euroregion baltic seminar on labour market cooperation gdańsk, 25-26 th february 2013 pomeranian...

Euroregion Baltic Seminar

on Labour Market Cooperation

Gdańsk, 25-26th February 2013Pomeranian Chamber of Crafts for SMEs, Piwna 1-2

Participation in the Baltic Sea Labour Forum

Johnny Winther Holbech, Bornholm Job Centre

Labour Markets in the Baltic Sea Region 1

The Baltic Sea Region Euroregion Baltic = part of The Baltic Sea Region


The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) is a highly heterogeneous area in economic, environmental and cultural terms

8 Member States bordering the Baltic Sea are inhabited by 147 million people, corresponding to 29% of the EU’s population

The BSR countries generate around 30% of the EU’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)


Labour market integration is getting more and more important for the region in terms of basis for growth of economies

Free movement of workers Youth unemployment Ageing populations and pressures on pension systems Unemployment Shortages of labour supply

BUT labour markets in the region differ among others in terms of labour law and regulations, labour market institutions, welfare policies, pension policies, the role of social partners, and also in terms of active and passive labour market policies

Baltic Sea Labour Forum 1

Background: Project BSLN Baltic Sea Labour Network

The memorandum of understanding was signed after the 1st round table meeting already by representatives of 21 institutions

CBSS and BSPC Secretariats Trade union confederations, including two Russian

confederations employers associations

More members have expressed their interest in participation

The BSLF secretariat is hosted for an initial period at the premises of the CBSS Secretariat

Baltic Sea Labour Forum 2

The main activity of the BSLF is the Annual Round Table

The activities and topics are agreed in a tripartite Enlarged Steering Committee

Experts and observers as ERB were invited to 2nd Round Table November 2012

Supporting projects can be launched in order to further support the sustainable implementation of the BSLF.

Goals of the Baltic Sea Labour Forum 1

The core objectives of BSLF are:

finding joint solutions to commonly identified challenges

promoting transnational social dialogue, based on the responsibility of social partners for the development of labour market policies in the Baltic Sea Region

influencing policy- and decision-making in the field of labour market policies, e.g. by issuing joint opinions and recommendations

networking and exchange of experience between the social partners and political institutions in the Baltic Sea Region

Goals of the Baltic Sea Labour Forum 2Dr. Thomas Klischan, General Manager of Nordmetall, the employers association of the metal and electronics industry, Germany: The Baltic Sea Labour Forum serves as an excellent framework to develop a structured cooperation platform of employers in the Baltic Sea Region. It is vital for enterprises to safeguard fair competition and to diminish trade barriers in order to secure a competitive economic environment

Jan Lundin, Director General of the CBSS Secretariat: Russia has the current German Presidency of the CBSS and this underlines the importance of Russian participation in the Baltic Sea Labour Forum.

Mikko Mäenpää, President of the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK, Finland: The BSLN project was a success because it brought together various social actors around the Baltic Sea. But we are still facing challenges in the region, for example in relation with the growing cross-border-labour markets. The existing differences in standards of living and labour market models increase the need for a broad cooperation.

Franz Thönnes, MP, German Parliament, former Parliamentary State Secretary, Member of the Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference: The BSLF is continuing the successful cooperation between the social partners and the political bodies in the Baltic Sea Region to strengthen the social dialogue. 20 years after establishing the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and the Council of Baltic Sea States to deal with the political challenges of the region, the BSLF should deal with the challenges of developing a sustainable and fair labour market in our region.

BSLF work programme 2012/2013 1

The overarching objectives of the BSLF work programme are:

Identifying main common challenges for the labour markets in the BSR

Putting commonly identified problems on BSLF’s agenda in order to develop joint solutions

Creating a base for issuing joint opinions and recommendations to decision-makers


1.Mobility of labour in the Baltic Sea Region

1.1 Working conditions

Necessary to safeguard fair competition for enterprises, based on respect for industrial and labour relations as well as decent working conditions and fair treatment of workers

Fair economic competition is conducive to a successful and sustainable business environment, and ensuring that norms, responsibilities, conditions, rules and labour relations in each country are equitable and appropriate for foreign and domestic business and employees

The BSLF could pursue this aim by Establishing a working group in order to identify joint priorities

for actions in this field and to develop a common work plan

Labour market monitoring

BSLF work programme 2012/2013 31.Mobility of labour in the Baltic Sea Region

1.2 Cross-border mobilityThe existence of barriers for commuters in the Baltic Sea RegionThe lack of statistics especially on migration is a fundamental problem in this fieldThe BSLF could pursue these aims byEstablishing a network for the information centres

Establishing a working group:oIdentifying main challenges for the border regionsoIdentifying main barriers for commuters in the Baltic Sea Region.

Organizing a seminar/conference in cooperation with Hello Norden:oAnalysing mobility in the South Eastern Baltic Area and in the North West Russian area.


