G20 labour and employment ministers met in Moscow on July 18-19, 2013 to discuss the situation in labour markets, employment problems in the G20 countries, and measures to ensure strong, sustainable, and balanced economic growth.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Maxim Topilin said that ensuring economic growth is a key priority of Russia’s G20 presidency. He also highlighted three main instruments to achieve this objective for the employment and labour market regulation. These, according to the Minister, include job creation, keeping the labour, macroeconomic and financial policies, and development of social security systems in congruence.
Job creation should be considered as a source and not just an outcome of economic growth. Hence, the focus should be on ensuring the necessary conditions for job creation, Mr Topilin said. This issue is relevant to all countries regardless of their unemployment level and rate of employment in the informal sector of the economy. Countries with stable market mechanisms and countries with significant government involvement in the economy are equally interested in creating high-quality and highly productive jobs.
Any economic and labour market reforms in G20 countries should focus on individuals and their rights. Therefore, the development and improvement of social security is the third key requirement for ensuring economic growth and creating an inclusive society.
Following the meeting, G20 labour and employment ministers adopted a declaration which sets forth the countries’ consolidated position on ensuring inclusive economic growth through job creation, boosting employment, and monitoring employment commitments made by the G20 countries.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the meeting, Mr Topilin said that the situation on the Russian labour market is stable. "The unemployment level, based on the International Labour Organization’s methodology, is 5% or about 1 million people. Traditionally, it will slightly increase in the autumn, but I don’t think that we’ll see any significant rise in the unemployment rate,” the Minister said.
Mr Topilin also announced forthcoming inspections of transport and construction companies that will be checked for compliance with labour laws. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and regional labour inspectorates have already been assigned this task.
Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Protection
