Brussels, 07/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 10 March, employment ministers are expected to adopt a recommendation on “The Quality Framework for Traineeships”. The draft recommendation contains a number of guidelines for tackling two widespread problems identified in traineeships: poor content and working conditions that date back to another century.
The proposal - the initial version of which was presented by the European Commission on 4 December 2013 - consists of several general principles: the obligation of making a written traineeship agreement; definition of learning and training objectives in compliance with best practices; limitation of traineeship periods to 6 months, with clearly defined conditions for extending traineeships; ensuring appropriate recognition of traineeships carried out by means of a certificate; inclusion of transparency and employment requirements (with regard to pay, compensation and sickness insurance), and a recruitment policy; promotion of cross-border mobility for trainees; promoting the use of European structural and investment funds for increasing the number and quality of traineeships.
Ministers will subsequently hold a debate on the social and employment aspects of the European Semester 2014. The Greek Presidency of the Council proposed structuring the discussions around three questions: What are the best kinds of reforms for tackling unemployment and how can coherency be ensured between economic, employment and social policies?; How can the disparity between supply and demand in terms of workers' skill sets be improved?; How can the slow recovery from the recession be translated into job creation and an improved social situation?
Following this debate, ministers will proceed to the adoption of the documents related to this issue, namely the conclusions on the assessment of annual growth this year, on the joint employment report and on the social protection committee's report. The ministers will also be called on to reach a political agreement on the draft conclusions for the employment guidelines.
This Employment and Social Affairs Council will also be requested to examine the progress or lack of progress in attaining the EUROPE 2020 Strategy targets. The EU is almost mid-term with this strategy and at least two of its targets will be difficult to attain. The economic, financial and social crisis, which is currently being followed by a weak economic recovery, could prevent the EU from reducing by at least 20 million the number of people affected or threatened by poverty and social exclusion by 2020. The objective of being able to offer a job to 75% of the population aged between 20-64 also appears irreconcilable with the reality of the respective labour markets.
The Greek Presidency will be asking the following questions: How should the strategy be reviewed?; How should the employment guidelines be revised and should they be constructed around the problem of youth unemployment?; What changes should be introduced at the member state and EU level to strengthen action for achieving these two targets?
The final dossier the Council will be tackling involves the tripartite social summits. The next meeting is planned for 20 March, just before the start of the European Council. Ministers are being requested to reach a principled agreement for reviewing the 2003 Council decision on these tripartite summits by taking into account the Lisbon Treaty, the EUROPE 2020 Strategy launched in 2010 and the European Semester cycles. A principled agreement at the Council is required for the proposal to be initially sent to the Parliament, before being formally adopted by the Council. It therefore appears that the Parliament will not be able to play its role on this issue until the end of the current legislature.
The Greek Presidency will also have to draw up a balance sheet on the following dossiers as part of the interinstitutional negotiations: the posting of workers; the free movement of workers; protecting complementary pension rights; public services and employment. The respective presidents of the employment and social protection committees will also present their work programmes for this year. (JK)