Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States
Date: 2012-11-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: competitiveness, fight against unemployment, job creation, professional qualifications, sustainable development

EUROPEAN 
COMMISSION 

Brussels, 28.11.2012  
COM(2012) 709 final 

2012/0335 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

On 26 March 2010, the European Council agreed to the European Commission's proposal to 
launch a new strategy for jobs and growth, Europe 20201, based on enhanced coordination of 
economic  policies,  which  will  focus  on  the  key  areas  where  action  is  needed  to  boost 
Europe’s  potential  for  sustainable  growth  and  competitiveness.  To  that  end,  the  European 
Council agreed to set EU headline targets, which constitute shared objectives guiding action 
of the Member States and of the Union.  

The  Treaty  on  the  functioning  of  the  EU  provides  that  Member  States  are  to  regard  their 
economic policies and promoting employment as matters of common concern and coordinate 
them within the Council. In two distinct articles, it provides that the Council is to adopt broad 
economic  policy  guidelines  (Article  121)  and  employment  guidelines  (Article  148), 
specifying  that  the  latter  must  be  consistent  with  the  former.  Given  this  legal  basis,  the 
guidelines  for  employment  and  economic  policies  are  presented  as  two  distinct  —  but 
intrinsically interconnected — legal instruments:  

–  A Council Recommendation on broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member 

States and of the Union -Part I of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines; 

–  A Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States -Part 

II of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines.  

These  guidelines  implemented  by  the  above  mentioned  legal  instruments  form  together  the 
integrated guidelines for implementing the Europe 2020 strategy. The employment guidelines 
were adopted on 21 October 2010, and as provided by the adoption decision should remain 
stable until 2014 to ensure a focus on implementation. 

The overall objectives and priorities expressed in the guidelines for the employment policies 
remain valid. By virtue of Article 148(2), their validity for 2013 needs to be confirmed by a 
Council decision, following consultation of the European Parliament, the European Economic 
and Social Committee, the Committee of Regions and the Employment Committee. 

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND 
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

2. 

n.a. 

3. 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

OJ L 308, 24.11.2010, p. 46. 

1 

COM(2010) 2020, 3.3.2010. 

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2012/0335 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 148(2) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament2,  

Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee3,  

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions4,  

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

The  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  (TFEU)  stipulates  in  Article 
145 that Member States and the Union shall work towards developing a coordinated 
strategy  for  employment  and  particularly  for  promoting  a  skilled,  trained  and 
adaptable workforce as well as labour markets that are responsive to economic change 
and  with  a  view  to  achieving  the  objectives  defined  in  Article  3  of  the  Treaty  on 
European Union (TEU). 

The "Europe 2020 Strategy" proposed by the Commission enables the Union to turn its 
economy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, accompanied by high level 
employment, productivity and social cohesion. Five headline targets, listed under the 
relevant guidelines, constitute shared objectives which guide the action of the Member 
States,  and 
their  relative  starting  positions  and  national 
circumstances as well as the positions and circumstances of the Union. The European 
Employment  Strategy  has  the  leading  role  in  the  implementation  of  the  employment 
and labour market objectives of the new strategy.  

into  account 

take 

(3) 

The  integrated  guidelines  are  in  line  with  the  conclusions  of  the  European  Council. 
They give precise guidance to the Member States on defining  their  National  Reform 
Programmes  and  implementing  reforms,  reflecting  interdependence  and  in  line  with 
the Stability and Growth Pact. The employment guidelines should form the basis for 

2 
3 
4 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 

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any  country-specific  recommendations  that  the  Council  may  address  to  the  Member 
States  under  Article  148(4)  of  the  TFEU,  in  parallel  with  the  country-specific 
recommendations addressed to the Member States under Article 121(2) of that Treaty. 
The  employment  guidelines  should  also  form  the  basis  for  the  establishment  of  the 
Joint Employment Report sent annually by the Council and the European Commission 
to the European Council. 

(4) 

The examination of the Member States' draft National Reform Programmes contained 
in  the  draft  Joint  Employment  Report  shows  that  Member  States  should  continue  to 
make  every  effort  to  address  the  priority  areas  of  increasing  labour  market 
participation  and  reducing  structural  unemployment,  developing  a  skilled  workforce 
responding  to  labour  market  needs  and  promoting  job  quality  and  lifelong  learning, 
improve the performance of education and training systems at all levels and increasing 
participation in tertiary education, promoting social inclusion and combating poverty. 

(5) 

The  Employment  Guidelines  adopted  in  2010  should  remain  stable  until  2014  to 
ensure a focus on implementation. In the intermediate years until the end of 2014 their 
updating should remain strictly limited. 

(6)  Member  States  should  explore  the  use  of  the  European  Social  Fund  when 

implementing the Employment Guidelines, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

Article 1 

The  guidelines  for  Member  States'  employment  policies  as  set  out  in  the  Annex  to  Council 
Decision  of  21  October  2010  on  guidelines  for  the  employment  policies  of  the  Member 
States5 are maintained for 2013 and shall be taken into account by the Member States in their 
employment policies. 

Article 2 

This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

5 

Council Decision 2010/707/UE of 21 October 2010 on guidelines for the employment  policies of the 
Member States (OJ L 308, 24.11.2010, p. 46). 

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