The key concept underpinning the communication is the need to regard social protection as a productive factor and to strengthen the links between social protection and employment policy. The fight against social exclusion features in the draft Amsterdam Treaty , in conjunction with the possibility of appropriate measures being adopted on a qualified majority basis. Hitherto, the Commission's activities in the social policy field have normally been in the form of targeted measures aimed at specific groups with special needs, such as disabled people and the elderly. Thus, in 1991, the Council adopted a decision on Community actions for the elderly . To facilitate the economic and social integration of elderly persons and the disabled, the Community has also launched the TIDE initiative, which is designed to promote the creation of an internal market for rehabilitation technologies in Europe.
Transport is one of the most acute problems facing disabled people.
The Commission has presented a proposal for a Council Directive on minimum requirements to improve the mobility and the safe transport to work of workers with reduced mobility , but this has remained blocked at Council level since 1991. A Council recommendation for the mutual recognition by the Member States of parking cards for disabled people was, however, adopted on 4 June 1998. The Commission will continue to promote schemes designed to reinforce policies for the integration of migrants who are nationals of third countries residing legally on EU territory. To give a new impetus to the overall strategy at EU level, the Commission adopted a communication on racism, xenophobia and anti-semitism . This has led to the establishment of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia , whose task is to study the extent and development of these phenomena, to analyse the causes and to disseminate examples of good practice.