What is EURES?
EURES is a cooperation network designed to facilitate the free movement of workers within the EU 27 countries plus Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The network is composed of: the European Coordination Office (ECO), the National Coordination Offices (NCOs), EURES Partners and the Associated EURES Partners.
Partners in the network may include Public Employment Services (PES), Private employment services (PRES), trade unions, employers' organisations and other relevant actors in the labour market. The partners provide information, placement and recruitment services to employers and jobseekers whereas the European and National Coordination Offices oversee the organisation of the activities at European and national level respectively.
Moreover, EURES has an important role to play in providing specific information and facilitate placements for the benefit of employers and frontier workers in European cross-border regions.
In practice EURES provides its services through the portal and through a human network of around 1000 EURES advisers that are in daily contact with jobseekers and employers across Europe.
How does EURES work?
- Set up in 1993, EURES is a Europe-wide employment network based on a co-operation between the European Commission and the Public Employment Services (PES) of the EEA Member States and other partner organisations, including employers and trades unions. The joint resources of the EURES member and partner organisations provide a solid basis for the EURES network to offer high quality services for both jobseekers and employers.
- EURES is based on two pillars: a physical network and an online portal. Between them, they offer a comprehensive range of information and job-searching opportunities.
- The physical network operates through more than 5.000 local employment offices with more than 100,000 staff offering services to jobseekers and employers. More than 1000 specialist EURES advisers currently offer advice on labour mobility between different countries. Online, the EURES Job Mobility portal (eures.ec.europa.eu) allows employers and jobseekers to search for employees/jobs in real time.
- By opening a My EURES account, employers can register their requirements and will receive CVs from suitably qualified applicants. They can also search the database of jobseeker CVs, create and store search profiles and receive alerts by e-mail.
- By selecting "Find a Job" jobseekers can access job vacancies in 31 European countries updated in real time.
- By registering for free to "My CV" for jobseekers they can create their CV and make it available for registered employers and for EURES advisers helping employers to find suitable candidates.
- The section of on 'Living and Working', in 25 languages, is a good way of finding out about the employment situation and living and working conditions in another EEA country. Many more features are being continuously added regularly, such as the option to subscribe to electronic newsletters.
- My EURES is a service that is free of charge to both jobseekers and employers. The portal is available in all European languages (plus Norwegian and Icelandic).
- Usually all requests/emails/questions are answered within a period of 10 working days.