On October 21st 2010 a joint conference of Fridrich Ebert Stiftung, IZA and CELSI covering the topic “Ethnic Diversity in European Labor Markets: Challenges and Solutions for Slovakia and Europe” took place in Bratislava. Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family was represented by the state secretary Lucia Nicholsonová. Key speech on Ethnic Diversity in the European Labor markets was delivered by Klaus F. Zimmermann, Director of the Institute of the Study of Labor in Bonn, Professor at Bonn University, and President of DIW Berlin. Martin Kahanec, Scientific direcotr of CELSI, Senior Research Associate at IZA Bonn, and Assitant Professor at CEU Budapest followed up on the keynote speech by presenting practical outcomes of the research which will be published in a book „Ethnic diversity in European Labor Markets: Challenges and Solutions“ which he co-edited with Klaus F. Zimmermann (forthcoming 2011, Edward Elgar Publishing).The issues of Roma minority in Slovakia were covered in panel discussion featuring also Béla Janky (Hungary), Jarmila Lajčáková (CVEK Bratislava) and Slávka Mačáková (ETF Košice). A follow-up dinner with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic Jozef Mihál underscored the importance of the topic of the event.

Short abstract of the book: Does ethnic diversity in European labor markets lead to poor socio-economic outcomes for some ethnic groups in the face of fierce competition for jobs and welfare? Or can labor immigration and improved integration of all ethnic groups rather provide a solution to the challenges posed by a shrinking population, an aging workforce, skill shortages and other bottlenecks that constrain the innovative potential of the EU? What can policymakers do to nurture and encourage such benefits of ethnic diversity in the EU? This book addresses these issues in a highly accessible way via an illuminating combination of hard data analysis with expert evaluation of various integration practices and policy options.