All news: Europe and Central Asia + EU

5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour

European Commission, Belgium and the Netherlands contribute to the Global child labour conference

Spotlight Interviews with Co-operators

Melih Toprak and Fatih Polattimur, Trade Experts at the Turkish Ministry of Trade

“Spotlight Interviews with Co-operators” is a series of interviews with cooperators from around the world with whom ILO officials have crossed paths during the course of their work on cooperatives and social and solidarity economy (SSE). On this...

The current challenges of social protection in the world

The pandemic has laid bare significant gaps in social protection coverage around the world. The fallout from the war in Ukraine puts further pressure on social protection systems. The ILO presented the current state of social protection at a...

TVET in Ukraine

Education under fire: Vocational training and education in Ukraine during times of war−The example of Sumy region

Since February 24, people in Ukraine have been living and working under the conditions of a full-scale war by the Russian Federation. One of the focus regions of ILO’s work on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was the Sumy...

ILO and UNTFSSE participate at Catalysing Change Week 2022

The Director of the Enterprises Department of the ILO and Chair of the UN Task Force on the Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE), Mr Vic Van Vuuren has participated in the Catalysing Change Week 2022, an international event to unlock and...

ILO and UNTFSSE participation in the conference “Social economy, the future of Europe”

Organized in Strasburg on 5-6 May, the event brought together more than 2,000 social economy stakeholders of Europe and beyond.

Select References - Decent Work & Social and Solidarity Economy

New ILO report

Social protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a crossroads: Challenges and key policy issues

The recent ILO report says that the social protection system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing formidable challenges stemming from insufficient investment in closing the social protection gaps, inefficient resource allocation, and persistent...

ILO/Sweden Collaboration

Laying the foundation for safer workplaces in Kosovo

On the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2022 on April 28th the Embassy of Sweden in Kosovo and the ILO signed a project agreement on promoting safety at work in Kosovo.

Increase of minimum wage

North Macedonia: Raising the minimum wage to combat working poverty

The Government of North Macedonia recently raised the legal minimum wage by 18% to 18,000 denars (290 EUR). Almost one out of five workers in the Southeast European country will benefit from this increase. The ILO provided technical assistance and...

One UN

How does the UN support Ukrainian refugees in Moldova? Interview with Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator

We interviewed Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator in Moldova and asked him about how the UN assists Ukrainian refugees in the country, how the energy crisis will affect the local population and about his expectations to the ILO as part of the...

Ukraine

Prevention through information: ILO campaign on Ukrainian railways to prevent labour exploitation among refugees

The ILO and the State Labour Inspectorate of Ukraine came through with an information campaign on Ukrainian railways that warns people on the move about situations that may lead to labour exploitation.

ILO and IMO call for urgent action on seafarers stranded in Ukraine following Russian aggression

An estimated 1,000 seafarers are currently stranded in Ukrainian ports and waters with dwindling vital supplies.

Future of Work

ILO: Digital technology disrupts the labour market in various ways and accentuates inequalities

At a conference of the EU Public Employment Services Network, the ILO discussed the rapid digital transformation affecting the labour market and the impact it has on skills, lifelong learning and inequalities.

Job creation in the Western Balkans

How nearshoring may create opportunities for the Western Balkan economies?

In this issue of short interviews with important researchers and practitioners from Central and Eastern Europe on burning questions concerning labour and social policies, we talked to Zuzana Zavarska, Economist at the Vienna Institute for...

ILO COOP and ICA Brussels teams exchange on priority work areas and potential collaboration

On 16 March 2022, staff members from the Cooperatives Unit of the ILO (ILO COOP) and the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) Headquarters in Brussels held a meeting in Geneva to exchange on priority areas of work and potential collaboration.

The ILO and the UNTFSSE participated in Pact for Impact’s event on Social and Solidarity Economy

The Chair of the UNTFSSE and the ILO’s Enterprises Department Director, Mr Vic van Vuuren, spoke at the Pact for Impact event “For an International Recognition of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE)” on 4th March 2022.

Vocational education

“Virtual” is now a TVET training reality in North Macedonia

When mishandling equipment can cause damages or even fatal accidents, investment into quality training is indispensable. This holds especially true for electrotechnical professions. In North Macedonia, the ILO and partners introduced for the first...

Ukraine

ILO Governing Body adopts resolution on Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine

A resolution passed by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization calls on the Russian Federation to ‘immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression’.

Telework

ILO: Social dialogue key to shape telework regulation

The rise in telework has exposed several challenges for both workers and employers. At a conference which followed up on a European Parliament’s Resolution on the right to disconnect, the ILO explained why social dialogue is crucial to deal with...