ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(82)661
Vol.1982/0208

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(82)661 final
Brussels , October 1982
REORGANISATION OPAVAILABLE WORK ;YOUNG PEOPLE
AND THE LABOUR MARKET
(Communication oftheCommission totheStanding
Committee ofEmployment )
XXYMiuLû /,^ ""\
I^v/I– -J +.y
V;*:•S-<?'
COM (82)661 final

Introduction
FollowingthemeetingoftheStandingEmploymentCommittee
on27thApril1982,theCounciloftheEuropeanCommunities
preparedaResolution on'Communityactiontocombatunemploy­
ment'.ThisResolution,whichwasadoptedon28thJune1982
reflectedtheconclusions ofvariousmeetingsoftheEuropean
Council,andinparticularthemeetingon29thand30thMarch,
1982concerningemployment;theconclusionsoftheCouncil
meetingof11thJune1981oftheMinistersofEconomicAffairs
andFinanceandMinistersforLabouraridSocialAffairs?andthe
Commission'scontribution entitled'ACommunityActionProgramme
toFightUnemployment 1.
TheCouncilResolution (annexedtothepresentcommunication )
wasorientedtowardscombatting unemployment andrestoring
economicgrowthinasituationofmonetarystability,while
continuingtofightagainstinflationandensuringthecompe­
titivenessofCommunityundertakings .TheCouncilwasconvinced
oftheneedtocontinueortoundertakewithinthisframework
specificactiononemploymentatCommunitylevel.TheResolution
calledfor:
-Thepromotionofprivateandpublicproductiveinvestmentin
ordertostrengthencompetitive capacity,encourageeconomic
growthandraiseemployment.Commissionsuggestionsregarding
investmentpriorities werenoted.
-EffectiveandcoherentuseofCommunityInstruments ,notably
forleastfavouredregions.
-Industrialrestructuring programmestogivesimultaneous
attentiontoemploymentproblemsandinvestmentrationalisation
problems.
-Thepromotionofthedevelopmentpotentialofsmallandmedium
sizedundertakings asasourceofinnovation andemployment.
TheResolutionalso;
-RequestedtheCommissiontoreportontheresultsofits
researchintojobcreationbylocalinitiatives andcooperatives .
-Stressedtheprioritiestobegiventovocationaltraining
foryoungpeopleandmeasurestointegratethemintothelabour
market.
-Calledforcontinueddialoguebythesocialpartnersconcerning
distribution ofworkingtime,notingthattheCommissionwould
submitamemorandumonthequestionbytheendof1982.
-NotedtheCommission'sintentiontopromotebetterfunctioning
andtransparency ofthelabourmarket.

-2-
ThelastmeetingoftheStandingEmploymentCommitteeandthe
CouncilResolutionquotedaboveconcentrated onnewjobcreation.
TheCommissionisthereforeoftheviewthatthissessionofthe
StandingEmploymentCommitteecouldmostprofitablyfocuson:
-Thepromotionofabetterdistribution ofavailablework
andincomethroughmoreflexibleworkingarrangements andalso
toreductionsinworkingtime.
-Theintegration ofyoungpeopleintothelabourmarketthrough
trainingandtheprovisionofadequatejobopportunities .
Bothofcourseremainessentialtopicsfordiscussionatthe
JointCouncil.

