Long-term unemployed persons: Flanders is already doing more now than Europe requires

European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Marianne Thyssen (CD&V) has launched a European action plan for those who have been unemployed for more than one year. “But when it comes to assistance for the long-term unemployed, Flanders is already doing significantly better than what she’s asking,” says Flemish Minister for Labour Philippe Muyters. “There’s even more to it than this: the Flemish approach, via the VDAB The Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB, Flemish Public Employment and Professional Training Service) is a Flemish public service that coordinates supply and demand in the employment market, with its main task consisting of serving as an intermediary for job seekers and providing them with support in getting back to work. Since the State reform in 1989, job placement has been a competence of the Regions and job training a competence of the Communities. The VDAB’s counterpart in Wallonia is Forem, and Actiris in Brussels. VDAB (Flemish Public Employment and Professional Training Service), has been copied or researched by various other European countries in the meantime.”

In order to give the long-term unemployed the best opportunities to return to the job market, Thyssen proposes, among other things, to have them registered with an employment service. This still isn’t done in all European countries today. After no more than 18 months of unemployment, they must receive an analysis of their individual strengths and weaknesses and be able to conclude a personalised “job integration agreement”.

The right strategy
Thyssen cannot impose these measures: it is up to the Member States to come to an agreement and implement them. Employment services are a Regional competence in Belgium. According to Minister Muyters, “we have been registering people with the VDAB in Flanders for much longer. And we have been offering a personalised approach for much longer too. Young people are made a personalised offer within four months. For others, we aim for a maximum period of one year and are currently averaging nine months.” Regarding assistance to the long-term unemployed, Flanders also focuses on offering, among other things, work experience placements.

So the Flemish employment agency VDAB is already applying the right strategy. “What’s more, the VDAB’s approach is being closely followed by a number of other European countries. There is a partnership with Malta and talks with Sweden are already underway. There is also interest on the part of Norway, Finland, Austria, France, Iceland and others.” And within Belgium as well there has long been an agreement in principle with the Forem in Wallonia and Actiris in the Brussels-Capital Region.