PES – Public Employment Services (Denmark – Sweden – Germany)

To support and promote labour mobility across borders, Denmark has established institutionalized cooperation and services in the Øresund Region (Copenhagen and Southern Sweden/the city of Malmö), and in Sønderjylland-Schleswig (Denmark and Germany). In the case of the Public Employment Services (PES), the cooperation is organised within the context of the European Employment Service (EURES), with financial support from the European Commission. In the Øresund region, the cooperation takes the form of a so-called ‘EURES-T Partnership’, comprising PES and social partners on both sides of the border. At the German-Danish border, the cooperation is based on a bilateral relation between PES on both sides.To a large extend, the goal and substance of the cooperations is to provide information and guidance to jobseekers, commuters and employers, with the aim to enhance mobility.

Traditionally, there has also been focus on meeting educational barriers, i.e. recognition and transferability of qualifications across the border. In recent years, however, there has been increasing focus on matching services.In both regions, there are a number of additional initiatives, aiming to provide information, guidance, and better knowledge. In the Øresund region, for instance, “ØresundDirekt” on both side provides relevant information (social security, taxation, etc.) for jobseekers and commuters, and (on the Swedish side) helps with paperwork. More research or knowledge oriented institutions like the Øresund Institute, and a range of other initiatives also exist. At the German border, the Region Southern Denmark has established an information office for jobseekers and commuters called “Infocenter Grænse”.

Sønderjylland, Denmark and Schleswig, Germany

Ministry of the Interior and Health,

phone: +45 7228 2524,

e-mail: jlg@im.dk