Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Portugal (Ratification: 1981)

Follow-up to the discussion at the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 103rd Session, May–June 2014)

The Committee notes that, during the tripartite discussion, the Government submitted labour market information showing that the unemployment rate had declined from 17.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 to 15.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. The Government intends to improve the operation of the public employment service and continue to implement active labour market measures, particularly oriented to young people, such as the Youth Guarantee Programme. The Committee notes that important labour market challenges remain, in particular the need to create employment opportunities for the unemployed, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the coordination of education and training policies with the employment needs of workers most affected by the crisis. The Committee refers again to the Oslo Declaration “Restoring confidence in jobs and growth”, adopted at the Ninth European Regional Meeting (Oslo, 8–11 April 2013), which states that fiscal consolidation, structural reform and competitiveness, on the one hand, and stimulus packages, investment in the real economy, quality jobs, increased credit for enterprises, on the other, should not be competing paradigms. The Committee therefore invites the Government to provide information on the measures taken to review, with the participation of the social partners, the impact of the employment measures adopted to address the jobs crisis (Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention). The Committee wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the fact that the Office could contribute, through technical assistance, to address the employment situation in the context of the Convention.

The Committee refers to its 2013 observation and invites the Government to submit information regarding the impact of the measures taken to improve qualification standards and coordinate education and training policies with employment opportunities, to reduce youth unemployment and to facilitate the return to the labour market of those categories of workers most affected by the crisis. Please also include information on the measures taken to facilitate employment creation by small and medium-sized enterprises.