-3-
Reorganisation ofavailablework
AdebatehasbeengoingonwithintheCommunityforseveralyears
onthecontribution thatchangesinworkingtimearrangements can
maketothecreationofemploymentopportunities andtheallevia­
tionofunemployment .Itisclearthatpolicyregardingthereorga­
nisationofavailableworkmusttakedueaccountofpresenteconomic
constraints ,inparticulartheprospectsforgrowthandemployment.
Itisequallyclearthatitmustalsotakeaccountoftheneedto
maintainthecompetitivity ofenterprises .
TheCouncilResolutionof18December1979on"theadaptationof
workingtimeestablished guidelinesinvariousareas.
SomeprogresshasalreadybeenmadebytheCommission .Adraftrecom­
mendationonflexibleretirementisbeforetheCouncilwhichurges
MemberStatestotakestepstogiveworkerstherighttochoose
thetimeoftheirretirement fromagivenage,inaccordancewith
certainprinciples .ItishopedtoachieveCommunity-wide results
inthisareawhereseveralMemberStateshavealreadyachieved
appreciable employmenteffects.
TheCommission'sdraftdirectiveonvoluntarypart-timework,once
implemented ,wouldenddiscrimination againstpart-timeworkers,
makingitamoreacceptable formofemployment andthuscontributing
tothereorganisation ofwork.Oncethislegislationisonoperation,
theCommissionwillconsiderhowandtowhatextentvariousforms
ofpart-timeworkcanbeactivelypromoted.Inthecreationofnew
part-timejobs,forexamplethrough'jobsplitting',theprinciple
thatthepart-timeoptionisvoluntarymustbemaintained .
Asfarastheannualvolumeofworkisconcerned,itisnot
onlythenumberofhoursworkedthatisimportant,buttheway
thosehoursareorganised.Governments mustendeavourtoremove
legalconstraints ongreaterflexibility (subjecttothisnotconflic­
tingwithmorebasicsocialobjectives),whileemployersand
employeesworkoutarrangements whichpromoteflexibility inmore
detail.
Itisimportantandencouraging tonotecertainnewdevelopments
incollectiveagreementsinwhich'jobcreation'hasbecomeanew
factortobenegotiatedalongsidewages,workingconditions ,pro­
ductivityarrangements andworkingtime.Inotherwords,the
unemployedarebeingtakenaccountofinnegotiations .Thereare
alsosignsofawelcomewillingness toforegototalwagecompen-

-4-
sation andtobemore flexible asregards weekend working ,in
exchange forguarantees from employers about new jobs tobe
created .Clearly ,thedetails ofsuch negotiations canonly be
worked outbythe social partners atenterprise level where the
impact onincome ,employment andprofitability isatstake .
Nevertheless ,itwould aidtheprocess toidentify what action
ispossible atCommunity level .Inparticular ,governments should
establish inaCommunity framework theextent towhich they might
participate ,forinstance byexamining thepossibility ofproviding
pump priming finance (ineffect ploughing back theextra funds
thex dispose ofasaresult ofreduced expenditure onunemployment
benefits andincreased taxreceipts ).
Since there are differences between countries and sectors in
terms oftheaverage level ofhours ofwork ,and itsvariants ,
there axeclear difficulties indefining simple norms .Never­
theless ,theCommission feels that with current levels ofunem­
ployment serious efforts should bemade toseek ageneral
consensus toimprove theprospects forincreasing employment
opportunities byreorganising theavailable work provided that
thecompetitive position ofenterprises isnot impaired .
Part ofannual working time consists ofsystematic overtime .
Overtime working haslessened considerably intherecession ,
but still persists insome sectors insome Member States .
Commission policy hasbeen tolimit theuse ofsystematic over­
time with compensation bytime offinlieu rather than byaddi­
tional payments .There iswidespread general agreement onthe
need tocontain overtime inthis way and inparticular toensure
that anysubstantial reduction inbasic working time isnot
offset byincreased overtime ,andthepossibility ofaCommu­
nity policy framework should beconsidered .
IntheCommission 'sview ,abetter distribution ofavailable
work andincome through more flexible working arrangements ,
including reductions inworking time ,could serve both eco­
nomic and social objectives -putting under-utilised manpower
tomore productive purpose andensuring wider access toemploy­
ment .TheCommission 'sapproach istotrytoidentify thepre­
cise conditions inwhich the adaptation ofworking time can
have durable employment effects .

