REFRAMING SOCIAL POLICY: The policy context for active labour market programmes The Government of Macedonia’s policy and strategy for, and planned actions in, employment and unemployment mitigation are set out in a series of linked papers: Government programme 2006( Programme of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia 2006-2010 58 ). In respect of employment and unemployment, this em­phasises demand-side measures, principally growth, foreign direct investment, pri­vate sector development, promotion of small and medium enterprises, establish­ment of business support centres, and the business environment changes. In addi­tion, there is a focus on increased labour market flexibility and hence on changes to employment legislation. Employment Strategy October 2006( National Employment Strategy 2006-2010). This also has a demand-side emphasis, but additionally addresses the informal economy and safety social nets. It includes measures for tackling youth unem­ployment(through training and internship), long term unemployment(training and work practice), female unemployment(education, entrepreneurship, and childcare facilities), vulnerable groups(older workers, ethnic groups, disabled). There is also coverage of education and training. National Action Plan for Employment 2006-2008(November 2006). The NAPE continues the demand-side focus, but also specifies supply-side actions derived from the Employment Strategy, including training and lifelong learning; better childcare to enable parents’ re-entry to the labour force; actions aimed at older workers; ways of addressing female unemployment and improving female partici­pation rates; and better job matching. Operational Plan 2007, December 2006( Government Operational Plan for Em­ployment). This is the action plan for allocation of 2007 budgetary funding for acti­ve labour market programmes. It comprises public works(1,000 people, plus 500 people in construction and environmental projects); self-employment(for 500 un­employed from underdeveloped regions and young people less than 28 years’ old); support to young people through volunteering under internships(600 people); wa­ges subsidies for return of parents to the labour force, disabled, orphans; and train­ing for‘known’ employers(3,000) and through job clubs in languages and IT skills (2,000). This will be succeeded by Operational Plan for 2008 which will allocate 2008 budgetary funds. IPA4 Operational Programme for Human Resources Development 2007-2013 (August 2007, draft). The Operational Programme provides the basis for accessing and programming assistance under component 4 of the EU’s Instrument for Pre­Accession Assistance(IPA). It is a multi-annual indicative programme arranged under 4 priority axes, with the principal focus on employment in axis 1 – employ­ment. The main supply side actions in axis 1 are in measure 1.3( Tackling the situa­tion in the labour market of young people, women and long-term unemployed). In 58 http://www.vlada.mk/Assets/program%20of%20the%20government%202006-2010.pdf 134