The Role of Public Employment Services in Promoting an Inclusive Nordic Common Labour Market

4. Nordic PES co‑operation to promote the common Nordic labour market

Abstract

Nordic Public Employment Services (PES) co‑operate at three main levels: locally in specific border regions, at the Nordic level through a number of initiatives, and internationally within broader European frameworks. In border regions, co‑operation between Nordic PES focuses on promoting intra-Nordic mobility through information provision and supporting cross-border job-search and recruitment. At the Nordic and European levels, Nordic PES collaboration primarily focuses on knowledge exchange and mutual learning, with some co‑ordination on international recruitment through EURES (the European initiative to support international recruitment and labour mobility). This co‑operation fosters close ties and mutual awareness between Nordic PES; however a number of limitations exist, including through insufficient data, minimal co‑operation between technical experts, a lack of joint actions or strategies to address shared challenges and a number of specific obstacles related to their border regions.

4.1. Introduction

This chapter explores how public employment services (PES) in the Nordic countries co‑operate with each other. This includes actions taken to promote the common Nordic labour market and to ensure that the necessary skills are available in light of changing labour market dynamics, including those brought about by the green and digital transitions.

Co‑operation between Nordic PES largely takes place at three levels: i) at the local level in specific border regions, ii) at the Nordic level through a number of initiatives, and iii) through existing frameworks at the international level. In cross-border regions, this co‑operation between Nordic PES involves the co‑ordinated provision of on-the‑ground support and information to individuals and employers considering taking up employment or recruiting across a Nordic border. At the Nordic and European levels, much of the co‑operation between Nordic PES focusses on fora and activities for mutual learning and knowledge exchange, with the exception of co‑operation through EURES; where Nordic PES co‑operate on international recruitment and job-matching efforts.

Overall, these various channels contribute to close co‑operation and awareness between Nordic PES, with Nordic neighbours often being the first port-of-call when seeking information or inspiration for reforms or new changes to ALMPs. Beyond this however, co‑operation between Nordic PES on specific technical topics and on joint actions or strategies, including those to address common challenges such as labour shortages or the green transition, largely does not take place. Furthermore, beyond information exchanged and gathered through various groups and committees, systematic data exchange of any kind to support this co‑ordination between Nordic PES does not exist. In addition, Nordic PES operating within border regions face a number of longstanding obstacles related to the specific context of cross-border mobility.

4.2. To promote the common Nordic labour market, Nordic PES co‑operate in specific border regions

The common Nordic labour market facilitates citizens of the Nordic countries to both migrate across Nordic borders and commute across Nordic borders for work (Box 4.1). Nordic PES play an important role in promoting this labour mobility within the Nordic region. In addition to information and job-search support services available through mainstream PES offices, Nordic PES co‑operate and deliver specialised services in specific border regions; most commonly through three dedicated cross-border informational services in the Öresund region (Sweden-Denmark), the border region between Sweden and Norway, and the region between Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Box 4.1. The common Nordic labour market facilitates labour mobility through two channels: Migration and cross-border commuting

In 2023, more than 446 000 Nordic people were living in a different Nordic country than the one they were born, approximately 1.6% of the total Nordic population. This is down from over 467 000 in the year 2000; indicating a decline in the number of people taking advantage of the freedom of movement provided by the Nordic common labour market – some of which may be explained by changing working patterns, including the incidence of teleworking in recent years. In addition, these figures do not capture those availing of the common Nordic labour market by commuting across Nordic borders. While the choice to migrate is often dependent on a series of push and pull factors, in the Nordic region proximity, shared language and ease of movement are large determining factors, resulting in the highest migration and commuting levels taking place in border regions.

Assessing the true‑extent of cross-border commuting in the Nordic region has long been a complex task due to the lack of available comparable data. Various attempts at trying to capture commuting levels have been undertaken, including for example a project that collected and harmonise commuting data from the period 2015‑18. This project estimated that in 2015 51 000 people worked in a different Nordic country than they were resident, equating to 0.2% of the working age population. While the total number of commuters is small compared to national employment figures in Nordic countries, they are crucial for several border regions. For example, in the West and North Middle region in Sweden, commuters account for more than 10% of the resident workforce. Commuters can also be a crucial contribution to addressing labour shortages in certain occupations. While commuting is easiest and thus most prevalent in cross-border regions such as Öresund, Haparanda-Tornio and Innlandet-Värmland, long-distance commuting also takes place although to a much lesser degree.

