As part of the EBSOMED Project, BUSINESSMED's launch of the three Employers thematic committees was held in Barcelona, Spain on 20 November 2018, with the purpose to create an environment favourable to Mediterranean growth, promote full North-South and South-South economic integration and implement efficient partnership networks.

The approach of the thematic committees was based on reviewing work- based learning models and analyse the quality of Vocational Training in the target countries as well as making clear policies and recommendations for the involved parties and the decision makers to help reduce imbalances.

As a first phase, a president and 2 Vice Presidents coming from Employers Organizations were assigned to each committee along with a BUSINESSMED coordinator. An expert will be selected to join each committee based on the terms of relevance that will be defined during the first meeting.

The 3 topics of the employers’ thematic committees are:

• Women and Youth Empowerment: for a cutting-edge, strategic support in women and youth programming in all development contexts.
• Education and R&D, to foster research and support industrial R&D on new energy technologies and hence, improving energy technology policies.
• Vocational Training, to monitor labour market trends and helping the European Commission, Euro-Mediterranean countries and employers’ organisations to match training provision to labour market needs.

By the end of the meeting, each committee had to elaborate a clear report and a synthesis including a summary with recommendations, policy advice for each country and terms of relevance for the selection of the experts.  It was also enclosed by selecting the topic and preparing the action plan for the upcoming meetings.