Labour mobility, whether across regions or between occupations, can make a major contribution to balancing supply and demand in the labour market.
Geographical mobility in the EU remains low, due to both the very different labour markets and social situations and circumstances of the Member States, administrative hurdles (such as problems of recognition of skills and qualifications), insufficient language skills and citizens’ lack of information on mobility opportunities(33). At the beginning of the crisis, few initiatives had been taken to improve this. What concrete actions there are include tax incentives and travel allowances to employees travelling from their place of residence to another region in which a suitable job offer is made – as offered for instance in Belgium and Slovakia. Repatriation allowances have also been provided to migrants who have become redundant due to the crisis and wish to return to their country of origin (e.g. in the Czech Republic)(34).
Occupational mobility is strongly conditioned by the type of training available to workers and unemployed people. During an economic downturn, the importance of promoting mobility by giving the workers and unemployed training so that they acquire the adequate skills to move to another job is regularly underlined(35). In the current downturn, this is especially relevant as it has become a strategic option for the EU to rebuild its economic infrastructure so as to address the structural challenges posed by climate change and demographic ageing as well as economic cycles.
(33) | See Chapter 3 in Employment in Europe 2008 report. |
(34) | See European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2009). |
(35) | See next subsection for an overview of policy measures aimed at training the employed and unemployed persons. |