Note: Öresund (Denmark-Sweden), Haparanda-Tornio (Sweden-Finland) and Innlandet-Värmland (Norway-Sweden).

Source: Lundgren et al. (2024[1]), The Common Nordic Labour Market 70 Years and Beyond, http://doi.org/10.6027/R2024:14.1403-2503; Brun et al. (2021[2]), Nordic Cross-border Statistics: The results of the Nordic Mobility project 2016‑20, https://doi.org/10.6027/nord2021-006.

4.2.1. Co‑operation between Nordic PES in border regions is primarily through dedicated border services

In the Nordic border regions, special operations in the form of cross-border information services have been established with the dedicated mission of assisting both individuals and businesses who wish to live, work, study or do business across the border in another Nordic country:

• In the Öresund region, the respective PES of Denmark and Sweden co‑operate through a dedicated information service Øresunddirekt. The front-facing arm of Øresunddirekt, an information centre, is located in Malmö (Sweden), with the web and communications functions carried out in Copenhagen (Denmark). The Øresunddirekt aims to operate as a one‑stop-shop for all cross-border queries, enabled by its multi-disciplinary staff, including representatives from the Swedish PES (Arbetsförmedlingen), the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the Swedish Tax Agency. Øresunddirekt serves approximately 20 000 people per year, including through the information centre, email and over the phone.

• In the Sweden-Norway border region, the cross-border service (Grensetjensten) was established in 1997 and serves the entire 161 km border region: the longest in Europe. This border service also runs as a multi‑institutional operation, with representatives from both the Swedish and Norwegian PES and close co‑operation with wider stakeholders, including tax and customs authorities. It is located in Morokulien (Sweden), directly on the border with Norway. With Norway being outside the European Union, the service also provides additional advice on this matter to those Swedes interested in working or starting a business in Norway.

• In the Sweden-Norway-Finland border region, the border service (Gränstjänsten) operates offices in two locations: in Haparanda-Tornio focusing on Swedish-Finnish cross-border matters and Storfjord working primarily on Finnish-Norway cross-border issues, but also Sweden and Norway-related matters as necessary. The service sees co‑operation between several partners, including the PES and social insurance agencies of the three respective countries.

4.2.2. Nordic PES activity in border regions primarily focusses on information provision and aiding the job-matching process

Within the border regions, the core activities provided by Nordic PES within these cross-border information services (as discussed in Section 4.2.1) are information provision and the supporting of the job-matching process. Other activities include tailored recruitment services and the establishment of structures or working groups to enhance co‑operation and facilitate problem-solving related to cross-border mobility issues. These services are primarily accessible in person or through phone or email contact, with the webpages of the respective services also an important resource for clients to seek out initial information on their cross-border queries.

For those businesses and residents seeking to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the common Nordic labour market, the process is more complex than simply finding a suitable candidate or job. Therefore, the core function of these cross-border information services is the provision of information. The multi-disciplinary staff profile of these services means that information on key issues related to cross-border mobility can be addressed under one roof or through a single access point, including queries relating to tax, pensions, unemployment benefits, employment legislation, etc. For example, even though the tax authorities are not present among the staff of the Sweden-Norway cross-border service, the PES and other staff members are equipped and mandated to advise on these topics. In addition, information is provided through information packages, guidelines and the organisation of information sessions or seminars on certain topics. In addition, in the Swedish-Finnish border region, the cross-border service takes the office on the road at least twice per year in order to widen the reach of the service and information to people not directly in the vicinity of the physical border office.

Job-matching efforts by PES in these cross-border services are focused on those employers and workers or jobseekers interested in recruiting from or working in the relevant neighbouring Nordic country. Efforts to connect people with a suitable vacancy and employers with the suitable candidate are primarily facilitated through the EURES (EURopean Employment Services, see Section 4.4.1) platform, as well as through the respective PES vacancy portals. In addition, various informal groups exist for the different country groups to enhance co‑operation between EURES staff in Nordic PES and to better co‑ordinate international recruitment efforts. Other activities by Nordic PES to support job-matching in these border regions include the attendance and organisation of job fairs, including in co‑operation with the ordinary (non-border region) PES offices and the provision of tailored recruitment support to employers. In the case of the latter, this can include hosting of interviews by bringing the employer to the jobseekers, particularly important in cases where a jobseeker may not have the financial resources to travel across the border to attend an interview.

