EURES turns 30!

The campaign dedicated to ‘Fair work anywhere in Europe’ highlights EURES’ position as a key tool for European and cross-border recruitment and placement, particularly focusing on the benefits of its network services for European jobseekers and employers.

The anniversary reflects on the achievements and impact of EURES, acknowledging its vital role in empowering jobseekers and employers alike, as well as its road to the future. It confirms the resilience and effectiveness of a network that has not only stood the test of time, but has also thrived in its pursuit of facilitating cross-border collaboration and ensuring the free movement of talent across the EU.

EURES was born thanks to the EU’s commitment to the free movement of labour. From 1994 until today, the EURES network overcomes barriers to employment by facilitating jobseekers’ access to jobs across borders and providing continuous and reliable information about the national job market and living and working conditions.

EURES believes that a dynamic and integrated labour market would not only enhance individual career prospects, but also contribute to the harmonious development of the European economy by creating a true European labour force that brings innovation to companies.

Cosmin Boiangiu, the Executive Director of the European Labour Authority (ELA), the EU agency that has been coordinating EURES since 2021, best described the network: “EURES could be compared to a 30-year-old young professional who has a bright future ahead. EURES is an extensive human network connecting 31 corners of Europe, and has been built by three decades of cooperation, and many stories of jobseekers that moved abroad for work and employers that recruited them. EURES embodies a fundamental principle of the European Union: the freedom to work and live anywhere in the participating countries.”

Changing with the times

Over the years, EURES has evolved with the changing dynamics of the European labour market, adapting to emerging challenges and realities, namely digitalisation, the increasing number of labour movers in Europe, the financial crisis, and the pandemic. In 2016, the network was opened to Members and Partners and is progressively adapting to new ways of recruitment and labour trends.

Technical innovations were introduced that mark the unique service to employment in Europe that EURES provides:

EURES portal matching engine helps employers find their ideal candidates despite language, through matching skills of different countries.
European Online Job Days, recruitment and information online events that facilitate direct job interviews.
Online chat with the EURES Advisers of any country, so any jobseeker or employer can meet EURES Advisers of other countries.
Full facilitation of relocation.
Helping with administrative barriers in schools, banking, taxes, etc.

EURES: By the numbers

4.5 million+ advertised jobs (EURES portal)
1 million+ registered CVs (EURES portal)
1,000+ EURES Advisers and other staff
Services cover 31 European countries (27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)
EURES facilitated connections with 5.5 million workers and nearly 400,000 employers (2020-2022)

After three active decades, EURES will continue to play a relevant role in shaping the landscape of European employment.

For more information about the EURES30 campaign, go to europa.eu/eures30.

Throughout the campaign, EURES is posting on social media using #EURES30 alongside with the classic hashtag #EURESjobs.

For any more general information about the campaign, or any specific requests for material, please email EURES at pressela [dot] europa [dot] eu (press[at]ela[dot]europa[dot]eu).