European Parliament legislative resolution on the Council common position for adopting a European Parliament and Council decision on Community incentive measures in the field of employment (8432/1/2001 - C5-0294/2001 - 2000/0195(COD))
Date: 2001-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU employment policy, EU financing, European Employment Strategy, action programme, employment policy

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9. Community incentive measures in the field of employment ***II

A5-0319/2001

European Parliament legislative resolution on the Council common position for adopting a Euro-
pean Parliament and Council decision on Community incentive measures in the field of employ-
ment (8432/1/2001 & C5-0294/2001 & 2000/0195(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

(cid:17) having regard to the Council common position (8432/1/2001 (cid:17) C5-0294/2001),

(cid:17) having regard to its position at first reading (1) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the

Council (COM(2000) 459) (2),

(cid:17) having regard to the Commission’s amended proposal (COM(2001) 124) (3),

(cid:17) having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

(cid:17) having regard to Rule 80 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:17) having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Employment and

Social Affairs (A5-0319/2001),

1.

2.

Amends the common position as follows;

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

COUNCIL
COMMON POSITION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 1
Article 3, paragraph 1, point g

(g)

to implement an active and transparent
policy.

information

(g)

to implement an active and transparent information policy,
with due regard for the need of European citizens for
transparency.

Amendment 2
Article 4, paragraph 1, point b

(b) providing support for Member States’ efforts in evaluating
in a consistent and coordinated manner their National
Action Plans for Employment, including the way in which
the social partners and relevant regional and local auth-
orities have been involved in their implementation. A spe-
cial evaluation exercise shall be completed at the end of
the first period of application of the annual employment
policy guidelines agreed in accordance with the Lux-
embourg process;

(b) providing support for Member States’ efforts in evaluating
in a consistent and coordinated manner their National
Action Plans for Employment, including the way in which
the social partners and relevant regional and local auth-
orities have been and may be involved in their implemen-
tation. A special evaluation exercise shall be completed at
the end of the first period of application of the annual
employment policy guidelines agreed in accordance with
the Luxembourg process;

(1) OJ C 276, 1.10.2001, p. 145.
(2) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000, p. 242.
(3) OJ C 180 E, 26.6.2001, p. 182.

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COUNCIL
COMMON POSITION

Tuesday 23 October 2001

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 3

Article 4, paragraph 1, point c

(c) a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the effects of
the European Employment Strategy in general, and analysis
of
the consistency between the European Employment
Strategy and general economic policy, as well as other
policy areas;

(c) a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the effects of
the European Employment Strategy in general, an analysis
of
the consistency between the European Employment
Strategy and general economic policy as well as other
policy areas, and an evaluation of the European Employ-
ment Strategy as a method;

Amendment 4

Article 4, paragraph 2

Under the activities referred to in paragraph 1, efforts
2.
shall be made to mainstream the principle of gender equality,
in particular with regard to equal opportunities for men and
women in employment and labour markets and to reconciling
working life and family life.

Under the activities referred to in paragraph 1, efforts
2.
shall be made to mainstream the principle of gender equality,
in particular with regard to equal opportunities for men and
women in employment and labour markets and to reconciling
working life and family life, and studies shall be carried out
concerning the supply of child care facilities and home care/
help services. Special attention shall also be given to the
problems of target groups which are subject to multiple dis-
crimination in their access to the labour market. This exercise
must be supported by evaluation of the National Action
Plans for Employment and by a more strategic approach to
employment policy in the European Union, the aim being to
understand, monitor and analyse developments by establish-
ing indicators.

Amendment 5

Article 4, paragraph 3a (new)

3a.
Part of the appropriations provided for is intended for
projects to promote cooperation, improve knowledge, develop
an exchange of information, promote best practices and inno-
vative approaches and evaluate experience in implementing
the National Action Plans for Employment at local and
regional levels in the context of the European Employment
Strategy. The purpose of these measures is to make local
and regional authorities and other key local partners, includ-
ing representatives of the mutual and non-profit sector,
aware of the potential of measures conducive to implement-
ing the employment guidelines at local and regional levels
and the interlinking thereof at local and regional levels.

They shall include in particular:

(a) developing publicity work for the European Employment
Strategy and its implementation at local and regional
levels;

(b) studies on how institutions of the mutual and non-profit
sector can be supported at local and regional levels;

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COUNCIL
COMMON POSITION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

(c) studies on how to improve transnational cooperation,
and the dissemination of best practice in implementing
local employment initiatives;

(d) studies of what incentive measures can be taken to
encourage local and regional partners to contribute
towards implementing the European Employment Stra-
tegy.

Particular focus shall be given to the gender aspects of
employment policy.

Amendment 6

Article 5, point 1a (new)

(1a)

specific information measures to make the general
public aware of the European Employment Strategy and
of gender equality issues as regards access to the labour
market;

Amendment 7

Aticle 5, paragraph 1a (new)

The Commission shall ensure that the nature and scope of
the outputs satisfy the public’s need for transparency. In par-
ticular, it shall ensure that the evaluation of the National
Action Plans for Employment and the annual employment
report are made accessible to the general public, enabling
citizens to evaluate what the Member States have achieved.

