03 April 2019
Brussels
PARTICIPATION OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OMBUDSMAN OF THE EXPLANATORY MEETING ON CHAPTER 19: SOCIAL POLICY AND EMPLOYMENT
Representatives of the Ombudsman, led by deputy Vaska Bajramovska-Mustafa took part in the explanatory meeting (screening) for Chapter 19: Social Policy and Employment, as a first step towards preparations for starting the country's negotiations with the European Union. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, from 03 to 05 April 2019.
This kind of meetings the Republic of Northern Macedonia started in September 2018 and are held for each chapter individually.
This explanatory meeting referred to two candidate countries for membership in the European Union, and besides representatives from the Republic of Northern Macedonia, representatives of relevant bodies and institutions of the Republic of Albania took part in the meeting. During the three working days, representatives of the Directorates of the European Commission introduced the attendees with all relevant directives regarding the topic of the meeting and their practical application. Information related to labor relations, health and safety at work, social inclusion and social protection, gender equality, persons with disabilities, etc. were exchanged.
Representatives from both countries developed a discussion for each directive to clarify more about the novelties to be applied in the national legislation, and the completed and legislative harmonization with EU law will need to be updated in the course of bilateral screening, which is the next step the country's negotiations with the EU.
Apart from the representatives of the Ombudsman, representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the State Statistical Office and other national institutions and bodies took part at the meeting.