Informal meeting of employment and social affairs ministers (EPSCO)

This informal meeting of employment and social affairs ministers (EPSCO), taking place in Stockholm on 3-4 May 2023, will cover the topic of skills and how to prevent mismatch between skills and jobs in times of transition, as well as how to enable adequate and sustainable social protection in light of demographic transition.

In addition to the ministers from EU member states, participants will include relevant European Commissioners, Members of European Parliament, ministers from the EFTA Countries and stakeholders, including representatives of the social partners and civil society. The meeting will be chaired by Minister for Employment and Integration Johan Pehrson and Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje.

Eurofound’s Executive Director, Ivailo Kalfin, will speak at the first plenary session which will look at how transitions are influencing the labour market and, more specifically, how to prevent mismatch between skills and jobs in times of transition. On request by the Swedish Presidency, Eurofound has also prepared a background paper as a basis for the discussion. The paper outlines some of the key challenges on our labour markets in this regard, and points to some factors for improving the matching of skills and jobs, both in the short and long term.

• Background paper: Changing labour markets: How to prevent a mismatch between skills and jobs in times of transition

• Swedish Presidency: Informal meeting of employment and social affairs ministers (europa.eu)