THE FIFTH MEDIUM-TERM PROGRAMME : SETTING UP OVER THE FIVE YEARS AHEAD MACHINERY AND ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT , ON LEAVING SCHOOL , ALL YOUNG PEOPLE OBTAIN EITHER A PAID JOB OR ACCESS TO A VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSE OR BOTH TOGETHER . THE COUNCIL NOTES THAT THE COMMISSION PROPOSED IN PARTICULAR TO :
( I ) COMPARE NATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THIS FIELD ;
( II ) REQUIRE NATIONAL PROGRAMMES BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY BY A GIVEN DATE ;
( III ) DECIDE ON PARTIAL FUNDING FOR SUCH SCHEMES FROM THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND ;
( IV ) PROVIDE FOR THE EXAMINATION OF RESULTS ACHIEVED AT REGULAR INTERVALS .
THE ADAPTATION OF WORKING TIME CAN ALSO HELP EASE THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT , WHILE MATCHING SOCIAL DEMANDS FOR MORE FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS - FOR EXAMPLE PART-TIME WORK , EARLY RETIREMENT , ETC . HOWEVER , GREAT CARE HAS TO BE TAKEN TO AVOID CHANGES IN WORKING CONDITIONS THAT COULD RISK SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING HOURLY LABOUR OR CAPITAL COSTS , AND TO AVOID SHARPLY DEVIATING TRENDS AS BETWEEN MEMBER STATES ESPECIALLY IN WAYS WHICH WOULD RISK AFFECTING COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS .
4 . ECONOMIC POLICY IN THE MEMBER STATES
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION HAS DETERIORATED IN BELGIUM IN 1981 : THE FALL IN THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND EMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY AN ACCELERATION OF CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION AND A DETERIORATION IN THE CURRENT ACCOUNT OF THE BALANCE OF PAYMENTS .
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES CONSIDERED THIS SITUATION ONE OF GREAT CONCERN AND , ON 22 JULY 1981 , ADDRESSED A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT WHICH ADVOCATED CORRECTIVE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN IN THE MONETARY , BUDGETARY AND REVENUE FIELDS .
GUIDELINES WERE ADOPTED BY THE BELGIAN AUTHORITIES , AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH OF AUGUST 1981 , IN ESTABLISHING THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET FOR 1982 , WHICH EFFECTIVELY TOOK ACCOUNT OF THE LIMIT FOR 1982 , ON THE CURRENT ACCOUNT BUDGET DEFICIT OF BFRS 200 BILLION , REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION . THE ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THE BORROWING REQUIREMENT OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT , AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT , FROM 15.5 % IN 1981 TO 13.5 % IN 1982 .
THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE EXECUTION OF THE 1981 BUDGET SUGGESTS THAT NET BORROWING WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES MADE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR . IN OTHER RESPECTS THE GUIDELINES ADOPTED BY THE BELGIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE LED TO AN INCREASE IN THE BURDEN OF TAXATION AND LESS RESTRAINT ON EXPENDITURE THAN THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION SUGGESTED .
UNDER THESE CONDITIONS , THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BUDGET IN 1982 , IF IT IS TO ADHERE TO THE LIMITS AND PRIORITIES INDICATED ABOVE , WILL HAVE TO AIM AT STRICTLY CONTAINING EXPENDITURE , AND TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH SUFFICIENT FLEXIBILITY TO PERMIT COMPENSATORY ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN THE OVERALL BUDGET .
IN OTHER RESPECTS , POLITICAL EVENTS HAVE NOT YET MADE IT POSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT THE BUDGETARY GUIDELINES AND TO FOLLOW