Employment and social policy: Regina Bastos

The EU must act quickly to bridge the skills gap as unemployment continues to rise, argues Regina Bastos

The crisis currently affecting us has revealed the weaknesses of the European economic and social model and has cancelled out some of the progress made in the past.

Since the first effects of the crisis began to make themselves felt on the labour markets in 2008, Europe has lost more than five million jobs. Today, there are almost 23 million unemployed.

Youth unemployment is even more alarming: the youth unemployment rate is close to 21 per cent and stands at twice the general unemployment rate.

Furthermore, in all the member states, unemployment rates vary as a function of the level of qualifications.

This means that people with higher qualifications find work more easily. We know that in the near future, requirements in terms of aptitudes, skills and qualifications are going to rise in all types and levels of occupations.

In this context, Europe is facing four challenges. First, job creation; second, the need to develop and remain competitive; ensuring the sustainability of social security systems, and finally, the difficulty of finding people with suitable skills to fill job vacancies.

My report on the agenda for new skills and jobs thus has a two-fold objective, underlining the need to act promptly in order to bridge the skills gap in Europe and anticipating more efficiently the needs of the labour market where skills are concerned.

I have therefore emphasised various measures in my report. First, in order to ensure the availability of qualified manpower, it is necessary to improve basic skills as well as skills in the sciences, innovation, information and communication technology, as well as in foreign languages.

As I have already stated, anticipating the need for skills is very important. Therefore, I would suggest that they should be identified early on, within a time horizon of 10 years at least.

The report emphasises that participation in lifelong training and professional requalification must be increased. Measures must also be taken to reduce the number of school dropouts.

Another important subject is the mutual recognition of degrees and professional qualifications and the urgency of driving this recognition forward.

This report on new skills and jobs also draws attention to the link that there must be between teaching establishments and the labour market. Special emphasis is also placed on the role of social partners and social dialogue, and on small and medium enterprises, which play a decisive role in creating employment.

It is also necessary to strengthen the single market and the free movement of workers, hence the need to coordinate social security systems so that workers may be assured of their acquired rights, particularly regarding the portability of pensions.

Finally, it is important to develop the flexibility of the labour market in order to improve its operation. In this sense, ensuring flexibility is a very useful strategy.

However, the rules for doing so must be adapted to the socioeconomic context of each member state.

Regina Bastos is parliament's rapporteur on the agenda for new skills and jobs