Flexicurity, an attempt to simultaneously combine flexibility and security in the labour market, is today in the core of the European employment agenda. As it aims to increase the adaptability of firms and workers in order to cope with quickly changing economic environment, it has become fundamental for enhancing labour market performance, productivity and competitiveness while reinforcing European social model.
Countries of former Yugoslavia (with exception of Slovenia) are facing several employment challenges, also as a consequence of political and economic developments after the break-up of Yugoslavia. The current labour market situation therefore demands a comprehensive strategy that would enhance labour market performance, however not endanger macroeconomic sustainability. There is a need for flexi-secure labour market policies, which would allow for flexible employment arrangements, however at the same ensure employment security of workers. The paper therefore presents a systematic in-depth analysis of the current level of implementation of flexicurity policy components set by the EU – i.e. flexibility of working arrangements, lifelong learning strategies, social security of unemployed and active employment policies – in the countries of former Yugoslavia and by that gives grounds for shaping recommendations about further labour market strategies. Moreover, it examines how ex-Yugoslav countries perform in implementation of these policy components in comparison to new Central and Eastern EU Member States.
The paper finds that ex-Yugoslav countries are, on average, characterized by relatively strict employment protection legislation and low levels of part-time and temporary employment, in spite of significant liberalization measures during the past decade. Majority of countries provide relatively weak social protection of workers in terms of unemployment benefits schemes with extremely low coverage rate. Furthermore, most of the countries face difficulties in the field of design and implementation of active employment policies and lifelong learning programmes.
The implementation of flexicurity policies presents an important tool in improving employment and unemployment situation and by this labour productivity and overall economic performance. Therefore, the countries of former Yugoslavia should more intensely work on the effectiveness of active employment policies and lifelong learning strategies, target them on the most disadvantaged group of unemployed and stimulate them to use these programs. Moreover, they should improve the system of unemployment benefits to better the security of unemployed, however not pulling people out of labour market. At this point it is crucial that each country shapes a comprehensive strategy of further development of labour market, with special attention put on finding such a balance between different flexicurity policy components that best suits specific needs of its labour market.
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Datum:
13.05.2011.
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