Brussels, 31/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - Inter-institutional negotiations had barely finished on Thursday 30 January on the creation of a formal network of publicly-funded job centres when disagreements started emerging about the crucial point - whether or not the network should be compulsory. The European Parliament says it should be compulsory, but the member states say it should be voluntary. The question may soon join the museum of forgotten European artefacts and legal curiosities because member states will in practice have to join the network which is but the formalisation of an existing practice.
On Friday 31 January, member states' representatives to the European Union on the Coreper welcomed the outcome of the trialogue talks. Coreper echoes the Council of Ministers' view (see EUROPE 10980) that involvement in the network cannot be compulsory because it was set up using Article 149 of the EU treaty. The ministers will assess the agreement on 7 February, at a meeting attended by the Parliament employment committee observers, as desired by the ministers. Committee members may also attend the annual meetings to decide on the job centre network's work programme, but not the more confidential smaller meetings. (JK/transl.fl)