(fra kommisjonsforslaget) 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

Public Employment Services (PES) are the main authorities implementing employment policies, facilitating labour market integration of jobseekers, and helping to match supply to demand in the labour market. The services they offer to jobseekers and employers include the provision of labour market information, job search support, counselling, vocational guidance, matching and placement, upskilling and reskilling, including through cooperation with education and training providers to help align learning pathways with labour market needs, and geographic and occupational mobility support. PES are also frequently responsible for the payment of unemployment and other social benefits. As the main public actors implementing activation policies in the Member States, they play an important role in tackling key labour market challenges, including fighting unemployment, supporting the activation of underrepresented groups and facilitating transitions through career guidance and upskilling. They also contribute to strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy by helping labour markets adapt to structural and disruptive changes, including the demographic, green and digital transitions. The quality of their services has direct consequences on the impact of employment policies.

Although PES are structured differently in each country, they are key actors in ensuring the successful implementation of EU employment policy initiatives and, consequently, contributing to strengthening the Union’s competitiveness. EU-level cooperation has been instrumental in improving the capacity of PES and in stepping up cooperation on issues of common concern, as well as supporting their involvement with relevant EU policies. In 1997, the Commission set up an informal advisory group of Heads of PES to promote cooperation, exchange and mutual learning between the PES and to receive feedback on employment policy initiatives.

The Commission proposed to formalise this cooperation to foster innovation, benchmarking and mutual learning at European level. In 2014, Decision No 573/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhanced cooperation between Public Employment Services established the European Network of Public Employment Services (‘the Network’) for the period between 17 June 2014 and 31 December 2020. Building on the outcomes of an evaluation 1 , and following Decision (EU) 2020/1782 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Network was extended until 31 December 2027. This proposal aims to further reinforce the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of PES by continuing cooperation within the Network, enabling performance comparison at European level, and identifying good practices and mutual learning opportunities. It also aims to give the PES further opportunities to strengthen cooperation and to develop and pilot innovative, evidence-based policies and practices.

An evaluation has been carried out to assess the implementation of the PES Decision during the period 2021-2025. It identifies related challenges and opportunities, as well areas where the Network could further improve. Some of these areas can be addressed within the mandate of the current Decision, for example (i) by enhancing the visibility of Benchlearning outcomes through dissemination beyond the Network; (ii) by gaining further efficiencies via a unified knowledge hub; (iii) by fostering stronger synergies with EU agencies as regards analytical work; and (iv) by developing a more systematic monitoring framework with KPIs.

The objective of this proposal is to amend Decision No 573/2014/EU to address the areas that require modification and to ensure the continuation of the Network beyond 2027.

Following two consecutive positive evaluations, it is proposed to ensure the continued functioning of the Network beyond 2027. The outcome of the evaluations confirms the broad effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, EU added value and relevance of the PES Decision. It demonstrates that the Decision provides a comprehensive framework for supporting the modernisation and strategic development of PES across the European Union, while contributing to the implementation of relevant EU policy initiatives. Consequently, Network stakeholders clearly expressed their wish to continue this valuable cooperation beyond 2027. Discontinuing the PES Decision would entail risks such as slower innovation and reform, wider disparities among PES and weaker policy coherence. Providing greater long-term stability for the Network would contribute to administrative simplification, while taking into account the well-established role of PES as key labour market players, the Network’s well-functioning structure, and its limited budget. Depending on the outcome of the evaluation to be carried out within six years of the entry into force of the amended Decision, further amendments to the PES Decision may be considered, if necessary.

The proposal also contributes to simplification by reducing the frequency of reporting by the Network and its members, transitioning from an annual to a biennial exercise, underpinned by a more systematic monitoring framework. Such framework, to be developed by the Network and its members, will measure more systematically results of the Network activities over time, supporting necessary adjustments for continued impact and cost-effectiveness. Building on monitoring activities developed so far, it will provide a more consistent and consolidated approach, keeping the administrative and reporting burden to the minimum necessary.

Furthermore, for over a decade, the Network has demonstrated its strong potential for fostering operational collaboration and piloting common approaches among PES alongside its mutual learning activities. It is proposed to reinforce the focus of the Network on fostering operational cooperation and piloting common approaches among PES. The evaluation identifies scope to support further operational cooperation among PES on strategic priorities, such as digitalisation. Although this type of cooperation is not explicitly mentioned in Decision (EU) 2020/1782, it is fully aligned with the Network’s objectives. Strengthening this focus would represent a step forward in the Network’s efforts to enhance cooperation among PES, alongside the current emphasis on mutual learning and comparison of PES performance.

Finally, it is proposed that synergies between the Network and initiatives on labour mobility and labour migration are enhanced. Evolving labour market challenges (including skills and labour shortages and mismatches) and developments in related EU policies suggest scope for further synergies, particularly with regard to EURopean Employment Services (EURES), Europass and the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) and the EU Talent Pool. While these initiatives would continue to be addressed primarily in the relevant bodies, an explicit emphasis in the PES Network Decision will ensure adequate focus in the Network’s work programme via dedicated activities, support more effective information exchange, including at Head of PES level, and stronger synergies at the implementation stage, in compliance with applicable data protection rules. This will contribute to strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy by helping labour markets adapt to structural and disruptive changes and to continuing cooperation with strategic partners.

The proposal therefore sets out targeted technical amendments, with no additional budgetary impact, specifically to:

– extend the Network’s establishment, by amending Article 1 (Establishment of the Network), Article 7 (Financial Resources), Article 9 (Exercise of the delegation) and Article 10 (Review);

– develop a more systematic monitoring framework and reduce reporting requirements by amending Article 4 (Activities of the Network) and Article 6 (Functioning of the Network);

– reinforce the focus on fostering operational cooperation and piloting common approaches by amending Article 4 (Activities of the Network);

– enhance synergies with labour mobility and labour migration initiatives, by amending Article 4 (Activities of the Network);

– reinforce cooperation with relevant labour market stakeholders by amending Article 5 (Cooperation)