Cross-border mobility and recruitment is an evolving situation, with new challenges and obstacles for businesses and citizens seeking to yield the benefits of the common Nordic labour market arising over time. In recent times, the biggest crisis impacting border communities and cross-border information services was the COVID‑19 pandemic (Box 4.2). To foster dialogue between relevant parties on border issues, a number of initiatives or structures have been established. This includes several cross-border committees, bringing together the relevant local authorities (most commonly representatives of municipalities) from the various sides of the border (Finnsson, 2020[3]). For example, the Torne Valley Council, is a co‑operation body bringing together 15 municipalities from three countries: Finland, Sweden and Norway. These border councils aim to promote enhanced cross-border co‑operation and work on issues identified by the border service, seeking solutions either directly through the member authorities or by attempting to initiate political action. Other initiatives include the simplification groups set up by the Swedish-Norway cross-border service to bring together relevant authorities with the aim of simplifying procedures and paperwork for certain applications and services required by the clients of the cross-border service.

Box 4.2. Cross-border information services were crucial linchpins during the COVID‑19 pandemic

During the COVID‑19 emergency period pandemic, border closures and other related restrictions were imposed in the four mainland Nordic countries. This had major implications on the day-to-day lives of people in border communities, including families split across borders, disrupting access to core public services (e.g. healthcare and education), restricting labour mobility of those workers commuting across a border and impacting businesses operating across borders. In addition, the situation was an evolving one with restrictions and measures changing regularly, contributing to a significant degree of uncertainty for both people and businesses in the Nordic countries more generally, but also particularly acutely by those in these border regions where border crossings for business and employment are more common.

The unique positioning of the cross-border information services meant that they had first-hand and real-time experience of the impacts of restrictions and associated changes; making them important vessels to facilitate the identification and resolution of border problems and challenges during this period. This information could then be passed upward to the national and Nordic level, including through the Freedom of Movement Council, Info Norden and the Nordic Co‑operation Ministers. This provided crucial information to help monitor and assess the impact of restrictions, to inform national and Nordic decision-making and to trigger any necessary action needed by national authorities to address any emerging issues. This extended also to the work of Nordic PES, with the presence of PES staff in the cross-border information services allowing for a better understanding of this unique dynamic of the COVID‑19 crisis and informing the delivery of employment services and related measures in these regions.

Note: The Freedom of Movement Council was established to help find solutions to cross-border obstacles faced by Nordic countries and comprised of ten members: eight national members from Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Sweden and Åland and representatives of both the Nordic Council and the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Info Norden is the information service of the Nordic Council of Ministers, aimed at helping those planning to move to, work, study or start a business in the Nordic region.

Source: Finnsson (2020[3]), Stronger cross-border co‑operation after the pandemic, https://nordregio.org/stronger-cross-border-co-operation-after-the-pandemic/; Nordregio, (2021[4]), Nordic border communities in the time of COVID‑19, www.norden.org/en/publication/nordic-border-communities-time-COVID-19; Giacometti and Wøien Meijer (2021[5]), Closed borders and divided communities: status report and lessons from COVID‑19 in cross-border areas, https://pub.nordregio.org/r-2021-6-crossborder-COVID/; Nordic Council of Ministers (n.d.[6]), The Freedom of Movement Council, https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2024-706/the-freedom-of-movement-council-.html; The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers (n.d.[7]), About the Info Norden information service, www.norden.org/en/information/about-info-norden-information-service; Creutz et al. (2021[8]), Nordic co‑operation amid pandemic travel restrictions, www.fiia.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/report_68_katja-creutz-et-al_nordic-co-operation-amid-pandemic-travel-restrictions.pdf.

4.2.3. Despite longstanding co‑operation, challenges remain for Nordic PES in border regions

While co‑operation among Nordic PES in border regions plays an important role in contributing to the common Nordic labour market, a number of challenges are reported.

