Short description: The Aim of the Project was providing support to the realization of National Employment Strategy 2011-2020 (efficient, stable and sustainable employment growth in Serbia and harmonization of employment policy and labour market institutions with EU acquis and standards. The project had three components: 1. Forecasting, monitoring and evaluation – the tools for evidence based employment policy creation 2. Assisting preparation of the National Employment Action Plan (the NEAP) 3. Adjustment of national classification of occupations to ISCO 08 standards

  Achieved results: Results achieved by components: 1. Based on two rounds of the Employer Survey – in 2013 and in 2014, the National Reports on Employer Survey were prepared. A wide range of activities were implemented to encourage employers to participate in the surveys, to promote the usage of the results by the policy makers. Data collected through the surveys were used for national policy planning (the National Employment Action Plans). The IT solutions for storing and analysis of the data were also fundamentally altered and improved in order to promote sustainability and greater usefulness of the survey within the NES. The project assisted evaluation of all the measures implemented by the NES. The measures were evaluated on the basis of the precise work plan proposed by the project team and agreed with the beneficiaries. The adopted methodology was based on a simplified net impact (counterfactual) evaluation methodology. 2. The National Employment Action Plan for 2014 and 2015 were prepared and adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Widening the scope of the NEAPs and stronger integration of employment policies with other policy areas (modelled on the EU integrated approach) could be considered as one of the important achievements. Two study visits were organised under the component. The first one was organised in Poland and was devoted to implementation of the national employment policies within a framework of the EU employment policy priorities. The second one was organised in Ireland and was devoted to evidence-based policy planning (including on the local level). 3. The project team assisted the national survey on occupations. In total 16 178 questionnaires were sent. and the response rate has been, on average, 45%. The project team prepared and submitted to the beneficiaries descriptions of 1884 occupations. The project has offered a basis for descriptions of occupations and national classification of occupations but the complete material should be a subject of a comprehensive public debate, at which the relevant experts from all the fields would present their opinion.

Comment: Partners: Pole Emploi (France), EPRD (Poland) and FREN (Serbia) New survey questionnaire was created to increase the response rate and completeness of the answers and to broaden the survey coverage, including all relevant sectors (public administration at all levels, education, health and other social services among others) and to replace current voluntary survey of small and micro firms and self proprietorship with a stratified random sample survey, to obtain a more relevant picture of this sector covering almost 30% of employed labour force in Serbia. Regarding the National/Local Policy Planing more integrated approach to socio-economic planning and development is needed and the usage of the results of short and medium term forecasts for planning will be intensified – in particular on the branch office level. The project has offered a basis for descriptions of occupations and natinonal classification of occupations. The updating would mean constant monitoring of the market and consultations with the social partners. Maintenance and update of the classification has adhered to the recommendations of the ILO ISCO team (in compliance with the EU practices). New classification will be incorporated into: NES vacancy register, NES unemployed register and other registers regulated by the law on keeping the records in the field of labour, into the Employer Survey, statistical surveys and other labour market and evaluation surveys. The new classification and the new descriptions will influence vocational guidance services, job broking, planning of vocational education services, and other education and HRD related policies and services. The new classification could also facilitate HRD policies in the companies and facilitate international cooperation and recruitment (including future participation in the EURES).