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EU seeks to help 12 mln long-term unemployed back to work

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) on Thursday proposed to help 12 million long-term unemployed people go back to work, a fresh step to address the continent's labor market problem.

EU's executive body, the European Commission, said it proposed guidance to member states which puts forward specific services to those who have been jobless for more than a year.

Member states are supposed to be asked to encourage the registration of long-term unemployed with an employment service and to provide them with an individual in-depth assessment to identify needs and potential at the latest at 18 months of unemployment.

Besides, member countries should offer a "job integration agreement" to all registered long-term unemployed at the latest at 18 months. The agreement includes mentoring, help with the job search, further education and training as well as support for housing, transport, child and health care services or rehabilitation.

The long-term unemployed currently represent 5 percent of the bloc's active population. However, there remained a vast disparity between countries, with Austria's 1.5 percent and Greece's 19.5 percent, according to the Commission.

The high jobless rate has continued to be a nuisance to the continent. In July, the unemployment rate in the 19-country euro zone and wider EU was 10.9 percent and 9.5 percent respectively. Endit