First, Nordic PES involved in the various cross-border information services all report a lack of sufficient statistics and data to help inform and guide their work and services they provide. As noted earlier (Box 4.1), data on cross-border flows within the Nordic region, either migration or commuting, are not available in a harmonised or systematic fashion (Lundgren et al., 2024[1]). A recent project by Nordregio project (Nordic Mobility II), aims to achieve progress in this area. In addition, data protection legislation, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR), has acted as a hurdle in this domain. Where data is available for PES in cross-border information services, it is often with a significant time lag (e.g. one year or more). In other cases, Nordic PES in these offices sometimes rely on other information sources as a proxy for changing labour market dynamics. For example, website traffic to the information service webpage is often monitored in order to detect changes in trends in people seeking information relating to cross-border issues. Therefore, the work of PES and policy making more generally in the realm of the common Nordic labour market is significantly hampered by a lack of available and reliable cross-border statistics in the Nordic region. A solution in this regard will require alignment of national legislation with European legislation (including Regulation 223/2009), a Nordic agreement on the production of cross-border statistics, political will and adequate financial resourcing (Brun et al., 2021[2]). Alternatively, in cases where national legislation allows for data exchanges between Nordic countries, cross-border statistics could be produced bilaterally; however, this is yet to yield any major success to date. In addition, Nordic PES themselves do not systematically exchange any data with each other. High-level anonymised data on vacancies for example could greatly help the work of Nordic PES in border regions in their primary task of job-matching.

Job-matching efforts in the border regions also pose some challenges for Nordic PES. In supporting job-matching and labour mobility within and across the Nordic region, labour shortages common across jurisdictions can add an extra layer of complexity for Nordic PES. Nordic PES in these regions are aware of their role in supporting those who wish to exercise their rights to mobility under the common Nordic labour market but are also cognisant of the potential to further contribute to imbalances. This is particularly a risk in regions where significant differences in salaries exist on either side of the border. For example, in the Öresund region, salaries in Denmark tend to be higher, producing higher flows of Swedish jobseekers seeking employment in Denmark and having the potential to exacerbate shortages on the Swedish side of the border. The effect is particularly pronounced for commuters who take advantage of higher wages in Denmark while maintaining lower costs of living on the Swedish side of the border. In addition, the work of Nordic PES in border regions is largely reactive, helping those jobseekers and employers who seek out their assistance. However, Nordic PES could further their role in cross-border recruitment by taking more proactive steps, including dedicated joint recruitment and talent attraction campaigns.

Labour mobility within the Nordic region often comes with lengthy administrative processes and requiring the navigation of various national and EU legislation, including on issues such as tax, social security and obtaining the required national eID (electronic identification). This can be a burden and in some cases a deterrent to some people considering finding a job or hiring from another Nordic country. Nordic PES in border regions note the usefulness of bilateral agreements between Nordic countries in helping to further integrate Nordic labour markets and tackle these issues. For example, Sweden and Denmark have recently agreed upon a renegotiated Öresund Agreement that will enter into force in 2025 (Regeringskansliet, 2024[9]; Regeringskansliet, 2024[10]; The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, 2024[11]). This new agreement provides, inter alia, greater flexibility for cross-border commuters to work some of their hours from home without impacting their tax situation and no longer requires employers who have employees living across the border to make tax deductions in the other country (so long as the conditions of the Agreement are met). While beneficial to Nordic PES in their work to promote intra-Nordic labour mobility, such agreements are not present in all cross-border regions and require extensive legal and political negotiations. In addition, such agreements can also be helpful in reconciling between national and EU laws and regulation, a major challenge to Nordic PES in advising clients in border regions; both jobseekers and employers.

Access to the mobility opportunities afforded by the common Nordic labour market is not always equal, with particular barriers faced by third country nationals, those from countries outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA), residing within Nordic countries. In part, this is due to the fact that third country nationals with a residence permit in one EU country do not have the right to settle or work in another EU country (Øresunddirekt, 2023[12]). More widely, but also in Nordic border regions, this contributes to a potential labour force that cannot be tapped into. For example, it is estimated that 50 000 third country nationals live in Skåne (county in south Sweden where Malmö is located and bordering Denmark), with approximately 30 000 being active in the labour force. Such administrative and legal barriers reduce options for third country nationals in the Nordics, as well as employers with active vacancies. Combined with labour and skills shortages and changing labour market dynamics, including resulting from the twin green and digital transitions, this represents an impediment to further integrated and inclusive Nordic labour markets. Furthermore, for Nordic PES working in border regions, it creates complexities in their work, where they are often caught in the crossfire between national and EU regulation. Therefore, Nordic countries should consider legislative solutions to enhance the access of third country nationals to cross-border mobility within the region, including via commuting. Examples of such solutions include a cross-border endorsement sticker to facilitate commuting of third country nationals in the Meuse‑Rhine region of Germany and the Netherlands (OECD, 2025[13]).

