PURPOSE: to maintain the guidelines for Member State employment policies, 2006.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2006/544/EC on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

CONTENT: In March 2006, the Council reiterated the importance of implementing employment policies within the Member States as part of the overall framework for achieving the Lisbon objectives. In light of both the Commission’s examination of the National Reform Programmes and the European Council conclusions, focus should therefore be given to the effective and timely implementation of the “Employment Guidelines for 2005-2008”. Further, particular attention should be given to the agreed quantitative targets.

This Decision requires the Member States to take account of the Employment Guidelines when programming the use of Community funding and the European Social Fund, in particular. In view of the integrated nature of the guidelines package, Member States should fully implement the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines.

To do so, this Decision states that the guidelines for Member States’ employment policies, as set out in Annex to Decision 2005/600/EC, should be maintained for 2006 and should be taken into account by the Member States in their employment policies.

The European Parliament adopted the report by Magda KÓSÁNÉ KOVÁCS (PES, HU) approving the proposed Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. It adopted a number of amendments to the recitals under the consultation procedure, underlining the importance of specific guidelines. (Please refer to the summary dated 21/03/2006).

The committee adopted the report by Magda KÓSÁNÉ KOVÁCS (PES, HU) approving the proposed Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. It adopted a number of amendments to the recitals under the consultation procedure, underlining the importance of specific guidelines:

- further progress is needed to increase workers' mobility;

- renewed emphasis should be placed on the employment of young and older people, workers' health, combating work-related accidents at European level, the integration of vulnerable social groups, combating social exclusion, outlawing illegal working, improving the quality and the stability of jobs and the establishment of equal rights and opportunities for men and women;

- in order to promote economic growth and employment and boost competitiveness, Member States should announce their research, innovation and research spending targets, as well as the measures they propose to take in respect of investment for the benefit of small and medium-sized businesses and of microfinancing for women's and family-run businesses which use innovative forms of technology;

- the European Parliament should play a more active role in monitoring the Member States' implementation of the guidelines in the intermediate years until 2008.

PURPOSE : to provide for the maintenance for 2006 and the implementation of guidelines for Member States' employment policies as set out in the annex to Council decision 2005/600/EC.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : t he new Lisbon strategy operating from 2005 onwards is based on a new cycle of governance with an integrated package of guidelines remaining in principle valid until 2008. Based on the integrated guidelines, which encompass economic, social and environmental dimensions, Member States have drawn up their national reform programmes, which set out their three year strategy to deliver growth and jobs.

The assessment of the national reform programmes by the Commission is set out in the Annual Progress Report and in the accompanying draft Joint Employment Report, which will be adopted in accordance with the procedure of article 128(1) of the Treaty. The assessment leads to the following overall conclusions as regards national employment policies:

- all programmes attach high importance to attracting and retaining more people in employment, but the chances of ensuring effective delivery would be enhanced if they were based on lifecycle approaches to facilitate swift employment transitions throughout a career;

- the importance of further measures to improve the adaptability of workers and enterprises is frequently neglected. Greater attention should be given to establishing conditions of "flexicurity" and better links between the tax and benefits systems, and to actively involve the social partners;

- although the crucial importance of developing the skills needed in knowledge-based economies is acknowledged, the need of stepping up investment and achieving a real breakthrough should better be reflected in the policy response;

- Member States should demonstrate their commitment to the new Lisbon agenda by ensuring that spending is targeted to support the Lisbon strategy, by promoting public ownership and by involving the social partners in the governance process.

These conclusions confirm the policies and the reform agenda expressed in the current Employment Guidelines. For procedural reasons laid down in article 128(2), their validity for 2006 needs to be confirmed by a Council decision, following consultation of the European Parliament, the Committee of Regions, the Economic and Social Committee and the Employment Committee.

The Commission considers it appropriate, at this stage of the three year governance cycle, not to propose Employment Recommendations, but draws Member States' attention to the priorities and conclusions of the detailed country assessments contained in the Annual Progress Report.

PURPOSE : to provide for the maintenance for 2006 and the implementation of guidelines for Member States' employment policies as set out in the annex to Council decision 2005/600/EC.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision.

CONTENT : t he new Lisbon strategy operating from 2005 onwards is based on a new cycle of governance with an integrated package of guidelines remaining in principle valid until 2008. Based on the integrated guidelines, which encompass economic, social and environmental dimensions, Member States have drawn up their national reform programmes, which set out their three year strategy to deliver growth and jobs.

The assessment of the national reform programmes by the Commission is set out in the Annual Progress Report and in the accompanying draft Joint Employment Report, which will be adopted in accordance with the procedure of article 128(1) of the Treaty. The assessment leads to the following overall conclusions as regards national employment policies:

- all programmes attach high importance to attracting and retaining more people in employment, but the chances of ensuring effective delivery would be enhanced if they were based on lifecycle approaches to facilitate swift employment transitions throughout a career;

- the importance of further measures to improve the adaptability of workers and enterprises is frequently neglected. Greater attention should be given to establishing conditions of "flexicurity" and better links between the tax and benefits systems, and to actively involve the social partners;

- although the crucial importance of developing the skills needed in knowledge-based economies is acknowledged, the need of stepping up investment and achieving a real breakthrough should better be reflected in the policy response;

- Member States should demonstrate their commitment to the new Lisbon agenda by ensuring that spending is targeted to support the Lisbon strategy, by promoting public ownership and by involving the social partners in the governance process.

These conclusions confirm the policies and the reform agenda expressed in the current Employment Guidelines. For procedural reasons laid down in article 128(2), their validity for 2006 needs to be confirmed by a Council decision, following consultation of the European Parliament, the Committee of Regions, the Economic and Social Committee and the Employment Committee.

The Commission considers it appropriate, at this stage of the three year governance cycle, not to propose Employment Recommendations, but draws Member States' attention to the priorities and conclusions of the detailed country assessments contained in the Annual Progress Report.