PURPOSE: to maintain the validity in 2013 of guidelines on employment adopted in Council Decision 2010/707/EU on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2013/208/EU on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

BACKGROUND:

The integrated guidelines give precise guidance to the Member States on defining their national reform programmes and on implementing reforms. The employment guidelines adopted in 2010 should remain stable until 2014 to ensure a focus on their implementation. Until the end of 2014, any updating of the employment guidelines should remain strictly limited.

In 2011 and 2012, the employment guidelines were maintained. They should be maintained for 2013.

CONTENT: the examination of the Member States’ draft national reform programmes, contained in the Joint Employment Report adopted by the Council on 28 February 2013, shows that Member States should continue to make every effort to address the following priorities:

· increasing labour market participation and reducing structural unemployment,

· developing a skilled workforce responding to labour market needs and promoting job quality and lifelong learning,

· improving the performance of education and training systems at all levels,

· increasing participation in tertiary education,

· promoting social inclusion and combating poverty.

The guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States, as set out in the Annex to Decision 2010/707/EU, are maintained for 2013 and shall be taken into account by the Member States in their employment policies.

It is stated that Member States should explore the use of the European Social Fund when implementing the employment guidelines.

Ministers agreed on a general approach confirming that the guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States, adopted in 2010, will remain unchanged for 2013.

The priority areas identified in the guidelines are the following:

increasing labour market participation of women and men, reducing structural unemployment and promoting job quality; developing a skilled workforce responding to labour market needs and promoting lifelong learning; improving the quality and performance of education and training systems and increasing participation in tertiary or equivalent education; and promoting social inclusion and combating poverty.

This general approach will need to be reconsidered when the conclusions of the March European Council on employment can also be taken into account .

The European Parliament adopted by 490 votes to 107, with 10 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

Parliament approved the Commission proposal without amendment.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the report by Pervenche BERÈS (S&D, FR) on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

It recommends the European Parliament to approve, without amendment, the Commission proposal.

PURPOSE: to maintain the validity in 2013 of guidelines on employment adopted in Council Decision 2010/707/EU on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: on 26 March 2010, the European Council agreed to the European Commission's proposal to launch a new strategy for jobs and growth, Europe 2020, based on enhanced coordination of economic policies, which will focus on the key areas where action is needed to boost Europe’s potential for sustainable growth and competitiveness. To that end, the European Council agreed to set EU headline targets, which constitute shared objectives guiding action of the Member States and of the Union.

The Treaty on the functioning of the EU provides that Member States are to regard their economic policies and promoting employment as matters of common concern and coordinate them within the Council. In two distinct articles, it provides that the Council is to adopt broad economic policy guidelines (Article 121) and employment guidelines (Article 148), specifying that the latter must be consistent with the former. Given this legal basis, the guidelines for employment and economic policies are presented as two distinct - but intrinsically interconnected - legal instruments:

a Council Recommendation on broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and of the Union -Part I of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines; a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States –Part II of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines.

These guidelines implemented by the above mentioned legal instruments form together the integrated guidelines for implementing the Europe 2020 strategy . The employment guidelines were adopted on 21 October 2010, and as provided by the adoption decision should remain stable until 2014 to ensure a focus on implementation.

The overall objectives and priorities expressed in the guidelines for the employment policies remain valid. For this reason, the Commission’s proposal maintains in their original state the guidelines adopted in 2010.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 148(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: in this text, the Commission proposes that the guidelines for Member States’ employment policies contained in the Annex to the Council Decision of 21 October 2010 should be maintained in 2013 and taken into account by Member States in their employment policies.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.

PURPOSE: to maintain the validity in 2013 of guidelines on employment adopted in Council Decision 2010/707/EU on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: on 26 March 2010, the European Council agreed to the European Commission's proposal to launch a new strategy for jobs and growth, Europe 2020, based on enhanced coordination of economic policies, which will focus on the key areas where action is needed to boost Europe’s potential for sustainable growth and competitiveness. To that end, the European Council agreed to set EU headline targets, which constitute shared objectives guiding action of the Member States and of the Union.

The Treaty on the functioning of the EU provides that Member States are to regard their economic policies and promoting employment as matters of common concern and coordinate them within the Council. In two distinct articles, it provides that the Council is to adopt broad economic policy guidelines (Article 121) and employment guidelines (Article 148), specifying that the latter must be consistent with the former. Given this legal basis, the guidelines for employment and economic policies are presented as two distinct - but intrinsically interconnected - legal instruments:

a Council Recommendation on broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and of the Union -Part I of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines; a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States –Part II of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines.

These guidelines implemented by the above mentioned legal instruments form together the integrated guidelines for implementing the Europe 2020 strategy . The employment guidelines were adopted on 21 October 2010, and as provided by the adoption decision should remain stable until 2014 to ensure a focus on implementation.

The overall objectives and priorities expressed in the guidelines for the employment policies remain valid. For this reason, the Commission’s proposal maintains in their original state the guidelines adopted in 2010.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 148(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: in this text, the Commission proposes that the guidelines for Member States’ employment policies contained in the Annex to the Council Decision of 21 October 2010 should be maintained in 2013 and taken into account by Member States in their employment policies.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.