The plan, which is based on the European Employment Strategy (EES), is elaborated in ten guidelines.
Employment measures for the 2005-2008 period are categorised in three groups: critical, very desirable and desirable measures.
The critical measures include the reduction of the time necessary for the registration of crafts and small companies from the current 50 to less than 20 days.
The government wants to direct the measures to persons who are jobless more than one year and who may have been on the dole for more than one year.
Citizens who are looking for jobs for more than 12 months will be covered by training programmes which will enhance their chances of employment.
The measures also focus on unemployed women who account for 60 percent of unemployed Croatians.
In order to help in the employment of women who are mothers, the government also plans to cover at least 90 percent of children above the age of three with pre-school education and care.
The government also pointed to a small number of part-time employees. The Ivo Sanader cabinet is planning to encourage employers to opt for this form of employment too.
The national plan also stipulates measures against discrimination against older workers.
The national action plan will be financed from the state budget, and the government today bound competent bodies to draft, in the next two months, measures of implementation for 2005.
Prime Minister Sanader urged cooperation of the government, entrepreneurs and trade unions in the implementation of the plan.