CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the detailed report supplied by the Government and the comprehensive documentation appended for the period ending August 2002.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The data provided by the Government shows that unemployment has continually increased since 1996, reaching an estimated 18.5 per cent in 2002. The Government also indicates that a substantial part of unemployment is of a structural nature and is characterized by: a high level of long-term unemployment (over half of total unemployment); high unemployment among people with lower levels of education; high unemployment among youths in the 15-24 year age bracket; a wide regional variation in unemployment; and a particularly high unemployment rate among the Roma minority. The Government states that the national employment rate is relatively low at 51.8 per cent and that there also exist wide regional variations in employment rates, ranging from 70 per cent in the Bratislava region to as low as 50 per cent in the Kosice region. For the period 1997-2000, the overall employment rate in the country fell by over 4 per cent. However, employment rose by 2 per cent in Bratislava, and remained broadly stable in Trnava and Presov. All other regions experienced falling employment, with the sharpest declines (more than 6 per cent) in Kosice, Zilina and Banska Bystrica.

2. The Committee notes with concern the recent trends in the labour market which indicate a worsening situation and which have reinforced the extent of regional employment imbalances. Bratislava, which is home to only 11 per cent of the national population, accounts for 15 per cent of all employment in the country. On the other hand, rural areas have the highest concentration of unemployed people. To combat rural unemployment and poverty within certain regions, the Government has undertaken the elaboration and realization of a job-creation programme through the development of existing cooperatives and the establishment of new ones, including new types such as cooperatives engaged in savings and credit activities, medical activities and care for the elderly, cooperative nurseries and kindergartens and cooperatives in the field of the travel industry, culture and trades. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate receiving further information on policies and programmes aimed at promoting more balanced regional development and stimulating job creation in rural areas. Please provide further information on trends in regional development, and on the outcome of measures to promote employment in rural areas.

3. The Government explains that unemployment among young persons aged 15-24 is an issue of particular concern. In 2001, unemployment for the 15-24 year age bracket went up by 2 percentage points reaching 37.2 per cent. To address the problems of this group the Government has implemented an employment support programme for young people that provides counselling and job subsidies in the form of wage and social insurance reimbursements for employers. According to preliminary statistical data, through this programme 4,304 registered unemployed persons were placed in jobs, representing a 29 per cent success rate. The Committee notes this information and trusts that the Government will continue to provide information on policies and programmes that address the special needs of vulnerable groups of workers as well as data on the levels and trends in employment for these groups.

4. The Government acknowledges the need for projects with a special focus on increasing the participation of the Roma in active labour market policy programmes. The projects specifically targeting the Roma minority include, inter alia, improving employability; counselling for the long-term registered unemployed; a project for 700 long-term unemployed Roma aiming to collect data with a view to identify better the problems that the Roma face in the labour market; vocational training for registered unemployed persons without education; as well as other support programmes seeking to provide more opportunities to members of this large ethnic minority. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of further developments in this regard. Please also indicate the approximate number of workers concerned by these measures and the results obtained.

5. The Government also explains that it has adopted a National Employment Plan (NEP) that follows the four-pillar structure of the European Employment Strategy, but taking into account the specific conditions of the Slovak labour market. A central feature of the Plan is the Government’s commitment to preventive strategies, enabling early identification of individual capabilities and needs of unemployed persons. Preferential support will be given to the employment of registered unemployed persons in the open labour market. The activities of the National Labour Office (the public employment service) will be systematically evaluated, as will programmes to integrate the registered unemployed into employment. The Committee notes this information and would appreciate being kept informed of progress made in the implementation of the NEP. Please also state whether special difficulties have been encountered in attaining the objectives of the NEP and indicate the degree to which these difficulties have been overcome.

6. Article 3. The Committee notes the information received on the consultative role of the Council for Economic and Social Agreement (CESA) in the preparation of bills and policy documents of national significance such as the National Employment Plan and the National Action Plan for Employment for 2002 and 2003. Additionally, regional and district bodies of state administration also take part in the documents assessment as well as regional self-government authorities. The Committee would appreciate receiving, in the Government’s next report, further information on the decisions taken by the CESA in relation to employment policies as well as any additional information on efforts to engage the social partners in employment promotion in the sense requested by this provision of the Convention.