2003 Annual Report

In 2003 the ESS completed most of the tasks it had set itself in the business plan. There were some departures in connection with the number of people entitled under the rights stemming from unemployment insurance and participation in active employment policy programmes; these were primarily due to the slightly different conditions on the labour market to those originally expected. The overall results regarding the number of unemployed people who found employment and the structure of unemployment show that, in 2003, the ESS once again played an important and positive role on the labour market.

Here is a summary of the main indicators of ESS activities in 2003:

For the third year running there were fewer than 100,000 registered unemployed people. At the end of December there were 95,993 unemployed people registered with the ESS, which was a 3.6% fall on December 2002. A comparison between the various categories of unemployed people at the end of the year shows that only among first-time jobseekers was there was an increase in numbers. At the end of 2003 there were 24,460 more first-time jobseekers than at the end of 2001 (a rise of 12.2%) and there was thus an increase in the number of those under the age of 26; at the end of December there were 25,860 unemployed persons under 26, which was a 2% rise on December 2002. The number of women fell to 50,324 (down by 2.1%), as did the number of unemployed people aged between 40 and 50 (to 21,326 people, down by 9.1%). There was a big drop in the number of long-term unemployed people (44,152, down by 15.1%), people unemployed due to bankruptcy and redundant workers (19,219, down by 2.7%), people aged over 50 (19,952, down by 12.7%) and unemployed people who had attained the 1st or 2nd levels of education (41,064, down by 9.7%).

The registered unemployment rate is calculated and officially announced by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia. In 2003, 11.2% of the active population was unemployed on average, which was a 0.4% with regard to 2002. On average, 9.7% of active men and 13% of active women were unemployed. Unemployment for men fell by 0.7% and for women by 0.1%. The registered unemployment rate for December was 11%; during the year it was at its lowest in June, when 10.8% of the active population was unemployed.

Through a professional approach and, in particular, through intensified and improved cooperation with employers (1,992 visits to employers were carried out), the ESS exceeded the job placement targets for unemployed people; this was despite the lower demand for labour. According to the plan, the ESS set itself the task of placing 47,000 unemployed people in employment; in reality, 47,193 found employment, which was 117 more than in 2002. These good figures were primarily the result of intensive cooperation with employers, where a great deal of attention was devoted to encouraging the employment of difficult-to-employ groups of unemployed people and effective implementation of active employment policy measures. By the end of 2003, the number of unemployed people was 3.6% lower than in 2002.

In 2003 the unemployment structure improved, with the share of long-term unemployed people (unemployed for over one year) in December falling from 52.2% in 2002 to 46% in 2003, and the share of those aged over 50 falling from 22.9 to 20.8%. In comparison with 2002, the share of redundant workers in total unemployment also fell, from 22.1 to 20%, and the share of unemployed people who had attained the 1st or 2nd levels of education fell from 45.6 to 42.8%. The share of women, first-time jobseekers and young people under the age of 26 increased slightly. Structural changes were achieved primarily with the aid of a target-oriented active employment policy, where job placements for difficult-to employ unemployed people was given precedence. To reduce regional discrepancies in unemployment, employment programmes targeted regions where unemployment was above average, meaning that those regions were provided with more funding for these purposes.

In 2003, 76,806 new participants joined employment programmes: 68,909 of them were unemployed, the rest were redundant workers and disabled workers in sheltered workshops. With the assistance of the programmes 10,996 unemployed people secured employment; 6,111 disabled people were also employed by sheltered workshops and 1,665 redundant workers found employment as a direct result of these programmes. Most of the new participants joined training and education (27,025) and public works programmes (6,749 in 1,830 programmes).

The ESS rationalised the procedure of submitting applications for national scholarships; for the second year running, candidates were able to test whether they could acquire a scholarship by using a special application form on the internet. In 2003 the ESS disbursed scholarships to 54,050 recipients of national and Zois scholarships and, on average, to 2,633 unemployed people in Programme 5000 or 10,000.

To enable more effective job placement and better cooperation with employers during the study, the e-Exchange of Zois scholarship recipients was maintained and updated; this enabled direct internet connection between scholarship recipients and employers.

In 2003 the ESS made payments to 24,275 people on the basis of their unemployment insurance rights: unemployment benefits were received by an average of 18,139 unemployed people and unemployment assistance by 6,136.

In 2003 the ESS issued a total of 34,390 work permits: 16,556 employment permits, 10,051 seasonal work permits, 3,838 personal work permits, 1,599 permits for workers posted by their employers, and 710 permits for managerial staff. A total of 33,702 certificates of registration/removal from the register of foreign workers were issued.

The ESS operationally conducted the Removing Education Deficits of Workers programme by awarding state funding for 2003. Following the tender, 10,251 applications arrived; of these, 1,811 were approved on the basis of tender criteria and the available funding.

During the year the ESS provided various materials for the needs of the professional public, both internal and external, which included statistical overviews (Monthly Information) and information on unemployment trends, analytical surveys of individual labour market segments and the 2002 Annual Report. It also maintained and updated the website and published written material for clients (brochures, posters, etc.).

Following the new Rules of Internal Organisation, the ESS continued to adjust its internal organisation to the changes on the labour market in order to ensure greater transparency of powers and responsibilities, clearer and more rational division of labour, and accountability of executives, management and staff at the ESS.

The ESS continues its work on the Quality project, within which it has commenced the introduction of quality standards for ESS services for unemployed people and employers; these standards were developed within the Twinning project and the objective for 2004 is to acquire the ISO standard for ESS services.

The ESS continued to rationalise (optimise, control) material and other ESS expenditure. Results were achieved in adapting the organisation to the needs of the labour market, rationalising procedures and carrying out systematic and permanent internal controls.

Preparations for joining the EU took place in the following three main areas: preparations for participation in the EURES system, coordination of social security schemes within the EU concerning the benefits stemming from unemployment insurance, and tasks connected with the ESF. In 2003 preparations in all three areas were sped up and intensified, as they involved a number of operational tasks which would have to be carried out by the ESS once Slovenia joined the EU.

In 2003 the ESS participated in three Phare projects whose purpose was to strengthen employment opportunities at the local level. In 2003 the Phare 2000 project in the Savinjska region was completed, while Phare 2001 and Phare CBC 2001 Slovenia/Hungary continued. These projects were carried out following the example of the rules for the implementation of the European Structural Funds.

The ESS continued established bilateral and multilateral cooperation with European public employment services in various professional fields. Cooperation was particularly strong with the employment services of central Europe (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Croatia) and the Swedish employment service, and a special twinning programme of cooperation with the Flemish VDAB was set up.