This is under maintenance, please use the Acceptance environment


OVERVIEW


What is it?

This document is the second of two volumes that make up the publication Promoting Employment and Decent Work in Development Cooperation (Reference Document No. 30).
Volume 1 – Concepts and Foundations aims to enhance the ability of Commission staff to assess a country's employment challenges, engage in technical dialogue with counterparts, and promote employment and decent work as part of the EU's international development efforts.
Volume 2 – Practical Guidance for Designing Employment-Focused Interventions provides support for conducting analysis, facilitating policy dialogue, and designing various types of interventions. It is structured into concise, standalone guidance notes that offer quick access to good practices across a range of topics.
Although complementary, the two volumes can be used independently of one another.


What can it be used for?

The manual aims to enhance Commission staff's ability to diagnose a country's employment challenges, engage in technical dialogue with counterparts, and design targeted initiatives to promote employment and decent work. Volume 2 provides practical guidance on the instruments and policy responses available for selection.


When can it be used?

The guide can be used at any stage of the Intervention Cycle Management, as it provides guidance on programming, policy dialogue, intervention design, monitoring, evaluation, and related areas.


Who can use it?

EU staff and other development practitioners, including consultants dealing with EU projects.


What are its strengths?

It is structured into concise, standalone guidance notes that offer quick access to good practices across a range of topics. The publication is not intended to be read from cover to cover; rather, readers can consult the different volumes, sections, and notes according to their specific needs and level of experience.


What are its limitations?

While acknowledging the wide range of policy areas relevant to promoting employment outcomes, the practical guidance focuses specifically on labour market policies and interventions. This does not imply a prioritisation of labour market policies over other areas; rather, it reflects a pragmatic focus and the fact that similar practical guides already exist for other policy domains.


PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Key elements

The Practical Guidance presents 21 Guidance notes organized around 5 main topics. Each guidance note provides: a summary of objectives and key messages, General information on the specific notes' subject, Link to related web pages and programmes, "Good" practice table.

 



Requirements

Data/information. N.A.

Time. N.A.

Skills. N.A.

Facilities and materials. N.A.

Financial costs and sources. N.A.

Tips and tricks. This table provides tips & tricks to assist EU staff and practitioners in effectively designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions that promote employment and decent work.


Area

Tips & Tricks

Explanation / Application

Use by Topic

Refer to guidance notes selectively, not sequentially

Each note is standalone. Use only the ones relevant to the intervention or stage you're working on—no need to read the full document.

Integration Across Phases

Apply guidance at all stages of the intervention cycle

The document is applicable from programming to evaluation. Use it to inform policy dialogue, design, monitoring, and review processes.

Diagnosis First

Start by identifying country-specific employment challenges

Use diagnostics to understand structural issues, inform priorities, and justify interventions.

Policy Synergy

Ensure labour market interventions are coherent with other policy areas

Even though the focus is on employment, align efforts with education, private sector development, and social protection policies.

Evidence-Based Design

Use good practices and real examples from the guidance notes

Many notes include tables of 'good' practices—use them to shape context-specific solutions rather than reinventing approaches.

Stakeholder Engagement

Engage in technical dialogue with counterparts early

Collaboration ensures local ownership and alignment with national priorities, increasing intervention impact.

Tailor to Context

Avoid generic solutions—adapt tools and approaches to national realities

Flexibility is key. What works in one region may not be transferable to another without adjustment.

Focus on Labour Market Functioning

Prioritise interventions that improve labour market institutions and services

Focus areas might include public employment services, skills matching, and vocational training effectiveness.

Link with EU Indicators

Align interventions with the Sector Indicator Guidance Note on Employment and VET

Ensure consistency in results reporting and facilitate monitoring against EU standards.




EU RESOURCES




For further information, any revision or comment, please contact INTPA-ICM-GUIDE@ec.europa.eu

Published by INTPA.D.4 - Quality and results, evaluation, knowledge management. Last update May 2025