Proposal for a Council Decision setting up an employment and labour market policy committee

(96/C 207/07)

COM(96) 134 final - 96/0097(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 24 May 1996)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 145 thereof,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas the European Council, in its recent meetings, confirmed that the fight against unemployment and the effort to achieve equality for men and women were the paramount tasks of the European Union and of its Member States;

Whereas, at its meeting of December 1994 at Essen, the European Council identified priority areas for action to overcome structural employment problems; whereas it requested each Member State to incorporate these recommendations into a multiannual programme; whereas it invited the Council of Ministers with responsibility for social affairs and employment, the 'Economic and Financial Affairs` Council and the Commission, to monitor employment trends attentively, to examine the relevant policies of the Member States and to report annually to the European Council on further progress on the employment market;

Whereas the committee is established in the light of the monitoring and reporting process defined in the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment;

Whereas the 'Economic and Financial Affairs` Council is assisted in its work on employment by the economic policy committee set up by Council Decision 74/122/EEC (1); whereas the Social Affairs Council set up, for the same purpose, on 27 March 1995, an 'ad hoc group of personal representatives of the Ministers of Labour`;

Whereas, in order to ensure the continued success of the Community's strategy for employment, and to facilitate the practical implementation of the employment monitoring procedure decided on in Essen, the European Council at its meeting in Madrid in December 1995 felt that it was necessary to establish, as soon as possible, a stable structure to assist the 'Social Affairs` Council in the field of employment,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. An employment and labour market policy committee (hereinafter referred to as 'the committee`) is hereby set up to assist the Council in carrying out its responsibilities in the field of employment and labour market policy, in full compliance with the Treaty and with due regard for the powers of the Community's institutions and organs.

2. The committee shall, in particular, be responsible for:

- monitoring trends in employment in the Community,

- examining the Member States' employment and labour market policies,

- exchanges of information and experience between Member States and with the Commission in these fields,

- preparing reports and recommendations on these questions.

3. The opinion of the committee on a specific subject may be requested by the Council or the Commission. Moreover, the committee may, on its own initiative, undertake work within its area of competence.

4. The chairman of the committee shall coordinate with the chairmen of other committees on related work, in particular the economic policy committee and the standing employment committee, to take account of their respective responsibilities.

Article 2

1. The committee shall consist of two representatives of each Member State and two representatives of the Commission. These representatives may be assisted by two alternates. The members of the committee appointed by the Member States shall be selected from among persons who in their countries participate in the formulation of employment and labour market policy.

2. The committee may call on external experts where appropriate to its agenda.

Article 3

1. The committee shall elect its chair from among its members for a non-renewable term of two years.

2. The secretariat of the committee shall be provided by the Commission.

3. The committee shall establish its own rules of procedure.

4. Meetings of the committee shall be convened by the chair, either on his or her own initiative or at the request of the Commission or of at least eight committee members.

(1) OJ No L 63, 5. 3. 1974, p. 21.