The Cabinet approved an updated Employment Strategy 2008-2015 on Wednesday, the Government's Information Service said.

It provides for an increase of the employment rate in the 15-64 age group up to 72 per cent in 2015. This means that Bulgaria will meet the 70 per cent employment rate, targeted in the Lisbon Strategy, two years ahead of schedule, the message said.

The strategy also envisages employment rate of up to 68 per cent among women, and up to 30 per cent among young people. According to the document, unemployment among people over the age of 15 will go down to 5 per cent while the population, involved in lifelong learning, is expected to increase up to 7 per cent.

Efforts will be made to provide conditions and possibilities for efficient employment of the active population so as to lift living standards, enhance social cohesion and accelerated economic growth.

The strategy includes two periods. In the 2008-2010 period the efforts will be focused on increasing the offering of workforce, support of social inclusion, increasing the level of knowledge and skills. In the 2011-2015 period the focus will be on considerable improvement of the investments in the human capital, provision of sustainable and efficient employment and integration of a broader range of people into the labour market.

The updated strategy envisages four principal areas of action: policy of economic growth and employment; stimulation of the discouraged and non-active and their efficient integration into
the labour market; provision of flexicurity; and education and training in support of a knowledge-based economy.