Finally, cross-border obstacles should be higher on the political agenda. While the relevant structures and co‑operation exist – including cross-border information services, border committees or councils, the Freedom of Movement Council, Info Norden and dedicated Ministers for Nordic co‑operation – longstanding obstacles and challenges to intra-Nordic labour mobility exist. For the most part, these challenges are well known by the relevant national authorities, including thanks to the database of cross-border barriers administered by Freedom of Movement Council, but progress in tackling them remains slow and difficult.1 Furthering the success of the Nordic common labour market through the eradication of these barriers to mobility will require strong political will at both the national and Nordic levels, to enhance the standing and visibility of these issues in the political sphere. In addition, joint initiatives such as the much-needed collection and sharing of mobility statistics, will also require the appropriate financial backing.

4.3. PES co‑operation at the Nordic level takes place through formal and informal channels

At the Nordic level, a number of initiatives exist to foster co‑operation and knowledge exchange among Nordic PES. This is primarily through high-level Nordic committees and other ad hoc activities, however joint actions and policies enacted together by Nordic PES are largely yet to be seen.

4.3.1. Formal co‑operation between Nordic PES primarily takes place through two high-level committees

At the Nordic level, co‑operation between PES takes place primarily through two committees established under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic Council of Ministers is made up of 12 ministerial councils, each focusing on a particular area and bringing together the relevant Nordic ministers working on the same portfolio (Lindahl, 2020[14]). In the field of labour and employment, the Nordic Council of Ministers of Labour (MR-A) meet annually, to discuss latest trends in the labour market, new policy measures and other topics of relevance in Nordic or international contexts (such as the green transition). Underneath these ministerial councils are committees of senior officials, comprised of senior civil servants from the Nordic countries, which pursue the issues and priorities set by the ministerial council.

Nordic co‑operation in the field of labour is guided by the priorities set by the Nordic Council of Ministers of Labour. Below this, the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Labour (ÄK-A), supports the work of the ministerial council on labour and observes and discusses labour market trends and policy measures, including obstacles relating to the common Nordic labour market (Lundgren et al., 2024[1]). The committee has eight representatives, one from each of the Nordic countries and autonomous areas.

The Nordic Labour Market Committee was established as a body to implement the agreement on a common Nordic labour market (The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, 2019[15]; Lundgren et al., 2024[1]). This committee reports to the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Labour and is made up of representatives from each of the Nordic countries and the autonomous areas. Delegates are most commonly representatives of national labour ministries and in some cases representatives of PES. Its core objectives include, among others, to monitor labour market trends, discuss labour market policy measures, submit proposals for measures of common interest to the Nordic labour market and formulate measures for co‑operation between the respective national labour authorities. For Nordic PES, this committee acts as an important vessel for knowledge exchange between its counterparts, including for example on changes to ALMPs and ongoing reform agendas.

4.3.2. Although less widespread, further Nordic PES co‑operation takes place through staff exchanges and ad hoc mutual learning activities

In addition to formal co‑operation through involvement in Nordic level committees, Nordic PES also co‑operate through other means, including staff exchanges, ad hoc mutual learning activities and events.

For staff in Nordic PES, opportunities exist to complete a placement in the PES of another Nordic country. Most commonly, this takes place through the Nordic Exchange Scheme (Nordisk utvekslingsordning, NORUT) managed by the Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers, n.d.[16]). The scheme facilitates employees of a public administration to work on a temporary basis, usually one to two months but up to six, in another Nordic administration, including an employment service. The objective is to foster Nordic co‑operation, but also to give participants an opportunity to gather insights and the opportunity to problem solve in a new Nordic setting; with the aim of bringing the learnings and ideas back to their home administration. While participant numbers are limited, for Nordic PES, this gives staff an opportunity to experience how another Nordic PES operate and how they deliver certain types of supports and services. For example, in recent years the Norwegian PES (NAV) received staff from the Swedish PES through this exchange programme, who wanted to gain insights into the services provided by NAV in Norwegian prisons to help aid with the labour market integration of ex-prisoners.

