Almost half of the unemployed people are still long-term unemployed, that is, unemployed for more than 12 months. Long-term unemployment has implications for society as a whole, with dire social consequences for the persons concerned and a negative impact on growth and public finances. Long-term unemployment is one of the causes of persistent poverty.
Addressing long-term unemployment is a key employment challenge of the Commission's jobs and growth strategy.
In February 2016 the Council adopted the Commission's proposal for a recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed in the labour market.
In April 2019 the Commission adopted the report on the implementation of the Council recommendation taking stock of progress made.
Key steps
The Council recommendation puts forward three key steps:
- encouraging the registration of long-term unemployed with an employment service;
- providing each registered long-term unemployed with an individual in-depth assessment to identify their needs and potential at the very latest at 18 months of unemployment;
- offering a job integration agreement to all registered long-term unemployed at the very latest at 18 months.
Simplified access to support
This will lead to simplified and better access to support for those out of work for long periods.
The job integration agreement should consist of a tailor-made plan to bring the long-term unemployed back to work. It can include, depending on the existing services in each Member State:
- mentoring,
- help with the job search,
- further education and training,
- support for housing, transport, child and care services or rehabilitation.
Each long-term unemployed will have a single point of contact for accessing this support.
Member States have committed to an active involvement and partnership with employers, who should be more involved in finding a pathway back to work for the long-term unemployed.
Monitoring progress across Member States
The Commission follows the development and policy initiatives in Member States via:
- the European Semester
- multilateral surveillance by the Employment Committee (EMCO). The latest review of the implementation of the Council Recommendation on long-term unemployment took place in April 2024 and led to key messages endorsed by the EPSCO Council
- indicators developed by the EMCO Indicators Group and the Commission for monitoring at EU level the implementation and results of the Council Recommendation on long-term unemployment
- yearly data collection exercises that help monitor the implementation of the Council Recommendation on long-term unemployment in individual Member States