Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on "The Implementation of the European Employment Strategy"
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: European Union, cooperation policy, employment policy, regional policy

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 226/43

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on ‘The Implementation of the European
Employment Strategy’

(2000/C 226/12)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to its president’s decision on 8 November 1999 to draw up a resolution on the subject and
to direct Commission 6 — Employment, Economic Policy, Single Market, Industry and SMEs — to carry
out the preparatory work;

having regard to the European Council meeting in Lisbon of 23 and 24 March 2000, focusing on the
subjects employment, economical reforms and social cohesion;

having regard to its earlier opinions on employment, viz. ‘The role of local and regional authorities in
linking education and training establishments to enterprises’ (1); ‘The proposal for a Council Decision on
measures of financial assistance for innovative and job-creating small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) — The growth and employment initiative’ (2); ‘Forthcoming economic policy guidelines’ (3); the
Communication from the Commission:
‘From guidelines to action: the National Action Plans for
Employment’ and the Communication from the Commission: ‘Proposal for guidelines for Member States’
employment policies in 1999’(4); the Communication from the Commission adapting and promoting the
social dialogue at Community level and the draft Council Decision amending Decision 70/532/EEC
setting up the Standing Committee on Employment in the European Communities (5); Opinion on
Territorial pacts for employment, and the link between them and the European Union’s structural
policies (6), Opinion on the Proposal for Guidelines for Member States’ Employment Policies 2000 (7);

having regard to the draft resolution adopted unanimously by Commission 6 on 24 January 2000
(rapporteurs: Mr Henning Jensen, DK, PES and Mr Sanz Alonso, ES, PPE);

whereas local and regional authorities in many Member States play a key role in shaping the environment
and conditions under which enterprises operate. They have an important function in supporting local
economic and industrial development by securing a favourable socio-economic climate which can attract
and promote the establishment and development of businesses;

whereas local and regional authorities are major players in providing education and training since they
can help bridge the gap between education/training establishments and enterprises and, through their
strategically well-placed position, foster greater partnership and dialogue between all relevant protagonists
at local and regional level in these two sectors;

whereas local and regional authorities play a crucial role in generating employment — both directly as
employers, and indirectly, through fostering a favourable business climate;

(1) CdR 346/96 fin — OJ C 116, 14.4.1997, p. 98.
(2) CdR 46/98 fin — OJ C 251, 10.8.1998, p. 41.
(3) CdR 110/98 fin — OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 63.
(4) CdR 279/98 fin — OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 59.
(5) CdR 343/98 fin — OJ C 93, 6.4.1999, p. 54.
(6) CdR 91/99 fin — OJ C 293, 13.10.1999, p. 1.
(7) CdR 360/99 fin.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

8.8.2000

whereas the Committee of the Regions has proposed an initiative called ‘Local Action for Employment’,
which places local and regional authorities in a position to promote the national employment action
plans;

whereas the Joint Employment report 1999 states that several Member States have recognised the
importance of the actions taken at local and regional level, but there is room for further strengthening
this aspect;

whereas the results of conferences organised in autumn 1999 in Helsinki and Aarhus (1) clearly
demonstrate a wide readiness at local and regional level to be more involved in the implementation of
the European Employment Strategy;

adopted the following resolution unanimously at its 33rd plenary session on 12/13 April 2000 (the
meeting of 12 April).

1. The Committee of the Regions draws attention to the
following preconditions for a successful approach
implementing the European employment Strategy:

only at local and regional level, thus rendering it vital for
regional and local authorities to be involved in framing,
developing and implementing the national action plans.

1.1.
Under conditions of globalized markets but differen-
tiated economic structures the effective combating of unem-
ployment requires solid macro economic policy supported by
targeted active employment policies which meet the following
criteria:

— direct knowledge of real growth and employment possi-

bilities at regional and local level;

— individual and personalised guidance and training in order

to match supply and demand on the labour market;

— geographical and cultural proximity to groups of people

who are difficult to reach.

EU efforts to coordinate its employment strategy must
1.2.
be underpinned by the subsidiarity principle, with each country
being responsible for it own labour market policy. While it is
generally desirable for the local and regional authorities to
play a key role in the field of employment, it is essentially up
to the Member States to strike a balance between the national
level and local and regional interests.

