Employment Policy Programme  

Vanhanen's Cabinet 2003 - 2007

 

The objective of the Employment Policy Programme is to reduce unemployment and promote enterprises' access to labour. The programme's most important projects include the reform of employment services, activation of labour market subsidies, education and employment policy measures and attempts to lengthen the time spent by employees in the labour market.

 

The principal aims of the programme:

• to reduce structural unemployment and prevent social exclusion

• to ensure the supply of skilled labour and provide for scarcity of labour due to demographic changes

• to lengthen the time spent by individuals in the labour market, increase the productivity of labour and improve the organisation of work and job satisfaction.

The structural reform of public employment services, to be carried out in 2004-2006, constitutes an important part of the employment policy programme. The services and resources earmarked for disadvantaged jobseekers will be concentrated in new employment service centres created by expert networks of local and regional authorities and other service providers. The aim is to establish some 40 employment service centres by 2006.

 

Labour market subsidies will be developed in a manner that contributes to the activation of the unemployed and the long-term unemployed will be provided with personal employability programmes. Apprenticeship training and the joint procurement of employment-oriented adult education will be increased and the planning of vocational education needs improved.

 

The supply of labour must be ensured in the future. This requires means to postpone retirement and facilitate the entry of young persons into the labour market. The productivity of labour and well-being at work will be promoted by improving the proficiency of the adult population and by implementing programmes related to working life.

 

Management of the programme  

 

Minister responsible for coordination of the programme

Minister of Labour Tarja Filatov

 

Ministerial group

Minister of Labour Tarja Filatov, chairman

Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja

Minister of Health and Social Services Liisa Hyssälä

Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen

Minister of the Environment Jan-Erik Enestam

 

Ms Maire Mäki, Programme Director

Ministry of Labour