BUDAPEST – High-level government, employers’ and workers’ representatives from nine South Eastern European countries adopted today an agreement, the “Montenegro conclusions”, that puts employment at the heart of economic and social policies.

The Ministers also acknowledged the relevance of the ILO’s Decent Work agenda in tackling the employment challenge in their countries and committed themselves to implement the conclusions of the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Employment and Social Policy in South Eastern Europe on 25-26 October, in Budva, Montenegro.

Lack of jobs, poor quality of employment, low labour market participation, high unemployment rates, informal and precarious work, especially among young people and disadvantaged groups, were among the major issues addressed by the meeting.

Participants included Ministers of Labour and Heads of Delegation from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, as well as the Representative of UNMIK, acting on behalf of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo (Note 1), and the representatives of the European and international social partners.

The Meeting discussed the work accomplished within the framework of regional cooperation on employment policy between 2003 and 2007, and gave new directions to this cooperation under the Stability Pact whose term will end in 2008. It welcomed the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Council and called on the latter to endorse the new phase of regional cooperation on employment and social policies.

In their conclusions, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to implement an integrated approach that aims at full and productive employment, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue. They also called for international support in improving employment policies and strengthening labour market institutions including social partners.

For more information, please visit the website of the ILO SRO-Budapest Office on www.ilo.org/budapest or contact Edit Horváth in Budapest at horvathd@ilo-ceet.hu or +36-1/473-2656.

Note 1 - Associated to this process in accordance with UN Resolution 1244.