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Implementation of an active employment policy. The Government reports that, similar to the years 2005–06, one of the main objectives of the employment policy in the years 2007–08 had been, inter alia, to increase employment and improve its quality, decrease the unemployment rate and improve human capital. At the end of May 2008 the overall number of unemployed had decreased to 1.5 million persons and the registered unemployment rate was 10 per cent. In this regard, the Committee notes the increased efficiency of the employment services achieved through further decentralization, as laid down in the National Reform Programme 2005–08. It also notes a further improvement in the cooperation between the public authorities and the social partners and their consultation on budgetary matters and matters concerning education and vocational training. Furthermore, NGOs – including representatives of organizations of the unemployed – were included on the voivodeship level. The National Action Plan for Employment 2008 re-emphasizes the Government’s endeavours to reintegrate vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities and workers over 50 years of age, into the workforce, resulting in 674,300 unemployed being provided with active labour market programmes in 2007. While persons with disabilities benefited significantly from these programmes, the reintegration of workers above 50 years of age into the labour force, whose share is increasing, remains difficult due to skill mismatches with labour market requirements. The Government further reported that results achieved in 2007 through measures aimed at increasing employment and limiting unemployment proved to be better than anticipated. This was substantially influenced by subsidies received from the European Community and the overall economic conditions. The Committee notes that Poland is continuing its transition from an agricultural to an industrial and service economy but that a large amount of persons were employed in the informal economy (2004: 1.317 million persons) and would thus not appear in the statistics. It further notes that, despite dropping significantly from 13.9 per cent in 2006 to 9.6 per cent by the end of 2007 – the lowest unemployment rate since 1992 – Poland’s overall unemployment rate was still the second highest in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Only in the second quarter of 2008, with 7.3 per cent, the unemployment rate was below the OECD average for Europe of 7.7 per cent. It further notes that, although the participation rate of the population above 15 years of age slightly dropped in 2007 to 53.7 per cent, by the first quarter of 2008 this had risen to 58.3 per cent. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing evaluations in its next report of the impact of the various labour market reform measures undertaken on the current employment situation and the involvement of the social partners in the design and implementation of an active employment policy in accordance with Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. The Committee further invites the Government to provide information in its next report on the results achieved through active labour market measures to provide employment for the long-term unemployed.

Youth unemployment. The Committee notes that, despite more favourable demographical conditions, the employment rate of persons between 15 and 24 years of age remains low at 25.8 per cent in 2007. Although a significant decrease of 8.1 percentage points in the youth unemployment rate had been achieved, at the end of May 2008, 23.8 per cent (i.e. 289,000 persons) of employment seekers were below 25 years of age. The Government reports that this was partly caused by this age group’s delayed entry into the labour market due to the continuation of education. The low employment rate would be addressed through various actions outlined in the 2007 Act amending, inter alia, the Act on Employment Promotion and Labour Market Institutions of 2004. In 2007, 268,900 unemployed persons below 25 years of age had participated in active labour market programmes. This is equivalent to 40 per cent of the overall number of unemployed youths, and represents an increase of 14,000 persons, i.e. 5.5 percentage points as compared to 2006. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing detailed information in its next report on the efforts made to improve the employment situation of young persons, and the results achieved in terms of job creation, particularly as a result of the actions adopted under the 2007 Act amending the Act on Employment Promotion and Labour Market Institutions of 2004.

Women. The Committee notes that, despite an increase of 2.9 percentage points, which is on par with that for men, the employment rate among women remains significantly lower than that of men. In 2006, the employment rate for men stood at 67.6 per cent, the employment rate of women was 56.8 per cent. This situation was further reflected in the unemployment rate: in 2007, 889,100 women and 636,500 men were without employment. The Government is aware of the fact that the unemployment rate for women registered in labour offices decreases at a slower pace than that of men. The “activation programmes” launched in 2007 were aimed to remedy this situation. Some 381,000 women benefited from the programme, resulting in an increase of women participating in community services and trainings. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing detailed information in its next report on the efforts made to improve the employment situation of women, and the results achieved in terms of job creation as a result of the 2007 activation programmes.