An average of just over 822,000 were benefitting from direct job creation measures in EU-27 at any point in 2007

In 2007, direct job creation measures accounted for 14.6% of EU expenditure on 'active' labour market policy (LMP) measures or 4.1% of total LMP expenditure, though there is considerable variation between countries. In most countries direct job creation measures are declining in importance compared to other types of LMP measure. During 2007 there was an average of just over 822,000 people benefitting from direct job creation measures at any point during the year. That represents 7.1% of the 11.5 million persons participating in all types of LMP measure, though as with expenditure, the share varies significantly between countries. The average cost of direct job creation measures across the EU is over 10,000 euros per person-year, which is more than double the cost for all types of LMP measure. The statistics shown are based on Eurostat's LMP database which collects information on labour market interventions. LMP interventions are classified into three main types - services, measures and supports - and into nine detailed categories according to the type of action. This publication looks at the category of direct job creation which covers interventions that create additional jobs, usually of community benefit or socially useful, in order to provide short-term experience of work – often for the long-term unemployed and other groups that are difficult to place in the regular labour market.