2. Youth unemployment Special attention should be paid to the transition management from school to workplace and occupational safety and health issues. This includes early economic education in schools as well as cooperation between schools and enterprises and other measures such as mentoring and apprenticeships

The BSLF could pursue this aim byEstablishing a working group:oAnalysing the most important fields of action (based on existing reports etc.)oExchanging experiences on different practical attemptsoPooling best practice examples in the Baltic Sea Region

Participation in the Baltic Sea Labour Forum 1

The pre-condition for participation is a common interest and believe that sustainable labour markets with cross-border mobility are essential to development and growth of the economies

BSLF has in their work programme 2012/2013 the same objectives as ERB: Labour mobility and youth employment

The BSLF welcomes interest in its work and invites interested institutions and networks from around the BSR to apply for an observer status in the BSLF

Observers must like ERB acknowledge the objectives and principles of the BSLF Baltic Development Forum (BDF)

Baltic Sea Trade Union Network BASTUNBWH e.V. (Education and Training Service for Hamburg Businesses)Cooperation Centre IFE GmbHCouncil of Nordic Trade UnionsEuroregion Baltic (ERB)South Baltic Professionals (Project)

Observing institutions will be invited to participate in the Annual Round Table


The Annual Round Table 15th November 2012 in Hamburg focused on two main subjects:

Mobility of LabourYouth Employment

Both subjects are of particular importance for the labour market development and consequently for the sustainable economic growth in the Baltic Sea Region


Youth employment in the BSR: Creating synergies between education and needs of the labour market

Apprenticeships – one way to combat youth unemployment, Confederation of Danish Employers (DA)

Youth Guarantee in Finland, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Finland

Jugendberufsagentur in Hamburg, Hamburg Institute for Vocational Education and Training (HIBB)

Cooperation School – Business, Education an Training Service for Hamburg

NORDMETALL’s education curve as an example for creating synergies between education and labour market, NORDMETALL Employers Association of the Metal and Electronics Industry

BSCP on Youth Unemployment, Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference

www.bslf.eu

http://www.bslf.eu/


Labour mobility in the BSR and the role of cross-border information centres

Info Centre, Region Sønderjylland – Schleswig (Denmark – Germany)Project Pontifex, Region Sønderjylland – Schleswig (Denmark – Germany)Mobility of Labour - Benefits, Problems, Solutions, Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK)Facilitation of cross-border mobility, Employers Confederation of LatviaBSPC on Cross-border Mobility, Baltic Sea parliamentary Conference

www.bslf.eu

http://www.bslf.eu/


Some extracts of the final BSLF resolution – AGREED BY THE ROUND TABLE, Hamburg 15th November 2012 addressing the subjects of youth employment and mobility of labour:

highlighting the need for accurate and comparable labour market information and statistics of the Baltic Sea Region labour marketrecognizing that models of Social Dialogue differ from country to country and are not directly transferable from one country to anotherstating that Social Dialogue and tripartite cooperation, based on mutual trust, are preconditions for well-functioning and fair labour markets with decent and productive working conditionsstressing that cross border mobility should be of mutual benefit and contribute to the development of the entire Baltic Sea Regionstating that obstacles and challenges to the free movement of labour still do exist, be it in the form of administrative barriers between countries, lack of information, ignoring or neglecting labour law and other legislation, or othersstating that the economic crisis has resulted in record-high unemployment throughout the Baltic Sea Region, reminding that especially young people have been hardest hit and are most vulnerablesupporting projects that promote cross border vocational training and the mutual recognition of qualifications among the Baltic Sea Region countriesobserving that well-functioning apprenticeship and internships systems seem to correlate with lower youth unemployment


Some extracts of the final BSLF resolution – AGREED BY THE ROUND TABLE, Hamburg 15th November 2012 calling on trade unions, employer and business organizations, politicians, public officials, experts, NGOs and scholars to

launch concrete measures to reduce the number of school drop-outs, reminding that a completed education is the best weapon against unemploymentstep up in their efforts to integrate young people in the labour market; emphasizing that targeted measures are needed in order to facilitate the entry of the young generation into the labour marketdevelop effective strategies equipped with powerful measures to tackle youth unemployment, and to ensure that existing programmes with this aim are better coordinateddevise strategies and programmes to ease young peoples’ transitions between school and work and to create better synergies between education and the needs of the labour marketcontinue to facilitate mobility within the Baltic Sea Regionensure that conditions, rules and labour relations in each country are comparable for foreign and domestic employers and employeespromote the social dimension of cross border labour mobility as an essential part of sustainable economic development

Participation in the Baltic Sea Labour Forum

Discussion of how ERB as an observer can play a role in the cooperation and the dialogue within BSLF?

euroregion baltic seminar on labour market cooperation gdańsk, 25-26 th february 2013 pomeranian...

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