Brussels, 19/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EPSCO Council's social affairs/employment component will meet on Thursday 21 October in Luxembourg. No legislative text will be debated during the session and no report has been programmed. Discussions will be held in the context of the EU 2020 strategy, particularly this strategy's social dimension. During lunch, ministers will discuss the selection of efficient policy measures for employment and will also compare the different measures taken to tackle the crisis and mitigate the latter's effect on labour markets. Key recommendations will also be made. With regard to the current issues on the agenda, the Belgian EU Council Presidency will submit a note to the Council on the situation regarding the Roma. The Commission will be represented by László Andor and the Belgian Presidency by Joëlle Milquet, the deputy prime minister in charge of employment and equal opportunities, migration policy and asylum, Laurette Onkelinx, the deputy prime minister in charge of social affairs and public health, Michel Daerden, the minister for pensions and Philippe Courard, the secretary of state for social integration and the fight against poverty in Belgium.
Adoption of guidelines for member states' employment policies: the general approach was adopted at the June 2010 summit and the European Parliament gave its opinion in September. The Council took into account the EP opinions in its considerations, namely the quality of work, small and medium-sized enterprises, gender equality, poverty eradication and protecting workers caught in the poverty trap.
These guidelines include targeted objectives, two of which directly involved employment issues: guideline No.7 on labour market participation, which highlights the need to increase by up to 75%, the participation of people aged between 20 and 64 on the labour market and guideline No. 10, the spearhead of the Belgian Presidency whose objective sought to reduce the number of people at risk of falling into poverty, by 20 million. The definition of poverty is based on three indicators, points out the Council: being in danger of falling into poverty, being homeless and living in a household where no one has a job.
According to the European Employment Strategy (ESS), member states are supposed to send their National Reform Programmes (NRP) to the Commission by 12 November 2010 at the latest, including their National Action Plans (NAP). The NRP will then need to be finalised by the middle of April 2011.
Political debate and adoption of conclusions on governance of the European employment strategy in the context of EU 2020 and the “European semester”. In its draft conclusions, the Council particularly underlines that before every European semester, it is important to produce a balance sheet of progress accomplished in the trajectory towards attaining the main EU 2020 and national strategy objectives on employment but also to analyse the impact of the measures taken in the area of employment on the macro-economic situation of the member states. In the future, this exercise will be more focused on labour market developments than in the past: the draft conclusions explain that in view of the contribution to make at the Spring summit it will be necessary to list in the joint employment report the main employment perspectives requiring strategic orientations from the European summit. It also noted that at the end of the European semester it is important to examine the recommendations individually addressed to the member states with regard to employment.
On the basis of these draft conclusions and in view of their adoption, the Presidency will put two questions to ministers: (1) Do you have any particular suggestions on how to use the ESS tools for efficiently implementing and following up employment guidelines and achieving progress on the major objectives? In this context, what form should the employment results statement take? (2) What are the main obstacles to growth and job creation in your national employment markets? What reforms should be made priorities for tackling these blockages?
Preparation of the social tripartite summit: this summit will be based on the role of economic governance for promoting growth and job creation. Ministers will discuss how to establish a link between the exit-strategy, which aims to reduce public debt and a strategy, which aims to develop investment in technologies.
Phare Youth in Movement Initiative: the Commission will present its Youth in Movement communication (EUROPE 10215).
Making employment transitions positive: an opinion from the Employment Committee, which the Council is expected to approve.
Social protection and inclusion in the EU 2020 strategy and its governance: the Presidency will present its document for the Council debate. It will also put two questions to ministers: (1) What are the main difficulties encountered when setting out national social exclusion and poverty reduction targets and elaborating the
National Reform Programme? How can member states be assisted at a European level in these processes? (2) Given the national specificities, what social gains could be included as priorities in the works programme of the Social Protection Committee (SPC) in view of its annual report? How can we build on the accomplishments of the SPC, particularly with regard to follow up and the multi-dimensional approach (suitability, sustainability and access) for social policies highlighted in its report on social inclusion, pensions, health and long-term health care? (G.B./transl.fl)