2013年-世界发展银行全球_Europe_2020_Romania___Evidence-based_Policies_for_Productivity_Employment_and_Skills_Enhancement_120页_2mb

Romania: Europe 2020 Report Summary

Core Content

This report, Europe 2020 Romania: Evidence-based Policies for Productivity, Employment, and Skills Enhancement, examines the challenges Romania faces in achieving its Europe 2020 targets, particularly in the areas of employment and skills development. It emphasizes the need for evidence-based policy reforms to improve productivity, employment rates, and the quality of skills in the labor market.

Main Viewpoints

1. Employment and Skills Development

• Employment Challenges: Romania has a significant employment problem, especially among youth, women, and older workers. Despite economic growth, the employment rate has not improved substantially, and unemployment remains high.
• Skills Shortages: There is a lack of higher-level generic and technical skills, particularly in areas of technological innovation. While higher education participation is relatively high, the quality and relevance of education are questionable.
• Education Quality: A PISA study shows that 40% of 15-year-olds in Romania are functionally illiterate. There are also concerns about the quality of higher education, with employers noting that graduates often lack the necessary skills.
• Labor Market Dynamics: The labor market is constrained by both skills shortages and work disincentives, particularly for low-wage earners and part-time workers.

2. Policy Recommendations

• Increase Labor Force Participation: Focus on increasing the participation of older workers, especially women, to address the aging population and shrinking labor force.
• Improve Education and Training: Enhance the quality and relevance of education, particularly in technical and vocational fields, to meet labor market demands.
• Promote Evidence-Based Policy Making: Use impact evaluations and data-driven approaches to identify the most effective policies for job creation and skills development.
• Reduce Work Disincentives: Reform the tax and social benefits system to make formal work more attractive and accessible, especially for low-wage earners.
• Strengthen Active Labor Market Programs (ALMPs): Implement ALMPs that are more targeted and effective, drawing from successful examples in other EU countries.

3. Key Policy Levers

• Reforms in Enterprise Sector: Encourage economic modernization and business climate improvements, such as reducing the cost of starting and closing businesses.
• Public Administration Modernization: Continue reforms in the public administration to support a more competitive and efficient economy.
• Lifelong Learning: Promote a system of lifelong learning to address the rapid obsolescence of skills due to technological change.
• Targeted Social Benefits: Design social benefits that reward formal employment and provide support for those who are hard to employ or serve.

Key Information

Europe 2020 Targets

Employment and Skills Challenges

• Youth Unemployment: Over 20% for youth aged 15–24.
• Gender Gap: Women are underrepresented in the labor market, with participation rates significantly lower than men.
• Older Workers: Participation rates fall dramatically with age, especially for women.
• Skill Obsolescence: Older cohorts in Romania face a risk of skill obsolescence, similar to other EU10 countries.
• Informal Employment: Many low-wage workers are in informal jobs, which do not provide adequate benefits or incentives.

Policy Options

• Strengthen ALMPs: Use impact evaluations to design more effective and cost-efficient programs.
• Tax Reform: Reduce labor taxes, especially for low-wage earners, and shift taxation towards other income types.
• Social Benefits Reform: Modify social benefits to reward formal employment and support those on social assistance.
• Education and Training Reforms: Focus on vocational and technical education, and promote lifelong learning.
• Labor Market Flexibility: Improve labor market regulations to make them more contestable and accessible for all groups, including women, youth, and minorities.

Conclusion

To achieve the Europe 2020 employment and skills targets, Romania needs to implement a comprehensive set of reforms that address both the supply of skills and the demand for work. The report emphasizes the importance of evidence-based policy making, using data and impact evaluations to guide reforms in education, labor market policies, and business climate improvements. These reforms are essential for creating a more productive, adaptable, and inclusive labor market.