This reform, crucial for our country, aims to turn unemployment into a springboard to employment. Sending these letters early enough allows beneficiaries to take the necessary steps and organise themselves to return to the labour market.
The unemployment reform is now entering its concrete phase. Our federal Employment Minister, David Clarinval, has confirmed the launch of the first wave of notifications concerning the time limitation of benefits. Around 28,000 letters are being sent to the jobseekers concerned, a long-planned step that has now been set in motion.
Beyond the measure itself, the whole challenge now lies in supporting these jobseekers. This reform pursues a dual objective: strengthening accountability while mobilising more local actors to help those who can return to work. The minister stresses the importance of the Regions' role in this support process.
In Wallonia, Pierre-Yves Jeholet, regional Employment Minister, reaffirmed: "We do not want to leave anyone behind". With an employment rate of 68.4%, it remains essential to make progress in order to catch up with the European average.
The Forem is organising itself to step up its actions: individual follow-up, targeted offers sent every fortnight, collective initiatives and strengthened partnerships with businesses. More than 270 training courses are also planned, half of them in shortage sectors, with particular focus on transport, construction and digital technology.
Additional Jobdays and "shortage-sector action days" will complement this scheme, to encourage direct contact between employers and candidates.
For the MR, this reform is not intended to weaken people, but rather to encourage reintegration. The path is demanding but necessary to meet the employment challenge in Wallonia. Because every person who finds work again is an individual and collective victory.