Bingelis speech at 28 BSPC

Statement during the 28th Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceSecond Session „The Future of Working Life“13:15-15:00, 26 August, Oslo, NorwayDear Participants of the Conference,Members of the Parliaments,Distinguished Delegates,It’s my honor to participate today in the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and to share our common concerns in the field of labour and employment. We face considerable challenges related to the demographic changes, digitalisation, increased labour moblity and other major trends that affect our societies.I believe that is forum enables us to work together sharing our best practices and lessons learned helping us to achieve our common goals. As it is enshrined in the Berlin Declaration, we have to pursue the most efficient mechanisms and measures in the field of labour and employment.I would like to address my speech on two topics and share some thoughts and examples from our national perspective.[Ageing population]The population in the Baltic Sea Region is increasingly getting older in the region one third of the population will be over 65 years of age in 2050. One out of tree. We have to face with all considerable challenges: participation in labor market will be longer, more social service will be needed, new skills in labor market, tension on pension system, etc. And Lithuania is not an exception.In Lithuania we adopted Demographic, Migration, and Integration Policy. Our Strategy is aimed at systemically addressing demographic challenges, increasing the birth rate, reducing emigration, promoting return migration, and improving the quality of life of the senior population. The main objective Strategy is to ensure a positive population change and a balanced age structure. Maybe it would be idea to have more regional approach for common challenges especially on i.e. circular migration in our region.With the decline of the working age population in Lithuania, the employment opportunities of older people are increasing and they are becoming more desirable workers. Only 1⁄4 from 60 to 70 years old participate in labor market, at the same time majority of them are with higher education or professional qualifications. Sedimentation, immobility, lack of technological and digital skills often make it difficult for older people to integrate into the labor market, however there is a positive tendency for older workers to become more courageous, confident, keen to learn or take up new activities.It is crucial to have policies that increase opportunities for older people to stay longer in the labour market and younger generation to benefit from experienced workers, i.e. mentorship programmes could be one of a good example, which we have recently introduced in our public service system in Lithunia. Also we, as politicians and policy makers, should work hand in hand with our social partners and civil society sharing responsibility for the Future of Working Life.This year we started with pilot model of employment promotion and motivation services for the unemployed and social support recipients. The aim of this pilot Project is to facilitate the transition of the long-term unemployed from unemployment to employment and to harmonize the employment promotion and motivation services with the social assistance services in cooperation with employers. We hope that this pilot project will deliver convenient results and will be applied national wide.[Digitalization, future of work]During the past decades our labour market has been constantly changing, but not as significantly as now, when the digitalisation and development of new technologies, such as robotics, algorithms and Artificial Intelligence are creating extensive disruption in our labour markets, affecting our jobs, skills and social welfare.Although these changes raises many challenges, at the same time technological progress provides opportunities to transform regular jobs and business models, including more flexible and independent work arrangements, improvement in skills and productivity. Harnessing the fullest potential of technological progress might help to improve welfare and development of our society, with access to technological development benefits made available for everybody. By fostering the development of sustainable labour markets in the region we can ensure our region competitiveness and social welfare.Seeking to adapt to the changing labour market Lithuania has introduced working-time flexibility through regulation of workplace-sharing contracts. Employees sharing a workplace will need to agree on the distribution of working time among them so as not to affect workflow. This type of employment contract can help to reconcile work and family obligations more easily, and could be used by older employees to begin working part time while sharing their experience with younger colleagues and via versus.It’s all about skills, skills, skillsOur task as policy makers is to turn challenges into opportunities ensuring that no one is left behind. [who knows, maybe in 60 years in Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference speeches will be addressed by AI robots and we will need to reskill, retrain]. People facing job loss or transitions need comprehensive support, based on up-skilling and re-skilling, access to employment services, income support, and social services throughout their life cycle.Enabling the future that works for all is our common responsibility. We have to strengthen our cooperation not only nationally with relevant institutions, social partners and civil society, but also to cooperate within the region in political as well as expertise level.Dear colleagues,Comparisons among the countries and the exchange of best practices, mutual learning will help us to identify the fields and gaps where policy interventions are needed and make the best use of its implementation.Thank you.