Council Recommendation on the Implementation of
Member States' Employment Policies
Commission of the European Communities
Brussels, 12.9.2001
COM(2001) 512 final
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in
particular Article 128 (4) thereof,
Having regard to the Commission recommendation of 12 September 2001,
Having regard to the joint opinion of the Employment Committee and the
Economic Policy Committee
Whereas:
The Council adopted the employment guidelines for 2001 by the Decision of
19 January 2001.
The Lisbon European Council on 23 and 24 March 2000 agreed on a
comprehensive strategy towards employment, economic reform and social cohesion
and made a commitment to creating the conditions for full employment; targets
for employment rates to be reached by 2010 were accordingly set and further
complemented by the Stockholm European Council on 23 and 24 March with
intermediate targets for 2005 and a new target for increasing the employment
rate among older women and men by 2010.
The Nice European Council on 7, 8 and 9 December approved the European
Social Agenda, which states that the return to full employment involves
ambitious policies in terms of increasing employment rates, reducing regional
gaps, reducing inequality and improving job quality.
The Council adopted the recommendation on the Broad Economic Policy
Guidelines on 15 June 2001, and the Amsterdam European Council of 16 and 17 June
1997 agreed on a Resolution on a Stability and Growth Pact setting commitments
by Member States.
Member States should implement this recommendation in a way which is
consistent with the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines, and in particular the
labour market part thereof.
The 2001 Joint Employment Report, prepared jointly with the Commission,
describes the employment situation in the Community and examines the action
taken by Member States in implementing their employment policy in line with the
Employment Guidelines and the Council Recommendation of 19 January 2001 on the
implementation of Member States' employment policies.
The Council considers it appropriate, in the light of the examination of
the implementation of the Member States' employment policies, to make
recommendations. They should be used sparingly, concentrate on priority issues
and be based on sound and accurate analysis.
In complementing action undertaken by the Member States with a view to
contributing towards the achievement of full employment, the competences of the
Member States should be respected.
The Council acknowledges the significant efforts already undertaken by
Member States with a view to implementing the Employment Guidelines and the
Recommendation of 19 January 2001. In the assessment of the impact of these
policies, the multi-annual perspective of the Employment Guidelines should be
taken into account.
Member States should articulate their response to the Guidelines under
the four pillars in a coherent overall strategy aiming at full employment, recognising Member
States' different starting positions, the development and implementation of
comprehensive and coherent strategies for lifelong learning and a comprehensive partnership
with the social partners; due consideration should be given to gender mainstreaming
and the need to reduce regional disparities and evaluate progress under all four
pillars on the basis of indicators.
In order to influence the trend in youth and long-term unemployment, all
young people should have the opportunity to gain entry to the world of work before they
have been unemployed for six months and all the adult unemployed should be offered a
new start before they have been unemployed for twelve months.
Member States should pursue the modernisation of their Public Employment
Services;
It is important to reduce disincentives to employment embodied in the
tax or benefit systems in order to ensure higher participation rates amongst women and older
workers.
The development and implementation of lifelong learning, covering the
development of systems for initial, secondary and tertiary education, further education
and vocational training and the setting of national targets, is crucial to the
development of a competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society and requires the active
commitment of all actors concerned, including public authorities, the social
partners and individuals, with a relevant contribution from civil society.
A coherent set of policies which promote social inclusion by supporting
the integration of disadvantaged groups and individuals into the world of work, and combat
discrimination in access to, and on the labour market is called for.
Improvements of the business environment and a better equipment of
individuals for taking up entrepreneurial activities are needed to stimulate job creation by
more and more dynamic enterprises. Framework conditions need to be developed to tap
the potential for employment growth in the services sector.
Sustained job creation calls for more employment-friendly taxation
systems in which the currently high burden on labour is shifted to alternative sources of
fiscal revenue, such as energy and the environment.
Local action for employment significantly contributes to the achievement
of the objectives of the European Employment Strategy.
The establishment of partnerships at all appropriate levels is crucial
for the modernisation of the organisation of work and the promotion of the
adaptability of undertakings and their employees.
Gender gaps in the labour market, particularly affecting employment,
unemployment and pay, as well as gender segregation across sectors and occupations,
require comprehensive mainstreaming strategies and measures to better reconcile work
and family life.
HEREBY ISSUES to the individual Member States the recommendations set out in
the Annex.
