CPESSEC Conference started in Sarajevo today



The two-day Managerial and Expert Conferences organized as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s annual Presidency of the Centre of Public Employment Services of Southeast European Countries (CPESSEC) started in Sarajevo today.  The first day is reserved for the conference of directors of public employment services - CPESSEC members, while the Expert Conference together with the Forum of Public Employment Services on the topic “Efficiency of Active Labour Market Measures” will be held on the second day.

The Conferences are organized by the Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the support of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the Austrian Embassy in BiH and in cooperation with the Youth Employment Project (YEP).

In his opening speech, Mr. Muamer Bandić, Director of the Labour and Employment Agency of BiH, reminded that the Labour and Employment Agency of BiH held the CPESSEC presidency for the first time ten years ago at a time when the labour markets of member countries were already greatly suffering from the adverse effects of the global economic crisis. That period will be remembered by large numbers of laid-off workers, a large increase in unemployment rates, job cuts and a drastic decline in industrial production, a fall in living standards and other negative effects.  “In years that followed we discussed together in the conferences like this one and our bilateral meetings the measures, programmes and innovations in our work with the unemployed, all with a view to reducing as much as possible the growing unemployment in our labour markets. Today, ten years later, the situation is completely different: unemployment has been steadily falling and employment levels have been increasing.  The number of people out of work is by 100 000 persons lower than ten years ago and public employment services have improved their working methods so that between 130 000 and 140 000 registered unemployed people are placed in employment annually. Ten years ago, this number was 90 000 at most”, said Mr. Bandić.

“CPESSEC is a proof that a good initiative and cooperation, based on good quality and friendly relations yields results and we will continue to support the idea of this Centre and actively participate in its work”, added Mr. Bandić.

The Conference is attended by representatives of public employment services of Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey, RCC and YEP representatives, representatives of Entity employment services and of the Employment Service of the Brčko District of BiH, as well as of cantonal employment offices.   

The Centre of Public Employment Services of Southeast European Countries (CPESSEC) was established in 2006 in Sofia, Bulgaria and currently has 10 members.  CPESSEC has contributed to the development of the cooperation among labour market institutions in the region, the signing of a number of bilateral agreements and the strengthening of CPESSEC members’ labour market management capacities.