Today, the European Parliament is set to prolong the successful cooperation programme Network of European public Employment Services (PES) for another seven years. The Socialists and Democrats support the platform, which enables the exchange of best practices, setting benchmarks and mutual learning with the goal of becoming more effective and efficient.

Manuel Pizarro, S&D MEP and author of the parliament report, said:

“Public employment services are key actors in fighting unemployment on the ground by getting people into jobs. Their experience with labour market transitions will be crucial for making the digital and green transitions a success.

“These past seven years, the PES Network has developed evidence-based policies and valuable initiatives that contributed to the implementation of the Youth Guarantee and to the integration of the long-term unemployed. With our vote, we will reinforce and modernise the Network empowering it to better implement EU policies, such as the European Pillar of Social Rights and in assisting vulnerable groups with high unemployment rates.

“In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and its disastrous consequences in the labour market, European-level cooperation and mutual learning between Public Employment Services is more important than ever. With our vote today, we ensure the PES Network will be better prepared for present and future challenges.”

Agnes Jongerius, MEP and S&D spokesperson for employment and social affairs, added:

“Getting better together by learning from each other, that is what the European Network for Public Employment Services is all about. Public employment services are key for the future of work. Now, when the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic is hitting people hard, effective and humane public employment services have a crucial role to play in the recovery. By providing upskilling and reskilling trainings, they can prevent prolonged unemployment of workers most vulnerable to the Covid-19 impact.

“I am glad that over the next seven years, the public employment services will be able to benefit from this very European programme again.”