Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States
Date: 2019-02-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU employment policy, education, equal treatment, job access, job creation, manpower needs, poverty, social dialogue, social integration

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 27.2.2019  COM(2019) 151 final 2019/0056 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States   
 
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

The  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  provides  that  Member  States  are  to 
regard  their  economic  policies  and  promoting  employment  as  a  matter  of  common  concern 
and shall coordinate their action within the Council. It provides that the Council  is to adopt 
employment guidelines (Article 148), specifying that they must be consistent with the broad 
economic policy guidelines (Article 121).  

While  the  validity  of  the  broad  economic  policy  guidelines  is  not  limited  to  any  specific 
period, the employment guidelines need to be drawn up each year. The guidelines were first 
adopted  together  (‘integrated  package’)  in  2010,  underpinning  the  Europe  2020  strategy.  In 
2018  they  were  alligned  with  the  principles  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights 
proclaimed in November 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, 
with a view to drive reforms at national level and to serve as a compass for a renewed process 
of convergence across Europe.  

Along with the broad economic policy guidelines, the employment guidelines are presented as 
a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (Part II of 
the Integrated Guidelines) and provide the legal basis for country-specific recommendations. 

The overall objectives and priorities expressed in the guidelines for the employment policies 
remain valid. By virtue of Article 148(2) TFEU, the validity of the Employment Guidelines 
for 2019 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. The employment guidelines were adopted on 16 July 2018, with the 
aim of ensuring a focus on policy implementation. 

2. 

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND 
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS  

n.a. 

3. 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

OJ L 224, 5.9.2018, p. 4. 

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2019/0056 (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 Parliament1, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee2, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions3, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee4, 

Whereas: 

Member  States  and  the  Union  are  to  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,  with  a  view  to 
achieving the objectives of full employment and social progress set out in Article 3 of 
the Treaty on European Union.  

(2) 

(3) 

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In accordance with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the 
Union  has  developed  and  implemented  policy  coordination  instruments  for  fiscal, 
macroeconomic  and  structural  policies.  As  part  of  those  instruments,  the  present 
Guidelines  for  the  Employment  Policies  of  the  Member  States,  together  with  the 
Broad Guidelines for the Economic Policies of the Member States and of the Union set 
out in Council Recommendation (EU) 2015/11845, form the Integrated Guidelines for 
Implementing the Europe 2020 strategy. They  are to  guide policy implementation in 
the  Member States  and  in  the  Union,  reflecting  the  interdependence  between  the 
Member States.  The  resulting  set  of  coordinated  European  and  national  policies  and 
reforms  are  to  constitute  an  appropriate  overall  economic  and  social  policy  mix  that 
should achieve positive spill-over effects. 

The European Semester combines different instruments in an overarching framework 
for integrated multilateral surveillance of economic, budgetary, employment and social 
policies  and  aims  to  achieve  the  Europe  2020  targets,  including  those  concerning 
in  Council 
employment,  education  and  poverty 

reduction,  as 

set  out 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
Council  Recommendation  (EU)  2015/1184  of  14 July 2015  on  broad  guidelines  for  the  economic 
policies of the Member States and of the European Union (OJ L 192, 18.7.2015, p. 27). 

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Decision 2010/707/EU6.  While  promoting 
the  policy  objectives  of  boosting 
investments, pursuing structural reforms, and ensuring responsible fiscal policies, the 
European Semester has been continuously reinforced and streamlined since 2015. Its 
employment  and  social  focus  has  notably  been  strengthened,  and  dialogue  with  the 
Member States,  the  social  partners  and  representatives  of  civil  society  has  been 
deepened. 

In November 2017, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission signed 
an  inter-institutional  proclamation  for  a  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights,  setting  out 
twenty  principles  and  rights  to  support  well-functioning  and  fair  labour  markets  and 
welfare  systems.  The  Pillar  constitutes  a  reference  framework  to  monitor  the 
employment  and  social  performance  of  Member  States,  to  drive  reforms  at  national 
level and to serve as a compass for a renewed process of convergence across Europe.  

The Integrated Guidelines should form the basis for country-specific recommendations 
that the Council may address to the Member States. Member States should make full 
use  of  the  European  Social  Fund  and  other  Union  funds  when  implementing  the 
employment guidelines. Although the addressees of the Integrated Guidelines are the 
Member  States  and  the  Union,  the  guidelines  should  be  implemented  in  partnership 
with all national, regional and local authorities, closely involving parliaments, as well 
as the social partners and representatives of civil society. 

The  Employment  Committee  and  the  Social  Protection  Committee  should  monitor 
how  the  relevant  policies  are  implemented  in  light  of  the  employment  guidelines,  in 
line with their respective Treaty-based mandates. Those committees and other Council 
preparatory bodies involved in the coordination of economic and social policies should 
work together closely. Policy dialogue between the European Parliament, the Council 
and the Commission should be maintained, in particular as regards the guidelines for 
the employment policies of the Member States. 

The Social Protection Committee was consulted. 

The Employment Guidelines adopted in 2018 should remain stable to ensure a focus 
on  their  implementation.  In  the  light  of  an  assessment  of  the  developments  of  the 
labour  markets  and  the  social  situation  since  the  adoption  of  the  employment 
guidelines  in  2018,  no  update  is  necessary.  The  reasons  for  their  adoption  in  2018 
remain valid; therefore those guidelines should be maintained, 

(4) 

(5)  

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

Article 1 

The guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States, as set out in the Annex to 
Decision  (EU)  2018/12157,  are  maintained  for  2019  and  shall  be  taken  into  account  by  the 
Member States in their employment policies and reform programmes. 

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Council Decision 2010/707/EU of 21 October 2010 on guidelines  for the employment policies of the 
Member States (OJ L 308, 24.11.2010, p. 46). 
Council Decision (EU) 2018/1215 of 16 July 2018 on guidelines  for the employment    policies of the 
Member States (OJ L 224, 5.9.2018, p. 4). 

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This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

Article 2 

For the Council 
The President 

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