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| Le Forem | |
|---|---|
| Name | Le Forem |
| Type | Public employment service |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Liège |
| Area served | Wallonia |
| Services | Employment mediation, vocational guidance, training programmes |
Le Forem Le Forem is the public employment and vocational guidance service for Wallonia, Belgium, created to support jobseekers, employers, and trainees across the Wallonia region. It operates within the institutional framework shaped by the Belgian State reform (1970–1993), interacting with regional authorities such as the Government of Wallonia and other public agencies like the ONEM and the Régie des Bâtiments. Le Forem coordinates with European institutions including the European Commission, the European Social Fund, and networks such as Cedefop and EURES.
Le Forem emerged in the context of federalisation processes following the Belgian state reforms and was established to replace or cohere earlier services patterned after the Réseau Emploi Formation initiatives and the employment missions active in provinces like Namur, Liège, Hainaut, and Luxembourg province. Over the decades it adapted to structural changes such as the Treaty of Maastricht-era employment policies and the expansion of the European Union single market. The organisation responded to crises including the early-1980s recession, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing measures inspired by Lifelong Learning Programme (EU) guidelines, the Youth Guarantee framework, and regional activation strategies akin to those promoted by OECD reports.
Governance of Le Forem is embedded in Walloon institutional arrangements and interfaces with the Parliament of Wallonia, the Minister-President of Wallonia and specific ministers responsible for employment such as the Minister of Employment (Belgium). Its board and executive leadership operate alongside social partners including trade unions like Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique and employer organisations such as the Union Wallonne des Entreprises. Administrative oversight intersects with agencies including the Région wallonne administrative directorates, provincial administrations in Walloon Brabant, and municipal authorities like Liège, Charleroi, and Namur. Legal and policy frameworks referencing Le Forem have been influenced by national legislation like the Law on Employment Contracts (Belgium) and European directives such as the Directive on Temporary Agency Work.
Le Forem provides services spanning job placement, vocational guidance, training, incentives for employers, and support for vulnerable groups including migrants and long-term unemployed individuals. Programmes often reflect EU priorities from European Social Fund (ESF) initiatives and align with frameworks shaped by Council of Europe employment recommendations and ILO standards. Specific offerings include competence assessments, integration routes similar to those funded under ESF+, apprenticeship promotion referenced in Erasmus+ mobility projects, and targeted measures akin to Active Labour Market Policy examples used in Denmark and Germany. Collaborative projects have been undertaken with organisations such as Adecco, Randstad, VDAB, and research bodies like University of Liège and Université catholique de Louvain.
Le Forem maintains a network of regional and local offices covering Wallonia’s provinces—Hainaut, Liège, Namur, Luxembourg, and Walloon Brabant. Its presence interfaces with municipal employment initiatives in cities like Charleroi, Mons, Seraing, Verviers, and Tournai. Coordination occurs with other public bodies such as Actiris in Brussels and VDAB in Flanders for cross-regional labour mobility, and with international mobility platforms like EURES to link Walloon employers to European labour markets including France, Germany, Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Funding for Le Forem combines regional Walloon allocations from the Budget of Wallonia with contributions tied to national mechanisms and co-financing from EU instruments such as the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund. Budgetary cycles reflect regional fiscal policy decisions recorded by the Parliament of Wallonia and auditing by bodies such as the Cour des comptes. Project-based funding is often secured through calls under Horizon 2020-like programmes, ESF competitive strands, and partnerships with private sector stakeholders including BNP Paribas Fortis or ING Belgium on specific employability initiatives.
Le Forem’s performance metrics are benchmarked against indicators used by the European Commission and the OECD, including placement rates, duration of unemployment, and training completion. Evaluations have drawn on studies from academic institutions such as Université Libre de Bruxelles and Ghent University and on audits by regional oversight committees in the Parliament of Wallonia. Impact assessments examine links to regional labour-market shifts in sectors like automotive industry, steel industry, logistics, information technology, and healthcare services in Wallonia, and compare outcomes with counterparts such as Actiris, VDAB, and Pôle emploi in France.
Le Forem engages in partnerships with a broad array of actors: European networks like EURES, Cedefop, Eurofound; regional agencies including Actiris and VDAB; international organisations such as the ILO and OECD; universities including University of Liège and Université catholique de Louvain; and private employment agencies like Randstad and Adecco. Cross-border cooperation programmes involve neighbouring regions such as Grand Est and Luxembourg, and participation in EU-funded consortia aligns Le Forem with projects under ESF+, Erasmus+, and transnational initiatives promoted by the European Commission.