Belgium: The wage-compensation benefits which involuntary part-time workers can draw in addition to their earned income have been restricted. New regulations have been introduced specifying four existing measures: the reduction in social security contributions for employers recruiting young people, part-time retirement, the generalised right to a career break, and measures promoting the redistribution of work. A decision has also been taken on the deployment of the pay-roll contribution of 0.15% for risk groups and 0.05% for child-care initiatives; the MARIBEL wage-cost subsidy has been increased.
Netherlands: The number of job placements is to be increased, an additional policy aim being to ensure equal placement rates for all target groups. Difficult-to-place unemployed from the "job pools" are now able to return to the pool if they become unemployed again after a period of employment. The number of applications for redundancy approval has risen sharply.
Portugal: A nationwide support programme for young entrepreneurs, offering allowances and loans, has been introduced. Special measures in the field of vocational training are to promote the social and occupational skills and integration of particularly disadvantaged groups. In addition, a support programme for the integration of immigrants and ethnic minorities has been initiated.
Denmark: The emphasis of the new Government's labour market policy is to "activate" as far as possible passive benefits, to push ahead with decentralisation, and to improve flexibility by improving the opportunities to interrupt working life - through training and child-care leave and sabbaticals. Stipulations governing the replacement of those on a career break will bring about a redistribution of work.
United The Employment Service's placement efforts in 1992 were very successful, and the prospects Kingdom: for 1993 are good.
Germany: The conditions for participation in further training and retraining measures have been tightened, with limitations placed on course duration; grants for the costs of training have been reduced, with the full costs only being covered in those courses offering good chances of labour market reintegration for participants. Ever greater use is being made of the public job- placement service, not least by those already in employment.
Spain: The Plan for Training and Occupational Reintegration is now concentrating on vocational training measures for the unemployed.
France: The new Register of Occupations and Jobs has been adapted to take account of the changes which have occurred in working life. Placement can now be based on broader aggregations of related occupations.
Italy: A new tripartite framework agreement has introduced new regulations on wage-determination processes at national and firm level, on short-time working (CIG), and training-at-work contracts. The agreement also provides a basis for temporary agency work.
European Excerpts from the Community-wide framework for employment, the aim of which is to Commission: promote more employment-intensive growth.
EU – European Commission DG EMPL/A/2 J
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