Amendment 8

Article 6

The Commission shall ensure that the measures implemented
under this Decision and the other relevant Community pro-
grammes and initiatives (such as the social
inclusion pro-
gramme and the framework programme for research, tech-
nological development
are
consistent with each other and complementary. The outcomes
of other Community initiatives could be used as inputs into the
actions covered by this Decision, and results from the activities
mentioned in this Decision could be used as inputs into other
Community initiatives.

and demonstration activities)

for

The Commission shall ensure that the measures implemented
under this Decision and the other relevant Community pro-
grammes and initiatives (in particular the social inclusion pro-
gramme, the programme to combat discrimination, the frame-
the framework
work programme on equal opportunities,
programme
and
research,
demonstration activities, actions by the European Social
Fund, the Community programmes in the field of vocational
the relevant decentralised
training and the activities of
agencies) are consistent with each other and complementary.
The outcomes of other Community initiatives could be used
as inputs into the actions covered by this Decision, and results
from the activities mentioned in this Decision could be used as
inputs into other Community initiatives.

technological development

To this end the Commission shall create internal links with
relevant Community programmes and initiatives and the
decentralised agencies.

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COMMON POSITION

Tuesday 23 October 2001

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 9

Article 8

1.
The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision relating to the matters referred to below shall be
adopted in accordance with the management procedure refer-
red to in Article 9(2):

1.
The Commission shall
accordance with this Decision.

implement

the activities

in

1a.
The Commission shall be assisted by an advisory com-
mittee composed of the representatives of the Member States
and chaired by the representative of the Commission (herein-
after referred to as ‘the Committee’).

1b. Where reference is made to this paragraph, the advi-
sory procedure laid down in Article 3 of Decision 1999/468/
EC shall apply, having regard to Article 7(3) and Article 8
thereof.

The representative of the Commission shall in particu-

1c.
lar consult the Committee on:

(a)

the general guidelines for the implementation of the activ-
ities;

(a)

the general guidelines for the implementation of the activ-
ities;

(b)

the annual budgets and the distribution of
between measures;

funding

(b)

the annual budgets and the distribution of
between measures;

funding

(c)

the annual plan of work for the implementation of actions
under the activities, and the Commission proposals for
selection criteria for financial support, including the crite-
ria for monitoring and assessing activities receiving such
support, and the procedure for disseminating and transfer-
ring the results.

(c)

the annual plan of work for the implementation of actions
under the activities, and the Commission proposals for
selection criteria for financial support, including the crite-
ria for monitoring and assessing activities receiving such
support, and the procedure for disseminating and transfer-
ring the results.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
2.
Decision relating to all other matters shall be adopted in
accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Arti-
cle 9(3).

Article 9

Committee

Amendment 10

Article 9

Deleted

1.

The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4
and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard
to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/
EC shall be set at two months.

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COMMON POSITION

3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 3
and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard
to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

4.

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 11

Article 10

To ensure the consistency and complementarity of these activ-
ities with other measures referred to in Article 6, the Commis-
sion shall keep the Committee referred to in Article 9 regularly
informed about other
relevant Community action. Where
appropriate, the Commission shall establish regular and struc-
tured cooperation between this Committee and the committees
established for other relevant policies, instruments and actions.

To ensure the consistency and complementarity of these activ-
ities with other measures referred to in Article 6, the Commis-
sion shall set out in the annual plans of activities the nature
and scope of the cooperation with the Community pro-
grammes and initiatives referred to in Article 6 and with the
decentralised agencies and shall keep the Committee referred
to in Article 8 regularly informed about other relevant Com-
munity action. Where appropriate, the Commission shall estab-
lish regular and structured cooperation between this Commit-
tee and the committees established for other relevant policies,
instruments and actions.

Amendment 12

Article 11, paragraph 2

Furthermore the Commission shall, within the framework of
the activities referred to in this Decision, establish the necessary
links with the social partners and regularly exchange views
with them. To that end, the Commission shall make the rel-
evant information available to the social partners. The Commis-
sion shall inform the Employment Committee and the Commit-
tee referred to in Article 9 of the views of the social partners.

Furthermore the Commission shall, within the framework of
the activities referred to in this Decision, establish the necessary
links with the social partners and the competent committee of
the European Parliament and regularly exchange views with
them. To that end, the Commission shall make the relevant
information available to the social partners and the competent
committee of the European Parliament. The Commission shall
inform the Employment Committee and the Committee refer-
red to in Article 8 of the views of the social partners and the
competent committee of the European Parliament.

Amendment 13

Article 12, paragraph 1

The financial

the
1.
Community activities referred to in this Decision for the period
1 January 2001 to 31 December 2005 shall be € 50 million.

framework for the implementation of

The financial framework for implementing the Community
1.
activities referred to in this Decision for the period 1 January
2001 to 31 December 2005 shall be € 65 million.

Amendment 14

Article 12, paragraph 2a (new)

The Commission may have recourse to technical and/or
2a.
administrative assistance, to the mutual benefit of the Com-
mission and of the beneficiaries, as well as to support expen-
diture.