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The Committee takes note of the detailed information contained in the Government’s report received in August 2004. It also notes the observations made by the World Confederation of Labour and Cartel Alfa and the Government’s reply received in January 2004.

1. Integration of an active employment policy with economic and social policy. The Committee notes that the survey of the active population places overall unemployment at 6.6 per cent in 2003, which was lower than in previous years. For some groups of workers, the risk of being unemployed is, however, substantially higher as the unemployment rate for the age group 15-24 is 18.7 per cent. Also, the share of long-term unemployed is increasing, amounting to almost two-thirds of the total unemployed population. The members of the Rom minority, almost three-quarters of whom live below the poverty line, are especially affected. Furthermore, although the regional disparity of unemployment has been reduced, it still remains relatively high. The Government indicates that the National Action Plan for Employment for the period 2004-05 was adopted and the National Employment Strategy 2004-06 was approved in August 2004. The Government also indicates that its objective is to increase the employment rate, to enhance the quality of labour, to increase productivity and income, to improve social cohesion and to fight against discrimination in the labour market. The new legislative framework (on minimum wages, on combating marginalization, on employment promotion and unemployment benefits) combines measures for social security and welfare. The Committee recalls that success in employment creation is linked to the successful coordination of macroeconomic policies as well as structural policies. It therefore asks the Government to report on how employment policy measures are reviewed regularly within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy. In particular, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results and progress achieved with the implementation of the measures envisaged by the Plan for Employment and the National Employment Strategy, including information on the employment situation of socially vulnerable groups such as young persons, women jobseekers, and workers of Rom origin. The Committee further requests the Government to include in its next report disaggregated data on the level and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment. Please also indicate the measures taken to reduce labour market differentials in the country (according to data provided by the Office, the unemployment rate in the Bucharest region is 2.8 per cent while in the regions of Vaslui and Huedoara it is over 11 per cent) (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention).

2. Labour market and training policies. The Government indicates that 2 per cent of the budget for the active labour market measures was allocated to training and retraining. In accordance with the provisions of the employment law, the National Employment Agency develops a yearly National Vocational Education Plan, its main objective being to increase employment by providing skills for which there is either present or future market demand. The Government indicates that in the context of this plan, a special focus has been given to disadvantaged groups. In this regard, the Committee would be grateful to be kept informed of the results of the National Plan and if the Government could indicate the measures taken to ensure that skills supply and demand do coincide. The Committee hopes that in implementing measures to provide skills to jobseekers, the Government will also take into account the instruments most directly related with Convention No. 122, such as the Human Resources Development Convention (No. 142), and Recommendation (No. 195) of 2004. The Government may consider useful to refer to the above instruments when including information in its next report on the results of the measures taken to coordinate its vocational guidance and training initiatives with the employment policy measures adopted.

3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and application of policies. As concerns have been voiced by Cartel Alfa and the World Confederation of Labour in their communication of August 2004 concerning the fact that trade unions’ involvement in the design and evaluation of employment policies is insufficient, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the consultation held by the administrative council of the National Employment Agency and the National Commission for Employment Promotion. The Committee recalls that Article 3 of the Convention provides that the measures to be taken in relation to employment policy should take fully into account the experience and views of the representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations with a view to securing their full cooperation in formulating and implementing employment policies. The Committee trusts that in its next report, the Government will be able to provide further details on the efforts made to hold the consultations required by this important provision and will also indicate the manner in which the views of the representatives of persons affected by employment policy measures, including the opinions of representatives of those working in the rural sector and in the informal economy, are taken into account so as to ensure that the objectives of the Convention are being achieved.