-5-
Youngpeopleandthelabourmarket
Concernhascontinuallybeenexpressedoverthelevelofyouth
unemployment intheCommunity-currentlyaccountingforover
401°ofthetotal-andmanymeasuresandactionshavebeen
developedandundertakenintheMemberStatesandatCommunitylevel.
Twodistincttypesofdifficultyfaceyoungpeople-obtaining
ajobandkeepingit.Theunemployedschoolleaverhasreceived
muchpublicattentionandmuchpolicyactionhasbeenoriented
inthisdirectionwithaparticularemphasisontheneedto
giveyoungpeoplemarketableskillsortoimprovetheirgeneral
employability .ThedevelopmentofaCommunitywideyouthguarantee
oftrainingandworkexperienceforyoungpeoplefollowingthe
completionoffulltimecompulsoryeducationisbeingvigorouslypursuedbvtheCommissioninthecontextoftheSocialFund
Review(l)andinthedevelopmentofvocationaltrainingpolicy
atCommunitylevel,regardingwhichanewcommunication vrill
shortlybebeforetheCouncil.
Overcomingdifficulties ofentryintothelabourmarketare
extremelyimportant.However,pursuitofthispolicyonits
ownwillnotresolvetheyouthunemployment problem.Indeed,
sinceyouthunemploymentisareflectionofgensralunemployment ,itislikelytoremainaproblemasanduntilaggregateeconomic
problemsareresolved.Effectivepolicyactionrequiresbothan
understanding ofthenatureofyouthunemployment andapolicy
judgementastotheextenttowhichpositiveactionshouldbe
undertakentoimprovetherelativepositionofyoungpeople
giventhatsuchactionmay,asacounterpart ,involvediscrimi­
nationagainstothers-primeageworkers,secondincomeearners,
olderworkers.
Muchjobcreationactiontodateforyoungpeoplehasbeenin
theformeitheroftemporarypublicsectorjobsortemporary
jobsintheprivatesectorsupportedbypublicfunds.Whilst
thesehaveprovidedemploymentandworkexperience ,theylackcontinuityandareaninadequateresponse.Moreover,theyoftenfailtoreachthosemostinneed.Muchmoreneedstobedone
toimprovethequalityandpermanenceofjobsinordertoavoid
youngpeoplefallingintorepeatedperiodsofunemployment .
JSotallyoungpeoplewantapre-programmed careerfromrecruit­
menttoretirement,butmostwantstabilityanditistheabsence
ofthiswhichultimatelyproducesaworkerwhoissociallyand
occupationally marginal.Waysneedtobesoughtinwhichgovern­
mentfundingorsupportputstheemphasisoncontinuityofemploy­
ment.
(l)COM4B5/8

-6-
Hotallyoungpeopleareequallyaffectedbythelimitedjob
opportunities available.Socialandeducational background
playamajorpartinthewayinwhichyoungpeopledoordonot
obtainwork.Employmentpremiatoaidyoungpeopleintoemploy­
mentarenotthereforeappropriate inallcircumstances ,and
theymaybeinefficientifthesameresultcouldbeachieved
byareductioninyoungpeople'srelativeearningswithouttheirreachinganunacceptably lowlevel.Premiatohelpdis­advantagedgroupsamongsttheyoung(oneitherregionalorsocialcriteria)would,however,beconsistentwiththeideaof
providingmoreeq~aalopportunities inobtainingemployments
andifapermanentgrowthinactivityandemploymentcanbe
achievedthroughthepaymentofashort-termrecruitment subsidy,
thenacontribution tostabilityofemploymentwillhavebeen
achieved.
Theemploymentprospectsofyoungwomenhasbecomesignificantly
worsethanthatofyoungmenintherecession.Moreover,progressachievedinentering'male1jobshasregressed.Young
womenhavetendedtobedirectedtooexclusively towardster­tiarysectoroccupations andtraining.Theiraccesstoindustrial
trainingandtradesmustbeincreasedandlongertermactionis
requiredtodevelopcareerstructuresintertiaryjobsandto
strengthentheprofessional natureoftraininginthisfield.
Moreactiveconsideration shouldbegiventothefollowing
measures:
-thelinkingofflexibleretirement programmestothehiring
ofyoungpeoplewhetherforfull-timeorpart-timeworkf
-Experiments bycompaniesinofferingyoungpeoplelessthan
full-timejobs.
Someanalystsclaimthatyouthunemployment isinpartorlargely
aquestionofhighrelativeearningscomparedwiththoseof
experiencedadultworkers.TheCommissionconsidersthatit
willbeuseful,notonlytoassembleandstudytheavailable
evidencefromstatistical sources,drawingalsoonexpertopinion,
butalsotoconfrontthepracticalexperiences ofthetwosides
ofindustry,andofgovernments asemployers.
Althoughprogresshasbeenmadeinimprovingcareerinformation
foryoungpeopleatschool,thereisstillnosatisfactory
linkingofpublicservicesingeneral.Thedevelopment ofasystemoflocalreception/informationcentresdesignedtoprovide
relevantinformation andservicestoyoungpeoplecoveringwork
(commercialandvoluntary),training,supportforself-helpenter­
priseswouldrespondtothisneed,notjustonentrytothe
labourmarket,butintheircontinuing employment.
*
./

