The Nordic welfare states are known
for their high level of welfare and equality combined with strong
competitiveness and the ability to change. Maintaining and developing
the Nordic welfare societies is an important goal for the Nordic
cooperation. This also includes the cooperation between the public
sector and the social partners, as well as voluntary sector
organisations and others, in order to reach widely acceptable joint
solutions to the challenges faced, reads the chapter on working life in
the programme for the presidency.
One of the aims of the 2012 programme is to help mobilise and
include more people in a long and health-promoting working life, and to
exchange experiences between the Nordic countries in order to find good
solutions.
“The Nordic welfare states build on the idea that high rates of
employment is the best way to generate wealth and provide welfare.”
This is another quote from the presidency programme, which goes on to
highlight one of the Nordic countries’ great challenges: that many face
social exclusion and many do not find their feet in the labour market.
An important part of labour market policies is therefore an including
working life with working conditions and work environments which
contribute to good health and working ability, and which prevent social
exclusion.
In order to pave the way for broad participation in working life,
the Norwegian presidency focuses closely on exposed groups like people
on long-term sick leave and people with disabilities. There will be
extra focus on helping to open up the labour market to young people
with disabilities. The presidency will host a conference to look at how
experiences are shared when it comes to which measures work best to
secure social inclusion and to prevent social exclusion of vulnerable
groups in society.
2012 is the EU’s year for active ageing. The Nordic cooperation will
focus on older people’s participation in working life. The Norwegian
presidency promises to organise a Nordic conference to help contribute
to the exchange of knowledge in this area.
Removing and preventing border obstacles which hinder free movement
between the Nordic countries has been part of the programme more or
less constantly since the Nordic region began cooperating on
cross-border movement. A detailed report on social and labour market
related border obstacles will be presented in spring 2012. This should
encourage the countries to further discuss the challenges an to find
concrete solutions. A conference on the removal of border obstacles
will also be held.
The 2012 Norwegian presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers
will focus closely on the cooperation with the social partners. The
presidency will invite the parties to help highlight the role they do
play and could play in the development of labour market policy and
welfare policy solutions.
