes that the Government has doubled the contribution called DELALANDE. An employer must pay a contribution equal to a minimum of two months’ salary for workers who are 50 years old, rising to a maximum of 12 months’ salary for workers who are 56 years old. The Committee notes that the initial impact of this programme on the employment rate of older workers in general has been positive, but that the data supplied does not indicate the particular impact on older jobseekers. The Committee would appreciate receiving disaggregated data on the impact of this measure on both employed and unemployed older workers.

3. Lastly, the Committee notes with interest that the Government is developing the possibility of a person’s doing an apprenticeship at any time during his or her working life. One of the objectives of this programme is to aid women to reintegrate into the workforce. The Government also aims to improve the system of certification. Please continue to supply information on progress made on this initiative, and its impact on employment promotion.

4. Article 3. The Committee notes the detailed description of the contribution of the social partners in developing and implementing the Action Plan 2000. It would appreciate continuing to receive information on such consultations and their outcomes.