-7-
Thissummerhasseenafurtherdeterioration inemplo^metaida
worseninginprospectsfortheimmediatefuture.ThitreirforT
theneedfortheactionsoutlinedabove.TheCommissionisimin«
processofmakingproposalsasindicatedinitssubmissiontohe
lastStandingEmploymentCommittee,theconclusiondrawnbythe
Presidencyatthatmeeting,andtheCouncilresolution.Itshould
berecognised,however,that,eveniftheCommunity'sconcerted
effortstocreatenewemploymentaresuccessful,thelevelof
unemployment willinevitablyremainhighforseveralyesrs.The
Commissionthereforeconsidersitnecessarytoreaffirmcommit­
mentstothedefenceoflowincomegroupsandtheunemployedand
thusdesirabletoestablishCommunityobjectivesfordistributing
morefairlytheburdensofboththeunemployment andreduced
incomeswhichareresultingfromtheeconomicsituation.
Asafirststep,theCommissionthinksitimportantthatthere
shouldbeamuchcloserexamination ofthewayinwhichdifferent
groupsandsocietiesareaffected,includingmovementsinincomedistribution .TheCommissionisthereforepreparingfor&round
ofdiscussionswithGovernments andbothsidesofindustrywith
aviewtoconsidering proposalsforfutureaction.
Asregardsthedistribution ofwork,theCommissionwillshortly
submitamemorandum .
Asregardstheintegration ofyoungpeopleintothelabourmarket,
theCommission :
-ispresentingproposalswithinthecontextofthereviewof
theSocialFund)
-willshortlyissueacommunication onvocationaltrainingpolicy!
-laterintheyearwillsubmitafurtherpaperontheunemployment
problemaffectingyoungpeopleingeneral.

21782 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC186/1
I
(Information)
COUNCIL
COUNCILRESOLUTION
of12July1982
onCommunityactiontocombatunemployment
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Havingregardtotheconclusionsofthevarious
meetingsoftheEuropeanCouncil,andinparticular
ofthemeetingon29arid30March1982,concerning
employment,
HavingregardtotheconclusionsoftheCouncil
meetingof11June19S1composedoftheMinisters
forF.conomicAffairsandFinanceandMinistersfor
LabourandSocialAffairs,
HavingregardtotheCommission'scontribution
entitled'aCommunityactionprogrammetofight
unemployment' ,
ConsideringtheconclusionsdrawnbythePresidency
followingthemeetingoftheStandingCommitteeon
Kmploymenton27April1982devotedtoexami­
nationoftheproblemsofunemployment inthe
Communityonthebasisoftheaforementioned
Commissiondocument,theimportanceofwhichwas
emphasized ;
Convincedoftheneedtotakeconcertedaction,both
atCommunity ,levelandnationally,tocombat
unemployment andtorestoreeconomicgrowthina
situationofmonetarystability,whilecontinuingthe
fightagainstinflationandensuringthe
competitiveness ofCommunityundertakings ,andin
thehopethatsuchanapproachmayalsocontribute
totheachievementofimprovedconvergenceofthe
MemberStates'economicpolicies;Convincedofthe
needtocontinueortoundertakewithinthis
frameworkspecificactiononemploymentat
Communitylevel;
Recallingitsresolutionof12July1982onthe
promotionofequalopportunitiesforwomen(');
Convincedthatitisessentialforrepresentatives of
employersandworkers,withintheframeworkof
(')Seepage3ofthisOfficialJournal.theirindependence andoftheirresponsibilities ,to
contributetotheachievementoftheobjectiveof
combattingunemployment andthateffortsto
improvethedialoguewithandbetweenrepres­
entativesofemployersandworkersatCommunity
levelshouldbecontinued.
HEREBYADOPTSTHISRESOLUTION :
1.TheCouncilreiteratesitsgraveconcernatthe
persistentlyhighlevelofunemployment ,particularly
amongyoungpeople,whichiscreatinganintolerable
situation.
2.Itconsidersthatprivateandpublicproductive
investmentshouldbepromotedinsuchawayasto
strengthenthecompetitivecapacityofundertakings
andtoencourageeconomicgrowthandraise
employment .MeasuresbyMemberStateswithregard
toprivateandpublicinvestment,tobecarriedoutin
accordancewiththesituationprevailingineach
country,shouldtakeaccountoftherepercussionson
employment,particularlyintheprivatesector,and
shouldnotleadtoanunacceptableincreaseinbudget
deficits.
3.TheCouncilnotesthesuggestionsmadebythe
Commission initsaforementioned contribution
regardingcertaininvestmentpriorities.
4.Withoutprejudicetotheimportancewhichthe
Communityattachestothemeasurestakentoassist
theleast-favoured regions,particularattentionought
alsotobegiventotheregionsmostseriouslyaffected
byunemployment ,byeffectiveandcoherentuse»of
theappropriateCommunityinstruments .
5.TheCouncilconsidersitimportantthatlabour
marketpoliciesshouldbegearedtowardsensuringan
adequatesupplyofsuitablyqualifiedmanpower.

