Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Albania (Ratification: 2009)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. Employment trends. The Government indicates in its report that the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth adopted the National Strategy on Employment and Skills 2014–20, based on the European Strategy 2020, with the general purpose of encouraging quality employment and opportunities for education and professional training for Albanian women and men. The Committee notes from the report that Albania continues to rank as one of the countries with the youngest population in Europe and that the difficulties faced by young persons to enter and remain within the labour market are numerous. During the fourth quarter of 2013, the labour force participation rate of young people aged 15–29 was 38.9 per cent, whereas it was measured at 69.4 per cent for the 30–64 age group. Looking at unemployment figures, youth unemployment was measured at 28.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2013, having increased from 26.9 per cent in the previous quarter. Among the unemployed young people, 61.7 per cent had been unemployed for over a year. The Committee notes the employment programmes implemented during the reporting period. It notes in this regard that on a yearly basis about 6,000 young individuals obtain access to employment intermediation services through the National Employment Service, which represents nearly 45 per cent of the total employment placements realized. The Government indicates that funding for employment programmes had tripled to 270 million Albanian leks (ALL) in 2014 when compared to the 2013 funding figures. From the data gathered until the end of June 2014, 3,078 unemployed jobseekers registered in employment offices were participating in employment programmes. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the implementation of the National Strategy on Employment and Skills 2014–20 and other employment measures adopted in relation to the pursuit of the objectives of full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the employment measures taken to reduce youth unemployment, disaggregated by level of education, age and sex. Please also continue to include disaggregated information on the labour market situation, levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment.

Education and training. The Committee notes that legislative changes were introduced in 2014 to transfer governmental responsibility in the field of professional education from the Ministry of Education and Sports to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth. The Government indicates that the unification of professional education and professional training under the responsibility of a single ministry was considered necessary for improving administration of competencies, optimizing of the human and financial resources and to orientate education and professional training towards actual labour market demands and perspectives. The Government adds that legislative changes will have a positive impact on education and training, bringing national standards closer to European standards. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken in the area of education and training and on their relation to prospective employment opportunities. It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the social partners and other stakeholders concerned are consulted with respect to the development of education and training programmes that meet the needs of the labour market.

Article 3. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes that, in order to strengthen institutional relationships between the Government and the social partners, as well as interagency coordination, every ministry will now appoint an individual to collaborate with the social partners for the purposes of training and problem-solving. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the activities of the Tripartite Administrative Council and National Labour Council with respect to the formulation and implementation of employment policy measures. It also requests the Government to indicate to what extent consultations have been held with the representatives of the persons affected by the measures taken, such as young people, rural workers and workers in the informal economy.