Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Communication from the Commission Employment and social policies: a framework for investing in quality"
Date: 2001-11-14
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU employment policy, European social policy, economic development

C 107/98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3.5.2002

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Communication from the Commission
“Employment and social policies: a framework for investing in quality”’

(2002/C 107/29)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission ‘Employment and social policies: a framework
for investing in quality’ (COM(2001) 313 final);

having regard to the decision of the Commission of 25 June 2001, under the first paragraph of Article 265
of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult it on this matter;

having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 12 June 2001, to draw up an opinion on this matter
and to instruct Commission 6 (Employment, Economic Policy, Single Market, Industry and SMEs) to
undertake the preparatory work;

having regard to its Opinion on the Communication from the Commission ‘From Guidelines to Action:
the National Action Plans for Employment’ (COM(98) 316 final) and the Communication from the
Commission ‘Proposal for Guidelines for Member States’ Employment Policies 1999’ (COM(98) 574 final),
CdR 279/98 fin (1);

having regard to its Report on the Review of Public Services Delivery, CdR 369/1999 fin;

having regard to its Opinion on a ‘Proposal for Guidelines for Member States’ Employment Policies 2000’
(COM(1999) 441 final), CdR 360/1999 fin (2);

having regard to its Opinion on the Communication from the Commission ‘Acting Locally for
Employment — a Local Dimension for the European Employment Strategy’ (COM(2000)196 final), CdR
187/2000 fin (3);

having regard to its Opinion on the ‘Proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for Member States’
employment policies for the year 2001’ (COM(2000) 548 final), 2000/0225 (CNS) and the ‘Proposal for
a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community incentive measures in the field
of employment’ (COM(2000) 459 final, 2000/0195 [COD)], CdR 310/2000 fin (4);

having regard to its Opinion on the Communication from the Commission ‘Building an Inclusive Europe’
(COM(2000) 79 final), CdR 84/2000 fin (5);

having regard to its Opinion on the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Social Policy Agenda’
(COM(2000) 379 final), CdR 300/2000 fin (6);

having regard to the Draft Supplementary Opinion (CdR 286/2001) prepared by Commission 5,
rapporteur: Mr Pella, (I/EPP, Mayor of Valdengo and President of Biella Provincial Council);

having regard to the Draft Opinion (CdR 270/2001 rev.) unanimously adopted by Commission 6 on
28 September 2001, rapporteur: Mrs Peiponen (FI/PES, Member of Varkaus City Council),

at its 41st plenary session of 14 and 15 November 2001 (meeting of 14 November) adopted the
following opinion unanimously.

(1) OJ C 51, 22.2.1999, p. 59.
(2) OJ C 57, 29.2.2000, p. 17.
(3) OJ C 22, 24.1.2001, p. 13.
(4) OJ C 144, 16.5.2001, p. 30.
(5) OJ C 317, 6.11.2000, p. 47.
(6) OJ C 144, 16.5.2001, p. 55.

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The Committee of the Regions’ views

taken into account, and therefore careful consideration must
be given to what added value can be achieved here through
strategies at European level.

1. Modernisation of the European social model

1.1.
The Committee commends the Commission on its
effort to incorporate quality considerations into economic,
employment and social policies. This is important for improv-
ing people’s quality of life. The Communication provides a
useful basis for extensive further activity on quality of work.
There has been a noticeable change in thinking away from a
strict separation of social policy sectors, and the Committee
hopes that this approach will be realised in practice. However,
the communication fails to explain how the positive interplay
between economic, employment and social policies will be
guaranteed in practice. The emphasis is very much on the
quality of employment and work and no consideration is given
for instance to the quality of social services and other types of
social protection.

1.6.
The Committee agrees with the communication’s
evaluation of the impact and importance of social investment
in relation to changes in work and the working environment.
Particular attention should be paid here to marginalised groups.
There should be investment in improving employability, which
calls for a multisectoral approach. Equal opportunities in
education is a key goal in trying to guarantee high-quality
employment markets in respect of jobs and income.

1.7.
The Committee believes it is important to improve
quality in work locally and at the workplace, and to assess
what added value can be achieved here through cooperation
at European level. Quality in work and working life can be
influenced above all by cooperation between the various
players at
the workplace and by local partnership. An
important task of local and regional authorities is to create the
framework for such cooperation.

