Active labour market policies (ALMPs) are a cornerstone of efforts to support people in accessing quality employment, especially those facing greater barriers in the labour market. When well designed and effectively implemented, ALMPs can help address structural challenges, strengthen labour market resilience, and promote inclusion across society. In a context of evolving labour market demands, significant labour and skill shortages, and a need to ensure that all people can benefit from good quality employment, understanding what works, for whom, and under what conditions is essential.
The OECD is carrying out a set of reviews of labour market and social protection policies to encourage greater labour market participation and promote better employment opportunities, with a special focus on the most disadvantaged who face the greatest barriers to finding quality jobs. This includes a series of country studies, Connecting People with Jobs, which provide an assessment of how well each country’s ALMPs and public employment services (PES) help all groups to move into productive and rewarding jobs, and policy recommendations for improving their effectiveness. This report on Spain is the twentieth in that series.
Spain has made important progress in strengthening its labour market in recent years, supported by substantial investments in ALMPs. Ensuring that these investments translate into effective and inclusive support for jobseekers, people at risk of losing their jobs and employers, requires strong institutions, robust monitoring and evaluation, and a commitment to mutual learning across the Spanish territory, between regions and between programmes.
This report presents the findings of a structured qualitative assessment of selected ALMPs1 managed by the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) and the regional PES under Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). The project, carried out by the OECD in co‑operation with the Reform and Investment Task Force of the European Commission (SG REFORM) and funded via the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI), aimed to enhance the capacity of Spain to identify good ALMP practices and strengthen ALMP design and delivery within the Spanish National Employment System.
The assessment presented in this report is based on a set of qualitative criteria that capture the full cycle of a well-functioning ALMP, from evidence‑based design and effective outreach, through implementation and delivery of support, to monitoring and evaluation. The assessment combines an internal assessment carried out by teams in charge of the management and implementation of the ALMPs in Spain, with an external analysis conducted by the OECD. The assessment is carried out across nine criteria designed to encompass all the critical elements that contribute to a well-functioning ALMP.
The report identifies good practices at the criterion and programme levels and provides recommendations to guide the design and implementation of future ALMPs, supporting knowledge exchange across the Spanish National Employment System. The findings were discussed in depth during a mutual learning event held in Madrid on 6 February 2025, bringing together key stakeholders, including SEPE, regional PES, the State Foundation for Training in Employment (FUNDAE), the European Commission and the OECD.
By supporting structured comparison and informed dialogue, this report aims to promote a coherent and evidence‑based approach to employment policy across Spain.