NoC186/2 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 7.
6.TheCouncilconsidersthat,inadditiontothe
problemsofinvestmentrationalization ,industrial
restructuringprogrammesmustsimultaneously give
particularattentiontoemployment problems.
NationalandCommunityauthoritiesandrepres­
entativesofemployersandworkersshouldencourage
geographicalandoccupationalmobility.Thelatter
couldincludetheredeploymentofworkersaffected
bytherestructuringmeasures,insuchawaythat
theseworkersarcabletotakeupjobsmadeavailable
insectorswhicharecreatingemployment .
7.Itconsidersthatthepossibilitiesshouldbe
examinedforpromotingthedevelopmentpotentialof
smallandmedium-sizedundertakings ,whicharea
sourceofinnovationandhenceafactorforcreating
employment ,byprovidingthem,inparticular,with
appropriateassistanceinareassuchastraining,
know-how ,informationandaccesstocredit,witha
viewtomakingthemmorecompetitive .
8.Itstressesitsinterestinthejob-creationprocess,
whichisalsoapparentinlocalinitiativesand
cooperativesandrequeststheCommissiontosubmit
theresultsofitsresearchanditsthoughtsonthe
mattertoitsolh.ititcanassessthecontribution of
suchinitiativestocreatingemployment .
9.TheCouncilstressestheprioritywhichthe
Communitymustgivetovocationaltrainingfor
youngpeople.IthasnotedthattheCommission
intendstosubmitproposalstoitshortlyformeasures
aimingtoensurethatallyoungpeoplecomingonto
thelabourmarket,andparticularlyschoolleavers,
receivevocationaltrainingcombinedifnecessarywith
initialworkexperience,whereappropriateunder
specialprogrammesorcontractsofemployment .
Suchmeasuresshouldbecompatiblewiththe
measurestointegrateyoungpeopleintothelabour
marketandwithotherspecialmeasures,particularlythosetohelpthelong-termunemployed ,andshoi'id
fitintothegeneralframeworkotthest-ateg»"tobe
implementedtocombatunemployment asawK.ie.
10.Takingintoaccounttheinterestwhich
experimentsandmeasurestoadoptanjre-allocate
workingtimemayhavinseekingtoachievearr.nre
flexibleuseofproductivecapacityandtoimprovethe
employmentsituation,theCouncilalsocrnsiders
that,followingtheinitialproposalsmadebythe
CommissionforimplementingtheCouncilresolution
of18December1979ontheadaptationofworking
time('),thedialoguewithandbetweenbothsidesof
industryregardingthenumberofworkinghoursmust
becontinuedwithintheframeworkoutlinedinthe
resolution .ItnotesthattheCommission willsubmita
memorandum onthemattertoitbeforetheendof
1982.
11.TheCouncilnotesthattheCommission
intendstopromotebetterfunctioning and
transparencyofthelabourmarketandtodiscourage
obstaclestoitsefficientoperation,withtheparti­
cipationofpublicauthorities,employersandworkers
inordertosupporttheproposedemployment
creationmeasuresandtofacilitateimplementation of
thenecessarytrainingmeasures,inparticularby
developingforward-looking managementofthe
labourmarket,developinglocallabourmarket
intelligenceandimprovingemploymentservices.
12.ItrequeststheCommissiontosubmittothe
Council,takingaccountofthisresolution,appro­
priateproposalsorcommunications aspartofa
coordinatedCommunityapproachtocombatting
unemployment ,whichcouldbesubmittedinthe
secondhalfofthisyeartoaspecialCouncilmeeting,
assuggestedbytheEuropeanCouncilatitslast
meeting,andwhichcouldbethesubiectofprior
consultationwithrepresentative'' ofemployersand
workersintheStandingCommitteeonEmployment ,
havingregardtothelatter'sareasofcompetence .
{')OJNoC2,4.I.1980,p.1.