98/171/EC: Council Decision of 23 February 1998 on Community activities concerning analysis, research and cooperation in the field of employment and the labour market
Date: 1998-02-23
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU employment policy, cooperation policy, employment aid, labour market

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COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 23 February 1998

on Community activities concerning analysis, research and cooperation in the
field of employment and the labour market

(98/171/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia-
ment (2),

(1) Whereas the Economic and Social Committee and
the Committee of
the Regions delivered their
Opinions on 26 October 1995 (3) and 8 November
1995 respectively;

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

(3) Whereas the Commission,

in its medium–term
social action programme, announced its intention
to propose a new approach to its activities of
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 rationalisation of its research work
and other activities in the area of employment
policies;

(4) Whereas the Amsterdam European Council on 16
and 17 June 1997 noted the agreement reached on
incorporation in the Treaty, without prejudice to
the ratification procedures, of a new title on
employment; whereas it indicated that the Council
should seek to make the relevant provisions of this
Title immediately effective; whereas in its Resolu-
tion on growth and employment, recalling the
conclusions of the Essen European Council, the
Commission’s initiative for ‘Action on employ-

(1) OJ C 235, 9. 9. 1995, p. 8 and OJ C 342, 14. 11. 1996, p. 6.
(2) OJ C 166, 10. 6. 1996, p. 179.
(3) OJ C 18, 22. 1. 1996, p. 109.

ment (cid:190) a confidence pact' and the Dublin
declaration on employment
and 14
December 1996, it reaffirmed that it was impera-
tive to give a new impulse for keeping employ-
ment firmly at the top of the political agenda of
the European Union;

13

of

(5) Whereas the Council, in the field of Labour and
Social Affairs and Economic and Financial Affairs,
and the Commission, have been invited to keep a
close track of employment trends and to examine
the relevant policies of the Member States;

(6) Whereas, therefore, Community activities with the
aim of analysis, research and cooperation in the
field of employment and the labour market should
be promoted; whereas the activities set out in this
Decision have the effect of renewing and rational-
ising Community action in this area; whereas it is
important that statistics in the field of employment
and the
collected,
analysed and presented by sex;

labour market

should be

(7) Whereas the appropriate powers for the imple-
mentation of these policies should be conferred
upon the Commission;

(8) Whereas,

in accordance with the conclusions of
the Amsterdam European Council, this approach
can, without prejudice to the Member States’
responsibilities
employment,
produce Community added value by pinpointing
and encouraging best practices
and policies,
promoting innovation and exchanging relevant
experience; whereas those policies must be backed
by an active information policy;

promoting

in

(9) Whereas, within this framework,

the European
Council called upon the Member States to inter-
vene actively in the labour market, underlining the
vitally
link between job creation,
employability and social cohesion;

important

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(10) Whereas it is important to establish appropriate
links with the Employment and Labour Market
Committee, set up by Decision 97/16/EC (1), as
well as with the social partners;

(11) Whereas a financial reference amount within the
the Declaration by the
meaning of point 2 of
European Parliament,
the
the Council
Commission of 6 March 1995, has been included
in this Decision, without prejudice to the powers
of the budgetary authority as they are defined by
the Treaty;

and

(12) Whereas, in accordance with the Joint Declaration
of 30 June 1982 (2) and with the Interinstitutional
Agreement of 29 October 1993 on budgetary dis-
cipline
budgetary
procedure (3), it is necessary for actions taken on
the initiative of the Commission to have a legal
basis;

improvement

and

the

of

(13) Whereas,

the adoption of

the Treaty does not
provide, for the adoption of this Decision powers
other than those referred to in Article 235,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Establishment of Community activities

1. Community activities concerning analysis, research
and cooperation among the Member States in the field of
employment and the labour market are hereby estab-
lished for
the period from 1 January 1998 to 31
December 2000.

2.
In accordance with the guidelines agreed by the
European Council, these activities shall contribute to the
development of the coordinated strategy for employment
through the monitoring and support of actions carried
out in the Member States, with due regard for the latter’s
responsibilities in this field.

Article 2

Objectives

1.
The activities referred to in this Decision involve the
action
and rationalisation of Community
renewal
concerning analysis, research and exchange of informa-
tion and experience in the field of employment and the
labour market,
taking into account experience gained
through earlier actions.

2.

