Proposal for a Council Decision on the Commission's activities of analysis, research, cooperation and action in the field of employment (Essen)

(95/C 235/06)

(Text with EEA relevance)

COM(95) 250 final - 95/0149(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 19 June 1995)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 5 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions,

Having regard to the previous Council resolutions on employment policy and the labour market (1),

Having regard to the resolution which the European Parliament presented to the Heads of State and Government at the European Council of Essen held on 9 and 10 December 1994,

Whereas, in accordance with Article 118 of the Treaty, the Commission has the task of promoting close cooperation between Member States in the social field, particularly in matters relating to employment and vocational training;

Whereas, at the European Council of 10 and 11 December 1993, the Heads of State and Government approved the medium-term development strategy put forward in the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment;

Whereas the Commission, in its medium term social action programme, announced its intention to propose a new approach for its analysis, research, cooperation and action in order to foster closer and more effective collaboration between itself and the Member States in the area of policy on employment and the labour market and to promote the rationalization of its research work and other activities in the area of employment policies;

Whereas, in the conclusions of the European Council of Essen in December 1994, the Heads of State and Government confirmed that the fight against unemployment and to achieve equality of opportunity for men and women are and will remain the paramount tasks of the European Union;

Whereas, at the same meeting, the European Council identified five main areas for action to promote employment and called on the Member States to incorporate its recommendations into a multiannual programme having regard to the specific features of their economic and social situation;

Whereas the European Council also requested the Labour and Social Affairs and Economic and Financial Affairs Councils and the Commission to keep close track of employment trends, monitor the relevant policies of the Member States and report annually on further progress on the employment market;

Whereas the Commission, in its communication of 8 March 1995 (2) put forward its proposals on the political follow-up to the Essen European Council;

Whereas the Commission considers it necessary to complement the multilateral monitoring process recently proposed to the Council by the reorganization and strengthening of all its activities concerned with the analysis of the labour market and of employment policies;

Whereas, without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Member States for promoting employment, this new approach can produce Community added value by pinpointing and encouraging best practices and policies, promoting innovation and exchanging relevant experience;

Whereas the promotion of employment is a priority task for the Union and the Member States, the achievement of which will involve all their policies and require all action undertaken to dovetail;

Whereas it is important to cooperate with the social partners and to mobilize all the local, regional, national and Community players concerned;

Whereas, in accordance with the interinstitutional agreement on budgetary dicipline, it is necessary for actions taken on the initiative of the Commission to have a legal basis;

Whereas, for the measures concerned, the Treaty does not provide for any powers other than those referred to in Article 235,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

A Community action for analysis, research, cooperation and action in the field of employment (Essen) is hereby established for the period from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000.

Article 2

This action aims to establish a new approach for analysis, research, cooperation and action in the field of employment, thereby creating a platform for the exchange of information and experience relating to employment. This new approach will contribute to the development of measures taken in the Member States which are in keeping with the focus of the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment and with the decisions taken at the Essen European Council.

It is designed to promote the analysis of the labour market and of employment policies at Community level, to help to identify and transfer best practices and to develop an active policy for disseminating the results obtained.

Article 3

In order to achieve the objectives referred to in Article 2, the Commission may promote in cooperation with the players concerned and/or provide financial support for the following measures:

(a) the establishment of permanent systems for observing, monitoring and exchanging comparable information and carrying out studies on employment policies and systems as defined in the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, labour market trends and the means whereby new jobs are created in the Member States and the Union;

(b) the provision of methodological and technical support for projects to identify and transfer best practices in areas such as work organization, regional and local measures for creating jobs which meet new needs, and measures to assist certain groups of people particularly hard hit by unemployment;

(c) the implementation of any initiatives likely to encourage the broad dissemination of the results obtained from the measures, including assistance in preparing regular reports on employment.

Article 4

The Commission shall guarantee the consistency of and synergy between the measures taken under this Decision and those taken under all policies of the Union.

The Commission and the Member States shall seek to ensure that their actions of analysis, research, cooperation and action in the field of employment and those taken under the Structural Funds, the research and development framework programme, the fourth framework programme on equal opportunities for women and men, and those taken in the field of vocational training, in particular under Leonardo, complement each other.

Article 5

Certain activities shall be open to the participation of the countries of the European Economic Area, the countries of central and eastern Europe, Cyprus and Malta, and to the European Union's partner countries in the Mediterranean, in accordance with arrangements to be defined in the context of the relations of the Union with these countries.

Article 6

The Commission shall ensure implementation in accordance with this Decision. To this end, it shall cooperate on a partnership basis with the Member States, and especially as part of the regular consultation of the senior civil servants responsible for employment.

Article 7

The social partners shall be associated with the action taken. The Standing Committee on Employment shall in this connection be the main forum for discussing its results.

Article 8

The Commission shall submit a final report on the results of this action to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, by 31 December 2001 at the latest.

Article 9

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

(1) Resolution of 12 July 1982 on Community action to combat unemployment, OJ No C 186, 21. 7. 1982, p. 1). Resolution of 7 June 1984 on the contribution of local employment initiatives to combating unemployment, OJ No C 161, 21. 6. 1984, p. 1). Resolution of 19 December 1984 on action to combat long-term unemployment, OJ No C 2, 4. 1. 1985, p. 3). Resolution of 22 December 1986 on an action programme on employment growth, OJ No C 340, 31. 12. 1986, p. 2). Conclusions of 1 December 1987 on action to combat long-term unemployment, OJ No C 335, 15. 12. 1987, p. 1). Council Resolution of 30 November 1989 on setting up a European employment survey, OJ No C 328, 30. 12. 1989, p. 1). Council Resolution of 29 May 1990 on action to assist the long-term unemployed, OJ No C 157, 27. 6. 1990).

(2) COM(95) 74 final.