The goal of the European Union's employment policy is to create a flexible labour market, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Vladimír Špidla said at a press conference in Bratislava on December 22.
"The chief element of employment is flexibility, i.e. a balance between malleability and security," said Špidla, who paid a special visit to Bratislava to talk about employment policies with respect to Slovakia's high unemployment rate.
Turning to the global financial crisis, Špidla presented his proposal to include the measures carried out by individual companies in order to tackle with the effects of the crisis in the 'Activities of the European Globalization Fund' package.
"The European Commission is convinced that the social systems are an active part of the solution (of the global financial crisis), therefore it urges the EU-member states not to make cuts there," added Špidla.
During a time of crisis, the mobility of the labour force gains in importance, said Jan Sihelský, director of the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Centre, at the same event.
"People will have to consider whether to travel for work or change residence," he said, adding that many of the unemployed do not have sufficient qualification for the jobs currently available on the labour market. "Job applicants should embrace the retraining and education courses provided by the employment offices." TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