Nordic PES also engage with each other through informal channels to contribute to mutual learning and information collection. This can take the form of questionnaires and study visits to neighbouring Nordic PES to learn from their experiences on certain topics and practices, as well as to inform reforms being undertaken by the PES. For example, in the context of the ongoing PES reform in Denmark (as discussed in Chapter 2), a visit to Sweden took place to examine experiences and lessons of their recent reforms. Furthermore, ad hoc meetings and conferences are organised to share latest trends and developments in the Nordic labour markets and PES activities.

In the area of labour market training, the governments of Finland, Norway and Sweden have a jointly established education provider Education Nord (Utbildning Nord). The PES of these three Nordic countries send jobseekers to this centre to avail of training opportunities. Education Nord trains approximately 500 students each year and offers around 30 courses in areas with growing employment needs (Utbildning Nord, n.d.[17]). Beyond this, Nordic PES co‑operation does not extend to joint actions, policies, agreements or strategies. Scope exists to explore such measures in the coming years, in particular in aligning approaches to common challenges, including the green and digital transitions, labour shortages and attracting talent from third countries.

4.4. Co‑operation among Nordic PES is also facilitated by existing international frameworks

Nordic PES participate in a number of initiatives organised at the European level. Primarily this includes EURES, the service to support labour mobility in Europe, and the European Network of Public Employment Services, a network to support mutual learning and to assess the performance of European PES.

4.4.1. Nordic PES co‑operate on international recruitment and job-matching efforts using EURES

EURES is a co‑operation network among European employment services, covering all EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (EURES, n.d.[18]). The initiative was set up by the European Commission to facilitate labour mobility and the free movement of workers within EU and EEA countries. Within countries, services are provided to jobseekers and employers through EURES members (offering the full suite of EURES services) and partners (offering a more limited service). In the Nordic countries, as is commonly the case in most European countries, the main EURES provider is the PES.

EURES enables jobseekers and workers to search for jobs and employers recruit candidates in another member country. In practice, this is done through the online EURES portal where jobseekers can upload their CVs and employers can register vacancies and through international job fairs. In addition, PES typically appointed dedicated EURES advisors within their staff to provide information, job-search support and recruitment services to clients. For Nordic PES, this is no different, with EURES being the primary means to facilitate labour mobility, both more widely across Europe and between Nordic countries themselves.

Intra-Nordic PES co‑operation through EURES is longstanding and well-developed. Commonly this involves the organisation of job fairs by Nordic EURES advisors (online and in person), both by all Nordic PES or in particular country groupings depending on needs. Informal working groups between EURES advisors from Nordic PES have also been established, allowing for information exchange and co‑ordination of efforts. In addition to the national level, strong co‑operation between Nordic EURES staff also takes place in Nordic border regions (as discussed in Section 4.2.2).

In general, Nordic PES find EURES to be a useful network and tool, both nationally and in cross-border regions. However, among challenges reported by Nordic PES, include resourcing issues (primarily in allocating a sufficient number of staff) and demanding reporting requirements, particularly a challenge for smaller PES such as Iceland. In addition, in supporting job-matching, several Nordic PES have advanced digital matching tools available through their own PES vacancy platforms (see Chapter 3), including some aided by AI algorithms, which produce recommendations based on synergies between the profile of a jobseeker and the vacancy description. For these PES, this highlights the limitations presented by the EURES portal, which relies on basic manual matching approaches, which can be less efficient for both PES clients and staff.

4.4.2. Other networks also provide opportunity for knowledge exchange and co‑operation between Nordic and European PES

The European Network of Public Employment Services (henceforth PES Network) was founded on foot of a decision of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union in 2014 on enhanced co‑operation between PES, which was subsequently updated in 2020 (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2014[19]; European Commission, n.d.[20]). The network brings together representatives of all EU member countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the European Commission.

A core activity of the PES Network is the “benchlearning” process, which reviews PES performance (benchmarking) and encourages improvements through exchanges with and identification of good practices in other PES (mutual learning). In addition, it is an important forum for knowledge exchange among PES, allowing for sharing latest developments, including policy changes and reforms. A number of working groups also exist under the PES Network. This includes for example the Working Group on Taxonomies, currently chaired by the Swedish PES, which is working on a methodological approach to develop a taxonomy for green jobs and skills using the ESCO (European Skills, Competences, and Occupations) classification system (see Chapter 3 for more details on ESCO).

