Brussels, 01/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - Although EU member states would like to reach 75% employment rates, which they set out as one of the objectives for 2020, radical structural reforms and deep-reaching modifications to social policies should also be sought. This is because 17.6 million new jobs need to be created, according to the conclusions adopted by European ministers responsible for employment and social policy, speaking on Thursday 1 December.
The EU 27 has therefore pursued its analysis of the first year of implementing the EUROPE 2020 strategy, carried out by the employment committee in the initial report, “Reaching the employment target: progress and thematic surveillance”. The radical reforms in question are expected to target people on the labour market whose prospects are deemed “sombre”, namely under-qualified workers, women and elderly workers, in an effort to stimulate their recruitment. The second category involves young people, for which the current rate of unemployment stands at 21% as an average throughout the EU. Better adaptation and improved quality of education systems and training are the main levers promised by these ministers in an attempt to increase their employment rates. Eurozone states are urged to take into account these conclusions during the next European Council on 8-9 December. (JK/trans/fl)