Long-term unemployment: Europe takes action to help 12 million long-term unemployed get back to work

EU News 252/2015

Brussels, 17 September 2015
IP/15/5565

The European Commission has today proposed guidance to Member States to better help long-term unemployed return to work.

The European Commission has today proposed guidance to Member States to better help long-term unemployed return to work. Following the relaunch of the Youth Employment Initiative in May, this is another concrete initiative in the context of the broader economic and social agenda of the Juncker Commission, which seeks to strengthen job creation, economic recovery and social fairness in Europe.

In Europe there are more than 12 million people who have been unemployed for over a year. Despite the economic recovery and signs of improvements in the EU labour market, their number doubled between 2007 and 2014, accounting for about half of the total number of unemployed. The Investment Plan for Europe has the potential to create millions of new jobs. But even when new jobs are created it is often very difficult for long-term unemployed to successfully re-enter the job market. Therefore the proposal for a Council recommendation presented today foresees that all jobseekers who have been jobless for more than 12 months receive an individual assessment and that they receive a job integration agreement, offering them a concrete and personalised plan back to work before reaching 18 months of unemployment.

Source and additional information:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5565_en.htm?locale=en

Press conference by Marianne Thyssen, Member of the EC in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, on Long-Term Unemployment Date: 17/09/2015 Reference: P-029076/00-01 Location: Brussels - EC/Berlaymont (C)EU, 2015 URL

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