According to the latest European Vacancy Monitor, published by the European Commission on Monday, February 24, recent trends point to an ever-widening gap between countries of Northern and Southern European Member States in terms of job opportunities.

This latest issue of the EVM reveals a shortage of labor supply in countries such as Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Austria and Sweden, while competition for jobs is increasing in countries such as Greece, Spain and Slovakia. Overall, employment vacancies stagnated in the European Union in the second quarter of 2013, except for a small increase in the number of job vacancies in the public sector. Recruitment fell by 4%, while hiring increased in less than half the countries over the period. 

“Diverging job prospects in Northern and Southern Europe underline mismatches in the European labor market, linked also to eurozone asymmetries,” said László Andor, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion upon releasing these results.

The Commissioner considers that “Labor mobility might help to reduce” this asymmetry. “Tools supporting workers mobility within the European labor market such as EURES, are available to help job seekers find job opportunities.” EURES, the European job mobility portal, includes more than two million job offers.