EU Commission Joins HR Open Standards Consortium, Uses Data Exchange Standards to Re-Balance European Labour Market

DENVER, CO / April 17, 2014 – The European Commission, the newest member of www.HROpenStandards.org [HR Open Standards Consortium], is using the consortium’s data exchange standards to build a mobile, interconnected European labour market that will quickly and easily match a greater number of resumes with job vacancies.

The commission joined HR Open Standards in late 2013, and since then has employed the consortium’s HR-XML specifications to strengthen EURES, the online European jobs network, to provide increased job offers and increase the likelihood of job matches. To achieve this, EURES is transforming into a comprehensive, interoperability platform for job vacancies and resumes.

The job network is also being extended so the platform will be able to accept offers from private sector recruitment agencies. In order to do this, systems must be able to accurately communicate and exchange data by using international industry standards such as HR-XML. Each member state will establish a national connect point through which public and private partners can exchange resumes and job vacancies. When completed, the job mobility portal will make it possible for matching engines to efficiently connect employers and job seekers across Europe.

“The search for highly specialized talent is a huge challenge in today’s business world,” said Kim Bartkus, executive director of HR Open Standards. “Employers and job seekers may be a perfect match, but it’s useless if they can’t locate each other because they’re not using the same communication channels.”

“The HR-XML specification from the HR Open Standards Consortium will enable Europe-wide interoperability of job vacancies and resumes,” said Henric Stjernquist, Team Leader, EURES IT and Communications, “leading to more powerful job matching across the European labour market.”

Established in 1993, EURES is a co-operation network between the European Commission and the Public Employment Services of the EEA Member States (The EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and other partner organisations. Switzerland also takes part in EURES cooperation.

About HR Open Standards
Founded in 1999 as the HR-XML Consortium, HR Open Standards is the only independent, non-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to the development and promotion of common specifications that enable human resources-related data exchanges.

By championing collaboration and innovation, HR Open Standards works to save HR professionals time and money by providing employers, government, software and service providers with flexible, comprehensive and free sets of HR specifications. For more information, visit www.HROpenStandards.org.

Media Contact:
Kim Bartkus, Executive Director
HR Open Standards Consortium, Inc.
303-359-0687
kim(a)hropenstandards.org

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