The ultimate success of the European employment
1.3.
strategy will therefore depend on how well the strategy is
designed from an overall point of view and on finding the
most appropriate way of implementing it.

1.4.
Regional and local self-determination in employment
matters is a prerequisite for efforts to tailor workforce skills to
the needs of local enterprises. In many areas this is possible

(1) European Conference on Mayors for Employment, Local auth-
orities as promoters of employment; Helsinki, Finland on 9 and
10 September 1999; European Conference on Local Employment
Partnerships; Aarhus, Denmark on 23 and 24 November 1999.

2. The Committee of the Regions stresses that, as the
following examples show, the active involvement
of local and regional authorities can significantly
contribute to the implementation of the European
Employment Strategy:

2.1.
It is easier for local and regional authorities to co-
operate with businesses and other partners to implement
tailored pro-active employment policies than it is for higher
levels of administration. This is because local and regional
authorities have more direct knowledge of the barriers and
opportunities in the local business communities, which may
make it easier to find joint solutions.

2.2.
Regional and local authorities are in a key position to
reduce red-tape and speed up administrative procedures for
projects creating and developing businesses and employment.

2.3.
Local and regional environment, via the organisations
operating within it, is often the only possible point of access
where people with difficulties finding employment or who are
threatened with social exclusion can participate in professional
and personal development programmes.

2.4.
Special attention should be paid to the potential for
job-creation in the service sector and specially in ‘care services’
in view of current demographic trends and the increased life
expectancy of older people. This should help to reduce the
burden of unpaid care of dependants — a burden which at
present is mainly shouldered by women. It would also provide
women with more (and better) job opportunities and help to
tackle the gender gap in employment.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 226/45

2.5.
In some Member States the local and regional auth-
orities play a role as mediator in collective bargaining between
employers and workers at regional, local and company level.
This enables more rapid adjustment to new labour market and
economic conditions and greater flexibility in terms of workers’
access to training.

Very positive experience has been gained from various
2.6.
regional development agencies which support job-creation
and entrepreneurship, using an all-encompassing approach
tying in support for investment in research and development.

Local schemes supporting the development of the
2.7.
social economy by boosting the setting-up and development
of co-operative businesses and partnerships can be an
important tool in promoting small businesses and entrepre-
neurship.

2.8.
Fostering a local breeding ground for companies by
local and regional authorities will encourage the development
of self-employment and social economy companies.

2.9.
Based on the development of local observatories of
companies and their networks, the local and regional levels
can serve more immediate identification of employment
opportunities and activities where demand has not been met.

3. The Committee of the Regions makes the following
suggestions to the Member States and to the European
Commission concerning
in the
the European Employment
implementation of
Strategy:

further

steps

3.2.
An ideal forum for such a debate is the annual ‘cyclical’
process of formulating, implementing and evaluating national
action plans for employment. The Council has already
acknowledged the role of local and regional authorities in
guideline 12 of the year 2000. Now it is time for all Member
States to take up the challenge and ensure local and regional
authorities their proper role in the process.

3.3.
A logical consequence of such a set-up would be
release by the European Commission of the annual Joint
Report and proposals for next year’s guidelines in due time.
This would enable these crucial documents to be subject to a
comprehensive political debate in both the Committee of
Regions and the European Parliament.

the ‘Recommendations’
3.4. With the introduction of
decided by the Council to the individual Member States, a new
and important tool co-ordinating the European employment
policy has been created. Recommendations provide an oppor-
to the
tunity for direct attention of
importance of the regional and local authorities in combating
unemployment. Recommendations must however
take
account of the different tasks and competence of the regional
and local authorities in the individual Member States.

the Member States,

3.5.
In accordance with 3.4, the European Council is invited
to instruct the Council and the governments to involve local
and regional authorities in the preparation and implementation
of the National Action Plans for employment.

3.1.
In order to enable the regional and local authorities to
fulfil their role described above, a constructive dialogue should
be held between the regional and local authorities and central
governments.

3.6.
The Committee of the Regions urges the Portuguese
Presidency of the European Union also to include it in the
planned ‘high level forum’ to scrutinise the EU’s employment
policy prior to the European Council summit in June 2000.

Brussels, 12 April 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT