Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy: Proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States
Date: 2004-09-29
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU employment policy, European Employment Strategy, governance, labour market

18.2.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 43/1

II

(Preparatory Acts)

COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

56th PLENARY SESSION ON 29 AND 30 SEPTEMBER 2004

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the Mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy:

— Communication from the Commission on Strengthening the implementation of the European

Employment strategy

— Proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member

States

— Recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the implementation of Member States'

employment policies

(2005/C 43/01)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

Having regard to the Mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy: Communication from the Commission on Strength-
ening the implementation of the European Employment Strategy; Proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for
the employment policies of the Member States; Recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the implementa-
tion of Member States' employment policies (presented by the Commission) (COM(2004) 239 final – 2004/0082
(CNS));

Having regard to the decision of the European Commission on 7 April 2004 and of the Council on 16
April 2004, under the first paragraph of Article 265 and of Article 128 of the Treaty establishing the Euro-
pean Community, to consult it on this matter;

Having regard to the decision of its president on 5 April 2004 to instruct its Commission for Economic
and Social Policy to draw up an opinion on the subject;

Having regard to its draft opinion (CdR 152/2004 rev. 1) adopted on 6 July 2004 by the Commission for
Economic and Social Policy (rapporteur: Ms Pauliina Haijanen, Member of the Board of the Regional
Council of Southwest Finland, First Vice-chairman of Laitila Town Council (FI/EPP);

adopted the following opinion at its 56th plenary session on 29 and 30 September 2004 (session of
29 September).

1. The Committee of the Regions' views

Overall priorities of the Lisbon strategy

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

believes that in implementing the Lisbon strategy the
1.1
primary focus should be on improving employment and
competitiveness. No new processes should be initiated or new
objectives set; rather,
the emphasis should be on effective
implementation of earlier decisions;

1.2
considers it important that a sound macro-economy
based on the sustainability of public finances and economic

policies geared to sustainable growth be adopted as the starting
point for the Lisbon strategy;

feels it is important to see economic, employment and
1.3
social policy, environmental policy and education and research
policy as integrated and complementary elements in the Lisbon
strategy to support competitiveness, economic growth and
social cohesion. Interaction between social protection systems,
the economic policy guidelines and the employment process
should be further deepened;

1.4
thinks that structural reforms, support for research and
innovation, promotion of entrepreneurship and development
of education and training are key factors for improving EU
competitiveness, fostering investment and the creation of new
jobs;

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Official Journal of the European Union

18.2.2005

1.5
believes that population ageing poses major challenges
for the sustainability of public finances and the development of
services and that this calls for effective measures for developing
work and encouraging people to stay in employment;

1.6
feels that local and regional authorities have a key role
to play and important practical tasks to perform in achieving
the Lisbon strategy and strengthening its implementation, but
that this potential has not been exploited sufficiently.

2. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations

Mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

2.1
considers it essential that in implementing the Lisbon
strategy greater attention be paid to interaction between the
various levels involved in implementation and to developing
administrative mechanisms that enable partnerships to be built
and effective participation by local and regional authorities in
implementing the strategy;

2.2
endorses the goals set by the spring European Council
for the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy and proposes
that the review include a critical assessment of the implementa-
tion of governance and of the added value brought to the
implementation of
the strategy by the decentralisation of
administration;

2.3
feels that a decentralised approach should be adopted in
applying the open coordination method thereby providing
local and regional players with real opportunities to develop
local and regional strategies. These strategies should be part of
the national strategy. Member States' national action plans
should contain a factual account of how local and regional
authorities participated in drawing up the plans and how they
will be involved in their implementation;

2.5
believes it is important that the Union's new financial
framework and Structural Fund activities be tied more closely
than at present to the implementation of the Lisbon strategy.

Strengthening the employment strategy

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

agrees with the Commission that no changes must be
2.6
made to the guidelines but rather that the focus should be on
the effective implementation of the existing guidelines;

believes that in some cases,

2.7
it could be appropriate
that, in addition to country-specific recommendations, Member
States be given common recommendations in accordance with
the recommendations of Wim Kok's Taskforce. In such cases,
one should clarify the relation between the common recom-
mendations and the overarching objectives set in 2003;

2.8
feels that there has not been sufficient compliance with
the requirement contained in the 2003 guidelines concerning
the need to support participation by players at
local and
regional level in the developing and implementing the guide-
lines;

considers it essential

2.9
importance be
attached to governance in the employment strategy and that
the implementation of governance be critically assessed in the
2005 Joint Employment Report;

that greater

endorses

the Commission's

2.10
recommendations on
active ageing strategies but believes that employment policy
should focus more on improving labour supply by paying par-
ticular attention to, among others, women, older people, young
people, the disabled and immigrants and by promoting the
functional capacity and health of the entire population;

2.11
feels that structural reforms in the labour market and
changes in tax and benefit systems should be designed so as to
make work pay and encourage people to remain in the labour
market;

2.4
stresses that the open coordination method should be
simplified so that, rather than detailed goals and performance
indicators, greater emphasis is placed on forward-looking stra-
tegic policies and how these will be effectively implemented in
practice;

2.12
thinks that it is important to help the new Member
States develop their labour markets also by strengthening the
capacity of local and regional authorities and supporting coop-
eration and exchange of experience between the local and
regional level in the old and new Member States.

Brussels, 29 September 2004.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Peter STRAUB