Meeting of the Directors General of Public Employment Services from the EU Member States and the Candidates for EU membership

On 28 and 29 November 2002 the 12^th meeting of the Directors General of Public Employment Services from the EU Member States was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was organised by the Danish Labour Market Authority (AMS). Public Employment Service directors from all the EU Candidate Countries were also invited as observers. The Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS) was represented by the Director General Mr Jože Glazer and the Deputy Director General Mrs Mavricija Batič. Also present at the meeting were the representatives of the European Commission.

Discussions at the meeting covered progress made in European Employment Strategy and future co-operation between European employment services in modernising Public Employment Services. The development strategy of the Danish AMS (to increase the share of persons in employment on the labour market) and the development of the employment sector in Hungary were presented as examples.

Attention was also paid to activities within the EURES (European employment services) Network. A presentation was made of the methodology for monitoring and processing of job vacancies, prepared by the European Commission. The methodology will enable monitoring of the current labour demand trends in EU Member States. The role of the European vocational training policy was also discussed.

Agreements were reached at the meeting on co-operation between Public Employment Services from EU Member States and the Candidates in a form of twinning - each employment service from EU Member State will co-operate bilaterally with one employment service from the Candidate Countries. Within this project, the Employment Service of Slovenia will collaborate over the next few years with the Belgian employment service (VDAB), especially in the areas of service quality and preparations for joining the EURES Network and for participation in the European Social Fund.

Participiants at the meeting of the Public Employment Service directors from EU Member States and Candidate Countries