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1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Active labour market measures and employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s detailed report received in November 2008 including replies to the 2007 direct request. The Government stressed that the labour market reforms implemented until May 2008 represented an essential component within the framework of economic and social reforms for increasing welfare in Slovenia. Among the main challenges Slovenia faced in the field of employment, the Government identified the high proportion of long-term unemployed (53.1 per cent in May 2008), the relatively high youth unemployment rate (13.7 per cent) and the increasing unemployment of women (7.9 per cent). It indicated that the Active Employment Policy Framework Programme (AEP), adopted yearly until 2006, had been programmed for a period of six years (2007–13) implemented through two-year plans, which provided more flexibility and better responsiveness to changes occurring in the labour market. The Committee notes that an increased share of funds has been earmarked for employment incentives and direct job creation, namely in the area of public works, and that, in order to achieve more permanent employment solutions for the most vulnerable groups, additional efforts will be made in pursuing the following development priorities established under the AEP and the Operational Programme for Human Resources Development for the period 2007–13: promotion of entrepreneurship and adaptability; promotion of employability of jobseekers and inactive individuals through training, vocational orientation and jobseeking assistance; and promotion of lifelong learning and social inclusion. The Committee also notes the adoption in 2007 of a national lifelong learning strategy, which is currently being implemented. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide an evaluation in its next report of the impact of the various labour market reform measures undertaken in the current employment situation. The Committee further invites the Government to provide information in its next report on the results achieved through active labour market measures.

2. Vulnerable workers. In reply to previous comments made concerning the impact of the measures taken to increase the employment rate among vulnerable groups, in particular young workers, first-time jobseekers and older workers, the Government indicates that the proportion of unemployed persons aged under 26 and first-time jobseekers decreased significantly in 2008 compared to 2006 (from 21.6 per cent to 13.7 per cent, and from 22.4 per cent to 16.9 per cent, respectively) whereas the proportion of unemployed persons aged 50 or over increased from 25.1 per cent in 2006 to 35.8 per cent in 2008. With reference to the measures being implemented to integrate young persons into the labour market, the Government’s report describes a number of activities within the framework of the 2007–13 Operational Programme for Human Resources Development, including, inter alia, on-the-job training, job rotation, exchange of work experience, intergenerational mentoring and instruction programmes to exchange knowledge between different target groups, and specific programmes for young persons who are threatened by discrimination or social exclusion. Concerning the measures to promote the employment of older workers, the Committee notes that a national active ageing strategy is under preparation with the objective of bringing the employment rate for older workers aged 55–64 as close as possible to the Lisbon Strategy target of 50 per cent by the year 2010. A set of policy measures have been proposed in order to overcome the barriers to employment for older persons: introducing incentives to hire them, in the form of subsidies, allowing them greater mobility and flexible forms of employment, improving care for older workers in terms of health and safety at work, encouraging the employment of inactive persons; promoting self-employment and social inclusion; and encouraging the inclusion of older workers and persons in lifelong learning. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the impact of the activities designed to encourage and support employment levels of vulnerable categories of workers, particularly women, young workers, first-time jobseekers and older workers.

3. Article 3. Participation of the social partners in the formulation and application of policies. The Government indicates that consultations with social partners on the EU employment policy strategy are held annually within the National Assembly. Representatives of employers and workers have been actively involved in the reform coordination process through the national Economic and Social Council, in which they expressed their support for the measures to be adopted under the AEP and the national action plan for persons with disabilities for the period 2007–13 which were proposed by the Government. The Committee notes that amendments were made to the Employment Relationship Act, in 2007, with the agreement of the social partners so as to ensure a suitable degree of employment security while encouraging labour market flexibility. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the progress made in involving the social partners in the design and application of employment policies.