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Last update: 02/2004
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What is EURES?
Objectives
How does it work?
Achievements
Who benefits?
The role of IDA
Background information
Technical information
What is EURES?
EURES provides a trans-European telematics and human network linking employment services across Europe. The EURES website delivers information and online services on the following: Job-Search, CV-Search, Labour Market Information, Living and Working Conditions, European Public Employment Services.
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Objectives
EURES aims to facilitate the free movement of workers within the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA). Partners in the network include State employment agencies, trade unions and employer organisations.
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How does it work?
EURES is coordinated by the European Commission's DG Employment and Social Affairs. More than 500 EURES advisers throughout the EEA act as its driving force. To take a concrete scenario: Anna - a Dutch national who has just graduated from university - has decided to move to Spain to pursue her professional career in hotel management. Although she has spent many summers on holiday there, she has never worked there and does not understand the social security and employment system. She is advised by her career counsellor to contact her local EURES advisor.
This human network has access to a web-based database of job vacancies in Europe and general information on living and working conditions in the EEA. Anna contacts her local EURES office that has access to the pan-EEA EURES database.
This network allows all EURES users to receive up-to-date information in their home countries before taking up, or considering, a job in another country. The EURES advisor provides Anna with information on:
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Spanish social legislation and taxation;
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Education and healthcare;
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Training opportunities;
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Comparability of qualifications;
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Cost of living and accommodation;
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Useful addresses and contacts for more specialised information.
The advisor suggests that Anna update her CV and post it on the EURES website. In this way, potential employers can see her profile. The advisor also points out that she can always use the website to get the most up-to-date information on job opportunities.
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Achievements
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The November 1994 Employment Week saw the launch of EURES with just over 2,000 job offers in the database;
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Since 1994, the volume of cross-border and international vacancies has now increased to 180,000;
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The database was made directly accessible to citizens via the Internet in 1998, providing links to national and local employment databases, and online information on living and working conditions in all Member States;
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Currently 22 employment services in 15 Member States and two EFTA countries are active partners in the EURES network;
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Work is underway to expand the human and telematics network by improving and extending the integration of national employment databases to include all EURES partners during the course of 2003.
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Who benefits?
Citizens: Citizens have access to employment opportunities across Europe and to a wide range of assistance from Euroadvisers.
Businesses: EURES helps European industry by providing it with a platform to publicise vacancies throughout the EU and providing additional support in finding the right human resources, regardless of the employees' location.
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The role of IDA
IDA's coordination role ensured that national employment ministries became aware of the benefits of EURES and created the political will to invest in the project. EURES employed the IDA architecture guidelines and TESTA in its previous phase of development.
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Background information
For the benefit of job seekers and workers, the new Commission Decision of 23.12.2002, (implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68) Art 2, states that EURES should contribute to promote 'a) the development of European labour markets open and accessible for all; b) the transnational, interregional and cross-border exchange of vacancies and job applications; c) transparency and information exchange on the European labour markets, including on living conditions and on the opportunities for acquisition of skills; d) the development of methodologies and indicators for this purpose'.
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Technical information
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Project start date |
1993 |
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Project completion date |
1994 |
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Project status |
Operational |
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Responsible service |
DG Employment and Social Affairs |
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Contact |
idabc@ec.europa.eu (for organisational and technical aspects) |
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Countries involved |
EEA countries and Switzerland |
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Background documents |
New Commission Decision of 23 December 2002 implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 as regards the clearance of vacancies and applications for employment |
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Public website |
http://ec.europa.eu/eures/index.jsp |
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