Informal Meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs

Date: 22.1.2009 — 24.1.2009
Venue: Luhačovice - Czech Republic
Category: Informal Ministerial Meetings
Theme: Employment, Soc. Pol., Health and Cons. Affairs

Aim of the meeting was to highlight the role of workforce mobility in enhancing labour market flexibility, social cohesion and economic growth in the EU. Many countries appreciated the decision of the Czech Presidency to choose the mobility of the workforce as a major priority.

The issue of professional, geographic and social mobility of workers was addressed by representatives of the Trio Presidency – France, the Czech Republic and Sweden – speaking on thematic panels. Complementary speeches were delivered by ministers from Slovakia, Austria and Spain. The Presidency aimed to point out that the current financial and economic crisis only highlights the need for greater workforce mobility. The situation at hand requires quick adaptation of employees to changing conditions, transfer of workforce to regions where new jobs are being created as well as rapid re-inclusion of unemployed and inactive persons into the labour market.