This wider forum for co‑operation and exchange among European PES, has spin-off effects for Nordic co‑operation. Nordic members of the PES Network have an informal Nordic sub-group, which meets prior to co‑ordinate inputs and preparation for the upcoming meetings of the main network.

References

[2] Brun, N. et al. (2021), Nordic Cross-border Statistics: The results of the Nordic Mobility project 2016-2020, Nordic Council of Ministers, https://doi.org/10.6027/nord2021-006.

[8] Creutz, K. et al. (2021), “Nordic cooperation amid pandemic travel restrictions”, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Vol. Report 68, https://www.fiia.fi/en/publication/nordic-cooperation-amid-pandemic-travel-restrictions.

[18] EURES (n.d.), EURES Members and Partners in your country, https://eures.europa.eu/eures-services/eures-members-and-partners-your-country_en (accessed on 3 October 2024).

[20] European Commission (n.d.), European Network of Public Employment Services, https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=105&langId=en (accessed on 4 October 2024).

[19] European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2014), “Decision No 573/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on enhanced cooperation between Public Employment Services (PES) Text with EEA relevance”, Official Journal of the European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2014/573(2)/oj (accessed on 4 October 2024).

[3] Finnsson, P. (2020), Stronger cross-border cooperation after the pandemic, https://nordregio.org/stronger-cross-border-cooperation-after-the-pandemic/ (accessed on 26 September 2024).

[5] Giacometti, A. and M. Wøien Meijer (2021), “Closed borders and divided communities: status report and lessons from Covid-19 in cross-border areas”, Nordregio Report, Vol. 2021:6, https://pub.nordregio.org/r-2021-6-crossborder-covid/.

[14] Lindahl, B. (2020), The Nordics: practical and industrious cooperation, http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/i-fokus/in-focus-2020/theme-nordic-council-of-ministers/article.2020-01-15.7248849681 (accessed on 3 October 2024).

[1] Lundgren, A. et al. (2024), The Common Nordic Labour Market 70 Years and Beyond, Nordregio, https://doi.org/10.6027/r2024:14.1403-2503.

[16] Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers (n.d.), Nordisk utvekslingsordning (NORUT), https://www.norden.org/no/norut (accessed on 3 October 2024).

[6] Nordic Council of Ministers (n.d.), The Freedom of Movement Council, https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2024-706/the-freedom-of-movement-council-.html.

[4] Nordregio (2021), Nordic border communities in the time of COVID-19, https://www.norden.org/en/publication/nordic-border-communities-time-covid-19 (accessed on 27 September 2024).

[13] OECD (2025), Mobility and Integrated Labour Markets for Third-country Nationals in Greater Copenhagen, OECD Reviews on Local Job Creation, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/ba2a4777-en.

[12] Øresunddirekt (2023), Svårigheter för icke EU - medborgare att gränspendla mellan Sverige och Danmark, https://www.oresunddirekt.se/se/aktuella-gransproblem-mellan-sverige-och-danmark/5596/showborderissue/5604 (accessed on 1 October 2024).

[10] Regeringskansliet (2024), Nytt Öresundsavtal undertecknat, https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2024/06/nytt-oresundsavtal-undertecknat/ (accessed on 30 September 2024).

[9] Regeringskansliet (2024), Överenskommelse om nytt Öresundsavtal, https://www.regeringen.se/pressmeddelanden/2024/05/overenskommelse-om-nytt-oresundsavtal/ (accessed on 30 September 2024).

[11] The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers (2024), New Öresund Agreement welcomed by Freedom of Movement Council, https://www.norden.org/en/news/new-oresund-agreement-welcomed-freedom-movement-council (accessed on 30 September 2024).

[15] The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers (2019), Agreement Concerning a Common Nordic Labour Market, https://www.norden.org/en/treaties-and-agreements/agreement-concerning-common-nordic-labour-market (accessed on 1 October 2024).

[7] The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers (n.d.), About the Info Norden information service, https://www.norden.org/en/information/about-info-norden-information-service.

[17] Utbildning Nord (n.d.), Utbildning Nord, https://utbnord.se/ (accessed on 14 January 2025).

Note

← 1.  The Freedom of Movement Database compiles information received on border-related barriers from Info Norden, regional information services and cross-border committees and is accessible here: www.norden.org/en/border-database