European Network of Public Employment Services (PES)
In 2023, the Work Programme of the PES Network was implemented in a rapidly changing context. While unemployment remained close to historically low levels throughout most of 2023 (6% in the EU27 in September 2023), labour and skills shortages grew across many sectors, and SMEs most notably struggle to find workers with the right skills. In the wake of inflation and anticipated recession in many European countries, PES’ expectations for short-term developments in employment and unemployment levels (as measured by the European Labour Market