Resources available to the Foundation

Competences of the Foundation as defined in Council Regulation (EEC) No 1365/75 of 26 May 1975; amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1111/2005 of 24 June 2005

Areas of Community competence deriving from the Treaty

‘The Community and the Member States, having in mind fundamental social rights, … shall have as their objectives… improved living and working conditions, … the Community shall support and complement the activities of the Member States in the following fields; … b) working conditions; c) social security and the social protection of workers; d) protection of workers where their employment contract is terminated; e) the information and consultation of workers; f) representation and the collective defence of the interests of workers and employers, including co-determination; g) conditions of employment for third-country nationals; h) the integration of persons excluded from the labour market; i) equality between men and women…’ (Articles 136 and 137 of the Treaty)

Objectives The aim of the Foundation shall be to contribute to the establishment of better living and working conditions by increasing and disseminating knowledge which is relevant to this subject. In particular, it is required to consider the following areas: — man at work, — organisation of work and particularly job design, — problems peculiar to certain categories of workers, — long-term aspects of the improvement of the environment, — the distribution of human activities in space and in time.

Tasks — to foster the exchange of information and experience in these fields, — to facilitate contact between universities, study and research institutes, economic and social administrations and organisations, — to carry out studies or to conclude study contracts and to provide assistance for pilot projects, — to cooperate as closely as possible with existing specialised institutes in the Member States and at international level.

1. The Governing Board (GB) — from each Member State: 1 government representative, 1 representative from employers' organisations and 1 workers' representative, — 3 representatives from the Commission. 2. The Bureau of the GB — consists of 11 members; 3 members from each of the social partners and the governments, 2 from the Commission, — it monitors the implementation of decisions of the GB and takes measures to ensure proper management between GB meetings. 3. The Director is appointed by the Commission from a list of candidates submitted by the GB, he implements the decisions of the GB and the Bureau of the GB and manages the Foundation. 4. The Advisory Committees are composed of up to 3 members from the Commission, governments and the social partners, with the aim of advising on the implementation of major projects and the assessment of results. 5. External audit The Court of Auditors. 6. Discharge given by the Parliament on a recommendation by the Council.

Final Budget for 2006 19,8 million euro (19,3) Including a Community subsidy of: 98,9 % (98,8%) Staff in December 2006 94 (94) posts provided for in the establishment plan; Posts occupied: 89 (82) Other staff: Seconded National Experts and employment-agency staff: 1 (12) Contract staff: 9 (3) Total staff employed: 99 (94) assigned to the following tasks: — operational: 58 (54) — administrative: 32 (32) — mixed: 4 (5)