They aim at:

(cid:190) fostering cooperation in analysis, research and mon-

itoring,

(1) OJ L 6, 10. 1. 1997, p. 32.
(2) OJ C 194, 28. 7. 1982, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 331, 7. 12. 1993, p. 1.

(cid:190) identifying best practices and promoting exchanges

and transfers of information and experience,

(cid:190) developing an active information policy.

Article 3

Community measures

1. With a view to achieving the objectives referred to in
Article 2 and bearing in mind the European Council’s
conclusions on employment, the activities referred to in
this Decision develop an integrated approach,
in co-
operation with the agents concerned, including the social
partners, at the appropriate level in the Member States,
through the following implementing measures:

(a) developing the survey, analysis, research and mon-
itoring of their employment policies and of progress
achieved in their labour markets;

(b) promoting exchanges of information, experience and
best practices through methodological and technical
support;

(c) prompt dissemination of

the results of

initiatives

undertaken and any other relevant information.

in particular,

the identification,

2. With this in mind, the Commission shall seek to
promote,
transfer and
dissemination of measures which directly or indirectly
assist certain groups of people particularly affected by
unemployment, in particular young people, women and
older persons, as well as those affected by long–term
unemployment.

3.
In implementing the measures referred to in para-
graph 1, the Commission shall take into account the
statistical data, studies and project reports available from
international organisations such as the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and
the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Article 4

Consistency and complementarity

The Commission and the Member States shall ensure
that the measures implemented under this Decision and
the other relevant Community programmes and initi-
atives are consistent with each other and complementary.

Article 5

Participation of other countries

1.
The activities which may be open to participation by
the countries of the European Economic Area, the asso-
ciated countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE),
Cyprus and Malta and Mediterranean countries which are
partners of the European Union shall be defined in the
context of the European Union’s relations with those
countries.

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The cost of the participation referred to in paragraph
2.
1 shall be borne either by the countries concerned or
under the Community budget headings covering imple-
mentation of the cooperation, association or partnership
agreements with those countries in the area concerned.

Article 6

Implementation

The Commission shall
accordance with this Decision.

implement

these activities in

Article 7

Committee

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by a committee
composed of representatives of the Member States and
chaired by the representative of the Commission.

The Committee shall deliver opinions on the

2.
following points:

(a) (cid:190) general guidelines for the Community activities

referred to in this Decision,

(cid:190) the annual programme of work and matters
concerning the financial breakdown of the activ-
ities referred to in this Decision;

(b) (cid:190) detailed rules for selecting activities supported by
the Community, the criteria for monitoring and
assessing such activities individually and as a
whole and the procedure for disseminating and
transferring the results.

3. With regard to the matters referred to in paragraph
2(a), the representative of the Commission shall submit to
the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The
Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a
time limit which the Chairman may lay down according
to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be deliv-
ered by the majority laid down in Article 148(2) of the
Treaty in the case of decisions which the Council
is
required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission.
The votes of the representatives of the Member States
within the Committee shall be weighted in the manner
set out in that Article. The Chairman shall not vote.

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply
immediately. However,
in
accordance with the opinion of the Committee, they shall
be communicated by the Commission to the Council
forthwith. In that event:

these measures are not

if

(cid:190) the Commission shall defer application of the meas-
ures which it has decided for a period of two months,
(cid:190) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a
different decision within the time limit referred to in
the first indent.

4. With regard to the matters referred to in paragraph
2(b), the representative of the Commission shall submit
to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken.
The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft,

within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down
according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by
taking a vote.

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addi-
tion, each Member State shall have the right to ask to
have its position recorded in the minutes.

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the
opinion delivered by the Committe. It shall inform the
Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been
taken into account.

Article 8

Links to be established

The Commission shall establish the necessary links with
the Employment and Labour Market Committee as well
as with the social partners within the framework of the
activities referred to in this Decision.

The Commission shall inform the European social part-
ners at their request of the results of the activities of the
Committee referred to in Article 7.

Article 9

Financing

The financial reference amount for the implementa-
1.
tion of
the Community activities referred to in this
Decision for the period 1 January 1998 to 31 December
2000 shall be ECU 30 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
the financial

2.
budgetary authority within the limits of
perspective.

Article 10

Reports

The Commission shall submit an interim report on the
results of the activities to the European Parliament, the
Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the
Committee of the Regions by 31 December 1999 at the
latest, and a final report by 31 December 2001 at the
latest.

Article 11

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

Done at Brussels, 23 February 1998.

For the Council

The President

R. COOK