Labour market

In the Budget Bill for 2015, the Government is taking several initiatives to tackle youth unemployment, including a 90-day guarantee for young people, trainee jobs and education contracts. The Government is also proposing initiatives to meet the challenges of modern working life, a higher ceiling for unemployment benefits, improved public employment services, earlier disbursement of resources for the EU employment initiative and 'extra jobs'. The Government also intends to lower the allowance paid to workplaces accepting apprentices in phase 3 of the job and development guarantee programme.

In the spring amending budget for 2015, the Government proposes initiatives for a modern and sustainable working life, trainee jobs and education contracts for young people, and a historic initiative for unemployment insurance. The Government also proposes initiatives to make it easier for newly arrived immigrants (new arrivals) to establish themselves in the labour market.

Against the backdrop of continuing difficulties in the EU labour market, EU employment ministers met in Milan on 8 October to exchange experiences of labour market reforms.