ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(79)119
Vol.1979/0058

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COMMISSION OF7riEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(79)119 final
Brussels,9March1979
EMPLOYMENT ANDSOCIALPOLICY
(Communication oftheCommissiontotheEuropeanCouncil
Paris-12and13March1979)
119final

1.Thepresentcrisisofunemployment isnotonlyaproduct
ofparticular circumstances ,butalsoreflectsaspectsof
structural changeintheeconomiesoftheEuropeanCommunity.
Duringthelastfiveyears,between5and6%ofourtotal
workforcehasbeenunemployed .Notallhavebeenequallyaffected.
Unemployment amongwomenhasrisenbymorethan50%since1975,
comparedwith16%formen,andunemployment amongthoseofless
than25yearsoldismorethantwicetheaverageforallagegroups.
Thecrisishasalsohaddifferenteffectsindifferenteconomic
sectorsandregions.
2.Unemployment cannotbecuredbynationaleconomicpolicies
alone.Norwillageneraleconomicrecoverynecessarily solve
theproblem.Weneedanoverallandintegrated approachatCommunity
leveltoavoiddistortions arisingbetweenMemberStates.Weneed
toensurethemostcost-effective useofsocialmeasureswhilst
maintaining thecontinuation ofsocialprogressintheCommunity.
3.Socialpoliciesundertaken atthelevelofMemberStates
havebeendevisedinconsultation withrepresentatives ofboth
employers andunions.Thesamegoesforsocialpoliciesatthe
Europeanlevel.TheCommission haslongsupportedtheTripartite
Conferences,andnegotiations withintheStandingCommitteefor
Employment .Nevertheless procedures needtobeimprovedurgently.
TheEuropeanTradeUnionsConfederation hasmadesuggestions,
andthequestionhasbeendiscussedintheinformalmeetingof.
theSocialMinisters.TheCommissionwillbemakingproposals.
4.Theproblemofwork-sharing isposed.Anyintroduction of
work-sharing wouldrequirethecloseagreementofbothsidesof
industry.Communityactionisnecessaryinordertochannelnational
pressures andtrends.Thechoiceofactiontobetakenshouldbe
Anadewiththe

madewiththeobjectiveofsharingemploymentopportunities ina
moreequitable way.Actionsshouldbeseeninthelightofthe
needtomaintainthecompetitivecharacteroftheeconomiesof
theCommunity.TheCommissionwillbesendingaCommunication
totheCouncilonthissubject.
5.TheCommissionfirmlybelievesthatallCommunityhelpto
thereorganization ofthesteelindustryshouldbebasedonan
overallapproachcomprisingsocialmeasureswithcorrespondingfinancial
support.
6.InOctober1978theCommissionpublishedaCommunication
entitled"SocialAspectsofSteelPolicy".Onthebasisofthis
Communication ,theCommissionintendstoasktheCouncilforfinancial
supporttobemadeavailablecoveringmeasuressuchasloweringthe
retirementage,adjustingshift-work,reducinghoursofworkperweek,
andlimitingovertime.Comparableideasmightbeexaminedforother
industrieswhereunemployment isparticularly high.
7.Inthelightoftheideasalreadypresentedontheuseof
Communityfinancialinstrumentsfortheimplementation ofintegrated
programmes,theCommissioninvitestheEuropeanCounciltosupport
theprincipleofundertaking "modelprogrammes"toreduceunemployment
andtomodernizeindustrialstructuresinsomespecificregions.
«
Insuchprogrammes,appliedatCommunitylevel,nationalandCommunity
assistance wouldbeconcentrated onalimitednumberofindustrial
basinsorareasmostaffectedbythecrisis.Theseprogrammes would
bedesignedtodeal,throughreconversion andreorganization ,with
social,regionalandindustrialproblemsinaco-ordinated way.Such
programmes,involvingspecificprojects,couldbefinancedbythe
NewCommunityInstrument,theEuropeanInvestment Bankandexisting
Communityfunds.

madewiththeobjectiveofsharingemploymentopportunities ina
moreequitableway.Actionsshouldbeseeninthelightofthe
needtomaintainthecompetitive characteroftheeconomiesof
theCommunity.TheCommissionwillbesendingaCommunication
totheCouncilonthissubject.
5.TheCommissionfirmlybelievesthatallCommunityhelpto
thereorganization ofthesteelindustryshouldbebasedonan
overallapproachcomprisingsocialmeasureswithcorrespondingfinancial
support.
6.InOctober1978theCommissionpublished aCommunication
entitled"SocialAspectsofSteelPolicy".Onthebasisofthis
Communication ,theCommissionintendstoasktheCouncilforfinancial
supporttobemadeavailablecoveringmeasuressuchasloweringthe
retirementage,adjustingshift-work,reducinghoursofworkperweek,
andlimitingovertime.Comparableideasmightbeexaminedforother
industries whereunemployment isparticularly high.
7.Inthelightoftheideasalreadypresentedontheuseof
Communityfinancialinstrumentsforthel'mpfementation ofintegrated
programmes,theCommissioninvitestheEuropeanCounciltosupport
theprincipleofundertaking "modelprogrammes"toreduceunemployment
andtomodernizeindustrialstructuresinsomespecificregions.
«
Insuchprogrammes,appliedatCommunitylevel,nationalandCommunity
assistance wouldbeconcentrated onalimitednumberofindustrial
basinsorareasmostaffectedbythecrisis.Theseprogrammes would
bedesignedtodeal,throughreconversion andreorganization ,with
social,regionalandindustrialproblemsinaco-ordinated way.Such
programmes,involvingspecificprojects,couldbefinancedbythe
NewCommunityInstrument,theEuropeanInvestment Bankandexisting
Communityfunds.