1. Employment in SEE Main Challenges and the Regional Perspective Skopje, April 2015

2. Unemployment rates Source: LFS data

3. Youth unemployment 2 to 3 times higher than overall unemployment. In many of our countries if you are young and employed, you are part of the minority.

4. Long term unemployed constitute on average 70 to 85% of total number of unemployed – severe consequences in terms of social exclusion and skills obsolescence.

5. Only about half of the working age population is part of the labour force – high inactivity rates

6. Informal and vulnerable employment is harder to measure but widespread and significant – symptom of a dual labor market?

7. Most of the unemployed have secondary education – skills mismatch?

8. Common priorities of our countries for employment creation  Enabling business environment  Human capital development (LLL, higher, adult, vocational and non formal education, career guidance, matching skills for jobs, research and development, entrepreneurial education)  Employment policies especially targeting youth, long term unemployed, women, low qualified, minorities, disabled as well as less developed regions  Strengthening capacities of labor market management and coordination with other stakeholders in the labor market (including more data and analysis)  Formal economy and employment  Social inclusion and poverty reduction (social entrepreneurship, social support measures for disadvantaged)  Labor mobility

9. Integrated growth deeper regional trade and investment linkages and policies enhancing the flow of goods, investment, services and persons Integrated growth deeper regional trade and investment linkages and policies enhancing the flow of goods, investment, services and persons Smart growth commitment to compete on value added, promoting knowledge and innovation across the board Smart growth commitment to compete on value added, promoting knowledge and innovation across the board Sustainable growth enhancing competitiveness, entrepre-neurship and a commitment to greener and more energy-efficient development Sustainable growth enhancing competitiveness, entrepre-neurship and a commitment to greener and more energy-efficient development Inclusive growth skills development, employment creation and labour market participation by all, including vulnerable groups and minorities Inclusive growth skills development, employment creation and labour market participation by all, including vulnerable groups and minorities Governance for growth improving the capacity of public administrations to strengthen the rule of law and reduce corruption so as to create a business-friendly environment Governance for growth improving the capacity of public administrations to strengthen the rule of law and reduce corruption so as to create a business-friendly environment South East Europe 2020

10. Increase of GDP per capita relative to the EU Growth of Total Trade in Goods and Services SEE 2020 Embodied in 11 Headline Targets Reduction of Trade Deficit Growth of intra-regional trade in goods Growth of overall FDI inflows Integrated growth Overall 122% 7.6 p.p. 144% 158%

11. SEE 2020 Embodied in 11 Headline Targets Growth of GDP per person employed Growth of overall employment rate Increase of government effectiveness Inclusive growth Smart growth Growth of Highly Qualified Workforce Sustainable growth Growth of enterprise creation Growth of exports of goods and services per capita Governance f/growth 33% 20% 138% 20%

12. Progress with employment target? Overall employment rate, % of 15+ population

13. SEE 2020 StrategyInclusive Growth PillarEmployment Dimension Labor Mobility Labor Market Governance Social Economy Development

14. Example: Labor Mobility Objective: Contribute to socio-economic development and employment creation in South-East Europe through coherent, informed and skills based management of regional labour mobility Rationale and Relevance: Employment creation, increased worker productivity, economic competitiveness and reduction of skills mismatches.

15. Only a small share of work permits issued within the region, Montenegro main destination, Serbia major sending country Remark: Albania 2010, Kosovo 2011, Croatia and Montenegro 2012. Source: National Employment Agencies and Ministries.

16. Process  SEE 2020 measure to promote labor mobility  Two regional studies on labor mobility by RCC and IOM  consultations at the regional level with the social agenda working group  7 national consultation rounds with relevant stakeholders at the national level  Roadmap on promoting labor mobility

17. Regional Observatory Lack of evidence Regional Consultative Platform Insufficient coordination Skill Matching Network Lack of practice institutionalization