1.2.
It is appropriate to select the concept of quality as a
way of linking economic, employment and social policies.
Reconciling efficiency and cohesion requires that different
policy areas be treated on an equal footing. Social values must
also be taken into consideration alongside competition policy.

2. Employment and social policies

1.3.
However, the Communication still reflects a view of
social policy as subordinate to employment and economic
policy. In order to effectively combat social exclusion it is
necessary to address the quality and recognition of low-skilled
jobs, and to make broader use of social policy resources that
increase social inclusion.

1.4.
The Communication quite rightly draws attention to
those modernisation processes that are already operational:
the Luxembourg Process (employment measures), open coordi-
nation in relation to preventing social exclusion and to social
protection, and improving equal opportunities as well as
health and safety at work. It is particularly important that
these processes be interlinked, so that the EU can achieve the
objectives it has set itself.

1.5.
Pressure to adjust and modernise also affects many
services and staff of local and regional authorities. This is due,
among other things, to service requirements created by ageing
of the population, the need to put public finances on a sound
footing, promotion of competition and opening up of markets
for services. Quality considerations and quality policy are
effective instruments for supporting the development of public
services, employment and working life, as well as adjustment
to changes. However, local and regional needs must always be

2.1.
The Committee of the Regions supports the intention
to incorporate quality considerations into open coordination
procedures for employment and social policies that already
exist or are being developed, so that new processes do not
have to be set up.
to avoid
It
duplication of effort and information-gathering.

is particularly important

2.2.
Good economic performance is a precondition for
developing quality in work. Economic and employment policy
guidelines, the European social policy action programme and
the programme to prevent exclusion are the key instruments
that should be used to manage and monitor quality. These
general programmes should be supplemented by special
analyses and by support for the projects to enhance the quality
of work and working life in businesses and workplaces.

Including social protection within the ambit of open
2.3.
coordination is positive as such, but
this must not be
allowed to stymie local initiatives or to increase centralisation,
especially if this entails any reduction of efficacy or efficiency.
The special quality reviews presented by the Commission are
questionable from the point of view of national and local
autonomy. In a Europe characterised by diversity it is not
necessary to standardise national and local practices. The
approach should be flexible and historical and cultural differ-
ences should be respected. It therefore makes sense at European
level to use a small number of clear and comparable indicators.

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2.4.
The communication gives an optimistic picture of
general employment and social policies and their link with
economic policy (and modernisation). This applies especially
to precarious employment and less valued jobs and their
prospects. Lifelong learning indicators in no way capture the
situation of these particular problem groups. Certainly during
this transition period existing vocational training or staff
training indicators do not reveal the extent to which training
and education measures reach the unemployed and socially
excluded.

The Committee considers it

2.5.
that social
services be taken into account when assessing the quality of
social policy.

important

3. The concept of quality

3.1.
The Committee notes that the concept of quality is
complex, which means that it must be developed carefully on
the basis of research, so that useful national and organisational
data on quality in work can be in future be gathered in a
consistent way at European level.

The concept and interpretation of quality are culture-
3.2.
dependent, reflecting differences between workplaces and
sectors as well as local and regional conditions. It must be
recognised that creating a common position will be a long
process.

3.3.
An effort should be made to ensure that quality is
defined as clearly as possible in the context of social and
employment policies. This is the only way that we can be sure
we are talking about the same thing at European level. The
following problems and omissions can be identified in the
quality concept presented by the communication:

3.4.
The quality concept makes very little distinction
between different levels (e.g. micro/macro). The same applies
to quality of working life and quality of work. Quality of
services is not mentioned at all in the communication.

3.5.
The concept does not make a clear distinction between
structural and subjective (experience-based) measures and
indicators. However, this distinction should be clearly made
because it is the only way of more precisely establishing at
which level social policy measures (EU, national, local and
regional or workplace) can be used to influence the situation.

4.

Indicators

4.1.
The indicators do not include any workplace-related
structural factors. However, we know that quality of working
life, job satisfaction, health at work and ultimately performance
are affected precisely by structural factors. Such structural
factors can be measured for example in terms of the possibiliti-
es people feel they have to influence their working conditions.
Moreover, the indicators used to measure ‘Work organisation
and work-life balance’, for example, mainly show the structural
opportunities available for workers to reconcile work and
family life.

