European Parliament resolution on a European strategy to promote quality in employment and in social policy
Date: 2001-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Employment Strategy, employment policy, social policy

27.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 153 E/323

(cid:1) examining how the framework for trans-national co-operation of regional or local actors could be

better supported at EU level (1),

Thursday 29 November 2001

(cid:1) proposing twinning arrangements between national administrations (2),

(cid:1) a review of the Union’s international representation (3);

*

*

*

48.
Instructs its President forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Economic and
Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the governments and parliaments of the Member
States.

(1) White Paper 3.1 Action Points.
(2) White Paper 3.2 Action Points.
(3) White Paper 3.3 Action Points.

21. Promoting quality in employment and social policy

B5-0739/2001

European Parliament resolution on a European strategy to promote quality in employment and in
social policy

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Social Policy Agenda adopted by the Nice European Council of 7 to 9 December

2000,

(cid:1) having regard to the conclusions of the European Councils of Lisbon (23/24 March 2000), Stockholm

(23/24 March 2001) and Göteborg (15/16 June 2001),

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission Communication ‘Employment and social policies: a framework for

investing in quality’ (COM(2001) 313),

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission’s proposal for a Council decision on Guidelines for Member States’

employment policies for the year 2002 (COM(2001) 511),

A. whereas the Lisbon European Council set the strategic goal of making the Union the most competitive
and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, characterised by sustainable economic growth
with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion,

B. whereas the Social Policy Agenda, adopted by the Nice European Council, reflects the need to focus on
quality as a means to ensure a positive, mutually reinforcing interaction between economic, employ-
ment and social policies,

C. whereas the quality of jobs should always be a goal, regardless of the state of economic growth,

D. whereas the 2002 employment guidelines include ‘quality of work’ as a general objective,

E. whereas the Stockholm European Council asked the Council and Commission to develop indicators on

quality in work, to be presented in time for the Laeken European Council,

C 153 E/324

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

27.6.2002

Thursday 29 November 2001

F. whereas the Commission recently presented a communication which sought to identify ways of reach-

ing the policy goal of improving quality of work and to establish an initial set of indicators,

G. whereas quality reflects the desire, not just to defend minimum standards, but to promote rising

standards and ensure a fairer share of the fruits of progress,

H. whereas it is necessary to define specific policy goals and identify priority fields for action in order to
give life to the ‘quality strategy’ which otherwise would risk becoming merely a slogan without sub-
stance,

I. whereas it is necessary to identify the policy instruments needed to implement such a strategy and to

build the concept of quality also into these very instruments,

General assessment

1. Welcomes the launch of a debate on enhancing quality in social and employment policies as a
decisive step in putting into practice the goals established by the Lisbon European Council and the Social
Policy Agenda;

2.
Considers that quality in social and employment policy is a key element for a thriving economy,
more and better jobs and an inclusive society; calls upon the Commission to analyse in more detail the
various effects of higher quality in work on employment levels;

3. Welcomes the decision to establish a set of indicators as a basis for measuring quality provided that
no new statistical burden is put on businesses; but calls upon the Commission, building on these and as a
second step, to develop a strategic approach linking the development of quality to concrete political goals,
target standards and policy instruments, in the context of a regulatory climate conducive to investment,
innovation and entrepreneurship, as agreed in the Lisbon Council;

On priorities

Takes the view that, in order to be effective, any approach to foster quality in social and employment

4.
policies needs (cid:1) despite the general aim of quality (cid:1) to focus on a limited number of priorities;

5.
Notes that there is a positive correlation between investment in quality on the one hand, and job
growth and competitivity on the other, because, leaving aside productivity gains, quality in work provides
incentives to enter the labour market;

6.
Takes the view, therefore, that, in order to achieve the employment goals defined by the Lisbon
European Council, strategies to improve quality in work must first target women and elderly workers;
calls, therefore, in particular for:

(cid:1) the establishment of adequate guaranteed labour standards for new forms of ‘atypical’ employment,

including social protection aspects,

(cid:1) the development of a comprehensive strategy to reconcile the demands made by professional and

family life,

(cid:1) a comprehensive strategy to maintain elderly workers in the labour market;

7.
Takes the view that high qualifications and skill levels are key elements to enhance productivity,
increase job satisfaction and avoid exclusion from the labour market; stresses the need to develop the
concept of ‘active education and training policies’ alongside active labour market policies;

27.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 153 E/325

Thursday 29 November 2001

8.
Takes the view that health and safety at work should be another priority in any strategy to foster
quality in work; expects to be consulted by the Commission on a draft action plan in this field as soon as
possible;

Calls upon the Commission to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the measures to improve quality in

9.
work so as to make the economic benefits of higher quality more visible;

On implementation

10.
Acknowledges that benchmarking on the basis of commonly defined indicators and exchange of
good practices may be the most appropriate policy for some aspects of social and employment policy at
European level; stresses, however, that the open coordination method may complement other policy
instruments, in particular legislation, but must not replace them; takes the view that a quality-oriented
policy should in fact result in gradual improvements in guaranteed minimum standards; in this context,
draws attention to the proposals for supplementary actions contained in its resolution of 25 October 2000
on the Social Policy Agenda;

11.
Notes that, unless the majority voting in Council is considerably extended, the open co-ordination
method may become the standard instrument in social and employment policy in an enlarged European
Union;

12.
Insists on the full involvement of the European Parliament as well as national parliaments in the
various methods of open co-ordination; with regard to its own involvement, calls for a consultation pro-
cedure along the lines of those preceding the European Employment Strategy;

13.
Takes the view that the Social Policy Agenda needs to be added to and adapted in the light of the
new priority of fostering quality; stresses that the monitoring of policy implementation, including the
control of full transposition of European legislation, needs to be reinforced;

14.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council.

*

*

*

22. Protection of the Communities’ financial interests

A5-0393/2001

European Parliament resolution on the Commission annual report 2000 on the protection of the
Communities’ financial interests and the fight against fraud (COM(2001) 255 , C5-0469/2001 ,
2001/2186(COS)) and on the Commission communication on protecting the Communities’ finan-
cial interests, Fight against fraud, Action plan for 2001-2003 (COM(2001) 254 , C5-0470/2001 ,
2001/2186(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission annual report (COM(2001) 255 (cid:1) C5-0469/2001),

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission communication (COM(2001) 254 (cid:1) C5-0470/2001),

(cid:1) having regard to Articles 276(3) and 280(5) of the EC Treaty,