The kick-off meeting of this PES Network Working Group (WG) which aims to exchange and learn on how to enhance the visibility and branding of national PES took place online on 12 May 2020.

These initial exchanges highlighted that:

• Exchange of good practices and success stories is very important, but so are examples and especially analysis of difficulties and failures.
• In the COVID-19 crisis, a high proportion of news content relates to the labour market, making PES branding, visibility and messaging more important than ever. Now is a good opportunity to reconsider priorities.
• PES want ideas on how to use new media (e.g. social networks/Instagram etc).
• PES are also looking for new and ‘out-of-the-box’ ideas and solutions.
• Countries where PES are organised at regional as well as national level (Italy, Spain) are looking for a common standard for services and identity.

The group confirmed that the focus of its activities will continue to be exchange on national PES communications, rather than the development of common communication activities at a European level. To support this, the WG aims to compile a set of PES practices with some guidelines to help PES improve their public image.

The meeting brought together Public Employment Service (PES) representatives from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania and Spain. It was chaired by the Estonian PES (Unemployment Insurance Fund) and supported by representatives from the European Commission, DG Employment and expert input from Ralph Tench of Leeds Beckett University, UK.

Next meetings

Tallinn, Estonia on 4-5 November 2020

Brussels, Belgium (date tbc in early 2021).