4.2.
There is virtually no mention of people’s subjective
experience of the pressures of urgency and overtime in modern
life and, for example, of children’s quality of life.

A huge amount of information on European employ-
4.3.
ment and social policies is currently being gathered. There is
no reason to add to this red tape. There are too many
indicators and it is difficult to interpret them consistently
in different countries. For example, the arrangements for
employment contracts are different in each country, and their
impact on such crucial factors as availability of manpower,
labour market flexibility and labour mobility are difficult to
assess.

4.4.
Extensive monitoring on the basis of indicators may at
worst be counterproductive, because it gives the impression of
a centralised European Union in which local, regional and
grassroots concerns are not expressed.

4.5.
The Committee of the Regions feels dubious about the
development of indicators on pay. Pay is just one of many
factors affecting quality in work, and not necessarily the most
important. Correlating information on pay with disability or
ethnic background means monitoring the people in question
separately and is therefore questionable. Variations in pay due
to differences in local and regional productivity and cost of
living would also have to be taken into account.

5. The role of local and regional authorities in quality

policy

5.1.
The Committee agrees with the Commission’s view
that well-designed employment and social policies have a
beneficial effect on economic and social development. Local
and regional authorities have three roles to play in quality
policy.

3.6.
The concept is so broad and general that it is hard to
identify the link between a given social policy and indicators.
In other words, there is no connection between cause and
effect. The communication must therefore be worded more
carefully to make these aspects clear.

5.2.
As employers, local and regional authorities promote
quality in working life, take part in employment market
activity and conclude collective agreements on the basis of
national models.

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5.3.
In some countries, local and regional authorities have
drawn up their own staff strategies as management and
development tools. Staff strategies help municipal or regional
authorities to achieve their strategic objectives. For instance,
they may set out quantitative and structural objectives — as
well as objectives relating to skills and welfare — for staff,
taking into account the economic situation, practical measures,
responsibilities and schedules. With a view to non-discrimi-
nation and above all to equality, which should be seen as one
of the cardinal values enshrined in legislation, it would also be
useful to find out how tried-and-tested quality strategies and
their outcomes could be drawn on in the context of European
cooperation.

The Committee of the Regions notes that performance
5.4.
and quality of working life are interdependent. Quality in work
is an aspect and outcome of management method and part of
the whole package of services. Modern management is strategic
management of human resources. In labour-intensive sectors
it is important to shift the emphasis in personnel policy to
management of human resources, in which staff development,
as well as participatory and interactive management, play a
central role. This will enable organisations to respond more
effectively to calls for change. Management of human resources
also involves information management, where the emphasis is
on learning and developing organisations. It should also be
considered how to assess the effectiveness of management
methods, which are crucial to quality in work, and how best
practice can be transferred between equivalent organisations
in member states.

5.5.
Effective human resource management has been found
to influence an organisation’s performance, quality of services
and the well-being of employees. Thus in human resource
the focus is on reconciling activity-related
management
decisions, strategic management and human resource manage-
ment (SHRM = Strategic Human Resources Management). It is
also very important that strategic decisions taken by policy-
makers should be consistent with their human resource
management.

4)

productivity, cost-effectiveness and efficiency of service
provision.

5.7.
The modernisation of services provided by local and
regional authorities has focused attention on the quality of
public services.

5.8.
Over the next few years public authorities will have to
restructure services and working methods, while at the same
time competing for new staff. It is important that quality in
work and performance in service provision in local and
regional authorities should be actively improved. European
cooperation could play a greater role here,
for example
through staff exchange programmes and comparative studies.
Well-designed measures to enhance working life will also
make jobs in local and regional government more attractive,
improve its image as an employer and boost job satisfaction.

5.9.
It is right to link the quality concept to the broader
process of modernisation. However, the communication does
not mention the democratic aspect of modernisation that is so
important from the point of view of
local and regional
government, and this aspect is also absent from the proposed
indicators. Only local involvement can really act as a counter-
weight to globalisation and be the ultimate proving ground
for its positive impact. The modernisation process and the
new quality concept presuppose a new kind of democracy
and participation:
local democracy, consumer democracy,
workplace democracy, where people have the opportunity to
influence developments and a good quality of working life.

5.10.
also affect quality in work and working life in other sectors.

Services managed by local and regional authorities

6. The Committee of the Regions’ recommendations

The following factors can be considered in assessing

5.6.
performance:

1)

2)

3)

staff ability, such as skills,
satisfaction and motivation, and capacity to work;

innovative capacity,

job

extent to which services are (cost-)effective, adequate and
sufficiently targeted;

quality of services and customer satisfaction, availability
of services and cooperation between departments provid-
ing them;

6.1.
The Committee would stress that the quality review
initiated by the communication is, at this stage, primarily
concerned with setting out points of view and an approach to
improving quality, as the Commission itself notes. It might be
useful to divide the development work into stages in which
previous choices are gradually complemented and revised. This
would highlight the fact that quality policy and instruments are
not complete and definitive, and that they serve and have to
be applicable to different and changing practical needs. The
emphasis must not be on collecting general indicators from
member states but rather on what action can be taken within
the European Union to bring about a real improvement in the
quality of employment and social policies. The Committee
recommends that the Commission’s planned quality reviews
be further assessed from the viewpoint of national, regional
and local autonomy.

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6.2.
The Committee takes the view that the communication
does not pay adequate attention to the role of social policy in
promoting social inclusion and contributing to the quality of
life and that this should therefore receive more attention in the
future.

6.3.
Attention also needs to be paid to quality in work in
low-skilled jobs. The needs of problem groups (e.g. the long-
term unemployed, the handicapped and the socially excluded)
and their integration should be taken into consideration in
assessing the quality and effectiveness of vocational and staff
training.

6.4.
The basic principles of the coherent quality-based
approach to economic, employment and social policies to be
developed by the Commission should also be reflected in goals
pertaining to globalisation and related negotiations.

6.5.
In the view of the Committee quality concepts and
indicators should be focused clearly on structural factors that
can be influenced by employment and social policies at
European and national level. Quality indicators provide infor-
mation on average performance in member states and are thus
useful
in the context of the European debate. But use of
national indicators alone can give a wrong picture as they do
not reveal important regional disparities within member states.
The Committee would also point out that quality is a culture-
dependent concept and that the choice of value indicators
invariably involves value choices as well. These considerations
must also be taken into account when interpreting monitoring
data.

6.6.
The Committee considers it important to distinguish
between structural and experimental measures and indicators.
It is important to develop information channels for gathering
data on the views and experiences of employees and other
people.

The Committee of the Regions would point out that
6.7.
regional development is the result of the interaction of several
policies. It would also be important to analyse the effects of

Brussels, 14 November 2001.

public sector activities and employment and social policies on
regional development from the quality point of view and
particularly the opportunities for promoting the development
of regions that are lagging behind.

It

6.8.
The quality and success of economic, employment and
social policies must, in the final analysis, be assessed from the
viewpoint of the vitality of localities and regions and the living
conditions, quality of life and involvement of the people living
there.
that action be guided by local and
regional conditions and needs. It would be better to promote
development
through assessments based on comparisons
between similar localities, regions, jobs and service structures
rather than through comparisons with general averages or
European indicators.

is essential

Quality in work (and the quality of working life)
6.9.
ultimately take tangible form in the workplace. Quality in
work indicators at regional, local and workplace level should
be developed through cooperation between countries at local
and regional level. This could, for example, take the form of
regional pilot projects in different countries, which at the same
time would allow development of common indicators and
learning from good practice related to quality in work
(opportunity for cooperation with pillar 3). One such project
might be the current level of service provision for the elderly
in an ageing Europe.

local

For several aspects of quality in work, analysis of the
6.10.
current situation at
is essential. Provision of
level
information on best practice and exchange of experiences
gained with, for example, employment support programmes
and flexible arrangements for employing physically or socially
handicapped persons are particularly important for increasing
social inclusion all over Europe.

6.11.
Development of local and regional authorities’ per-
sonnel strategies is important in efforts to meet the challenges
that come with the modernisation process and an ageing
population and at the same time to improve performance and
the quality of work and working life. These efforts could be
supported by means of research, by disseminating information
on best practice and by exchanging experiences.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT