European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (COM(2004) 239 — C5-0188/2004 — 2004/0082(CNS))
Date: 2004-04-22
Institutions: Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, European Parliament
Subjects: EU Member State, European Employment Strategy, employment policy

30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 104 E/989

(cid:1) having regard to Articles 133, 181 and 300(2), first subparagraph of the EC Treaty,

(cid:1) having regard to Article 300(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council

consulted Parliament (C5-0659/2001),

Thursday 22 April 2004

(cid:1) having regard to its numerous previous resolutions on human rights,

(cid:1) having regard to Rules 67 and 97(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security
and Defence Policy and the opinions of the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and
Home Affairs, the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy and the Committee on
Development and Cooperation (A5-0275/2004),

1.

Approves conclusion of the agreement;

Asks the Commission to present to Parliament one year after the entry into force of the agreement a
2.
report on its implementation and on its effect on human rights and democratisation and, should there be
no improvement in human rights and democracy, to consider what steps are necessary;

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the governments

3.
and parliaments of the Member States and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

P5_TA(2004)0366

Guidelines for employment policy in the Member States *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on guidelines for
the employment policies of the Member States (COM(2004) 239 (cid:1) C5-0188/2004 (cid:1) 2004/
0082(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2004) 239) (1),

(cid:1) having regard to Article 128(2) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C5-0188/2004),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A5-0277/2004),

1.

Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC

2.
Treaty;

3.

Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal sub-

4.
stantially;

5.

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

(1) Not yet published in the OJ.

C 104 E/990

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

30.4.2004

Thursday 22 April 2004

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendments 1 and 5

Recital 3

(3) The examination of the Member States’ National Action
Plans for employment contained in the Joint Employment
Report 2003-2004 shows that Member States and the social
partners should give priority to increasing adaptability of
workers and enterprises; attracting more people to enter and
remain on the labour market and making work a real option
for all; investing more and more effectively in human capital
and lifelong learning; and ensuring effective implementation of
reforms through better governance. These priorities are fully
consistent with and can be pursued in the context of the cur-
rent Guidelines.

(3) The examination of the Member States’ National Action
Plans for employment contained in the Joint Employment
Report 2003-2004 shows that Member States and the social
partners should give priority to increasing adaptability of
workers and enterprises; attracting more people to enter and
remain on the labour market, facilitating the access of unem-
ployed young people to their first job and also the employ-
ment/continuance in employment of older people and making
work a real option for all; investing more and more effectively
in human capital as well as in research and development and
lifelong learning; and ensuring effective implementation of
reforms through better governance. These priorities are fully
consistent with and can be pursued in the context of the cur-
rent Guidelines.

Amendment 2

Recital 5a (new)

(5a) The conclusions of the Employment Task Force, which
are important, should be taken on board by Member States
when implementing the Employment Guidelines, namely with
a view in particular to improving the adaptability of workers
and attracting and retaining more people in the work place
and investing in skills and lifelong learning. These conclu-
sions should be incorporated instead of new objectives being
continually set or existing ones amended. In such a way, the
European Union should confront Member States when they
under-perform and urge Member States to focus on imple-
mentating what has already been agreed.

Amendment 3

Recital 5b (new)

(5b) The European Employment Strategy requires enhanced
and improved democratic involvement. To succeed in this,
governments need to take concrete measures to mobilise the
support and participation of the various stakeholders, and
convince the public of the need for reforms. Furthermore,
greater efforts should be made to demonstrate to the general
public why reform is necessary and why it is in the interest
and to the advantage of all.

Amendment 4

Recital 5c (new)

(5c) Member States’ performance in respect of the Employ-
ment Guidelines should be assessed and measured rigorously
so as to ensure absolute validity and reliability of the Guide-
lines.

30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 104 E/991

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Thursday 22 April 2004

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 6
Recital 5d (new)

(5d) To promote economic and social cohesion, the guide-
lines for employment should also, through the European
Social Fund, have the aim of reducing regional disparities in
terms of jobs and unemployment, and combating de-indus-
trialisation and relocations outside the Member States, while
positively supporting economic and social reconversion, yet
without neglecting to back up the development of the most
dynamic areas.

Amendment 7
Recital 5e (new)

(5e)
In the current context of international competition and
globalised trade, the European Employment Strategy should
encourage companies to anticipate economic and technologi-
cal change. Member States should encourage the development
of research and support the dissemination of innovation in
European enterprises. In this spirit, the European institutions
will support initiatives to enable platforms of excellence to be
set up between researchers and enterprises. They will encour-
age subject-based initiatives within the framework of the
European programmes.

Amendment 8
Recital 5f (new)

In the context of financial allocation, the European
(5f)
institutions should provide support in a spirit not just of
assistance but also of economic dynamism. Thus the Euro-
pean institutions should do their utmost to avoid adding com-
plexity to the Member States’ policies and on the contrary
play a facilitating role. They will endeavour to make pro-
cedures for access to European funding simpler and more
flexible, and to promote linkages between the various Com-
munity programmes.

P5_TA(2004)0367

Financial perspectives after 2006

European Parliament resolution on building our common future: policy challenges and budgetary
means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013 (COM(2004) 101 (cid:1) C5-0089/2004 (cid:1) 2004/2006(INI))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Communication from the Commission (COM(2004) 101),

(cid:1) having regard to the EC Treaty, and in particular its articles 268-276,