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Building cross-border decent work bridges

A SPEECH BYANDROULLA KAMINARA

HEADEC REPRESENTATION IN CYPRUS

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Long history of cross-border moving

1968: European Common Market

Directive 2004/38

Court of Justice of the European Union – successive rulings

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• Geographical mobility: workers' decision to leave the region where they work in order to reside and work in another EU region

• Job mobility: career shifts between jobs that require different skills to be performed, regardless of the geographical area in which these jobs are placed

Mobility: a key distinction

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I. Geographical mobility: facts and figures

2.3% of EU citizens reside in another member state (54% rise since 2001)

Cyprus: 48,913 workers from other EU countries (almost 13% of workforce)

Mostly from Romania (1 in 4), Greece (1 in 5), Bulgaria (1 in 6), UK (1 in 10), Slovakia (2%)

315,000 Cypriots live and work in other EU countries (mostly UK, Greece)

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I. Geographical Mobility: perceptions

• People moving with the EU is “a good thing”: 60% of EU-27, 56% of Cypriots

• Mobility is good for the individual: 48% of EU-27, 24% of Cypriots (lowest)

• Have lived and worked in another country: 10% of EU-27, 12% of Cypriots

• Intend to take advantage of free movement: 17% of EU-27, 10% of Cypriots

• Would move if unemployed: half of EU-27, 66% of Cypriots (highest)

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I. Geographical Mobility:motives and disincentives

• Main Motives:- Better quality of life- Better working conditions- Better career or business opportunities- Wish to discover something new and meet new people

• Main disincentives:- Don’t want to leave home- Don’t want to impose big changes to their families and/or children- Don’t want to leave their friends behind- Don’t want to leave their house or other property behind

Other hindrances: housing, language, employment of spouse or partner, return mechanisms, historical “barriers” recognition of mobility experience

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What does the EU do? (1)

- Europe 2020 strategy (more details to follow)

- Communication on “Reaffirming free movement of workers: rights and major developments”

- More and better information- Simpler and more efficient procedures- Faster access to benefits- More people can benefit

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What does the EU do? (2)More and better information- Information provided actively and rapidly- User-friendly services- Limited number of documents- New website: (http://ec.europa.eu/social-security-coordination)- Updated citizens' guide- Access to a new online directory (http://ec.europa.eu/social-security-directory).

Simpler and more efficient procedures:-EESI (Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information) network-2000 paper forms to be eliminated

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What does the EU do? (3)Faster access to benefitsTemporary affiliation (payment of benefits, access to treatment, sickness insurance when institutions of different EU countries fail to agree on an individual’s status)

More people can benefit:- workers and their families- people currently out of work- people not yet in work- people no longer working-Scope:-New benefits (paternity)-Pre-retirement benefits-Un-employment benefits-Family benefits-Sickness insurance

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II. Career shifts – Europe 20201.) Smart growth: developing an economy based on

knowledge and innovation

2.) Sustainable growth: promoting a more efficient, greener and more competitive economy

3.) Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion– high levels of employment– investing in skills– fighting poverty– modernising labour markets, training and social protection systems– ensuring access and opportunities for all throughout the lifecycle

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II. Career shifts - skills• 80 mln people have low or basic skills• Life-long learning benefits mostly the

educated• By 2020

-16 mln more jobs will require high qualifications- demand for low skills will drop by 12 mln jobs

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“Agenda for new skills and jobs”flagship initiative

• Targeted skills upgrading- most people who will fill the jobs in the next ten years

are already working today- even when unemployment in the EU is nearing 10%,

new factories or other enterprises often cannot find workers (lack of proper education and training)

• Currently, training insufficient• Emphasis on services sector and “green jobs”• Right skills balance

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“Agenda for new skills and jobs”– three issues

Skills needs – Skills needs – future demandsfuture demands

Education and Education and Training SystemTraining System

Better use of Better use of skillsskills

Skills forecastsEvery 2 years

European University Business

Forum

Adapt to changing workforce

StudiesIn main economic

sectors

Multilingual Dictionary (ESCO)Linking skills and

competences needed

Comprehensive strategies –

Competence based approachesSectoral councils

on skills and employment

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“Youth on the Move” flagship initiative

• Recently announced by European Commissioner responsible for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and YouthMs Androulla Vassiliou

• 5 million young Europeans looking for a job

• Many lack the right qualifications and experience

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References• Public consultations’ webpage

http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/consultations/index_en.htm• Important links

Communication on “Reaffirming free movement of workers: rights and major developments”http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=847&furtherNews=yes“New skills for new jobs” websiteshttp://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=822&langId=enandhttp://ec.europa.eu/education/focus/focus2043_en.htm“Youth on the Move” websitehttp://europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htmEurope 2020 strategyhttp://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm